Shalom U'Vracha
While learning Mesechta Megilah, I came across the braisa "Makom HaAron ainah Min HaMinyan' I saw that this memra also appears on Bava Basra 99, which I looked up. There, the braisa goes into the Kruvim of Shlomo (as per the picture in Rashi), which were not on top of the Kapores, but freestanding on the floor, in the Heichal. My question is: how did Shlomo make these Kruvim, if the pesukim in Shmos, only talk about the Kruvim on the Kapores? What was the idea behind making these second set of Kruvim, and what was the authority to do that?
Thank you so much for any answers you might give me. A short explanation and /or sources will be enough as you know you are busy and I do not want to take up your time.
Sincerely,
M. Goldstein
Mordechai Goldstein, Bklyn USA
Mordechai- Here is a copy of the answer we sent to a similar question that was asked in the past. I hope you find it helpful.
Best wishes,
Mordecai Kornfeld
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Yoma 021a: The Keruvim that did not take up any space
Eliezer Zabrowsky asked:
How was Shlomo Hamelech permitted to place 2 more kruvim in the Beis Hamikdosh, Rashi at the end of Parshas Yisro says it is forbidden like avoda zara!
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The Kollel replies:
Rashi on the Torah, as you correctly noted, quotes a Mechilta that says, "You may only have two Keruvin in the Kodesh ha'Kodashim. Making four is prohibited."
However, regarding the construction of the Beis ha'Mikdash, the verse says, "ha'Kol b'Kesav mi'Yad Hash-m" (Divrei ha'Yamim I 28:19), that is to say, every detail of the building of the Beis ha'Mikdash -- including the Keruvim that Shlomo added -- was done with Ru'ach ha'Kodesh and by word of the Navi (Bechoros 17b). For this reason it was permitted to add Keruvim as a "Hora'as Sha'ah," based on the word of a prophet, as TOSFOS points out (54b; see also Hagahos Ya'avetz there and Malbim on the verse you quoted).
I later found that Teshuvos Radbaz (# 2189) asks your question. Aside from pointing out that it was done b'Ruach ha'Kodesh, as above, he explains that since the prophet told Shlomo to build the Keruvim in such a manner, it must be that the Torah only prohibited adding Keruvim on the Kapores , like the original two. Standing Keruvim, with their feet on the ground near the Aron, were permitted.
M. Kornfeld