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Saturday, 27 March 2027 18 Adar II 5787 י״ח אֲדָר ב׳ תשפ״ז learned on this date

Middot 37 מדות

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Bold is the Talmud's own words. The regular text between is explanation woven in by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz (1937 to 2020), whose English translation this is. A mishna is the short ruling a passage starts from; the Gemara is the discussion of it; a baraita is an early teaching quoted from outside the Mishna.

Middot 37 משנה מדות ד׳:ג׳-ה׳:ד׳

  1. 1

    There were thirty-eight cells there, fifteen on the north, fifteen on the south, and eight on the west. On the north and on the south there were five over five and five again over these; On the west there were three over three and two over these. Each had three openings, one to the cell on the right and one to the cell on the left and one to the cell above. In the [one at the] northeastern corner there were five openings, one to the cell on the right, one to the cell above, one to the mesibbah, one to the door, and one to the Hekhal.

    וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁמֹנָה תָאִים הָיוּ שָׁם, חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בַּצָּפוֹן, חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בַּדָּרוֹם, וּשְׁמֹנָה בַּמַּעֲרָב. שֶׁבַּצָּפוֹן וְשֶׁבַּדָּרוֹם, חֲמִשָּׁה עַל גַּבֵּי חֲמִשָּׁה, וַחֲמִשָּׁה עַל גַּבֵּיהֶם. וְשֶׁבַּמַּעֲרָב, שְׁלֹשָׁה עַל גַּבֵּי שְׁלֹשָׁה, וּשְׁנַיִם עַל גַּבֵּיהֶם. וּשְׁלֹשָׁה פְתָחִים הָיוּ לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד, אֶחָד לַתָּא מִן הַיָּמִין, וְאֶחָד לַתָּא מִן הַשְּׂמֹאל, וְאֶחָד לַתָּא שֶׁעַל גַּבָּיו. וּבְקֶרֶן מִזְרָחִית צְפוֹנִית הָיוּ חֲמִשָּׁה פְתָחִים, אֶחָד לַתָּא מִן הַיָּמִין, וְאֶחָד לַתָּא שֶׁעַל גַּבָּיו, וְאֶחָד לַמְּסִבָּה, וְאֶחָד לַפִּשְׁפָּשׁ, וְאֶחָד לַהֵיכָל:

  2. 2

    The [chamber] of the lowest [story] was five cubits wide and at the ceiling six cubits. The [chamber] of the middle [story] was six cubits wide and at the ceiling of seven. The [chamber] of the top [story] was seven cubits wide, as it says, "The lowest story was five cubits wide, the middle one 6 cubits wide and the third 7 cubits wide" (I Kings 6:6).

    הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה, חָמֵשׁ, וְרֹבֶד שֵׁשׁ. וְהָאֶמְצָעִית, שֵׁשׁ, וְרֹבֶד שֶׁבַע. וְהָעֶלְיוֹנָה, שֶׁבַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א ו), הַיָּצִיעַ הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה חָמֵשׁ בָּאַמָּה רָחְבָּהּ וְהַתִּיכֹנָה שֵׁשׁ בָּאַמָּה רָחְבָּהּ וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית שֶׁבַע בָּאַמָּה רָחְבָּה:

  3. 3

    The mesibbah (a winding walkway) went up from the north-east corner to the north-west corner by which they used to go up to the roofs of the cells. One would ascend the messibah facing the west, traversing the whole of the northern side till he reached the west. When he reached the west he turned to face south and then traversed whole of the west side till he reached the south. When he reached the south he turned to face eastwards and then traversed the south side till he reached the door of the upper chamber, since the door of the upper chamber opened to the south. In the doorway of the upper chamber were two columns of cedar by which they used to climb up to the roof of the upper chamber, and at the top of them was a row of stones showing the division in the upper chamber between the holy part and the Holy of Holies. There were trap doors in the upper chamber opening into the Holy of Holies by which the workmen were let down in baskets so that they should not feast their eyes on the Holy of Holies.

