7. From east to west there were 100 cubits, the wall of the porch five, and the porch eleven, and the wall of the Sanctuary six, and the interior forty, and the partition space (between the Vails) one, and the Holy of Holies twenty cubits. The wall of the Sanctuary was six, and the little chamber six, and [pg 242] the wall of the little chamber five. From north to south there were seventy (cubits). The wall of the gallery five, the gallery three, the wall of the little chamber five, the little chamber six, the wall of the Sanctuary six, its interior twenty, the wall of the Sanctuary six, the little chamber six, the wall of the little chamber five, the place of the descent of the water three, and the wall five cubits. The porch was extended beyond it fifteen cubits in the north, and fifteen in the south; and this space was called, “the house of the instruments of slaughter,” because the knives were there deposited. And the Sanctuary was narrow behind and broad in the front, and it was like a lion, as is said, “Ho! Ariel, the city where David dwelt,[589] as a lion is narrow behind and broad in front, so the Sanctuary is narrow behind and broad in front.”
Our Beauty be upon Thee, Door of the Sanctuary.
Chapter V
1. The length of the whole court[590] was 187 cubits. The breadth 135. From east to west 187. The place for the tread of the feet of Israel was eleven cubits. The place for the tread of the priests eleven cubits. The altar thirty-two. Between the porch and the altar twenty-two cubits. The temple 100 cubits; and eleven cubits behind the House of Atonement.
2. From north to south there were 135 cubits. From the sloping ascent to the altar sixty-two. From the altar to the rings eight cubits. The space for the rings twenty-four. From the rings to the tables four. From the tables to the pillars four. From the pillars to the wall of the court eight cubits. And the remainder lay between the sloping ascent and the wall and the place of the pillars.
3. In the court were six chambers, three in the north, and three in the south. In the north, the chamber of salt, the chamber of parva, the chamber of washers. In the chamber of salt they added salt to the offerings. In the chamber of [pg 243] parva they salted the skins of the offerings; and upon its roof was the house of baptism for the High Priest on the day of atonement. In the chamber of washers they cleansed the inwards of the offerings; and from thence a gallery extended up to the top of the house of parva.
4. In the south were the chamber of wood, the chamber of the captivity, and the chamber of hewn stone. The chamber of wood, said Rabbi Eleazar, the son of Jacob, “I forget for what it served.” Abashaul said, “the chamber of the High Priest was behind them both, and the roof of the three chambers was even. In the chamber of the captivity was sunk the well with the wheel attached to it, and from thence water was supplied to the whole court. In the chamber of Hewn Stone the great Sanhedrin of Israel sat, and judged the priesthood, and the priest in whom defilement was discovered, clothed in black, and vailed in black, went out and departed; and when no defilement was found in him, clothed in white, and vailed in white, he went in and served with his brethren the priests. And they made a feast-day, because no defilement was found in the seed of Aaron the Priest, and thus they said, ‘Blessed be the Place. Blessed be He, since no defilement is found in the seed of Aaron. And blessed be He who has chosen Aaron and his sons to stand and minister[591] before the Lord in the House of the Holy of Holies.’ ”
Our Beauty be upon Thee, whole Court;
And Completion to Thee, Tract
MEASUREMENTS.