Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount, measured 500 cubits by 500 cubits.1 It was surrounded by a wall.2 [The earth beneath it was hollowed out to prevent contracting ritual impurity] due to Tumat Ohel.3 Arches above arches were built underneath [for support].4 It was entirely covered,5 one colonnade inside another.6
A – The Wall Surrounding the Temple
B – The Eastern Gate (The Gate of Shushan)
C – The Chulda Gates
D – The Lattice-work Partition
E – The Gateway through the Partition and the Chayl
F – The Chayl
G – The Gate to the Women’s Courtyard
H – The Women’s Courtyard
I – The Gates of Nicanor
J – The Temple Courtyard
K – The Temple Building
L – The Gates of Mercy
M – The Chamber of the Hearth
N – The Tadi Gate
O – The Kaiphonus Gate
הַר הַבַּיִת וְהוּא הַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה הָיָה חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת אַמָּה עַל חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת אַמָּה וְהָיָה מֻקָּף חוֹמָה. וְכֵפִין עַל גַּבֵּי כֵּפִין הָיוּ בְּנוּיוֹת מִתַּחְתָּיו. מִפְּנֵי אֹהֶל הַטֻּמְאָה. וְכֻלּוֹ הָיָה מְקֹרֶה סְטָיו לְפָנִים מִסְּטָיו:
Five gates led to the [Temple Mount]: One from the west,7 one from the east,8 one from the north,9 and two from the south.10 Each gate was 10 cubits [wide] and twenty cubits high.11 [Each gate] had doors.12
בוַחֲמִשָּׁה שְׁעָרִים הָיוּ לוֹ. אֶחָד מִן הַמַּעֲרָב וְאֶחָד מִן הַמִּזְרָח וְאֶחָד מִן הַצָּפוֹן וּשְׁנַיִם מִן הַדָּרוֹם. רֹחַב כָּל שַׁעַר עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת וְגָבְהוֹ עֶשְׂרִים. וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם דַּלְתוֹת:
Further within, a latticework partition,13 10 handbreadths high, surrounded it on all sides.14
The Chayl [a rampart] ten cubits high, was located further inside this partition.15 It is referred to in the [Book of] Lamentations [2:6]: 'The wall and the rampart mourned.' [This wall] refers to the wall surrounding the Temple Courtyard.
גלְפָנִים מִמֶּנּוּ סוֹרֵג מַקִּיף סְבִיב גָּבְהוֹ עֲשָׂרָה טְפָחִים וּלְפָנִים מִן הַסּוֹרֵג הַחֵיל [גָּבְהוֹ] עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת. וְעָלָיו הוּא אוֹמֵר בַּקִּינוֹת (איכה ב ח) "וַיַּאֲבֶל חֵל וְחוֹמָה" זוֹ חוֹמַת הָעֲזָרָה:
Further inward, beyond the chayl, was the Temple Courtyard.16 The Temple Courtyard was 187 [cubits] long and 135 [cubits] wide.17
It had seven gates.18 Three were on its north side, close to the west,19 and three were on the south side, close to the west. One [gate] in the east was positioned in the center, [directly] opposite the Holy of Holies.20
דלְפָנִים מִן הַחֵיל הָעֲזָרָה. וְכָל הָעֲזָרָה הָיְתָה אֹרֶךְ קפ''ז עַל רֹחַב קל''ה. וְשִׁבְעָה שְׁעָרִים הָיוּ לָהּ. שְׁלֹשָׁה מִן הַצָּפוֹן הַסְּמוּכִין לַמַּעֲרָב. וּשְׁלֹשָׁה מִן הַדָּרוֹם סְמוּכִין לַמַּעֲרָב. וְאֶחָד בַּמִּזְרָח מְכֻוָּן כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית קֹדֶשׁ הַקָּדָשִׁים בָּאֶמְצַע:
Each gate was ten cubits wide and twenty cubits high.21 Each one had gold-plated doors,22 except for the eastern gate which was plated with bronze that resembled gold. This was called the Upper Gate.23 It was [also called] the gate of Nicanor.24
הכָּל שַׁעַר מֵהֶן הָיָה רָחְבּוֹ עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת וְגָבְהוֹ עֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה. וְהָיוּ לוֹ דְּלָתוֹת מְחֻפּוֹת זָהָב. חוּץ מִשַּׁעַר מִזְרָחִי שֶׁהָיָה מְצֻפֶּה נְחשֶׁת דּוֹמָה לְזָהָב. וְשַׁעַר זֶה הוּא הַנִּקְרָא שַׁעַר הָעֶלְיוֹן וְהוּא שַׁעַר נִיקָנוֹר:
Mishneh Torah (Moznaim)
Featuring a modern English translation and a commentary that presents a digest of the centuries of Torah scholarship which have been devoted to the study of the Mishneh Torah by Maimonides.
