Broken pieces..

[visionary]

Moses slams the tablets down, shattering the two tables of stone on which the Commandments of God are written. Is there anything anywhere that indicates what happened to the broken pieces? Did someone gather them up? Where are they today?

 

[Lulav]

I think we discussed this before, tradition says they were put inside the ark with the intact ones. But since the Ark was returned without the pot of manna and Aarons rod, and it says that the tablets were inside, we can take that to mean only the intact ones, or both? Maybe the Philistines stole the pot, the rod and the broken pieces thinking they could benefit from them somehow?

 

[visionary]

I was wondering if I read something somewhere... but couldn't think of a source...

 

[visionary]

Let me review what I have gathered so far..

Isaiah 54:11; “O afflicted soul, who has not been consoled: Behold, I will set down gems as your [flooring] stones and lay your foundation with sapphires.”

When the Prophet Moses, Aaron, his sons and the seventy elders ascended Mount Sinai to meet with God, the Torah notes the unique condition of the terrain beneath Him as He walked.

Exodus 24:9-10 “Moshes and A’aron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself.”

And it seem to be well indicated here..

Exodus 24:12; “God said to Moses, ‘Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the cubes of stone, with the law and commands I have written for their instruction."

Sapphire is also mentioned in relation to God's throne in

Ezekiel 1:26-28; “… Above the expanse over (the heads of the living creatures) was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.

This theme of sapphire as a visible signifier of divine entities extends to other sacred narratives, such as the Midrashic tradition that the tablets of the heavenly words, the Ten Commandments, were tablets of sapphire cut from the Throne of Glory (Midrash Lekakh Tov, Ex. 31.18) In my study of sapphire as the stone material used to make the tablets.. I came across this.. Sapphire carries a natural and beautiful blue hue. This color symbolizes wisdom and heavenly stability. It is the colour of the sky, the sea, and the color of the throne room of heaven. Midrash Lekakh Tov describes the sapphire on which the Ten Commandments were etched as being literally cut from God's very own throne... but lost my reference.

In my research I have also found this notation.. The word “sapphire” appears in the TaNaK as “sapir” and is actually borrowed from a Sanskrit word that is said to be a Semitic root that relates to the Hebrew words: sefer, meaning “book,” sipur, meaning “story” and safar, meaning “recount.” There the terms sefer-safar-sipur (book - number - telling) are the "three books" by which God creates the universe (Mishna 1:1).

Now relating to the subject of the shape being cubed.. In Hebrew they are called Luchot ha-Berit, which literally means,” Cubes of the Covenant.” Whilst the word “tablet” is not necessarily an incorrect transliteration, it is less accurate, because a “cube” describes dimension and volume whereas the term “tablet” does not. Orthodox Judaism has always known the Ten Commandments were inscribed onto cubes. Exodus 32:16; “The cubes were Elohim’s handiwork, and the script was the script of Elohim engraved within the cubes.” According to rabbinic tradition they were perfect cubes, with sharp corners and words bored fully through the stone, rather than carved on the surface. “…they were inscribed on one side and the other” (Exodus 32:15b) It is said that the words did not appeared on the other side in reverse, but could be read normally. Furthermore, the inner parts of letters surrounded by complete joins stayed in exact position without any visible support. Jewish Myth, Magic, and Mysticism: The Sapphire Heaven

The perfect cut of the cubes symbolised Divine perfection. It is no accident that their shape was patterned after the dimensions of a cube of salt, an essential ingredient to mankind’s very existence.

Another interesting tidbit.. Hebrew of 19:2, ha-shamayim m’sapprim kavod el, as “The heavens shine sapphirine [of] the Glory [of] God,” rather then the more conventional translation of “The heavens recount the Glory [of] God.” Zohar 1:8a elaborates on the same verse, declaring sapphire signifies the union of masculine and feminine principles of divinity and it is the “radiance” (zahir) that fills the universe:

“m’sapprim signifies that they [the divine groom and bride] radiate a brilliance (zoharah) like that of a sapphire, sparkling and scintillating from one end of the world to the other.” (Simon translation, p. 33).

 

[visionary]

While one my quest, I ran into this interesting chart of the 40 day time from from Pentecost to Yom Kippur and the giving of the Law.http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Scripture/Torah/Ten_Cmds/ten_cmds.html

 

[Lulav]

Sapphires can be white, or clear too. Just a thought, anyway, about the first set. If these were cut from the throne floor in heaven, these were broken and may have returned to their original location.

It is written that the second set Moses cut out from the mountain himself and gave them to HaShem to write upon.

Which means the first set were of heavenly origin
and the Second Set was of earthly origin.

What that means,?

