Hebrew Literature Part 27

Chapter II

1. The Mountain of the House was 500 cubits square. The largest s.p.a.ce was on the south, the second on the east, the third on the north, and the least westward. In the place largest in measurement was held most service.

2. All who entered the Mountain of the House entered on the right-hand side, and went round, and pa.s.sed out on the left: except to whomsoever an accident occurred, he turned to the left. "Why do you go to the left?" "I am in mourning." "He that dwelleth in this House comfort thee." "I am excommunicate." "He that dwelleth in this House put in thy heart (repentance), and they shall receive thee." The words of Rabbi Meier. To him said Rabbi Jose, "thou hast acted as though they had transgressed against him in judgment; but, 'may He that dwelleth in this House put it in thy heart that thou hearken to the words of thy neighbors, and they shall receive thee.' "

3. Inside of the (Mountain of the House) was a reticulated wall, ten hand-breadths high; and in it were thirteen breaches, broken down by the Greek kings. The (Jews) restored, and fenced them, and decreed before them thirteen acts of obeisance. Inside of it was the Chel, ten cubits broad, and twelve steps were there. The height of each step was half a cubit, and the breadth half a cubit. All the steps there were in height half a cubit, and in breadth half a cubit, except those of the porch. All the doors there were in height twenty cubits, and in breadth ten cubits, except that of the porch. All the gateways there had doors, except that of the porch.

All the gates there had lintels, except Tadi; there two stones inclined one upon the other. All the gates there were transformed into gold, except the gate Nicanor,(575) because to it happened a wonder, though some said "because its bra.s.s glittered like gold."

4. And all the walls there were high, except the eastern wall, that the priest who burned the heifer, might stand on the top of the Mount of Olives, and look straight into the door of the Sanctuary when he sprinkled the blood.

5. The Court of the women was 135 cubits in length, by 135 in breadth. And in its four corners were four chambers, each forty cubits square, and they had no roofs; and so they will be in future, as is said, "Then he brought me forth into the utter court, and caused me to pa.s.s by the four corners of the court; and, behold, in every corner of the court there was a court."(576) In the four corners of the court there were courts smoking, yet not smoking, since they were roofless. And what was their use? The southeast one was the chamber of the Nazarites, for there the Nazarites cooked their peace-offerings, and polled their hair, and cast it under the pot. The northeast was the chamber for the wood, and there the priests with blemishes gathered out the worm-eaten wood. And every stick in which a worm was found, was unlawful for the altar. The northwest was the chamber for the lepers. The southwest? Rabbi Eleazar, the son of Jacob, said, "I forget for what it served." Abashaul said, "there they put wine, and oil." It was called the chamber of the house of oil. And it was open at first and surrounded with lattice-work, that the women might see from above and the men from beneath, lest they should be mixed. And fifteen steps corresponding to the fifteen steps in the Psalms, ascended from it to the court of Israel; upon them the Levites chanted. They were not angular, but deflected like the half of a round thres.h.i.+ng-floor.

6. And under the court of Israel were chambers open to the court of the women. There the Levites deposited their harps, and psalteries, and cymbals, and all instruments of music. The court of Israel was 135 cubits long, and eleven broad; and likewise the court of the priests was 135 cubits long, and eleven broad. And pointed rails separated the court of Israel from the court of the priests. Rabbi Eleazar, the son of Jacob, said, "there was a step a cubit high, and a dais placed over it. And in it were three steps each half a cubit in height." We find that the priests'

court was two and a half cubits higher than the court of Israel. The whole court was 187 cubits in length, and 135 cubits in breadth, and the thirteen places for bowing were there. Abajose, the son of Chanan, said, "in front of the thirteen gates." In the south near to the west were the upper gate, the gate of flaming, the gate of the first-born, the water gate. And why is it called the water gate? Because through it they bring bottles of water for pouring out during the feast of Tabernacles. Rabbi Eleazar, the son of Jacob, said, "through it the water returned out, and in future it will issue from under the threshold of the house." And there were opposite to them in the north, near to the west, the gate of Jochania, the gate of the offering, the gate of the women, the gate of music. And "why was it called the gate of Jochania?" "Because through it Jochania went out in his captivity." In the east was the gate Nicanor, and in it were two wickets, one on the right, and one on the left, and two in the west which were nameless.