    וּמְסִבָּה הָיְתָה עוֹלָה מִקֶּרֶן מִזְרָחִית צְפוֹנִית לְקֶרֶן צְפוֹנִית מַעֲרָבִית, שֶׁבָּהּ הָיוּ עוֹלִים לְגַגּוֹת הַתָּאִים. הָיָה עוֹלֶה בַּמְּסִבָּה וּפָנָיו לַמַּעֲרָב. הָלַךְ עַל כָּל פְּנֵי הַצָּפוֹן, עַד שֶׁהוּא מַגִּיעַ לַמַּעֲרָב. הִגִּיעַ לַמַּעֲרָב, וְהָפַךְ פָּנָיו לַדָּרוֹם. הָלַךְ כָּל פְּנֵי מַעֲרָב עַד שֶׁהוּא מַגִּיעַ לַדָּרוֹם. הִגִּיעַ לַדָּרוֹם, וְהָפַךְ פָּנָיו לַמִּזְרָח. הָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדָּרוֹם, עַד שֶׁהוּא מַגִּיעַ לְפִתְחָהּ שֶׁל עֲלִיָּה, שֶׁפִּתְחָהּ שֶׁל עֲלִיָּה פָּתוּחַ לַדָּרוֹם. וּבְפִתְחָהּ שֶׁל עֲלִיָּה הָיוּ שְׁנֵי כְלוֹנָסוֹת שֶׁל אֶרֶז, שֶׁבָּהֶן הָיוּ עוֹלִין לְגַגָּהּ שֶׁל עֲלִיָּה. וְרָאשֵׁי פִסְפָּסִין מַבְדִּילִים בָּעֲלִיָּה בֵּין הַקֹּדֶשׁ לְבֵין קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים. וְלוּלִין הָיוּ פְתוּחִין בָּעֲלִיָּה לְבֵית קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, שֶׁבָּהֶן הָיוּ מְשַׁלְשְׁלִין אֶת הָאֻמָּנִים בְּתֵבוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָזוּנוּ עֵינֵיהֶן מִבֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים:

  4. 4

    The Hekhal was a hundred cubits by a hundred with a height of a hundred. The foundation was six cubits, then it rose forty, then a cubit for the ornamentation, two cubits for the guttering, a cubit for the ceiling and a cubit for the plastering. The height of the upper chamber was forty cubits, there was a cubit for its ornamentation, two cubits for the guttering, a cubit for the ceiling, a cubit for the plastering, three cubits for the parapet and a cubit for the spikes. Rabbi Judah says the spikes were not included in the measurement, but the parapet was four cubits.

    וְהַהֵיכָל מֵאָה עַל מֵאָה, עַל רוּם מֵאָה. הָאֹטֶם שֵׁשׁ אַמּוֹת, וְגָבְהוֹ אַרְבָּעִים אַמָּה, אַמָּה כִּיּוּר, וְאַמָּתַיִם בֵּית דִּלְפָה, וְאַמָּה תִּקְרָה, וְאַמָּה מַעֲזִיבָה, וְגֹבַהּ שֶׁל עֲלִיָּה אַרְבָּעִים אַמָּה, וְאַמָּה כִּיּוּר, וְאַמָּתַיִם בֵּית דִּלְפָה, וְאַמָּה תִּקְרָה, וְאַמָּה מַעֲזִיבָה, וְשָׁלֹשׁ אַמּוֹת מַעֲקֶה, וְאַמָּה כָּלֵה עוֹרֵב, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא הָיָה כָלֵה עוֹרֵב עוֹלֶה מִן הַמִּדָּה, אֶלָּא אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת הָיָה מַעֲקֶה:

  5. 5

    From east to west was a hundred cubits: The wall of the porch five cubits, the porch itself eleven, the wall of the Hekhal six cubits and its interior forty, a cubit for the space between, and twenty cubits for the Holy of Holies, the wall of the Hekhal six cubits, the cell six cubits and the wall of the cell five. From north to south was seventy cubits: The wall of the mesibbah five cubits, the mesibbah itself three, the wall of the cell five and the cell itself six, the wall of the Hekhal six cubits and its interior twenty, then the wall of the Hekhal again six and the cell six and its wall five, then the place of the water descent three cubits and its wall five cubits. The Porch extended beyond this fifteen cubits on the north and fifteen cubits on the south, and this space was called the House of the slaughter-knives where they used to store the knives. The Hekhal was narrow behind and broad in front, resembling a lion, as it says, "Ah, Ariel, Ariel, the city where David encamped" (Isaiah 29:1): Just as a lion is narrow behind and broad in front, so the Hekhal was narrow behind and broad in front.