 

[visionary]

So on with my quest... The shattered pieces of the original cubes were carefully gathered up and placed in the Ark along with the intact second set. These pieces are called, Shivrei Luchot, which means, “the remnants of the tablets (or cubes).”

There is this consideration that even the reason to gather up the pieces was to show the merciful recovery from sin and its effects.. Hashem's Perpetual Mercy

The mystery gets even more interesting as I ran across this account that there were two arks made, one for the temple/tabernacle and the other for battle.. Torah on the Web - Virtual Beit Midrash - Torah

Another suggestion is that because God's name is written on these stones they would have to be treated like all other otherwise useless writings that happen to have His Name by burying it.. Broken Tablets: Embarrassment or Inspiration?

Then there is the story that Moses quarried the second set of stones from a sapphire quarry that happened to be underneath his feet. Rav Kook on Ki Tissa: Wealthy and Wise

More website suggestions.. http://text.rcarabbis.org/parshat-k...mbarrassment-or-inspiration-by-yaakov-bieler/

 

[visionary]

Sapphires can be white, or clear too. Just a thought, anyway, about the first set. If these were cut from the throne floor in heaven, these were broken and may have returned to their original location.

It is written that the second set Moses cut out from the mountain himself and gave them to HaShem to write upon.

Which means the first set were of heavenly origin
and the Second Set was of earthly origin.

What that means,?

I am sure that Moses' stone were not as perfect as the Lord's in quality or cut.. but one thing is for sure.. God made sure it was His Finger that wrote on both.

 

[visionary]

I think we discussed this before, tradition says they were put inside the ark with the intact ones. But since the Ark was returned without the pot of manna and Aaron's rod, and it says that the tablets were inside, we can take that to mean only the intact ones, or both? Maybe the Philistines stole the pot, the rod and the broken pieces thinking they could benefit from them somehow?

How could the Philistines steal anything out of the ark? and live? And why have we not heard about it?

 

[Moriah Ruth 777]

Interesting topic about the broken tablets of the first set of commandments. I do not see anywhere in scripture or the bible that states what happened to them. Maybe God took them to be with Him. He only told Moses or whoever to put the second set of commandments in the ark of the covenant.

Moriah Ruth

 

[Lulav]

As far as the cubes. I have a little cube of glass given to me by a dear Israeli friend which has carved into it two men holding a pole with a single cluster of grapes on it. I'm sure you know what that means. But the way it is done is interesting. You can only see this scene from without, not within. It is like a prism when the light hits it as well. It makes me wonder if they weren't something like that.

The cube is an interesting geometrical form it has three dimensions, six sides. Three multipled by Six = Eighteen. This is the traditional number in Judaism for life. When viewed on while on one of the corners, triangles appear. If you take it apart, but still keeping it together, you will have four squares bisected by three, forming a cross, or 'T'. This is only one of eleven 'nets' meaning a way that a cube (think of it formed by paper) can be cut where all six sides remain touching, but form a different shape.


It gets much more complicated the more you study on the cube, but what I found interesting is that it says Tablets, plural.


The First Set is described in Exodus,, Thus:

And Moses turned , and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written . 16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

The Second set is described in Deuteronomy as :

And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform , even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.

It is interesting to note that it says they were written on both their sides. The Hebrew word for 'both' can also mean, not just two, but twelve.

A cube has six sides, but two cubes would have twelve.

But it also says Moses carried these two in his hand, not hands. (Which would allow him a hand free for a walking stick).

Now think about this. The dual of a cube is an octahedron. This is a cube (with six sides) within a cube with six sides.

Could this be translated to say:

and the two cubes of the testimony were in his hand: the cubes were written on their twelve sides;

This would fit with the scene in Revelation where there are twelve thrones, pillars, foundations stones, tribes etc. Also there were the twelve stone on the ephod, twelve cakes put upon the table of shewbread.

Could the 'tablets' look something like this?

 

[visionary]

As far as the cubes. I have a little cube of glass given to me by a dear Israeli friend which has carved into it two men holding a pole with a single cluster of grapes on it. I'm sure you know what that means. But the way it is done is interesting. You can only see this scene from without, not within. It is like a prism when the light hits it as well. It makes me wonder if they weren't something like that.

The cube is an interesting geometrical form it has three dimensions, six sides. Three multipled by Six = Eighteen. This is the traditional number in Judaism for life. When viewed on while on one of the corners, triangles appear. If you take it apart, but still keeping it together, you will have four squares bisected by three, forming a cross, or 'T'. This is only one of eleven 'nets' meaning a way that a cube (think of it formed by paper) can be cut where all six sides remain touching, but form a different shape.


It gets much more complicated the more you study on the cube, but what I found interesting is that it says Tablets, plural.


The First Set is described in Exodus,, Thus:

The Second set is described in Deuteronomy as :

It is interesting to note that it says they were written on both their sides. The Hebrew word for 'both' can also mean, not just two, but twelve.