OUR BEAUTY BE UPON THEE, O MOUNTAIN OF THE HOUSE.

Chapter III

1. The altar was thirty-two cubits square. It ascended a cubit and receded a cubit. This was the foundation. It remains thirty cubits square. It ascended five cubits, and receded one cubit. This is the circ.u.mference. It remains twenty-eight cubits square. The place for the horns was a cubit on each side. It remains twenty-six cubits square. The place of the path for the feet of the priests was a cubit on each side. The hearth remains twenty-four cubits square. Rabbi Jose said, "at first it was only twenty-eight cubits square." It receded and ascended until the hearth remained twenty cubits square; but when the children of the captivity came up, they added to it four cubits on the north, and four cubits on the west, like a gamma it is said; and the altar was twelve cubits long by twelve broad, being a square. One might say it was only "a square of twelve,"(577) as is said. Upon its four sides we learn that it measured from the middle twelve cubits to every side. And a line of red paint girdled it in the midst to separate the blood sprinkled above from the blood sprinkled below. And the foundation was a perfect walk along on the north side; and all along on the west, but it wanted in the south one cubit, and in the east one cubit.(578)

2. And in the southwestern corner were two holes as two thin nostrils, that the blood poured upon the western and southern foundation should run into them; and it commingled in a ca.n.a.l and flowed out into the Kidron.

3. Below in the plaster in the same corner there was a place a cubit square, with a marble tablet, and a ring fastened in it. Through it they descended to the sewer and cleansed it. And there was a sloping ascent(579) to the south of the altar, thirty-two cubits long by sixteen broad. In its western side was a closet, where they put the birds unmeet for the sin-offering.

4. Either the stones of the sloping ascent, or the stones of the altar were from the valley of Bethcerem.(580) And they digged deeper than virgin soil, and brought from thence perfect stones over which iron(581) was not waved. For the iron defiles by touching. And a scratch defiles everything.

In any of them a scratch defiled, but the others were lawful. And they whitewashed them twice in the year; once at the pa.s.sover, and once at the feast of Tabernacles. And the Sanctuary (was whitewashed) once at the pa.s.sover. The Rabbi said, "every Friday evening they whitewashed them with a mop on account of the blood." They did not plaster it with an iron trowel, "mayhap it will touch and defile." Since iron is made to shorten the days of man, and the altar is made to lengthen the days of man, it is not lawful, that what shortens should be waved over what lengthens.

5. And there were rings to the northern side of the altar, six rows of four each: though some say four rows of six each. Upon them the priests slaughtered the holy beasts. The slaughter-house was at the north side of the altar. And in it were eight dwarf pillars with a beam of cedar-wood over them. And in them were fastened iron hooks-three rows to each pillar.

Upon them they hung up (the bodies), and skinned them upon marble tables between the pillars.

6. The laver was between the porch and the altar, but inclined more to the south. Between the porch and the altar were twenty-two cubits, and there were twelve steps. The height of each step was half a cubit, and its breadth a cubit-a cubit-a cubit-a landing three cubits-a cubit-a cubit and a landing three cubits. And the upper one a cubit-a cubit, and the landing four cubits. Rabbi Jehudah said, "the upper one a cubit-a cubit, and the landing five cubits."

7. The doorway of the porch was forty cubits high, and twenty broad. Over it were five carved oak beams. The lower one extended beyond the doorway a cubit on either side. The one over it extended a cubit on either side. It follows that the uppermost was thirty cubits; and between each one there was a row of stones.

8. And stone b.u.t.tresses were joined from the wall of the sanctuary to the wall of the porch, lest it should bulge. And in the roof of the porch were fastened golden chains, upon which the young priests climbed up, and saw the crowns. As it is said, "And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen, the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the Lord."(582) And over the doorway of the sanctuary was a golden vine supported upon the b.u.t.tresses. Everyone who vowed a leaf, or a berry, or a cl.u.s.ter, he brought it and hung it upon it. Said Rabbi Eleazar, the son of Zadok, "it is a fact, and there were numbered 300 priests to keep it bright."

