The Ark of the Covenant (Aron HaBrit)
The Ark of the Covenant was the most sacred vessel in the Temple. It stood in the Holy of Holies and contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments.
After the Israelites left Egypt and arrived at Mount Sinai, God gave Moses detailed instructions for building the sacred Tabernacle, where God’s presence would dwell among the people. The very first item described in these instructions was the Ark.
In the Book of Exodus Moses is commanded to build the Ark with very specific features, and inside the Ark were placed sacred items connected to the covenant between God and Israel: The Tablets of the Ten Commandments, A jar of manna, and Aaron’s staff. Because it held the covenant tablets, it became known as the Ark of the Covenant.
During the years in the desert, the Ark had several important roles. Whenever the nation was commanded the move to a new encampment during the 40 years in the desert, the Ark would lead from before the people, an act of God’s guiding presence. When the camps were stationary, the Tabernacle stood in the center and the Ark was located in the Holy of Holies, the innermost chamber. Only the High Priest could approach this space, and even then only on special occasions. When Israel entered the Land of Israel under Joshua, priests carrying the Ark stepped into the Jordan River. The waters stopped flowing, allowing the people to cross. Later on, during the conquest of Jericho, the Ark was carried around the city for seven days as part of the ritual procession that led to the city’s walls collapsing.
The Ark has also been captured from the Jewish people. One of the most dramatic stories occurs when the Ark was captured in a lost battle to the Philistines. However, wherever the Philistines placed the Ark, disasters followed until they returned it to Israel.
Eventually, David brought the Ark to Jerusalem, making the city the spiritual center of Israel. The arrival of the Ark was celebrated with music, dancing, and national celebration. Later, David’s son Solomon placed the Ark in the Holy of Holies in the Temple on the Temple Mount.
When the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem under Nebuchadnezzar II, the Bible does not clearly state what happened to the Ark. Several traditions exist that it was hidden in the Jerusalem hills.
The Ark symbolizes God’s covenant with Israel and the divine presence among the people. On top of the Ark was placed the Kaporet, with held the two Cherubim from where divine communication would emerge.
The Menorah
The Menorah was a golden seven-branched candelabra that stood in the Temple’s sanctuary (heichal). It was lit daily with olive-oil by the priests and symbolized spiritual light, wisdom, and the presence of God. The Menorah is represented with the trait of wisdom, and the blessing of the Menorah is to raise the worlds divine intellect.
The instructions for making the Menorah are described the Book of Exodus, and with remarkable detail. For instance, it was to be made from a single piece of pure gold hammered into shape, and include seven intricate lamps designed to resemble almond blossoms and buds. The lamps were filled with pure olive oil to provide its light. Unique amongst the other vessels, the Menorah was not to be assembled from parts, rather it had to be crafted as one unified structure.
When the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 CE they carried the Temple vessels away, including the Menorah. This moment can still be seen depicted on the Arch of Titus in Rome, where soldiers are shown carrying the golden Menorah from the Temple.
Even after the Temple was destroyed, the Menorah continued to represent the spiritual identity of the Jewish people and the light of their faith through history. It eventually became a national symbol and is now featured on the emblem of the State of Israel.
Today the Menorah is represented in the holiday of Chanukah, when the tradition is to light the Chanukiah, an eight-branched candelabra. The continuous lighting of the chanukiah each year represents the spiritual endurance of the Jewish people to continue bringing Godly wisdom to the world.
The Table of the Showbread (Shulchan)
God instructed Moses at Mount Sinai to create a special table for the Tabernacle, the Table of the Showbread, one of the central vessels of the sanctuary. It was to be made of acacia wood covered in gold and placed inside the sanctuary with twelve loaves of bread always arranged on it.
The twelve loaves represent the twelve tribes of Israel, symbolizing that the entire nation standing before God as one. When Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem, the Table of the Showbread stood inside the sanctuary along with the Menorah and the Altar of Incense. Each week, twelve fresh loaves were baked and placed in two rows of six along with pure frankincense. The bread remained on the table for an entire week in the sanctuary. On the Sabbath, the loaves were replaced with new ones, and the priests would eat the previous week’s loaves in a sacred place.
Pilgrims coming to Jerusalem for festivals knew that inside the sanctuary, the bread representing all the tribes was always before God. The table symbolized sustenance, blessing, and the idea that divine abundance flows to the world.
