“There were three cells of the eastern gateway on one of its sides, and three on the other. All three were of the same measure.”1Yechezkel 40:10. These cells were located outside the gateway, close to the wall around the courtyard, 2 1/2 cubits away from the inner space of the gateway on either side. This is indicated by the verse2Ibid.:12. that states U’g’vul lifnei ha’ta’os amah echas v’amah echas, “There was a space of one cubit by one cubit before the cells.” In addition, the vestibule would extend 1 1/2 cubits beyond its gateway, as will be explained shortly.3Sec. 5-6. We translated the word g’vul as “space,” based on Rashi who interprets it as meaning “empty space.” The 1 1/2 cubits where the vestibule would extend is also part of the empty space before the cell. Thus, in addition to the 1 1/2 cubits of the vestibule’s frame, there was, as the verse states, “a space of one cubit before the cells.” Thus the cells were located 2 1/2 cubits from the inner space of the gateway.
The wall of the cell was 5 cubits, as it is written: “The cell was one measuring rod long and one measuring rod wide, between the cells” – i.e., the wall between the cells – “was 5 cubits.”4Yechezkel 40:7. Thus the space from the edge of the roof of the cell on one side of the gateway to the edge of the roof on the other side was 25 cubits. This sum is derived as follows: The thickness of the wall on either side was 5 cubits, for a total of 10 cubits. The walls are included in our calculation of the space between the edges of the roofs, because the roof did not cover the wall. Rather, it only covered the empty space called “the cell.” Adding the 2 1/2 cubits on either side that we discussed above, brings the total to 15 cubits. The inner space of the gateway was 10 cubits. Thus there were 25 cubits between the edge of the cell’s roof on one side of the gateway to the edge of the roof on the other side of the gateway. This is the meaning of the verse:5Ibid.:13. “He measured the gateway from the roof of the cell to the roof [of the opposite cell] as 25 cubits.”
Rav Yitzchak Abarbanel writes: Radak asks: Why does the verse state, “He measured the gateway”? It should have stated, “He measured from the roof of the cell to the roof of the opposite cell,” without mentioning the gateway. To me, this does not present a question, because while he is measuring from the roof of the cell to the roof of the cell, he is, as a matter of course, measuring the gateway between them.
The latter verse concludes, “an entrance opposite an entrance,” which teaches that the chain of three cells on either side had entrances to this empty space,6I.e., to the space before the gateway. one opposite the other. One would enter the first cell through this entrance and then proceed to the second cell and then to the third cell. The second and third cells did not have entrances to the outside.
5
וְחַלּוֹנוֹת אֲטֻמוֹתבאטומות – פרש”י ורד”ק שקופים אטומים דהיינו רחבים בחוץ וצרים בפנים וכמו שכתוב בבנין שעשה שלמה (מל”א ו, ד). אֶל הַתָּאִים", (יחזקאל מ, טז) וְאֶל כִּתְפוֹתגהמשך הפסוק שם וחלונות וגו’ ואל אליהמה לפנימה לשער וגו’ ופירש”י ואל אליהמה היינו כתפות פתחיהם של התאים. והכוונה בזה עפ”י המתבאר לקמן סימן ז בפירוש מילת “איל” שהוא כמו שני מזוזות הפתח משני צידיו. וכ”כ אל אליהמה היינו איליו של פתח התא לכיון החלל שמול השער, ואל כתפות אלו יעשו חלונות. פִּתְחֵיהֶם שֶׁל שְׁנֵי הַתָּאִים הַפְּתוּחִים אֶל הֶחָלָל, "וְחַלּוֹנוֹת סָבִיב סָבִיב לִפְנִימָה" (שם) אֶל הַחוֹמָה לְצַד הָעֲזָרָה בִּפְנִים.
“There were narrowing windows to the cells”7Ibid.:16. and to their sidewalls towards the inside of the gateway. The term “sidewalls” refers to the structures at the sides of the two entrances to the chain of cells that opened to the gateway. The verse continues, stating that the windows were “all around facing the inside,” i.e., to the wall, to the inside of the Women’s Courtyard.”8I.e., they extended through the wall that surrounded the courtyard and opened to its inside (see Rashi’s commentary to Yechezkel 40:15).
