The Temple – Its Layout and How it Operated | Hatikva Ministries

There is a commandment in the book of Ezekiel to know the Temple inside and out. Regrettably, this has not been realized within Judaism, the non-Jewish Torah world or Christianity. In fact, the truth is that it is not on most peoples important to know list. Another major problem is that much of the information that most people have of the Temple is in many ways inaccurate. Little by little I would like to address this problem. The commandment to know the Temple is below.

And I heard one speaking unto me out of the house (Temple Building); and a man stood by me. And He said unto me: ‘Son of man, this is the place of My throne, and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever; (Eze 43:6-7 JPS)

Thou, son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure accurately. And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, make known unto them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof, and write it in their sight; that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them. This is the law of the house:(Eze 43:10-12 JPS).

This passage is so important I am including commentary on its content.

Ezekiel 40.7 – this is the place of My throne …: Specifically the Kodesh haKodashim (Holy of Holies) was understood to be the literal throne of Hashem on earth. This is supported by Jeremiah 17.12 Thou throne of glory, on high from the beginning, thou place of our sanctuary (Mikdashnu – Our Sanctuary or Temple). (Jer 17:12 JPS). Another reference is of critical importance in understanding the impact of the Temple upon the worshippers coming to and praying towards the Temple. In Bereishit 2 we are told: And the L-RD G-d planted a garden eastward, in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed. (Gen 2:8 JPS). the question to ask is “eastward from where? The answer is from the Seat of Hashem. This places the Inner Courtyard of the Temple in a new and elevated perspective. If the Kodesh haKodashim was the Throne of Hashem then the Temple building and the surrounding courtyard, its layout and ceremonies are thought to be a return to Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden) which is the perfect environment created for man and the earth.

 the place of the soles of My feet: this expression is understood to be where Hashem states that the Temple and its courtyards are literally his possession. Look at the passage from Devarim (Deuteronomy) where this same expression is used in regards to Israel.  Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness, and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the hinder sea shall be your border. (Deu 11:24 JPS).

It is in this light that the Temple is several times referred to as the Birah which can be translated as  Palace or Fortress.

Seven days before the burning of the cow, the kohen who is to burn the cow is taken away from his home to a chamber in the birah —north-east — which was called House of Stone. They sprinkle upon him, on each of these seven days, from all the purification waters that are there. R. Yose says, They sprinkle upon him only on the third and seventh. R. Hanina, superintendent of the kohanim, says, Upon the kohen who burns the cow — they sprinkle on each of the seven days; but upon the one of Yom Kippur — they sprinkle only on the third and seventh days. (Kehati translation of Mishnah Parah 3.1)

If the whole or the greater part of it became unclean it must be burned before the birah with wood of the woodpile. If the smaller part of it became unclean, and the notar— they must burn it in their courtyards or on their rooftops, with their own wood. The misers burn it before the birah, in order to derive benefit from the wood of the woodpile. (Kehati translation of Mishnah Pesachim 7.8)

At three sites, the kohanim stand guard in the Temple: In Bet Avtinas, in Bet Hanitzotz, and in Bet Hamoked. Bet Avtinas and Bet Hanitzotz were balconies, and the youngsters would stand guard there. Bet Hamoked was a dome, and it was a large building, surrounded by stone slabs, and the elders of the bet av would sleep there, and the keys of the azarah were in their hands. And the young kohanim, each one with his cushion on the ground — they would not sleep in the holy garments, but rather would take off, fold up, and place them under their heads, and cover themselves with their own covering. If one of them had a seminal emission, he would go out and walk through the passage that goes under the Birah, and the candles would be burning from this side and from that side, until he would reach the place of immersion. And there was a fire there, and a place with a chair of dignity, and this was its dignity: If he found it locked, he would know that there was a person there; open, he would know that there was no person there. He went down and immersed, came up and dried off, and he warmed himself near the fire. He came and sat near his brothers, the kohanim, until the gates were opened. He would go out and walk away. (Kehati translation of Mishnah Tamid 1.1).