The Temple Courtyard was not situated directly in the center of the Temple Mount. Rather, it was set off further from the southern [wall] of the Temple Mount than from [the wall of] any other direction.25 It was closer to the western [wall] than to [the wall of] any other direction.26 There was a greater distance between it and the northern [wall] than between it and the western [wall]. [Similarly,] there was a greater distance between it and the eastern [wall] than between it and the northern [wall].27
והָעֲזָרָה לֹא הָיְתָה מְכֻוֶּנֶת בְּאֶמְצַע הַר הַבַּיִת. אֶלָּא רְחוֹקָה מִדְּרוֹם הַר הַבַּיִת יֶתֶר מִכָּל הָרוּחוֹת וּקְרוֹבָה לַמַּעֲרָב יֶתֶר מִכָּל הָרוּחוֹת. וּבֵינָהּ וּבֵין הַצָּפוֹן יֶתֶר מִמַּה שֶּׁבֵּינָהּ וּבֵין הַמַּעֲרָב. וּבֵינָהּ וּבֵין הַמִּזְרָח יֶתֶר מִמַּה שֶּׁבֵּינָהּ וּבֵין הַצָּפוֹן:
The Women's Courtyard28 was in front of the Temple Courtyard on the East29 and was 135 cubits long and 135 cubits wide. It had four chambers, each forty cubits [by forty cubits, one] in [each of] its four corners.30 They did not have roofs, nor will they in the Messianic Age.31
זוְלִפְנֵי הָעֲזָרָה בַּמִּזְרָח הָיְתָה עֶזְרַת הַנָּשִׁים. וְהִיא הָיְתָה אֹרֶךְ מֵאָה אַמָּה וַחֲמִשָּׁה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים עַל רֹחַב קל''ה. וְאַרְבַּע לְשָׁכוֹת הָיוּ בְּאַרְבַּע מִקְצְעוֹתֶיהָ שֶׁל אַרְבָּעִים אַרְבָּעִים אַמָּה וְלֹא הָיוּ מְקֹרוֹת וְכֵן עֲתִידִין לִהְיוֹת:
For what purpose were they used?
The southeastern chamber32 was [called] the Chamber of the Nazirites.33 There, they cooked peace offerings and shaved their hair.
The northeastern chamber34 was [called] the Chamber of the Woodshed. There, the priests who [were disqualified from the Temple service] because of physical deformities35 checked the wood [brought for the Altar] for worms. If a worm was found, it was unfit for use.36
The northwestern chamber37 was [called] the Chamber of Those Afflicted with Tzara'at.38
The southwestern chamber39 was used to store wine and oil. It was called "The Chamber of the Oils."40
חוּמַה הֵם מְשַׁמְּשׁוֹת. דְּרוֹמִית מִזְרָחִית לִשְׁכַּת הַנְּזִירִים שֶׁשָּׁם מְבַשְּׁלִין אֶת שַׁלְמֵיהֶם וּמְגַלְּחִין אֶת שַׂעֲרָם. מִזְרָחִית צְפוֹנִית לִשְׁכַּת דִּיר הָעֵצִים שֶׁשָּׁם כֹּהֲנִים בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִין מַתְלִיעִים בָּעֵצִים. שֶׁכָּל עֵץ שֶׁנִּמְצָא בּוֹ תּוֹלַעַת פָּסוּל. צְפוֹנִית מַעֲרָבִית לִשְׁכַּת הַמְצֹרָעִים. מַעֲרָבִית דְּרוֹמִית בָּהּ הָיוּ נוֹתְנִין יַיִן וְשֶׁמֶן וְהִיא הָיְתָה נִקְרֵאת לִשְׁכַּת בֵּית שַׁמְנַיָּא:
The Women's Courtyard41 was surrounded by balconies so that women could look on from above and the men from below without intermingling.42
טעֶזְרַת הַנָּשִׁים הָיְתָה מֻקֶּפֶת גְּזוּזְטְרָא כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַנָּשִׁים רוֹאוֹת מִלְּמַעְלָן וְהָאֲנָשִׁים מִלְּמַטָּן כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ מְעֵרְבָּבִין. וּבַיִת גָּדוֹל הָיָה בְּצַד הָעֲזָרָה בִּצְפוֹנָהּ מִבַּחוּץ בֵּין הָעֲזָרָה וְהַחֵיל וְהָיָה בָּנוּי כִּפָּה וּמֻקָּף רְבָדִין שֶׁל אֶבֶן וְהוּא הָיָה נִקְרָא בֵּית הַמּוֹקֵד. וּשְׁנֵי פְּתָחִים הָיוּ לוֹ אֶחָד פָּתוּחַ לָעֲזָרָה וְאֶחָד פָּתוּחַ לַחֵיל:
