the wood." "And who
concealed it?" Rabbi Judah the Holy said, Josiah concealed it, as it is
said, "And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were holy
unto the Lord, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon, the son of
David, King of Israel, did build; it shall not be a burden upon your
shoulders."(653) He said to them, "it shall not be carried captive with
you to Babylon, that you should bear it upon your shoulders." Rabbi
Eleazar said, "it went to Babylon, as is said, 'Nothing shall be left
saith the Lord,'(654) nothing, not even the words in it." The house of the
Holy of Holies, which Solomon made for it, had a wall, entrance, and
doors, as is said, "And the temple and the sanctuary had two doors."(655)
But in the latter house there was no wall, only two boards were there, and
the length of each one was a cubit and a half. And two vails of gold were
there, spread over them from above, and it was called the place of
Partition.(656)

Chapter VIII

The table which Moses made in the wilderness was in length two cubits, and
its breadth one cubit, and its height was one cubit and a half, as is
said, "Thou shalt also make a table of shittim-wood, two cubits shall be
the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a
half the height thereof."(657) Rabbi Judah said, "the cubit (contained)
five hand-breadths, thus there are ten hand-breadths." From thence the
Sages said, "the table was in length ten hand-breadths, and in breadth
five hand-breadths. And the showbread was in length ten hand-breadths, and
in breadth five. The length of the showbread was placed against the
breadth of the table. It extended over two hand-breadths and a half on
either side. It follows that its length quite filled the breadth of the
table." Rabbi Meier said, "the table was in length twelve hand-breadths,
and in breadth six hand-breadths. And the showbread was in length ten
(hand-breadths), and in breadth five. And its length was placed against
the breadth of the table. It extended over two hand-breadths on either
side; and there was an opening of two hand-breadths in the middle, that
the air might blow through them (the loaves)." Aba Shaul said, "they put
there two cups of incense of the showbread." The Sages said to him, "and
is it not already said, 'And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each
row'?"(658) He replied to them, "and is it not already said, 'And by him
shall be the tribe of Manasseh'?"(659)