“And this is how you shall craft it: Three hundred cubits is the length of the ark, fifty cubits its breadth, and thirty cubits its height” (Genesis 6:15). “And this is how you shall craft it” – Rabbi Yudan said: “This” [is not written, instead we read:] “And this”31The “and” is there to allude to another, additional incident. – someone else is destined to measure in accordance with your cubit.32There are various measurements that are called cubit.
That is what is written [regarding Solomon’s Temple]: “Its length, according to the original measurement,33This is seen as a reference to Noah’s cubits. was sixty cubits, and the breadth was twenty cubits” (II Chronicles 3:3). Why does one call it a cubit of tavikin?34This was a name used for the official royal cubit. Rabbi Huna said: It is because it is based on a comparison [matbiot].35Its length was determined from the ancient cubit used by Noah.
The Rabbis say: It is named after Noah’s ark [teiva]. “Three hundred cubits is the length of the ark, fifty cubits its breadth, and thirty cubits its height” – bar Ḥatya said: “I speak about Your edicts” (Psalms 119:15), “I delight in Your statutes” (Psalms 119:16) – the Torah gives you instruction about practical matters. If a person wants to build a ship capable of standing sturdily in port, he should make its width one-sixth of its length and its height one-tenth of its length.