(Based on the Diagrams Attributed to the Rambam which Accompany Rav Kapach’s Edition of the Rambam’s Commentary to the Mishnah)
A – The Chayl
B – The Temple Courtyard
C – The Gateway to the Temple Courtyard
D – The Gateway to the Chayl
E – The Divider Between the Consecrated and Unconsecrated Portions of the Chamber of the Hearth
F – The Chamber of the Lambs
G – The Chamber Leading to the Mikvah
H – The Chamber where the Stones of the Altar were Entombed
I – The Chamber where the Showbread was Baked
It contained two entrances: one to the Temple Courtyard48 and one to the chayl.49
There were four chambers inside it.50 Two were consecrated51 and two were not.52 Marking posts53 separated the consecrated [chambers] from those which were not consecrated.54
For what purpose were they used?
The southwestern [chamber]55 was the Chamber of the Lambs.56
The southeastern [chamber]57 was the Chamber of the Bakers of the Showbread.58
[In] the northeastern [chamber], the Hasmoneans entombed the stones of the Altar59 which were defiled by the Greek kings.60
[In] the northwestern chamber, [a stairwell] descended to the mikveh.61
יוְאַרְבַּע לְשָׁכוֹת הָיוּ בּוֹ. שְׁתַּיִם קֹדֶשׁ וּשְׁתַּיִם חֹל. וְרָאשֵׁי פִּסְפְּסִין מַבְדִּילִין בֵּין הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְהַחל. וּמַה הָיוּ מְשַׁמְּשׁוֹת מַעֲרָבִית דְּרוֹמִית לִשְׁכַּת הַטְּלָאִים. וּדְרוֹמִית מִזְרָחִית לִשְׁכַּת עוֹשֵׂי לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים. מִזְרָחִית צְפוֹנִית בָּהּ גָּנְזוּ בֵּית חַשְׁמוֹנַי אַבְנֵי מִזְבֵּחַ שֶׁשִּׁקְּצוּם מַלְכֵי יָוָן. צְפוֹנִית מַעֲרָבִית בָּהּ יוֹרְדִין לְבֵית הַטְּבִילָה:
One who descended from this chamber to the mikveh62 proceeded along a winding stairway located under the entire Temple complex.63 Candles were kindled on both sides [of the passageway, to illuminate the way] until reaching the mikveh.
This [chamber] also contained the hearth64 and the seat of dignity.65 This was the dignity associated with it. If one found it locked, he knew it was occupied by another person [and did not enter].66
יאהַיּוֹרֵד לְבֵית הַטְּבִילָה מִלִּשְׁכָּה זוֹ הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ בַּמְּסִבָּה הַהוֹלֶכֶת תַּחַת הַמִּקְדָּשׁ כֻּלּוֹ וְהַנֵּרוֹת דּוֹלְקוֹת מִכָּאן וּמִכָּאן עַד שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ לְבֵית הַטְּבִילָה. וּמְדוּרָה הָיְתָה שָׁם. וּבֵית הַכִּסֵּא שֶׁל כָּבוֹד. וְזֶהוּ כְּבוֹדוֹ, מְצָאוֹ נָעוּל בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם אָדָם:
The Temple Courtyard was 187 cubits long from east to west.67 The measurement can be broken down as follows:
יבEleven cubits from the western wall of the Courtyard to the wall of the Temple building.