In his commentary to the verse, “There were… windows to the cells,” Rashi writes that these sets of three cells did not have cells built on top of them. In his commentary to the Talmud,9Bava Basra 61a.Rashbam writes: “The cell was one measuring rod, i.e., 6 cubits, long. This refers to the middle level.” Thus, Rashbam understood that the cells resembled the tzelaos,10See Yechezkel 41:6-9. the side-chambers that surrounded the Sanctuary. The tzelaos had other side-chambers built upon them, as will be stated in sec. 64. Rashbam maintains that the same pattern applied with regard to the cells at the gateway, since it seems from that Talmudic passage that the side-chambers and the cells are identical.
The simple interpretation of the verses does not appear to support Rashbam’s interpretation. For were there to have been other levels of cells, the prophet would have mentioned them, as he mentioned the three levels of the side-chambers. With regard to the cells, by contrast, the prophet only states: “There were three cells of the eastern gateway on one of its sides, and three on the other,”11Ibid.:10 and “There were 5 cubits between the cells.”12Ibid.:7. The intent of the latter verse is that the wall separating the first cell from the second cell, and the second cell from the third cell, was 5 cubits thick. Since we know that the cells were next to each other, why does the verse state, “There were three cells… on one of its sides”? To teach that there was a line of three adjacent cells and no others. Thus, the narrative does not mention other cells built upon these cells as it does regarding the side-chambers, indicating that there were no such cells, as Rashi states (Mahadura Basra).13Mahadura basra means “later edition.” Before this text was printed, Tosafos Yom Tov reviewed the galleys. When doing so, new insights came to mind which he added at the back of the text, marking where they should be inserted, In the present printing, we have incorporated them in those designated places.
8
וְכָל אֵלּוּ הַתָּאִים שֶׁבְּשַׁעֲרֵי הָעֲזָרוֹת, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן לְפֵרוּשׁ הָרַדַ"ק (יחזקאל מ, ז) שֶׁגַּם בְּחוֹמַת הַר הַבַּיִת הָיוּ תָּאִים, לֹא נִזְכָּר מֵהֶם שׁוּם דָּבָרדהכוונה לתאים בחומת עזרת נשים, או לשיטת הרד”ק בחומת הר הבית כנ”ל. והתאים הנזכרים במסכת מדות (פ”ד) הם רק בכתלי ההיכל. בְּבִנְיַן בַּיִת שֵׁנִי.
None of the cells in the entrance to the courtyards is mentioned in the description of the building of the Second Beis HaMikdash. This difference between the Second Beis HaMikdash and Yechezkel’s prophesy is even more significant when learning Radak’s interpretation, because Radak maintains that there were also cells in the wall around the Temple Mount.
"וְתָאֵי הַשַּׁעַר דֶּרֶךְ הַקָּדִים" מִבַּחוּץ סְמוּכִין לְכֹתֶל הָעֲזָרָה, "שְׁלֹשָׁה מִפֹּה וּשְׁלֹשָׁה מִפֹּה מִדָּה אַחַת לִשְׁלָשְׁתָּם" (מ, י). וּמְשׁוּכִין הָיוּ מֵחֲלַל רֹחַב הַפֶּתַח, שְׁתֵּי אַמּוֹת וּמֶחֱצָה מִכָּאן וּשְׁתֵּי אַמּוֹת וּמֶחֱצָה מִכָּאן. וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב "וּגְבוּל לִפְנֵי הַתָּאוֹת אַמָּה אֶחָת וְגוֹ'" (מ, יב), הוּא מִלְּבַד אַמָּה וּמֶחֱצָה שֶׁהָאוּלָם מָשׁוּךְ מֵחֲלַל הַשַּׁעַר כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּבֹאָר בַּסִּימָן הַסָּמוּךְ. וְאוֹתָן אַמָּה וּמֶחֱצָה הָיוּ גַּם כֵּן גְּבוּל לִפְנֵי הַתָּא, שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י מָקוֹם פָּנוּי. וְיָתֵר עַל אוֹתָן אַמָּה וּמֶחֱצָה, אָמַר הַכָּתוּב בְּכָאן, וּגְבוּל לִפְנֵי הַתָּא אַמָּה. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיוּ [הַתָּאִים] מְשׁוּכִין מֵחֲלַל הַשַּׁעַר שְׁתֵּי אַמּוֹת וּמֶחֱצָה.
