Une fois, un certain prêtre était engagé dans son travail [enlèvement des vers du bois. Il avait une tache, et le travail des prêtres tachés était de préparer du bois pour la pile de bois (de l'autel) (car tout le bois dans lequel se trouvent des vers est impropre à l'autel)] quand il a perçu que l'un des carreaux de sol était différent de les autres. [Il n'était pas aligné avec les autres tuiles et il s'est rendu compte qu'il avait été retiré et remplacé.] Il est allé en informer son ami, mais n'a pas pu terminer ce qu'il avait à dire avant que son âme ne parte— et ils savaient avec certitude que l'arche y était sécrétée.
Bartenura on Mishnah Shekalim
שהיה מתעסק – in his service (see also Tractate Middot, Chapter 2, Mishnah 5) removing the wormy parts from the wood/sorting it, and he had a blemish (i.e., he was unfit for the altar, for priestly service), and the work of those with a blemish was to prepare the wood for the altar, and any wood in which was found worms was unfit/disqualified for the altar.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Shekalim
Introduction
This mishnah continues to discuss the hidden location of the Ark of the Covenant.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Shekalim
שהוא משונה – the stone was not even with the other stones of the floor, and he understood it (i.e., the Holy Ark) was taken from there and then returned.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Shekalim
It once happened that a priest who was busy [there] noticed that the floor [of the wood storage area] was different from the others. He went and told it to his friend but before he had time to finish his words his soul departed. Then they knew for certain that there the Ark was hidden. In this legendary tale a priest is busy chopping wood in the wood storage area of the Temple when he notices that the floor looks a little different. He rushes off to tell his friend about what he saw but before he can get the words out of his mouth, he dies (I hope his face didn’t start to melt off. Indy should have told him to just close his eyes!). From this the other priests knew for certain that the Ark was hidden there.