100 cubits, the length of the Temple building.68
22 cubits between the Entrance Hall and the Altar.69
22 cubits, [the length of] the Altar.70
Eleven cubits, the area where the priests could walk.71 This was called the Priestly courtyard.72
Eleven cubits, the area where Israelites could walk.73 This was called the Courtyard of Israel.
אֹרֶךְ הָעֲזָרָה מִן הַמִּזְרָח לַמַּעֲרָב קפ''ז וְזֶהוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹנָן. מִכֹּתֶל מַעֲרָבִי שֶׁל עֲזָרָה עַד כֹּתֶל הַהֵיכָל אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה. וְאֹרֶךְ הַהֵיכָל כֻּלּוֹ מֵאָה אַמָּה. בֵּין הָאוּלָם וְלַמִּזְבֵּחַ שְׁתַּיִם וְעֶשְׂרִים. הַמִּזְבֵּחַ שְׁתַּיִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁים. מְקוֹם דְּרִיסַת רַגְלֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהוּא הַנִּקְרָא עֶזְרַת כֹּהֲנִים אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה. מְקוֹם דְּרִיסַת רַגְלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוּא הַנִּקְרָא עֶזְרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה:
The Courtyard was 135 cubits wide, from north to south.74 The measurement can be broken down as follows:
Eight cubits from the northern wall75 until the butchering area.
Twelve and one half cubits, the width of the butchering area.76 There, they would suspend the sacrificed animals [on posts] and remove their hides.77
יגוְרֹחַב הָעֲזָרָה מִן הַצָּפוֹן לַדָּרוֹם מֵאָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וְחָמֵשׁ וְזֶהוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹנָן. מִכֹּתֶל צְפוֹנִי עַד בֵּית הַמִּטְבָּחַיִם שְׁמוֹנֶה אַמּוֹת. בֵּית הַמִּטְבָּחַיִם י''ב אַמּוֹת וּמֶחֱצָה. וְשָׁם תּוֹלִין וּמַפְשִׁיטִין אֶת הַקָּדָשִׁים בְּצִדּוֹ:
B – The Rings
C – The Tables
D – The Short Pillars
E – The Northern Wall of the Temple Courtyard
The area of the rings83 [was positioned] next to the location of the tables. It was 24 cubits [wide].84 There, they slaughtered the sacrifices.85
ידמְקוֹם הַשֻּׁלְחָנוֹת שְׁמוֹנֶה אַמּוֹת וּבוֹ שֻׁלְחָנוֹת שֶׁל שַׁיִשׁ שֶׁמַּנִּיחִין עֲלֵיהֶן הַנְּתָחִים וּמְדִיחִין אֶת הַבָּשָׂר לְבַשְּׁלוֹ. וּשְׁמוֹנָה שֻׁלְחָנוֹת הָיוּ. וּבְצַד מְקוֹם הַשֻּׁלְחָנוֹת מְקוֹם הַטַּבָּעוֹת כ''ד אַמָּה. וְשָׁם שׁוֹחֲטִין אֶת הַקָּדָשִׁים:
There were eight cubits between the Altar and the area of the rings.86 The Altar was 32 cubits wide.87 The ramp was 30 cubits [long].88 There were twelve and a half cubits between the ramp and the southern wall.89
[The area] from the northern wall of the Temple Courtyard90 until the wall91 of the Altar, was sixty and a half [cubits] wide.92 The length of this area, from the wall of the Entrance Hall until the eastern wall of the Courtyard, was 76 [cubits].93
טווּבֵין מְקוֹם הַטַּבָּעוֹת וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ שְׁמוֹנֶה אַמּוֹת וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ ל''ב. וְהַכֶּבֶשׁ שְׁלֹשִׁים. וּבֵין הַכֶּבֶשׁ וּלְכֹתֶל דְּרוֹמִי י''ב אַמָּה וּמֶחֱצָה. מִכֹּתֶל צְפוֹנִי שֶׁל עֲזָרָה עַד כֹּתֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ שֶׁהוּא רֹחַב שִׁשִּׁים וּמֶחֱצָה. וּכְנֶגְדוֹ מִכֹּתֶל הָאוּלָם עַד כֹּתֶל מִזְרָחִי שֶׁל עֲזָרָה שֶׁהוּא אֹרֶךְ שֵׁשׁ וְשִׁבְעִים:
The entire rectangle [described above] is called "the northern portion." The sacrifices of the most sacred order of holiness were slaughtered there.94
טזכָּל הַמְרֻבָּע הַזֶּה הוּא הַנִּקְרָא צָפוֹן הוּא הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁשּׁוֹחֲטִין בּוֹ קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים:
The Courtyard of the Israelites had eight chambers:95 three in the north and three in the south.96 In the south,97 were the Chamber of Salt, Parve's Chamber,98 and the Washing Chamber.