“There were three cells of the eastern gateway on one of its sides, and three on the other. All three were of the same measure.”1Yechezkel 40:10. These cells were located outside the gateway, close to the wall around the courtyard, 2 1/2 cubits away from the inner space of the gateway on either side. This is indicated by the verse2Ibid.:12. that states U’g’vul lifnei ha’ta’os amah echas v’amah echas, “There was a space of one cubit by one cubit before the cells.” In addition, the vestibule would extend 1 1/2 cubits beyond its gateway, as will be explained shortly.3Sec. 5-6. We translated the word g’vul as “space,” based on Rashi who interprets it as meaning “empty space.” The 1 1/2 cubits where the vestibule would extend is also part of the empty space before the cell. Thus, in addition to the 1 1/2 cubits of the vestibule’s frame, there was, as the verse states, “a space of one cubit before the cells.” Thus the cells were located 2 1/2 cubits from the inner space of the gateway.
וְכֹתֶל הַתָּא חָמֵשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהַתָּא קָנֶה אֶחָד אֹרֶךְ וְקָנֶה אֶחָד רֹחַב, וּבֵין הַתָּאִים" פֵּרוּשׁ, ח' הַכְּתָלִים הַמַּפְסִיקִים בֵּין הַתָּאִים "חָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת" (יחזקאל מ, ז), נִמְצָא הֶחָלָל שֶׁבֵּין גַּג הַתָּא מִצַּדאהיינו מצד צפון לשער לצד דרום השער . זֶה לְגַג תָּא שֶׁמִּצַּד זֶה הוּא כ"ה אַמּוֹת. וְזֶהוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹנוֹ: עֹבִי כֹּתֶל תָּא שֶׁמִּפֹּה חָמֵשׁ, וְכֵן עֹבִי כֹּתֶל הַתָּא שֶׁמִּפֹּה הֲרֵי עֶשֶׂר, וְנַחְשֹׁב הַכְּתָלִים בִּכְלַל מַה שֶּׁבֵּין הַגַּגּוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁהַגַּג אֵינוֹ עַל הַכֹּתֶל כִּי אִם עַל הֶחָלָל הַנִּקְרָא תָּא. וּשְׁתֵּי אַמּוֹת וּמֶחֱצָה הַגְּבוּל מִכָּאן וּמִכָּאן הֲרֵי ט"ו, וַחֲלַל הַשַּׁעַר עֶשֶׂר, נִמְצָא בֵּין הַכֹּל כ"ה בֵּין גַּג תָּא לְגַג תָּא שֶׁכְּנֶגְדּוֹ. וְזֶהוּ פֵּרוּשׁ הַכָּתוּב (יחזקאל מ, יג) "וַיָּמָד אֶת הַשַּׁעַר מִגַּג הַתָּא לְגַגּוֹ רֹחַב עֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת", כָּךְ פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י ז"ל.
The wall of the cell was 5 cubits, as it is written: “The cell was one measuring rod long and one measuring rod wide, between the cells” – i.e., the wall between the cells – “was 5 cubits.”4Yechezkel 40:7. Thus the space from the edge of the roof of the cell on one side of the gateway to the edge of the roof on the other side was 25 cubits. This sum is derived as follows: The thickness of the wall on either side was 5 cubits, for a total of 10 cubits. The walls are included in our calculation of the space between the edges of the roofs, because the roof did not cover the wall. Rather, it only covered the empty space called “the cell.” Adding the 2 1/2 cubits on either side that we discussed above, brings the total to 15 cubits. The inner space of the gateway was 10 cubits. Thus there were 25 cubits between the edge of the cell’s roof on one side of the gateway to the edge of the roof on the other side of the gateway. This is the meaning of the verse:5Ibid.:13. “He measured the gateway from the roof of the cell to the roof [of the opposite cell] as 25 cubits.”
וְכָתַב הָרִי"א (שם) וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ, וְהָרַדַ"ק הִקְשָׁה לָמָּה אָמַר "וַיָּמָד אֶת הַשַּׁעַר", שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר וַיָּמָד מִגַּג הַתָּא הָאֶחָד לְגַג הַתָּא הָאַחֵר שֶׁכְּנֶגְדוֹ מִבְּלִי שֶׁיִּזְכֹּר הַשַּׁעַר. וְלִי נִרְאֶה שֶׁאֵין בָּזֶה קֻשְׁיָא, כִּי בִּהְיוֹתוֹ מוֹדֵד מִגַּג הַתָּא לְגַג הַתָּא שֶׁכְּנֶגְדּוֹ, הָיָה מוֹדֵד הַשַּׁעַר שֶׁבֵּינֵיהֶם, עכ"ל.