    מֵהַמִּזְרָח לַמַּעֲרָב מֵאָה אַמָּה, כֹּתֶל הָאוּלָם חָמֵשׁ, וְהָאוּלָם אַחַד עָשָׂר, כֹּתֶל הַהֵיכָל שֵׁשׁ, וְתוֹכוֹ אַרְבָּעִים אַמָּה, אַמָּה טְרַקְסִין, וְעֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה בֵּית קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, כֹּתֶל הַהֵיכָל שֵׁשׁ, וְהַתָּא שֵׁשׁ, וְכֹתֶל הַתָּא חָמֵשׁ. מִן הַצָּפוֹן לַדָּרוֹם שִׁבְעִים אַמָּה, כֹּתֶל הַמְּסִבָּה חָמֵשׁ, וְהַמְּסִבָּה שָׁלֹשׁ, כֹּתֶל הַתָּא חָמֵשׁ, וְהַתָּא שֵׁשׁ, כֹּתֶל הַהֵיכָל שֵׁשׁ, וְתוֹכוֹ עֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה, כֹּתֶל הַהֵיכָל שֵׁשׁ, וְהַתָּא שֵׁשׁ, וְכֹתֶל הַתָּא חָמֵשׁ, וּבֵית הוֹרָדַת הַמַּיִם שָׁלֹשׁ אַמּוֹת, וְהַכֹּתֶל חָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת. הָאוּלָם עוֹדֵף עָלָיו חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה מִן הַצָּפוֹן, וַחֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה מִן הַדָּרוֹם, וְהוּא הָיָה נִקְרָא בֵּית הַחֲלִיפוֹת, שֶׁשָּׁם גּוֹנְזִים אֶת הַסַּכִּינִים. וְהַהֵיכָל צַר מֵאַחֲרָיו, וְרָחָב מִלְּפָנָיו, וְדוֹמֶה לַאֲרִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כט), הוֹי אֲרִיאֵל אֲרִיאֵל קִרְיַת חָנָה דָוִד, מָה הָאֲרִי צַר מֵאַחֲרָיו וְרָחָב מִלְּפָנָיו, אַף הַהֵיכָל צַר מֵאַחֲרָיו וְרָחָב מִלְּפָנָיו:

  6. 6

    The whole of the courtyard was a hundred and eighty-seven cubits long by a hundred and thirty-five broad. From east to west it was a hundred and eighty-seven. The space in which the Israelites could go was eleven cubits. The space in which the priests could go was eleven cubits. The altar took up thirty-two. Between the Porch and the altar was twenty-two cubits. The Hekhal took up a hundred cubits, and there were eleven cubits behind the kapporet.

    כָּל הָעֲזָרָה הָיְתָה אֹרֶךְ מֵאָה וּשְׁמוֹנִים וָשֶׁבַע עַל רֹחַב מֵאָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וְחָמֵשׁ. מִן הַמִּזְרָח לַמַּעֲרָב מֵאָה וּשְׁמוֹנִים וָשֶׁבַע, מְקוֹם דְּרִיסַת יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה, מְקוֹם דְּרִיסַת הַכֹּהֲנִים אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה, הַמִּזְבֵּחַ שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם, בֵּין הָאוּלָם וְלַמִּזְבֵּחַ עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁתַּיִם אַמָּה, הַהֵיכָל מֵאָה אַמָּה, וְאַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה לַאֲחוֹרֵי בֵית הַכַּפֹּרֶת:

  7. 7

    From north to south was a hundred and thirty-five cubits.The ascent and the altar took up sixty-two; From the altar to the rings was eight cubits. The rings took up twenty-four cubits. From the rings to the tables was four cubits, From the tables to the dwarf pillars four, And from the dwarf pillars to the wall of the courtyard eight cubits, And the remainder was between the ascent and the wall and the space occupied by the dwarf pillars.

    מִן הַצָּפוֹן לַדָּרוֹם מֵאָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וְחָמֵשׁ, הַכֶּבֶשׁ וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁתַּיִם. מִן הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לַטַּבָּעוֹת שְׁמֹנֶה אַמּוֹת, מְקוֹם הַטַּבָּעוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבַּע, מִן הַטַּבָּעוֹת לַשֻּׁלְחָנוֹת אַרְבַּע, מִן הַשֻּׁלְחָנוֹת וְלַנַּנָּסִין אַרְבַּע. מִן הַנַּנָּסִין לְכֹתֶל הָעֲזָרָה שְׁמֹנֶה אַמּוֹת, וְהַמּוֹתָר בֵּין הַכֶּבֶשׁ לַכֹּתֶל וּמְקוֹם הַנַּנָּסִין:

  8. 8

    There were six chambers in the courtyard, three on the north and three on the south. On the north were the salt chamber, the parvah chamber and the washer's chamber. In the salt chamber they used to keep the salt for the offerings. In the parvah chamber they used to salt the skins of the animal-offerings. On its roof was the bath used by the high priest on Yom Kippur. In the washers’ chamber they used to wash the entrails of the sacrificial animals, and from it a winding way went up to the roof of the parvah chamber.

