The Controversy of the Location of the Kior Part 4 |

In our last posts we learned that the traditional location (in both Christianity and Judaism) for the Kior will not work for two reasons.

1. No one, not even the Kohan Gadol (High Priest was allowed into this area until he had already washed his hands and feet at the Kior. Therefore it had to be some where other than here. It must be between the Ulam (Porch of the Temple building) and the Mizbeiach (Altar). The Mishnah (Middot) gave this area as 22 amot (cubits).

2. The requirement to empty the water out each evening because the water became impure in the vessel overnight. A thought over the ages was that a machine (mukni) built by Ben Katin allowed them to lower the Kior into a cistern next to it. There was no cistern here or anywhere beneath the Azarah proper. It would have been impossible due to the weight of the Kior full of water as well as porticoes and buildings between this location and the nearest cistern.

In yesterday’s post we had a hint that the Kior was located in a building (see the reference from Tamid in yesterday’s post.

Today we are going to cover several important topics.

1. To establish briefly that the Lishkat haGazit (Chamber of Hewn Stone where the Sanhedrin Gedolah – Great Sanhedrin sat), the Lishkat haEitz (Chamber of the Wood, also known as the Lishkat Palhedrin and Lishkat Parhedin -Politicians Chamber- a derogatory term for the High Priest as the position was bought in the last 80 years of the Temple – this was the High Priest’s Chamber) and the Lishkat Golah or Gulah (Chamber of the Exiles or Chamber of the Bowl) was on the South side of the Azarah rather than the North side as many commentaries now say.

2. To define better the function of the Lishkat Golah/Gulah.

The Mishnah was completed around the year 200 ce by Yehudah haNasi (Judah the Prince) the Nasi (President of the Sanhedin). It was begun around the beginning of the CE as different rabbi began to copy down different Halachot (How to observe the commandmets). This eventually had led to 2 major collections. The concise, known as the Mishnah and the amplified, known as the Tosefta. These were divided into six major groupings. Seder Zeraim -Seeds – that dealt with the laws of Agriculture. Seder Moed – Appointed Times – that dealt with the Festivals and their observance, Seder Nashim (Women) that dealt with the commandments concerning women. Seder Nezekin – Damages – that dealt with civil laws and court proceedings. Seder Kodashim – (Holy Things) that dealt with commandments concerning the Temple. Seder Taharot – Impurities – that dealt with Clean and Unclean and the commandments concerning these. The Mishnah especially included the final decisions of the Sanhedrin and gave the Halachah. Of the two documents, the Mishnah carries more weight. The Tosefta (Additions) is very valuable and fills in some of the details not found in the Mishnah. The Talmud is made up of the Mishnah plus a commentary on the mishnayot one by one. Not all tractates of the Mishnah are covered. The Talmud Bavli is larger and more authoritative than the Talmud Yerushalmi, but again, there is much that is inn the Yerushalmi that is not found anywhere else.

In practice the Mishnah is supposed to be more authoritative  than the Talmud due to its age and that it is the foundation for the Talmud but in practice that is not the case.

This is very important in understanding how these three chambers were thought to be on the north wall of the Azarah. The Mishnah states.

There were six chambers in the azarah — three in the north and three in the south. Those in the north were Lishkat Hamelach, Lishkat Haparvah, Lishkat Hamedichim. Lishkat Hamelach where they would deposit salt for the sacrifice. Lishkat Haparvah — where they would salt the hides of the consecrated animals, and on its roof there was a place of immersion for the kohen gadol on Yom Kippur. Lishkat Hamedichin — where they would wash the innards of the consecrated animals, and from there a winding passage rose to the roof of Bet Haparvah. (Middot 5.3)

Those in the south were Lishkat Ha’etz, Lishkat Hagolah, Lishkat Hagazit. Lishkat Ha’etz — R. Eliezer b. Yaakov said: I have forgotten what it served. Abba Shaul says: It was the chamber of the kohen gadol, and it was behind both of them, and the roof of the three of them was even. Lishkat Hagolah — where there was a fixed well with a wheel placed over it, from where they would supply water to the entire azarah. Lishkat Hagazit — where Israel’s Great Sanhedrin sat, and judged the kohanim. A kohen in whom a flaw was found would don black and wrap himself in black, and depart and walk away. And one in whom no flaw was found would don white and wrap himself in white, and enter to serve with his brothers the kohanim. And they would make a feast, that no flaw was found in the seed of Aaron the kohen, and this is what they would say: Blessed be God, blessed be He, that no flaw was found in the seed of Aaron, and blessed be He, who chose Aaron and his Sons to stand and minister before God, in the building of the holiest of holies. (Middot 5.4)

In the Talmud Bavli, Yoma 19a, there is a gemara commenting about the activities of the Kohan Gadaol (High Priest) on Yom Kippur. It reads:

. . . . And it was further taught: The high priest (Kohen Gadol) immersed himself five times and performed ten sanctifications on that day, all of them on holy ground on the roof of the Parwah house (Beit haParvah), with the exception of this one, which was on profane ground, on top of the Gate (Shaar haMayim – Water Gate) which latter was beside his own cell. . . . But it could be proven that the Counsellors’ Cell (Lishkat Palhedrin/Parhedrin) was to the south. How? He would get up, relieve nature, immerse himself, turn northward to learn his hafinah practice, enter the Sanctuary (Azarah) and officiate all day at the service; towards evening he would be sprinkled, return southward, immerse himself and rest. . (Talmud Bavli Yoma 19a).