Rav Yitzchak Abarbanel writes: Radak asks: Why does the verse state, “He measured the gateway”? It should have stated, “He measured from the roof of the cell to the roof of the opposite cell,” without mentioning the gateway. To me, this does not present a question, because while he is measuring from the roof of the cell to the roof of the cell, he is, as a matter of course, measuring the gateway between them.
וְסִיֵּם הַכָּתוּב "פֶּתַח נֶגֶד פָּתַח" (מ, יג), לוֹמַר שֶׁאֶל הֶחָלָל הַזֶּה הָיוּ הַתָּאִים הַסְּמוּכִים פְּתוּחִים לְשָׁם זֶה נֶגֶד זֶה, וּמֵאֶחָד הוֹלֵךְ אֶל שֶׁבְּצִדּוֹ, וּמִשֵּׁנִי לַשְּׁלִישִׁי. וְלָהֶם לֹא הָיוּ פְּתָחִים אֶל הַחוּץ.
The latter verse concludes, “an entrance opposite an entrance,” which teaches that the chain of three cells on either side had entrances to this empty space,6I.e., to the space before the gateway. one opposite the other. One would enter the first cell through this entrance and then proceed to the second cell and then to the third cell. The second and third cells did not have entrances to the outside.
וְחַלּוֹנוֹת אֲטֻמוֹתבאטומות – פרש”י ורד”ק שקופים אטומים דהיינו רחבים בחוץ וצרים בפנים וכמו שכתוב בבנין שעשה שלמה (מל”א ו, ד). אֶל הַתָּאִים", (יחזקאל מ, טז) וְאֶל כִּתְפוֹתגהמשך הפסוק שם וחלונות וגו’ ואל אליהמה לפנימה לשער וגו’ ופירש”י ואל אליהמה היינו כתפות פתחיהם של התאים. והכוונה בזה עפ”י המתבאר לקמן סימן ז בפירוש מילת “איל” שהוא כמו שני מזוזות הפתח משני צידיו. וכ”כ אל אליהמה היינו איליו של פתח התא לכיון החלל שמול השער, ואל כתפות אלו יעשו חלונות. פִּתְחֵיהֶם שֶׁל שְׁנֵי הַתָּאִים הַפְּתוּחִים אֶל הֶחָלָל, "וְחַלּוֹנוֹת סָבִיב סָבִיב לִפְנִימָה" (שם) אֶל הַחוֹמָה לְצַד הָעֲזָרָה בִּפְנִים.
“There were narrowing windows to the cells”7Ibid.:16. and to their sidewalls towards the inside of the gateway. The term “sidewalls” refers to the structures at the sides of the two entrances to the chain of cells that opened to the gateway. The verse continues, stating that the windows were “all around facing the inside,” i.e., to the wall, to the inside of the Women’s Courtyard.”8I.e., they extended through the wall that surrounded the courtyard and opened to its inside (see Rashi’s commentary to Yechezkel 40:15).
*כָּתַב רַשִׁ"י בַּפָּסוּק "וְחַלּוֹנוֹת אֶל הַתָּאִים", שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ [תָאִים] בְּנוּיִים עַל גַּבֵּיהֶם. וְהָרַשְׁבָּ"ם כָּתַב בְּרֵישׁ פֶּרֶק הַמּוֹכֵר אֶת הַבַּיִת (ב"ב סא) וְזוֹ לְשׁוֹנוֹ: וְהַתָּא קָנֶה אֶחָד אֹרֶךְ וְגוֹ' הַיְנוּ שֵׁשׁ אַמּוֹת וְכוּ' וְאַיָּצִיעַ הַתִּיכוֹנָה קָאִי דְּהַוְיָא שֵׁשׁ אַמּוֹת, ע"כ. דַּעְתּוֹ כִּי הָיוּ אֵלּוּ הַתָּאִים דֻּגְמַת הַצְּלָעוֹת שֶׁסְּבִיב הַהֵיכָל, שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם עוֹד צְלָעוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ סִימָן ס"ד וְכוּ'. וְכֵן הָיוּ אֵלּוּ תָּאֵי הַשַּׁעַר דֻּגְמָתָן, אַחֲרֵי שֶׁהוּא צֶלַע הוּא תָּא כַּנִּזְכַּר שָׁם בַּגְּמָרָא, וּמִסְּבָרָא דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ קָאָמַר.
