The Korban haAdah comments that the luchos were taken out of the Aron " in the time of need" When was this? I thought it was prohibited to tke out the Luchos. Please explain when they were historially taken out ? Thanks
Robb Karr, Passaic N.J.
The Korban ha'Edah's comment that the Luchos were taken out in times of need was said according to the opinion of Rebbi Yehudah. The Mishnas Eliyahu (15b) says that Rebbi Yehudah in our Gemara is the same Rebbi Yehudah who holds that there were two Aronos. He asks, "How could this be if Rebbi Yehudah here holds that both Luchos were placed in the Aron, while Rebbi Yehudah on 15b holds that the broken pieces of the Luchos were placed in the Aron that went out to war?"
He answers, "During times of peace both Luchos were kept in the Aron. However, at times of war the broken Luchos were placed in the Aron that was taken into battle." If so, the "times of need" which the Korban ha'Edah mentions is referring to times of war.
In addition, we find in Shmuel I (ch. 4) that the Plishtim captured the Aron, and Rashi there says that Sha'ul grabbed the Luchos from the hand of Galyas and ran away with them.
D. Schloss