The Three Southern Chambers

3 Southern Chambers

This building complex consisted of three chambers:

Lishkat Hamelach - The Salt Chamber

This chamber was used to store and prepare the salt necessary for the Korbanot (sacrifices). It was necessary to sprinkle salt on all the Korbanot offered on the Altar. They would also sprinkle the Ramp to the Altar with salt to prevent slipperiness on rainy days.

Lishkat Haparvah - The Parvah Chamber

Here they would salt and process the animal hides of the Korbanot.

On the roof was a Mikvah (ritual bath) constructed for the exclusive use of the High Priest on Yom Kippur. Some say that the man who built this chamber dug a tunnel beneath the Kodesh Hakodashim (Holy of Holies) so that he could observe the High Priest's services there on Yom Kippur. When he was discovered, he was executed in this chamber, which was later named after him.

Lishkat Hamadichin - the Rinser's chamber

Here they would rinse and clean the internal organs of the Korbanot. Although these animals were offered on the Altar - and not meant for human consumption, they were nevertheless rinsed and cleaned as a gesture of respect and reverence to G-d.