In his commentary to the verse, “There were… windows to the cells,” Rashi writes that these sets of three cells did not have cells built on top of them. In his commentary to the Talmud,9Bava Basra 61a. Rashbam writes: “The cell was one measuring rod, i.e., 6 cubits, long. This refers to the middle level.” Thus, Rashbam understood that the cells resembled the tzelaos,10See Yechezkel 41:6-9. the side-chambers that surrounded the Sanctuary. The tzelaos had other side-chambers built upon them, as will be stated in sec. 64. Rashbam maintains that the same pattern applied with regard to the cells at the gateway, since it seems from that Talmudic passage that the side-chambers and the cells are identical.
אֲבָל פְּשַׁט הַכְּתוּבִים אֵינָם מוֹכִיחִין כֵּן, דְּאִלּוּ הָיוּ בְּכָאן עוֹד תָּאִים עֲלֵיהֶם, הָיָה הַנָּבִיא חוֹשֵׁב אוֹתָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁחָשַׁב הַצְּלָעוֹת תַּחְתִּיִּים שְׁנִיִּים וּשְׁלִשִׁים כֻּלָּם בְּיַחַד. וּבְכָאן לֹא אָמַר כִּי אִם (יחזקאל מ, י) "וְתָאֵי הַשַּׁעַר [וְגוֹ'] שְׁלֹשָׁה מִפֹּה וּשְׁלֹשָׁה מִפֹּה". וְאָמַר לְמַעְלָה (שם ז) "וּבֵין הַתָּאִים חָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת", וּרְצוֹנוֹ לוֹמַר הַחוֹמָה שֶׁבֵּין תָּא לַשֵּׁנִי, וּמִשֵּׁנִי לַשְּׁלִישִׁי, וּמִכֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיוּ תָּאִים זֶה אֵצֶל זֶה, אִם כֵּן מַה שֶּׁאָמַר שְׁלֹשָׁה מִפֹּה וְגוֹ', הָרָצוֹן בּוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה זֶה אֵצֶל זֶה. וְלֹא זָכַר תָּאִים עֲלֵיהֶם כְּמוֹ שֶׁעָשָׂה לְקַמָּן גַּבֵּי הַצְּלָעוֹת. שְׁמַע מִנָּהּ שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ לָאֵלּוּ תָּאִים עַל גַּבֵּיהֶם, וְהַיְנוּ כְּדַעַת רַשִׁ"י ז"ל. (מהדורא בתרא).
The simple interpretation of the verses does not appear to support Rashbam’s interpretation. For were there to have been other levels of cells, the prophet would have mentioned them, as he mentioned the three levels of the side-chambers. With regard to the cells, by contrast, the prophet only states: “There were three cells of the eastern gateway on one of its sides, and three on the other,”11Ibid.:10 and “There were 5 cubits between the cells.”12Ibid.:7. The intent of the latter verse is that the wall separating the first cell from the second cell, and the second cell from the third cell, was 5 cubits thick. Since we know that the cells were next to each other, why does the verse state, “There were three cells… on one of its sides”? To teach that there was a line of three adjacent cells and no others. Thus, the narrative does not mention other cells built upon these cells as it does regarding the side-chambers, indicating that there were no such cells, as Rashi states (Mahadura Basra).13Mahadura basra means “later edition.” Before this text was printed, Tosafos Yom Tov reviewed the galleys. When doing so, new insights came to mind which he added at the back of the text, marking where they should be inserted, In the present printing, we have incorporated them in those designated places.
וְכָל אֵלּוּ הַתָּאִים שֶׁבְּשַׁעֲרֵי הָעֲזָרוֹת, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן לְפֵרוּשׁ הָרַדַ"ק (יחזקאל מ, ז) שֶׁגַּם בְּחוֹמַת הַר הַבַּיִת הָיוּ תָּאִים, לֹא נִזְכָּר מֵהֶם שׁוּם דָּבָרדהכוונה לתאים בחומת עזרת נשים, או לשיטת הרד”ק בחומת הר הבית כנ”ל. והתאים הנזכרים במסכת מדות (פ”ד) הם רק בכתלי ההיכל. בְּבִנְיַן בַּיִת שֵׁנִי.
None of the cells in the entrance to the courtyards is mentioned in the description of the building of the Second Beis HaMikdash. This difference between the Second Beis HaMikdash and Yechezkel’s prophesy is even more significant when learning Radak’s interpretation, because Radak maintains that there were also cells in the wall around the Temple Mount.