Teruma. A Torah for All Places

If you had one thing to take with you to a desert island, what would it be?

At the epicenter of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) sits the Ark of the Covenant, a golden chest so named because it holds the Tablets of the Law, symbol of the covenant between God and Israel.

One of the features of the Ark are its carrying poles. The Torah says:

“The poles shall remain in the rings of the Ark, they shall not be removed.”(25:14-15)

Several other furnishings of the Mishkan also have carrying rods (see The Table - Ex 25:28, Altar - 27:6, Menorah - Num 4:10) but it is only with the Ark that poles are a permanent fixture.

Why is it so vital that the Ark’s poles be permanently installed?

Hizkuni explains this from a practical perspective: