The table below presents an aligned extract of verses or verselets in Nu04-13c, Ex27-03. Both verses/verselets discuss the altar utensils placed on top of the altar. The alignment justifies the Rashi assertion that 1st a cover was placed on the altar and then 4 of the 5 altar utensils were placed on the cover. There was a fifth altar utensil, the copper pans that was not placed on top of the cover which was on top of the altar. We conclude that the copper pan was placed under the cover with the altar. Apparently the copper plan covered live altar coals under it so that when the Jews journeyed they carried both the Temple itself and a starter for the Divine fire.

Verse	Text of Verse	Rashi comment
Nu04-13c	######	1st a cover was placed on the altar and then 4 of the 5 altar utensils were placed on the cover.
Ex27-03	And you shall make (5)pans to receive its ashes, and (3)its shovels, and (4)its basins, and (2)its forks, and (1)its censers; all its utensils you shall make of bronze.	There was a fifth altar utensil, the copper pans that was not placed on top of the cover which was on top of the altar. We conclude that that the copper pan was placed under the cover with the altar. Apparently the copper plan covered live altar coals under it so that when they journeyed they carried both the Temple itself and a starter for the Divine fire.

Advanced Rashi: We make two comments. First, the above Rashi has obvious sermonic overtones: The Temple was not just a building in which God appeared. Rather God's appearance was an intrinsic part of the Temple. Therefore the Jews had to carry both the Temple building proper as well as live coals sybmolizing the Divine fire of prophecy. Symbolically this indicates that when Jews journey from place to place they must carry their prophecies (religious observance) with them. In fact those familiar with the history of the Reform movement know that it started with the motto be orthodox at home and secular when in transition outside your home. Such an approach fails - we must always - both when settled and when journeying - respect the fire of God's prophecies by observing them.

A second point to note is on Rashi's description of fire. Rashi refers to the fire from Heaven that looked like a lion that descended from heaven which was carried with the ark. But we have interpreted this to refer to a live coal! However we think it proper to interpret ...like a lion to mean ...like a crouching lion. A live coal with its yellowish glow resembles a crouching lion about to pounce. The coal although dormant can instantly start a fire! Symbolically this also has meaning for Jewish transitions from place to place: Although a Jew must observe when he transitions his learning should not be project oriented but rather review of daily basic laws (live coals).