Where exactly (on which sides), were the rings that housed the staves placed?
Rashi (citing Menachos, 98b) and Rashbam: On the width of the Aron 1 (two on either side), leaving two and a half Amos between the two 2 staves, enough for the Levi'im who carried it (both in front and at the back) to walk comfortably. 3
Seforno: The rings were placed at the base of the two long sides.
Hadar Zekenim: There were four small rings attached to the Aron, and a large ring was attached to each small ring, through which the staves were placed.
See Rashbam.
Refer to 25:12:152:1,2. We cannot say so about the gold Mizbe'ach! Refer to 30:4:151:1-4.
Ramban: It was extremely heavy, so presumably, they carried it entirely above their shoulders; moreover it is more Kavod to carry it high. Beis Meir (Shabbos 92a) asks that there it says that they are towards the top! Chasam Sofer answers that there it discusses a different Aron; refer to 25:12:151:2 and the note there. Gur Aryeh asks, Yoma 54a says that the staves extended and made protrusions on the Paroches like breasts. We cannot say that they were by the ground! Also, if they were on the ground, it would have been nigh on impossible to lift it off the ground! (EC) See also Ramban citing Ibn Ezra and Oznayim la'Torah, on Pasuk 10, DH 'Amasayim va'Chetzi Orko'.
What is the meaning of "al Arba Pa'amosav"?
Rashi (citing Onkelos): It means on the four (top 1 - Rashi) corners.
Ramban #1 (citing Ibn Ezra): It means on the four legs. 2
Ramban #2: The word per se, means footsteps 3 (in this case, the place where one walks - the base). 4
Targum Yonasan: On the four sides.
Close to the lid (Rashi).
Ramban: As in Shoftim, 5:28. See also Avodah-Zarah, 18a.
Ramban: It was extremely heavy, so presumably, they carried it entirely above their shoulders, and it is more honorable to carry it high. Beis Meir (Shabbos 92a) asks that there it says that they are towards the top! Chasam Sofer answers that there it discusses a different Aron; refer to 25:12:151:2 and the note there. Gur Aryeh asks, Yoma 54a says that the staves extended and made protrusions on the Paroches like breasts. We cannot say that they were by the ground! Also, if they were on the ground, it would have been nigh on impossible to lift it off the ground! (EC)
How many rings were there altogether?
Rashi, Rashbam and Seforno: There were four rings, either because the 'Vav' in the word "u'Shetei Taba'os" is superfluous, or it translates as 'and two of those rings ... '.
Ibn Ezra; There were eight rings altogether on the Aron, four ornamental rings on the four legs, 1 and four on the sides by means which they it.
Refer to 25:12:2:2*.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that the rings were at the top corners, near the Kapores. But the Gemara states in Shabbos, 92a that the Aron was carried above ten Tefachim, for people who carry on staves, a third of the load is above their shoulders. If so, the rings were a third of the height below the top?
Moshav Zekenim: What Rashi means is that the rings were near the Kapores - a third of the way from the top. 1
Chasam Sofer (in Shabbos 92a - 93a): The Gemara in Shabbos is not discussing the Aron that housed the second Luchos - which 'carried those who carried it', 2 but to the Aron which housed the broken Luchos, which was also nine Tefachim tall. 3
Moshav Zekenim: Why do we ignore the Keruvim on the Kapores, which were They were ten Tefachim tall! It is normal to carry a third of the weight above the shoulders. The Kapores and Keruvim were from a Kikar of gold. Surely they weighed more than the Aron, which was made of wood with thin gold coverings! (Perhaps Rashi holds that the rings were as high as possible - at the top of the Aron, to minimize the amount about the shoulder, but it was still more than a third, for the Keruvim were heavy. Or, perhaps the Aron was heavier because it contained the Luchos. Or, perhaps a third of the volume should be above the shoulders; we find that it is harder to carry a larger volume (Bava Metzi'a 6:5)! We can resolve this with Shabbos 92a according to R. Perachyah (in Shitas ha'Kadmonim there); the Gemara merely wanted to show that part of the load was above 10 Tefachim. However, this is unlike Rashi there - PF.)
And did not therefore need to be carried above shoulder-height, which was neccesary on account of the weight.
This follows the Beraisa of Meleches ha'Mishkan (Perek 6) and R. Yehudah ben Lakish in the Yerushalmi, 6:1 which maintain that the Torah and the broken Luchos were in separate Aronos. R. Bechayei (Devarim 10:1) - the latter (whole) Luchos were in the Aron in the Ohel Mo'ed (with the Torah), like verse 16 says). The broken Luchos were in the Aron that Moshe made - Devarim 10:1.) Tosefta Sotah 7:18 and Rabanan in the Yerushalmi hold that the whole and broken Luchos were in the same Aron. Da'as Zekenim, Hadar Zekenim, Rosh (in Devarim 10:1, 10:1, 10:2) say that this was only in the Beis ha'Mikdash; before this, they were in separate Aronos (PF)
Rashi writes that the Levi'im who carried the Aron stood between the staves. What is the source for this?
S'fas Emes (in Menachos 98b): Because that is the way that one would normally carry it.
Mekom Shmuel (Teshuvah 40): Because, as Chazal have said 'The Aron carried those who carried it'. Consequently, between the satves is where the Shechinah must have been.