There was a place there, an amah by an amah, and a slab of marble, and a ring was fixed to it, and a chain, on which were hanging the keys. When the time for locking arrived, he lifted up the slab by the ring, and took the keys from the chain. The kohen locked up from inside, and a Levite slept outside. When he finished locking up, he returned the keys to the chain, and the slab to its place. He placed his garment on it. He went to sleep. If one of them had a seminal emission, he would depart and walk through the passage that went under the birah, and the candles would burn on this side and on that side, until he reached the place of immersion. R. Eliezed b. Yaakov says: Through the passage that went under the Cheil, he departed, walking through Tadi. (Kehati translation of Mishnah Middot 1.9). I will dwell (eshkan) in the midst of the children of Israel for ever: The Mikdash is always linked to this concept of the Dwelling Place on earth of Hashem among the children of Israel. This is seen in the initial command to build the Mishkan (derived from the same word Sh’kan -to dwell, the word shekinah -dwelling presences comes from the same root).

And let them make Me a sanctuary (Mikdash), that I may dwell (shkanti) among them. According to all that I show thee, the pattern of the tabernacle (Mishkan), and the pattern of all the furniture thereof, even so shall ye make it. (Exo 25:8-9 JPS).

Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them – it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and I will establish them, and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary (Mikdashi) in the midst of them for ever. My dwelling-place (mishkani) ‘also shall be over them; and I will be their G-d, and they shall be My people. (Eze 37:26-27 JPS).

Ezekiel 43.10 –  show the house: Translated as show the word Haggaid means to tell, to declare.

 that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: this is a remarkable phrase as it reveals that knowledge of the Temple would turn an individual or a group from its sins. This is an indication that the Temple is more than a collection of buildings.

 let them measure accurately:  U’maddu et tachnitוּמָדְד֖וּ אֶת־תָּכְנִֽית ׃

This is a commandment to measure the Temple. It will be extended to the ENTIRE House of Israel. An interesting aspect is that it is implied that it is a continuing phrase as the teshuvah (repentance) generated from the study of the Temple makes the way for further study. The tractate Middot (Measurements) comes from this phrase.

 Ezekiel 43.11 – make known unto them the form: tzurat (form)

the fashion thereof: techunato (i.e. the arrangement of the house) comes from the word (Tachnit). This word is a very powerful word in Hebrew. It is best understood in English by the word Blueprint. A Blueprint is an exact layout, where measurements are critical and specifications are the order. The word is synonymous  with Tavnit as seen in the following verses.

And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show thee, the pattern (tavnit) of the tabernacle, and the pattern (tavnit) of all the furniture thereof, even so shall ye make it. (Exo 25:8-9 JPS).

Tavnit also would best be translated into English as a Blueprint. Notice the stipulation that the tavnit or the blueprint may not be altered. This is explicit in the command “even so shall ye make it”.

Another passage:

Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern (tavnit) of the porch (ulam) of the temple, and of the houses thereof (Temple Building), and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper rooms thereof, and of the inner chambers thereof, and of the place of the ark-cover (Holy of Holies); and the pattern (tavnit) of all that he had by the spirit, for the courts of the house of the L-RD (there are three primary courts), and for all the chambers round about (Each court has buildings attached, these will be most important in the buildings attached to the Inner Courtyard/Azarah), for the treasuries of the house of God, and for the treasuries of the hallowed things; also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the L-RD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the L-RD:

of gold by weight for the vessels of gold, for all vessels of every kind of service; of silver for all the vessels of silver by weight, for all vessels of every kind of service; by weight also for the candlesticks of gold, and for the lamps thereof, of gold, by weight for every candlestick and for the lamps thereof; and for the candlesticks of silver, silver by weight for every candlestick and for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick; and the gold by weight for the tables of showbread, for every table; and silver for the tables of silver; and the flesh-hooks, and the basins, and the jars, of pure gold; and for the golden bowls by weight for every bowl; and for the silver bowls by weight for every bowl; and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern (tavnit) of the chariot, even the cherubim, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the L-RD.

All this do I give thee in writing, as the L-RD hath made me wise by His hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern (tavnit).’ (1Ch 28:11-19 JPS)

I separated the verses in this passage into three groupings as I wanted to emphasize that Hashem gave by His Spirit the Tavnit (blueprint) the entire design of the Temple, all buildings, walls, etc., the division of the kohanim (Priests) and Leviim (Levites), their rotation, the totality of the services (avodah) of the Temple. He gave specific weight for the vessels and furniture, materials that were to be used. All of this Hashem gave to David by the Spirit in writing.

What we learn from this is that the Temple and all associated with it came from Hashem. This could not be altered.

In part two of this article we will learn the specifics of what we are supposed to know.

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The Temple – Its Layout and How it Operated

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