OUR BEAUTY BE UPON THEE, O ALTAR.

Chapter IV

1. The doorway of the Sanctuary(583) was twenty cubits in height, and ten in breadth. And it had four doors, two within and two without, as is said, "Two doors to the temple and the holy place."(584) The outside (doors) opened into the doorway to cover the thickness of the wall, and the inside doors opened into the Sanctuary to cover (the s.p.a.ce) behind the doors, because the whole house was overlaid with gold excepting behind the doors.

Rabbi Judah said, "they stood in the middle of the doorway, and like a pivot these folded behind them two cubits and a half; and those two cubits and a half, half a cubit and a jamb on this side, and half a cubit and a jamb on the other side." It is said, "two doors to two doors folding back, two leaves to one door and two leaves to the other."(585)

2. And the great gate had two wickets, one in the north, and one in the south. Through the one in the south no man ever entered. And with regard to it Ezekiel declared, as is said, "The Lord said unto me; this gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the G.o.d of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut."(586) The priest took the key, and opened the wicket, and went into the little chamber, and from the chamber to the Sanctuary. Rabbi Judah said, "he went in the thickness of the wall, until he found himself standing between the two gates, and he opened the outside gates from inside, and the inside from outside."

3. And there were thirty-eight little chambers, fifteen in the north, fifteen in the south, and eight in the west. The northern and southern ones were (placed) five over five, and five over them; and in the west three over three, and two over them. To each were three doors: one to the little chamber on the right, one to the little chamber on the left, and one to the little chamber over it. And in the northeastern corner were five gates: one to the little chamber on the right, and one to the little chamber over, and one to the gallery, and one to the wicket, and one to the Sanctuary.

4. The lowest row was five cubits, and the roofing six cubits, and the middle row six, and the roofing seven, and the upper was seven, as is said, "the nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle six cubits broad, and the third seven cubits broad."(587)

5. And a gallery ascended from the northeastern corner to the southwestern corner. Through it they went up to the roofs of the little chambers. One went up in the gallery with his face to the west. So he proceeded all along the northern side, till he reached the west. On reaching the west, he turned his face southward, going along the west side, till he reached the south. On reaching the south, with his face to the east, he went along the south side till he arrived at the door of the upper story, because the door of the upper story opened in the south side. And at the door of the upper story were two cedar beams. By them they went up to the roof of the upper story, and on its summit rails separated between the Holy and the Holy of Holies. And in the attic, trap-doors opened to the Holy of Holies.

Through them they let down the workmen in boxes, lest they should feast their eyes in the Holy of Holies.

6. The Sanctuary was a square of 100 cubits, and its height 100. The foundation six cubits, and the height (of the wall) forty cubits, and the string course(588) one cubit, and the rain channel two cubits, and the beams one cubit, and the covering plaster one cubit; and the height of the upper story was forty cubits, and the string course one cubit, and the rain channel two cubits, and the beams one cubit, and the covering plaster one cubit, and the battlement three cubits, and the scarecrow one cubit.

Rabbi Judah said, "the scarecrow was not counted in the measurement; but the battlement was four cubits."

7. From east to west there were 100 cubits, the wall of the porch five, and the porch eleven, and the wall of the Sanctuary six, and the interior forty, and the part.i.tion s.p.a.ce (between the Vails) one, and the Holy of Holies twenty cubits. The wall of the Sanctuary was six, and the little chamber six, and the wall of the little chamber five. From north to south there were seventy (cubits). The wall of the gallery five, the gallery three, the wall of the little chamber five, the little chamber six, the wall of the Sanctuary six, its interior twenty, the wall of the Sanctuary six, the little chamber six, the wall of the little chamber five, the place of the descent of the water three, and the wall five cubits. The porch was extended beyond it fifteen cubits in the north, and fifteen in the south; and this s.p.a.ce was called, "the house of the instruments of slaughter," because the knives were there deposited. And the Sanctuary was narrow behind and broad in the front, and it was like a lion, as is said, "Ho! Ariel, the city where David dwelt,(589) as a lion is narrow behind and broad in front, so the Sanctuary is narrow behind and broad in front."

OUR BEAUTY BE UPON THEE, DOOR OF THE SANCTUARY.