The salt for the sacrifices was stored in the Chamber of the Salt.99 The hides of the sacrifices were salted in Parve's chamber.100 Its roof had a mikveh, used by the High Priest on Yom Kippur.101 The internal organs of the sacrifices were washed in the Washing Chamber.102 It had a winding rampway leading to the roof of Parve's chamber.103
The three [chambers] in the north were the Chamber of Hewn Stone, the Chamber of the Bowl, and the Chamber of Wood.104
The Supreme Sanhedrin sat105 [in judgment] in the Chamber of Hewn Stone.106 Half was consecrated107 and half was not.108 The Sanhedrin sat in the half that was not consecrated.
The Chamber of the Bowl had a well from which water was drawn with a bowl. This [well] supplied water to the entire Temple Courtyard.
The Chamber of Wood was situated behind these two. It was the Chamber of the High Priest and [also] called "the Chamber of Parhedrin."109 The roofs of these three chambers were on the same level.110
The Courtyard of the Israelites had two other chambers:111 one to the right of the eastern gate, [called] the Chamber of Pinchas, the clothes-butler;112 and one to the left. It was [called] the Chamber of the Bakers of the chavitin.113
שְׁמוֹנֶה לְשָׁכוֹת הָיוּ בְּעֶזְרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל. שָׁלֹשׁ בַּצָּפוֹן. וְשָׁלֹשׁ בַּדָּרוֹם. שֶׁבַּדָּרוֹם לִשְׁכַּת הַמֶּלַח. לִשְׁכַּת הַפַּרְוָה. לִשְׁכַּת הַמְּדִיחִין. לִשְׁכַּת הַמֶּלַח שָׁם נוֹתְנִין מֶלַח לַקָּרְבָּן. לִשְׁכַּת הַפַּרְוָה שָׁם מוֹלְחִין עוֹרוֹת הַקָּדָשִׁים. וְעַל גַּגָּהּ הָיְתָה בֵּית טְבִילָה לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים. לִשְׁכַּת הַמְּדִיחִין שָׁם הָיוּ מְדִיחִין קִרְבֵי הַקָּדָשִׁים וּמִשָּׁם מְסִבָּה עוֹלָה לְגַג בֵּית הַפַּרְוָה. וְהַשָּׁלֹשׁ שֶׁבִּצְפוֹן לִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית. לִשְׁכַּת הַגּוֹלָה. לִשְׁכַּת הָעֵץ. לִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית שֶׁבָּהּ סַנְהֶדְרִי גְּדוֹלָה יוֹשֶׁבֶת. וְחֶצְיָהּ הָיָה קֹדֶשׁ וְחֶצְיָהּ הָיָה חֹל. וְלָהּ שְׁנֵי פְּתָחִים אֶחָד לַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֶחָד לְחל וּבַחֵצִי שֶׁל חֹל הָיוּ הַסַּנְהֶדְרִין יוֹשְׁבִין. לִשְׁכַּת הַגּוֹלָה שָׁם הָיְתָה בּוֹר שֶׁמְּמַלְּאִין מִמֶּנּוּ בַּגּוֹלָה וּמִשָּׁם מְסַפְּקִין מַיִם לְכָל הָעֲזָרָה. וְלִשְׁכַּת הָעֵץ הָיְתָה אֲחוֹרֵי שְׁתֵּיהֶן וְהִיא הָיְתָה לִשְׁכַּת כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל וְהִיא הַנִּקְרֵאת לִשְׁכַּת פַּרְהֶדְרִין. וְגַג שְׁלָשְׁתָּן שָׁוֶה. וּשְׁתֵּי לְשָׁכוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת הָיוּ שָׁם בְּעֶזְרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל. אַחַת מִימִין שַׁעַר מִזְרָחִי וְהוּא לִשְׁכַּת פִּינְחָס הַמַּלְבִּישׁ. וְאֶחָד מִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ וְהוּא לִשְׁכַּת עוֹשֶׂה חֲבִיתִין: