The Poles That Never Leave the Ark and Its Three Golden Layers

"The poles shall be in the rings of the ark" (Exodus 25:15). One might think they could shift from their place; therefore the verse says, "and the poles shall be brought into the rings" (Exodus 27:7). "And they shall be brought": one might think they could be taken out and put back in; therefore the verse says, "they shall not be removed from it." How then? They could be loosened but not slip out. Rabbi Eleazar said: one who removes the poles of the ark is liable to lashes, as it is said, "they shall not be removed from it." Rabbi Judah said: Bezalel made three arks: the middle one of wood, nine handbreadths; the inner one of gold, eight; the outer one of gold, ten and something. But was it not taught eleven and something? This is according to the one who says its thickness was a handbreadth; that is according to the one who says its thickness was not a handbreadth. What is the "something"? The crown molding. Rabbi Yohanan said: there are three crowns: that of the altar, that of the ark, and that of the table. The crown of the table David merited and took; the crown of the altar Aaron merited and took; the crown of the ark is set aside, and whoever wishes to take it, let him come and take it. Lest you say it was the least of them, the verse says, "by me kings reign" (Proverbs 8:15). Rabbi Yohanan expounded: it is written "zar" [stranger] but read "zer" [crown]: if one merits, it becomes a crown for him; if he does not merit, it becomes a stranger to him. "Within and without you shall overlay it" (Exodus 25:11). Rava said: any Torah scholar whose inside is not like his outside is no Torah scholar.