Last week we discussed Rav Hirsch’s approach to the aron and badim. We will continue with Rav Hirsch’s approach the keruvim and kapores.[i] The kapores was the cover of the aron. The keruvim were golden figures which had wings and some sort of human-like faces. They were positioned on top of the kapores.  They were not separate pieces imposed upon the cover, but rather of one piece. Therefore, Rav Hirsch writes, ‘The cover itself develops into the keruvim at both its ends.’

The kapores is the cover protecting the aron. It is interesting that the symbolism of the keruvim was to be a cover for the kapores. The Torah writes, (Shemos 25, 20’) ‘The keruvim should spread their wings upwards covering above the cover.’ The Hebrew word is “sochichim.” One of the functions of the keruvim is to cover and, in a sense, protect the kapores. The kapores protects the aron, and the keruvim, in a sense, are protecting the kapores. What is the symbolism?

Rav Hirsch writes as follows,

To be precise, the keruvim are not to be described as the direct guardians and keepers of the tablets themselves, but as guardians and keepers of the kapores. The ark cover protects the tablets, and the keruvim protect the ark cover. Yet, the keruvim are part of the cover itself. Having accomplished the task of protecting the tablets, the cover rises above itself and turns into its own pair of kervuim, as it were, which would protect it- the kapores -as well.

This structural arrangement expresses a most significant thought. By keeping the law of Hashem, he that keeps it becomes his own keruv, and also the keruv of the glory of Hashem. His guardianship of the law of Hashem becomes his own protection and at the same time makes him a bearer of Hashem's glory of Earth.

This is a very beautiful idea. The kapores guards the Torah. The kapores represents Am Yisrael. It is Am Yisroel's job as a nation to guard and keep the Torah, and then, the kapores, in a sense, becomes its own protection. Part of the kapores is the keruvim. If Am Yisroel guards the Torah, then we become our own protectors. We protect ourselves.

By guarding and fulfilling the law, Israel simply lays the foundation for its own survival and welfare, and preserves for itself the rewarding bond and nearness of Hashem. The keruvim which are formed by the ends of the kapores symbolize the reward for Israel as a consequence for their guarding and fulfilling the law. Every time Israel guards or fulfills one of the laws of Hashem, it ensures its own survival, promotes its own welfare, and prepares itself to become a drawing place for Hashem's glory on Earth.

Rav Hirsch goes on to quote various pesukim[ii] which indicate this yesod that when we keep the Torah, Hashem will provide protection for us. It is up to us whether we are protected by Hashem. The more we guard the Torah, the better protected we will be.

This is Rav Hirsch's beautiful explanation of the symbolism of the kapores and the keruvim.

I wanted to share a beautiful story regarding the mesorah that I heard on a tape by R’ Shlomo Carlbach z”l, which I later saw printed in one of his books.

One evening the Kaliner Rebbe told his chassidim that we will not be davening locally tonight, we have to go somewhere else to daven. So, several dozen chassidim and the rebbe got on wagons and started out of the city to find a place to daven. They were traveling and traveling, going and going. They passed through one town, then another town, and another. It was getting later and later. The chassidim asked the rebbe, maybe we should daven now? It is getting very late. The rebbe said no, not yet. Finally, hours later, when it was close to midnight, the rebbe said, here we are going to daven.

They had to find a place where they could gather and daven. They went to the local inn. The rebbe knocked on the door and the inn-keeper, a very old man, came out. They asked him if they could use his grounds to say their prayers and he agreed.

The Kaliner chassidim yell when they daven, they daven very loudly. They began to daven and were davening very loudly. All of the local residents woke up and were so impressed by the prayers that they also came down and began praying as well, and there was a tremendous kiddush Hashem. The Jews were davening, and the goyim, having been inspired by the Jews, were praying. The goyim brought down fruits and vegetables to give to the Jews as a present. It was a tremendously uplifting experience.

Around an hour later it was time to go. As the rebbe and chassidim were getting ready to leave, the rebbe turned to the inn-keeper and said,

‘Nu, do you have anything to tell me?’

The inn-keeper answered,

‘Yes. Today is my 107th birthday. On my 7th  birthday, the Ba'al Shem Tov came here with his chassidim and the same thing happened. They davened and all of the townspeople were inspired. As the Ba'al Shem Tov was about to leave, he turned to me and laid his hands upon my small head and blessed me. He said, “I bless you that you will live a very long life. And when my students come here in a hundred years, please tell them that I was here before them.”’

This is the mesorah. If we live our lives basically the same way as our great-great-grandparents did in Europe, we will be okay. We have a beautiful and wonderful mesorah. It has worked for several thousand years and it will continue to thrive until moshiach comes. It is our job to make sure that we, and our children and our descendants, are part of that wonderful mesorah. Rabbi Soloveitchik zt”l would like to use the phrase, “the march of centuries.” The Jews are on a “march of centuries.” We have a never-changing (stone), perfect Torah (gold). If we follow that Torah, we will thrive as a nation and grow like a tree (wood). And if we guard the Torah (kapores), that is the best guarantee for protecting ourselves (keruvim) both physically and spiritually as a nation.

[i] All of the sources are taken from ‘The Collected Writings of Rav Hirsch’ Vol. 3, p.188-192.

[ii] “Above all, be firm and strong to guard, as well as to practice, the entire teaching that My servant Moshe has commanded you. Do not deviate from it, to the left or to the right...for then you will cause you ways to prosper and you will act prudently, etc…” Yehoshua  1,7

“If you listen to the ordinances and you will guard and fulfill them, then Hashem your G-d will guard for you the covenant and the love He has sworn to your fathers. He will love you, He will bless you, He will multiply you… Devorim 7,12-13.