OTHER ITEMS WHICH WERE HIDDEN WITH THE ARON
The Tzintzenes ha'Man, the anointing oil, Aharon's (flowered) staff and the gift box from the Plishtim.
These were hidden by Yoshiyahu, as related in the Pesukim.
He understood that if the Aron was taken to Bavel it would not return.
Rather, he instructed that it be interred.
PREPARING THE ANOINTING OIL
Based on the Pasuk, there were 1,500 Manim of ingredients.
The Beraisa teaches that the ingredients were soaked in 12 Log of oil, or water, and the oil was passed over the spices, as per the Pasuk.
It was taught that the anointing oil of Moshe was entirely miraculous, and lasts forever after being used as listed.
WHO IS TO BE ANOINTED
A King (first in his dynasty - based on the Pasuk).
Every Kohen ha'Gadol (based on the Pasuk).
ALL OF MOSHE'S OIL WILL REMAIN IN THE TIME TO COME
THE KINGS' ANOINTMENT
The King is anointed by a source of water (as Shlomo was anointed by the Gichon).
The son of a King is not anointed (Pasuk) unless there are contenders to the throne.
This was the case regarding Shlomo (because of Adoniyahu), Yoash (because of Atalyahu), Yehoachaz (because of his elder brother, Yehoyakim) and Yehu (because of Yoram).
Question #1: But the Kings of Israel (Northern Tribes) were not to be anointed (as in the Pasuk)?!
Question #2: But Yoshiyahu had already hid the oil before the reign of Yehoachaz?!
Answer: It was Persimmon Oil, not the anointing oil.
Kings must be anointed from a Keren.
Shaul and Yehu were anointed from a Pach.
Their reigns were transitory (unlike Dovid and Shlomo).
Kohanim may not be anointed as Kings (derived from two different Pesukim).
THE IDENTITY OF YEHOACHAZ
(R. Yochanan): The Yochanan (listed first as the Bechor in Divrei ha'Yamim I 3:15) is Yehoachaz.
Question: But it says he was the Bechor (how could Yehoyakim have been his elder brother)?!
Answer: It means the first to rule.
(R. Yochanan): Shalom (4th in the Pasuk) and Tzidkiyahu (3rd in the Pasuk) are one and the same.
Question: But the Pasuk tells us of the two people!?
Answer: He was 3rd in birth-order and 4th to reign.
His name was Tzidkiyahu as he accepted the Din.
His name was Shalom for he ended Dovid's monarchy.
(Resh Lakish): His name was actually Masanyah (Pasuk).
THE AMOS OF THE MIKDASH
There were Amos of 5 Tefachim, 6 Tefachim, and 6 Tefachim plus a half-Etzba.
(R. Yochanan and R. Meir): The Aron was made with the 6 Tefachim Amah.
(R. Yehudah): The building was made with an Amah of 6; the utensils with an Amah of 5.
R. Meir's position allows for room for the Sefer Torah in the Aron (as calculated).
Resh Lakish subscribes to the position of R. Yehudah (the Aron was made using Amos of 5 Tefachim).
The Gemara calculates the Luchos and broken Luchos into the Aron according to R. Yehudah.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ARON
The Aron was three boxes, one within the other.
A box of gold within a box of wood, within a box of gold.
The requirement of Tetzapenu was fulfilled with covering the top.
(Resh Lakish): There was one box, plated inside and out. (The requirement of Tetzapenu was fulfilled by covering the seams between the planks).
THE WRITING OF THE LUCHOS
(R. Chaninah): The Luchos were written five and five (Pasuk).
(Rabanan): Ten and ten (Pasuk).
(R. Shimon b.Yochai): Twenty and twenty (Pasuk).
(R. Simai): Forty and forty (Pasuk).
(Chananya b. Achi citing R. Yehoshua): Between each Dibur were written all the details of the Torah (like a great sea alluded to in the Pasuk).
Resh Lakish praised this teaching.
PLACING THE TORAH OF MOSHE
Question: According to R. Yehudah, where was the Sefer Torah of Moshe placed (since, unlike R. Meir, R. Yehudah does not have room for it in the Aron)?
Answer: There was a shelf (until the Plishtim sent the box).
Question: Why wasn't room allocated for it in the Aron?
Answer: The Torah says that the Sefer is to be placed beside (mi'Tzad) the Aron.
Question: Why, then, does R. Meir differ?!
Answer: The Pasuk (Sh'mos 25:21) so indicates.
Question: According to R. Yehudah, the Pasuk is out of order (the instructions regarding the cover come before the contents of the Aron).
Answer: There is no time-sequence in the Torah (and the order is time-reversed).
THE GIVING OF THE TORAH
(R. Pinchas citing Resh Lakish): The Torah given by Hash-m to Moshe was black flame engraved into white flame, mixed in flame, etched in flame and given in flame.