Chapter V

1. The length of the whole court(590) was 187 cubits. The breadth 135.

From east to west 187. The place for the tread of the feet of Israel was eleven cubits. The place for the tread of the priests eleven cubits. The altar thirty-two. Between the porch and the altar twenty-two cubits. The temple 100 cubits; and eleven cubits behind the House of Atonement.

2. From north to south there were 135 cubits. From the sloping ascent to the altar sixty-two. From the altar to the rings eight cubits. The s.p.a.ce for the rings twenty-four. From the rings to the tables four. From the tables to the pillars four. From the pillars to the wall of the court eight cubits. And the remainder lay between the sloping ascent and the wall and the place of the pillars.

3. In the court were six chambers, three in the north, and three in the south. In the north, the chamber of salt, the chamber of parva, the chamber of washers. In the chamber of salt they added salt to the offerings. In the chamber of parva they salted the skins of the offerings; and upon its roof was the house of baptism for the High Priest on the day of atonement. In the chamber of washers they cleansed the inwards of the offerings; and from thence a gallery extended up to the top of the house of parva.

4. In the south were the chamber of wood, the chamber of the captivity, and the chamber of hewn stone. The chamber of wood, said Rabbi Eleazar, the son of Jacob, "I forget for what it served." Abashaul said, "the chamber of the High Priest was behind them both, and the roof of the three chambers was even. In the chamber of the captivity was sunk the well with the wheel attached to it, and from thence water was supplied to the whole court. In the chamber of Hewn Stone the great Sanhedrin of Israel sat, and judged the priesthood, and the priest in whom defilement was discovered, clothed in black, and vailed in black, went out and departed; and when no defilement was found in him, clothed in white, and vailed in white, he went in and served with his brethren the priests. And they made a feast-day, because no defilement was found in the seed of Aaron the Priest, and thus they said, 'Blessed be the Place. Blessed be He, since no defilement is found in the seed of Aaron. And blessed be He who has chosen Aaron and his sons to stand and minister(591) before the Lord in the House of the Holy of Holies.' "

OUR BEAUTY BE UPON THEE, WHOLE COURT; AND COMPLETION TO THEE, TRACT MEASUREMENTS.

The Tabernacle

Heave-offerings-Dimensions of the Tabernacle-Boards-Bars-Rings of Gold-Overlaying with Gold-Pipes of Gold-Curtains-Threads-Coupling-Taches-Sockets-Vail-Holy of Holies-Holy Place-Sacred Vessels-Cunning Work-Court-Bars-Pins-Hangings-The Ark-The Tables of the Law both Whole and Broken-The Staves-The Table of s...o...b..ead-The Candlestick-Indefinite Expressions-The Altar of Incense-The Altar of Burnt-offerings-The Line for the Sprinkling of Blood-The Laver-Guards-Encampment-Standards-Preparations-Blowing the Trumpet-The March-Signs for Encamping-The Pillar of Cloud-The Shechinah.

Chapter I

Rabbi Judah the Holy, said, there were ten heave-offerings, the heave-offering of the Lord, and the heave-offering of the t.i.thes, of the dough, and of the first-fruits; and the heave-offering of the Nazarite, and the heave-offering of thanksgiving, and the heave-offering of the land, and the heave-offering of Israelites dwelling in Midian, and the heave-offering of the shekels, and the heave-offering of the tabernacle.

The heave-offering of the Lord, and the heave-offering of the t.i.thes, and of the dough, and of the first-fruits, and the heave-offering of the Nazarite, and the heave-offering of thanksgiving, were for the priests.

The heave-offering of the land was for the priests, the Levites, and the Nethinim,(592) and the Sanctuary and Jerusalem. The heave-offering of Midian was for Eleazar the priest, the heave-offering of shekels was for the sockets of the tabernacle, the heave-offering of the tabernacle furnished the material of the tabernacle, and the oil for lighting, and the sweet incense, and the garments of the priests, and the garments of the High Priest. The length of the tabernacle was thirty cubits, and its breadth was ten cubits, and its height was ten cubits. Rabbi Jose said, "its length was thirty-one cubits." "How was the tabernacle set up?"