    שֵׁשׁ לְשָׁכוֹת הָיוּ בָעֲזָרָה, שָׁלֹשׁ בַּצָּפוֹן וְשָׁלֹשׁ בַּדָּרוֹם. שֶׁבַּצָּפוֹן, לִשְׁכַּת הַמֶּלַח, לִשְׁכַּת הַפַּרְוָה, לִשְׁכַּת הַמְדִיחִים. לִשְׁכַּת הַמֶּלַח, שָׁם הָיוּ נוֹתְנִים מֶלַח לַקָּרְבָּן. לִשְׁכַּת הַפַּרְוָה, שָׁם הָיוּ מוֹלְחִין עוֹרוֹת קָדָשִׁים, וְעַל גַּגָּהּ הָיָה בֵית הַטְּבִילָה לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים. לִשְׁכַּת הַמְדִיחִין, שֶׁשָּׁם הָיוּ מְדִיחִין קִרְבֵי הַקֳּדָשִׁים. וּמִשָּׁם מְסִבָּה עוֹלָה לְגַג בֵּית הַפַּרְוָה:

  9. 9

    On the south were the wood chamber, the chamber of the exile and the chamber of hewn stones. The wood chamber: Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob says: I forget what it was used for. Abba Shaul says: It was the chamber of the high priest, and it was behind the two of them, and one roof covered all three. In the chamber of the exile there was a fixed cistern, with a wheel over it, and from there water was provided for all of the courtyard. In the chamber of hewn stone the great Sanhedrin of Israel used to sit and judge the priesthood. A priest in whom was found a disqualification used to put on black garments and wrap himself in black and go away. One in whom no disqualification was found used to put on white garments and wrap himself in white and go in and serve along with his brother priests. They used to make a feast because no blemish had been found in the seed of Aaron the priest, and they used to say: Blessed is the Omnipresent, blessed is He, for no blemish has been found in the seed of Aaron. Blessed is He who chose Aaron and his sons to stand to minister before the Lord in the Holy of Holies.

    שֶׁבַּדָּרוֹם, לִשְׁכַּת הָעֵץ, לִשְׁכַּת הַגּוֹלָה, לִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית. לִשְׁכַּת הָעֵץ, אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב, שָׁכַחְתִּי מֶה הָיְתָה מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת. אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר, לִשְׁכַּת כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, וְהִיא הָיְתָה אֲחוֹרֵי שְׁתֵּיהֶן, וְגַג שְׁלָשְׁתָּן שָׁוֶה. לִשְׁכַּת הַגּוֹלָה, שָׁם הָיָה בוֹר קָבוּעַ, וְהַגַּלְגַּל נָתוּן עָלָיו, וּמִשָּׁם מַסְפִּיקִים מַיִם לְכָל הָעֲזָרָה. לִשְׁכַּת הַגָּזִית, שָׁם הָיְתָה סַנְהֶדְרִי גְדוֹלָה שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹשֶׁבֶת וְדָנָה אֶת הַכְּהֻנָּה, וְכֹהֵן שֶׁנִּמְצָא בוֹ פְסוּל, לוֹבֵשׁ שְׁחוֹרִים וּמִתְעַטֵּף שְׁחוֹרִים, וְיוֹצֵא וְהוֹלֵךְ לוֹ. וְשֶׁלֹּא נִמְצָא בוֹ פְסוּל, לוֹבֵשׁ לְבָנִים וּמִתְעַטֵּף לְבָנִים, נִכְנָס וּמְשַׁמֵּשׁ עִם אֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים. וְיוֹם טוֹב הָיוּ עוֹשִׂים, שֶׁלֹּא נִמְצָא פְסוּל בְּזַרְעוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן, וְכָךְ הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים, בָּרוּךְ הַמָּקוֹם בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁלֹּא נִמְצָא פְסוּל בְּזַרְעוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן. וּבָרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁבָּחַר בְּאַהֲרֹן וּבְבָנָיו לַעֲמֹד לְשָׁרֵת לִפְנֵי ה' בְּבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים:

English: Mishnah Yomit by Dr. Joshua Kulp (CC-BY) · Hebrew/Aramaic: Torat Emet 357 (Public Domain) · Open on Sefaria

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