Note that the Gemara agrees with Middot 5.4 from the Mishnah here. This is very important. If you realize this it will settle a very major controversy.

Let me paraphrase:

The KohanGadol (High Priest) had to immerse in a mikvah 5 times during the Avodah (Service) of Yom Kippur in the Temple. 4 times are on the roof of the Beit haParvah (on the north wall according to Middot 5.3) in the Sanctified end of the building (the part nearest to the Azarah). One time he will immerse on the roof of the Shaar haMayim (Water Gate) in the unsanctified section of the building (nearest to the Cheil). The Shaar haMayim is next to the Kohan Gadol’s chamber which has three names: Lishkat Palhedrin also called Parhedrin in the Tosefta and the Lishkat haEitz (Chamber of the Wood).

We can prove that the Shaar haMayim was on the southern wall of the Azarah at the southeastern corner.

There were chambers under ezrat yisrael which opened to ezrat nashim, where the Levites would deposit lutes and lyres and cymbals, and all musical instruments. Ezrat yisrael was 135 amot long by eleven wide, and similarly, ezrat kohanim was 135 long by eleven wide, and the ends of beams separated ezrat yisrael from ezrat kohanim. R. Eliezer b. Yaakov says: There was a step, and it was an amah tall, and the dukhan was placed on it, and on it three steps of half an amah each. Thus ezrat kohanim was higher than ezrat yisrael by two amot and a half. The entire azarah was 187 long by 135 wide. And there were thirteen prostrations there. Abba Yose ben Hanan says: Corresponding to thirteen gates. The southern gates nearest the west: Shaar Ha’elyon, Shaar Hadelek, Shaar Habekhorot, Shaar Hamayim. And why was it named “Shaar Hamayim”? Because they would bring in through it a pitcher of water for libation on the festival. R. Eliezer b. Yaakov says: In it, the water trickles, and is destined to emerge from under the threshold of the house. Opposite them in the north nearest the west: Shaar Yekhonia, Shaar Hakorban, Shaar Hanashim, Shaar Hashir. And why was it named “Shaar Yekhonia”? Because through it Yekhonia went into exile. In the east: Shaar Nikanor, which had two wickets, one to its right and one to its left. There were two in the west which had no name. (Middot 2.6)

There were seven gates in the azarah: three in the north, and three in the south, and one in the east. Those in the south: Shaar Hadelek; second to it, Shaar Habekhorot; third to it, Shaar Hamayim. That in the east: Shaar Nikanor. And it had two chambers, one on its right and one on its left. One was the Chamber of Pinchas the Outfitter, and one was the Chamber of the Chavitin Makers. (Middot 1.4)

The controversy on these buildings comes from another passage from Yoma 19a:

But if you were to say that the Counsellors’ Cell (Lishkat Palhedrin/Parhedrin) is to the north, he would then get up, relieve nature, turn to the south, immerse himself and learn the hafinah (Incense Service), enter the Sanctuary, perform the service all day, be sprinkled towards evening, return to the south and immerse himself, and then he would have to turn and go to the north to rest. Would we trouble him so much? Why should we not put him to much trouble so that if he be a Sadducee, he will give up; or in order that he become not too overbearing; for if you do not say so, let us place the two [cells] next to each other; or, let one be enough for him. . . . . (Talmud Bavli Yoma 19a)

When reading this in its context you recognize this along the lines of a “wouldn’t it serve the High Priest who was a Sadducee if it were on the north so that he would have to walk further.”

The problem came in when for some unknown reason the Rambam put in Mishneh Torah Hilchot Beit haBechirah that these structures were on the north. The problem is easily resolved with the Rambam by showing that he stated in other texts that the Lishkat Palhedrin/Parhedrin, Lishkat haEitz were definitely on the south next to the Shaar haMayim (Water Gate). Let me mention that I have the highest respect for the Rambam and believe he was one of the greatest commentators of all time.

At any rate, here is the bottom line for this post. These three chambers were on the south and not the north. One concluding point. There was a large building on the southeast corner of the Azarah. This building was 100 amot (cubits) by 50 amot. It was known as the Beit Avtinas and had an opening to the Cheil and to the Azarah. The Shaar haMayim went through this building. In this building were the Lishkat haGazit, the Lishkat haEitz,, and the Lishkat haGolah. This will be a key to locating the Kior and how it operated.

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The Controversy of the Location of the Kior Part 4

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