A cube has six sides, but two cubes would have twelve.

But it also says Moses carried these two in his hand, not hands. (Which would allow him a hand free for a walking stick).

Now think about this. The dual of a cube is an octahedron. This is a cube (with six sides) within a cube with six sides.

Could this be translated to say:



This would fit with the scene in Revelation where there are twelve thrones, pillars, foundations stones, tribes etc. Also there were the twelve stone on the ephod, twelve cakes put upon the table of shewbread.

Could the 'tablets' look something like this?

So the writing itself could actually be on the inside center of the sapphire cube and thus be reflected out to any side of the cube one looks at and still read the same.. hmmm.. interesting.

 

[Lulav]

How could the Philistines steal anything out of the ark? and live? And why have we not heard about it?

Why is this not familiar to anyone?

Miskan asked me for proof on this a short while back.


From I Samuel

1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

1

And the ark of the L-RD was in the country of the Philistines seven months. .....................................

19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the L-RD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented , because the L-RD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter. 20 And the men of Bethshemesh said , Who is able to stand before this holy L-RD God? and to whom shall he go up from us? 21 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying , The Philistines have brought again the ark of the L-RD; come ye down , and fetch it up to you.

And in I Kings 8:9, the dedication of Solomon's temple, when they put the ark in the Holy of Holies, it was empty, save for the tablets.

There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the L-RD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

Now either the Philistines took the other things out, or those in Bethshemesh did. My vote is with the Philistines, doing so possibly to stay the plague, or thinking they could gain some power over Israel.

 

[Avodat]

Have you tried eBay?

 

[Lulav]

So the writing itself could actually be on the inside center of the sapphire cube and thus be reflected out to any side of the cube one looks at and still read the same.. hmmm.. interesting.

Yes, that's what I'm thinking, something to do with the dimensional aspect of it.

And think about this also, the dimensions of the Ark are actually two cubes put together, side by side.

two and a half cubits, X one and a half cubits X one and a half cubits.

A cubit is 18" so that would be

45" X 27" X 27"

Here's some more numbers to play with.

45X 27 = 1215

The three numbers or dimensions given in Daniel using todays year calendar is 1275, if the earth were to slow down to it's previous orbit of 360 days around the sun it would be 1260, that divided by 18 = 70.


Anyway, you could figure out the size of the cubes by noting the space of the ark, taking out room for Aaron's rod and a clay pot of manna and they probably weren't more than 12x12x12.

 

[visionary]

Why is this not familiar to anyone?

Miskan asked me for proof on this a short while back.

From I Samuel
1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

And in I Kings 8:9, the dedication of Solomon's temple, when they put the ark in the Holy of Holies, it was empty, save for the tablets.

Now either the Philistines took the other things out, or those in Bethshemesh did. My vote is with the Philistines, doing so possibly to stay the plague, or thinking they could gain some power over Israel.

Missed that thread post... I can see why your vote would be the Philistines.. but why would God allow it? No more is mentioned on the subject of the missing items, either by the Philistines or anyone else that I know of.

 

[visionary]

Yes, that's what I'm thinking, something to do with the dimensional aspect of it.

And think about this also, the dimensions of the Ark are actually two cubes put together, side by side.

That doesn't leave room for any other articles like broken pieces of the first tablets, Omer of Manna, Aaron's rod..etc

 

[Lulav]

That doesn't leave room for any other articles like broken pieces of the first tablets, Omer of Manna, Aharon's rod..etc

I didn't mean the two cubes of the testament, but they could be about the size of half of it and still have room for the pot and staff.



Like this

 

[visionary]

That glass cube that you got from a friend.. was it lazier cut in order to get the design in the center?

 

[visionary]

Yes, that's what I'm thinking, something to do with the dimensional aspect of it.

And think about this also, the dimensions of the Ark are actually two cubes put together, side by side.

two and a half cubits, X one and a half cubits X one and a half cubits.

A cubit is 18" so that would be

45" X 27" X 27"

Here's some more numbers to play with.

45X 27 = 1215

The three numbers or dimensions given in Daniel using todays year calendar is 1275, if the earth were to slow down to it's previous orbit of 360 days around the sun it would be 1260, that divided by 18 = 70.


Anyway, you could figure out the size of the cubes by noting the space of the ark, taking out room for Aaron's rod and a clay pot of manna and they probably weren't more than 12x12x12.

I don't think I can figure out the size of the cubes because if it is true that Moses can carry both in one hand.. that Ark of Covenant was more than large enough to carry all the objects it is said to have carried.

One thing is for sure... The treasured blues come from Titanium and Iron. A white Sapphire is perfectly clear with no inclusions what so ever.