One important story with the showbread appears in the life of David, in the Book of Samuel. Before David became king he fled from King Saul and came to the sanctuary at Nob. There he asked the priest for food, and the priest gave him sustenance from the holy showbread.
The Golden Altar (Altar of Incense)
In the Book of Exodus Moses was commanded to build a special altar dedicated to burning incense. The altar had to include specific features such as made from acacia wood and covered in pure gold. Rings and poles were attached to the sides so it could be carried during the journey in the wilderness. It was placed inside the sanctuary, directly in front of the curtain that separates it from the chamber that contained the Ark of the Covenant. Incense was burned on it daily, producing a fragrant offering that symbolized prayer rising to God.
The Golden Altar was used as the central point of the holiest moment of the year on Yom Kippur. The High Priest would take incense into the Holy of Holies itself, and the cloud of incense would fill the chamber as part of the atonement ritual for the people of Israel.
One of the most powerful biblical stories connected to the incense service was during the Korach rebellion in the wilderness. The rebellion challenged the leadership of Moses and Aaron, and to test who had been chosen by God both sides were told to bring incense offerings. The event ended in divine judgment, with the earth opening as dramatic sign to the people of the true line of leadership. The next day a plague was decreed upon the people for complaining, and Aaron stopped it by again using the incense. These events show the significance of the incense service as a sacred performance by the priesthood.
The Bronze Altar (Altar of Offerings)
God commanded Moses to build an alter made from acacia wood and overlaid with bronze. The Bronze Altar was placed in the courtyard of the Tabernacle, where all the people could see the sacrificial worship. The Alter served as an atonement for sin through animal sacrifices that were offered to seek forgiveness for God and His people.
When Soloman built the Temple in Jerusalem, The Bronze Altar served as the central place of sacrificial service and where priests carried out many of the Temple rituals. The altar was used daily as part of Israel’s sacrificial system, where each morning and evening priests offered burnt offerings on the altar. A fire was kept continually lit on the alter. During festivals and holy days, additional offerings were brought.
In the Book of Leviticus, Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, offered a fire sacrifice that was not commanded by God nor in the proper method. As a result, fire came out from the altar and consumed them, showing the holiness of the altar and the care required in approaching God.
The Laver (Kiyor)
The Temple Laver was a large basin filled with water where priests washed their hands and feet before performing Temple service. It symbolized purity and preparation before approaching sacred duties.
The Kaporet and Cherubim
The Kaporet was the golden cover placed on top of the Ark, with two cherubim facing each other. According to tradition, this was the place from which divine communication was revealed to Moses, symbolizing the meeting point between heaven and earth.
Priestly Garments
The priestly garment, described in the Book of Exodus: chapter 28, are the clothing to be worn by the kohanim (priests) when performing their service in the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and later the Temple. The kohanim wore four linen garments: pants, a long tunic, a sash tied around the waist, and a head covering. The Kohen Gadol was commanded an addition four garments, including a blue robe, the ephod (an apron-like garment fastened at the shoulders), the breastplate with the twelve tribal stones attached to the ephod, and a gold plate worn on the forehead attached to the turban. The Kohanim only wore the garments while performing their sacred ritual duties.
The Tallit (Prayer Shawl)
The tallit (prayer shawl) is a traditional Jewish garment worn during prayer, especially in the morning service and during certain sacred moments such as the priestly blessing. Its origin comes from the commandment in the Books of Numbers and Deuteronomy to place fringes (tzitzit) on the edges of one’s four-cornered garment. In biblical times people commonly wore a four-cornered garment and the commandment required attaching fringes as a reminder of God’s commandments. Jewish tradition developed the tallit as a special garment used primarily for prayer in order to fulfill this commandment.
During the priestly blessing the Kohanim cover themselves in tallit while they are giving the blessing. The practice of using the tallit during the blessing developed in tradition based on the biblical command for the priests to bless the people. The blessing is given during the repetition of the Amidah prayer. The Kohanim first wash their hands, remove their shoes, and go to the front of the synagogue. To perform the blessing, they then cover their heads and bodies with their tallit, to prevent the congregation from seeing their hands which contains the divine presence and reflects the humility that they are serving as a channel for God’s blessing.
The Kohanim extend their hands toward the congregation in a traditional hand formation while remaining covered by the tallit. In many communities, members of the congregation also cover themselves with their own tallit to avoid looking directly at the Kohanim.