Last week, as the fate of the Bibas family emerged, I was struck with the image of the keruvim above the Aron and felt that the Bibas babies, HY”D were a real-life expression of the golden cherubs. Indeed cherubs are depicted in many art forms as the most perfect and angelic infants.
We saw photos of Ariel and Kfir gazing in adoration at each other in the way the Torah describes the keruvim as “peneihem ish el achiv— with their faces toward one another.” (Exodus 25:20). The gold used for their construction reminds us of the shiny orange hair of the Bibas boys. The keruvim indeed are described as having the face of the child along with some mix of lion, ox and human facial features. The earliest source that explains the keruvim is the Talmud (Chagigah 13a and Sukkah 5b): “What is a keruv? R. Avahu said: ‘Ke-ravia, since in Babylon, a child is called ravia. R. Papa said to Abaye: It is stated, The first was the face of a cherub, and the second was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion.’” The lion brings to mind immediately the translation of the name of baby Kfir, a young lion.
Rav Samson Rafael Hirsch remarks at length on the symbolism of the keruvim. He mentions that the cherubs, positioned on top of the ark cover—kapores— are its guardians and keepers but are also part of the kapores itself. The word kfir, baby lion, is mentioned by Rav Hirsch who notes that the word “kapores” share the same root, meaning protection or guarding. Rav Hirsch notes that the color used in the curtains to make the keruvim is predominantly red, a symbol of life, a reminder again of our redheaded cherubs.
Rav Hirsch notes that the keruvim first appear in Bereishit after Adam and Chava are removed from Gan Eden. As mentioned by Chizuk Shaya (Chizukshaya.com), Hashem erects “the keruvim” and their “flame of the sword that revolves” to guard (“lishmor”) the path to the Tree of Life (Bereishit 3:24). On the above pasuk in Bereishit, Rav Hirsch comments that “lishmor” doesn’t necessarily mean only to “guard” but rather to “preserve”—to keep open—the path to the Tree of Life, which represents truth, the recognition of Hashem’s presence in both personal and world affairs.
Rav Hirsch elaborates that the “revolving sword” represents the recurring trouble and pain of mankind (world history) in the form of war and destruction that hinder mankind from finding eternal bliss (“life”). On a more personal level, it represents individual periods of dissatisfaction, disappointment, pain and suffering that detract from our own joy in life. He adds that the “revolving” sword represents impulsive and negative reactions to insecurity, disappointment, pain and suffering—which in the extreme, the Torah says, can even lead to murder as in the case of Cain and Abel. The keruvim, on the other hand, represent recognition of Hashem’s providence in the world.
Rav Hirsch explains that just as the keruvim at the Garden of Eden gates, and the wings of the keruvim of the Aron protect the Torah within, so too Bnei Yisroel are charged with safeguarding the Torah. He suggests that our primary responsibility is the education of the young because it is through teaching Torah to children that our legacy is passed from generation to generation. As the Gemara in Shabbos states, “tinokot shel beit rabban”—the Torah study of the young children — protects the world from destruction.
In a deeper way, the imagery of the keruvim as infants also connects to how an infant interacts with its parents and by extension how we are to interact with Hashem as our parent. In times where our child experiences any small discomfort, we are implicitly asking the infant to trust us that the benefits justify the pain. Isn’t this precisely what Hashem asks of us? Suggests Rav Hirsch, in our understanding of Hashem, we are like newborns and as a newborn has no comprehension of her parent’s actions, so we often fail to comprehend the benefit of the circumstances that Hashem decrees for us. But like newborns, we trust that Hashem is doing what is best for us.
Two messages emerge most powerfully from the keruvim via the analysis of Rav Hirsch. First, they represent the need for strengthening and safeguarding our literal teaching of Torah to our children. This is a clear path to maintaining clarity, our connection to God and to the real truth in a world where truth is difficult to find. I will add,as well.they serve as a reminder to maintain our childlike pure and joyous connection to Torah learning and study. The last Mishna in Sota states that one of the signs of the era preceding the Moshiach (“Ikvesa d’Meshicha”) is that “Truth will become rare (ne’ederes).”As we watch this daily, the keruvim message of focus on Torah truth hits home.
The second message lies in the image of the cherubs looking at one another. Here Rav Hirsch points out that they are not only the guardians of the Torah within the aron, but they are the guardians of each other, promoting brotherly unity among the guardians that we so desperately need. In addition, the keruvim faces are pointing down to the aron, reminding us of the truth of the Torah tablets within, while simultaneously stretching their wings to the heavens to Hashem. Altogether, this dual image of the Biblical keruvim and our modern day Bibas cherubs, HY”D serves as a reminder for us to have belief in our Torah, in each other—our nation of brothers –and in the leadership of God, especially during these challenging times.
Dr. Rayzel Yaish, clinical psychologist, works at Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls.
