Where did merari place the adanim and amudim? If they were placed on the wagons, then once again you would not get enough space in between, presumably.?
Moshe Fogel, Brooklyn USA
1. The Yefeh Einayim to 98b, printed at the back of the Gemara, cites the Midrash Rabah (ch. 6) that there were special Agalos for the pegs and Adanim, etc.
2. The Yefeh Einayim appears to be referring to the Midrash Rabah Bamidbar 6:4 which tells us that the Amudim were tied up with the Berichim and were then placed on the Agalos in order that they not fall to the ground. In contrast, the Midrash says that the boards of the Mishkan were tied down with the metal "Atvi."
3. The Midrash (12:19) also tells us that the reason why the Torah gave four Agalos to Merari (see Bamidbar 7:8) is that they had a lot of heavy work to do. They carried Kerashim, Berichim, Amudim, Adanim, Yesedos, and Meisarim. One can say that the Kerashim were carried on different Agalos than the other items.
4. The Yefeh Einayim writes that as a result of this, there was plenty of space between the different Adanim and Amudim.
Kol Tuv,
Dovid Bloom