"Ve'hayu ha'Keruvim Porsei Kenafayim la'Ma'alah". . What is the significance of the fact that the Keruvim spread their wings upwards?
Seforno: With reference to 25:18:1:5 ? It teaches us that it is only possible to know Hashem and to strive towards perfection a. through Torah-study ? via which one can learn the wonders of Hashem, 1 b. to the extent that one rises above one's physicality and negates it and strives towards spirituality.
See Seforno who elaborates ? and Peirush on the Seforno.
"Soch'chim be'Chanfeihem el ha'Kapores". What is the significance of the fact that the wings of the Keruvim were spread over the Kapores?
R. Bachye (in Pasuk 10): With reference to 25:18:3.1:3 - it teaches us that the Seichel emanated from the Kisei ha'Kavod. 3
R. Bachye #1 (in Pasuk 18): With reference to 25:18:3:1:1 and note ? it teaches us that with Kaparah, the Nefesh ha'Sichlis will rise to great heights.
R. Bachye #2 (in Pasuk 18): With reference to 25:182.1:3 ? it refers to the angels 4 receiving the spirit of prophecy directly from Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu ? to communicate with Moshe directly - as opposed to all other prophets who receive it from (angels, who receive it) from Arvos.
R. Bachye (citing Succah 5b): "Soch'chim be'Chanfeihem" teaches us that the minimum height of a Succah is ten Tefachim (the soace between the top of the Aron and the wings of the Keruvim which spread horizontally from the top of their heads) seeing as the Aron was ten Tefachim tall and the Mishkan, ten Amos (sixty Tefachim) and the Keruvim stood at one third of the height of the Mishkan (twenty Tefachim) 5
Da'as Zekenim: They were spread above their heads - symbolizing a combination of humility and fear.
Ramban: Which is why the Navi in Shmuel 1 4:4 refers to the Shechinah as "Yoshev ha'Keruvim".
Refer to 25:18:2.1:1.
Refer to 25:18:3.1:1.
The Chayos ha'Kodesh ? Refer to 25:18:2.2:3 ? which are located in Arvos, the seventh Heaven which is located directly below the Kisei ha'Kavod ? See R. Bachye citing Chagigah 12b and the Chachmei ha'Kabalah.
See R. Bachye and R. Chavel's footnotes.
If the Keruvim looked down towards the Kapores, why does the Torah then say "Ish el Achiv"?
"Ish el Achiv" means that they did not face eastwards towards the Heichal but one K'ruv faced towards the north, the other towards the south (both looking downwards towards the center of the Kapores - Rashbam). 1
How will we reconcile the current Pasuk "u'Feneihem Ish el Achiv" with the Pasuk in in Divrei Hayamim 2, 3:13, in connection with the Beis-Hamikdash that Sh'lomoh built, "u'Feneihem la'Bayis" (eastwards)?
R. Bachye (citing Bava Basra, 99a): The current Pasuk is speaking when Yisrael fulfil the word of Hashem, 1 the Pasuk in Divrei Hayamim, when they do not. 2
Rashbam: Because "Ish el Achiv" means that they did not face eastwards towards the Heichal but one K'ruv faced towards the north, the other towards the south - both looking downwards towards the center of the Kapores.
What is the significance of the fact that the wings of the Keruvim were spread upwards?
Da'as Zekenim: They were spread above their heads - symbolizing a combination of humility and fear.
