Hiding the Ark: Yoma 52b

Moses put the second set of tablets from Mt. Sinai in the Holy Ark, which was at the center of the Tabernacle and its successor the Temple in Jerusalem. It was hidden away, and has yet to be found. The Talmud discusses its concealment in this passage.

When the Ark was hidden away, hidden with it were the bottle of Manna (which Moses put aside as a reminder of G-d's gift of sustenance during the Jew's wanderings in the desert), a flask of the anointing oil (which was used in the dedication of the Tabernacle), Aaron's staff with its almonds and blossoms (the staff miraculously grew almond blossoms as a sign of divine favor for Aaron's priestly line), and the chest of gold which the Philistines dedicated to the L-rd of Israel (the Philistines took the Ark captive during a war. They found that whatever village kept the ark was afflicted with hemorrhoids, and then decided to return it along with gifts to the Jews.)

Who hid the Ark? King Josiah hid it. Why? He saw it was written (Deuteronomy 28:36 JPS Translation) 'The L-rd will drive you and the king you have sent over you to a nation unknown to you or your fathers, where you shall serve other gods, of wood and stone," and was aroused to hide the ark.

I find the second passage fascinating. King Josiah was a great leader in Judaism. Before his time, people had even stopped observing the Passover sacrifice. He restored it and many other important rituals. I'm amazed at how he was able to restore the people's connection to tradition in the shadow of such awful portents.