Ezekiel 45:1 Jewish Thought: The Third Beit HaMikdash

“These are the names of the tribes. In the northernmost corner….”¹⁴Ibid. 48:1. The portions of the tribes the Tosafos Yom Tov proceeds to list are mentioned in verses 2-8. Dan, Asher, Naftali, Menashe, Ephraim, Reuven, Yehudah.¹⁵See Rashi’s commentary to Yechezkel 48:8 which explains the future division of the land among the tribes and how it is possible that five tribes will be granted a portion in what was originally the heritage of the tribe of Yehudah. “On the border of Yehudah, from the eastern edge to the western edge shall be the portion that is terumah that you shall offer twenty-five thousand rods in width, and in length as one of the other parts, from the eastern edge to the western edge. The [Beis Ha]Mikdash shall be in the midst of it.”¹⁶Ibid. 48:8. The narrative continues, stating¹⁷Ibid. 48:9. that “the portion to be offered as terumah to God,” i.e., for God’s Sanctuary, will be in this strip that is located near the tribal portion of Yehudah. This portion, as a whole, is called the terumah, as will be explained at the end of this treatise.¹⁸Sec. 80. In the midst¹⁹But not in its exact center. of the terumah, as one proceeds from east to west, in its northern portion, there will be a strip the length of 25,000 measuring rods with a width of 10,000 measuring rods from the north to the south.²⁰Yechezkel 45:1. This strip is not at the exact center of the terumah, but is located towards the center, away from the edges. “The [Beis Ha-]Mikdash, the Holy of Holies, will be located within [this area].”²¹Ibid. 43:3

The remainder of the sanctified area was the strip in the northern part of the Great Terumah. This strip was 25,000 measuring rods long and 10,000 measuring rods wide,¹Yechezkel 45:1. and was sanctified as most holy, as we mentioned in the preface to this work. The Temple Mount was located in the center of this portion. The narrative goes on to state that the portion around the Temple Mount will be 12,250 measuring rods to the east, and that same measure to the west. The length of the Temple Mount will be 500 measuring rods. Thus, the entire area will be 25,000 measuring rods long. The area to the north will be 4,750 measuring rods wide, and there will be the same measure to the south. The Temple Mount complex will be 500 measuring rods wide, and will be located in the center of this area. Thus, the area will be 10,000 measuring rods wide. This is Rashi’s calculation.

With the above interpretations, we have merited to explain that one should not err when studying Rashi’s words, as did some who wished to claim that Yechezkel’s prophecy should not be interpreted according to its simple meaning and sought to support their assertion by citing Rashi’s commentary in Sanhedrin, as stated by Rav Yitzchak Abarbanel.²⁴Abarbanel, Yechezkel 45:1. Rav Yitzchak Abarbanel, however, refutes their claim, citing Rashi’s commentary to Sukkah. We elaborated, and also explained Rashi’s use of the term parsaos, and the difference between his commentary in Sanhedrin and in Sukkah. Nevertheless, fundamentally, we both shared the same intent: to emphasize that Yechezkel’s prophecy should be interpreted according to its simple meaning, as we explained in great detail. As a reader can see, the verse can be understood according to our interpretation, which is based on the words of the commentaries.