The first set of Luchos

carrot

Sun, Feb 19 2006, 10:19 am

Motek wrote:

never thought of that question!

That makes me feel a little better. Someone asked me what happened with the first set and it was the strangest feeling to realize that I never even thought about it. I wasn't even sure if they were saved or maybe just dissolved or became like regular stone... Well once I found out that they were saved, my first thought was

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well ... they were G-d's handiwork!

And so maybe they had to be saved, like Shaimos?

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here's a thought:

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the Gemara Berachos (8b) deduces by drawing a parallel between a Torah scholar and the luchos. The Gemara says that just as the first luchos, although broken, were stored in the Aron in the Holy of Holies, likewise, proper respect must be accorded to a Torah scholar even if difficult circumstances have caused him to forget the Torah.

I also just found that idea in my google searches. http://dafyomi.shemayisrael.co.....9.htm

But now the more I think, I think there has to be something deeper.

According to this,

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...

The general difference between the first and second set of Luchos is with regard to the Luchos themselves. The first Luchos were both the "work of G-d and the writing of G-d," while the second Luchos were merely the "writing of G-d," with Moshe hewing out the actual Luchos from stone.

This is also why the first and second Luchos differed with regard to their effect on the Jewish people and the world as a whole:

With regard to the first Luchos, our Sages say: "Had the first Luchos not been broken, Torah would never have been forgotten from Israel ... nor would any nation or people been able to exert dominion over them." However, the second Luchos introduced a novel theme, that of "toiling in Torah."

This means the following: With the first Luchos, the Jewish people received the Torah in the exact manner that it was drawn down from above. Thus, in the context of Divine revelation, the first Luchos are loftier than the second.

However, the second Luchos accomplished the aspect of laboring and toiling in Torah on one’s own - something that accomplishes far more than merely receiving the Torah as a gift from above.

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(Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XIV, pp. 156-160. )

what would be the significance of keeping the (broken) first set in the Aron?

For that matter, why did they have to get given, and broken, in the first place?

I am thinking something but it might be too wild to suggest... I have to check out a few things first.

What do you think? Do you know of any sources that talk about this? (I'm sure there are!)