Pensiero Ebraico su I Re 6:6

This is known [alluding to Isaiah 12:5] before the entire congregation, the virtue of the land of Israel, as it is great. In truth, they said: Anyone who adds to its praises has [only] provided minimizations [alluding to I Kings 6:6]. And Ramban, may his memory be blessed, has already written at length in [his] commentary on the Torah [about this]. The master said, "The attainment of spiritual perfection, meaning to serve God and to cling to Him, is only [found] in the land of Israel, since it is not under a minister [angel], but is governed by Him, may He be blessed. The eyes of the Lord are upon it, He scrutinizes it constantly [alluding to Deuteronomy 11:12]." And we find that our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said that the merit of the land of Israel protects and saves, to negate the evil impulse for idolatry, as we teach in the discussion in the ninth chapter of Arakhin (32b), The whole community that returned from the captivity made booths and dwelt in the booths—the Israelites had not done so from the days of Joshua son of Nun, etc. (Nehemiah 8:17). Is it possible that David came [and the Jews in his time and all subsequent generations] did not make sukkot, until Ezra came? Rather, he prayed for mercy with regard to the evil impulse for idolatry and negated it, and that merit protected them like a sukkah. And this is the reason that the verse criticizes Joshua. As in every other place, his name is written, Yehoshua, and here it is written, Yeshua. Granted, Moses did not pray, as he did not have the merit of the land of Israel; but Joshua, who had the merit of the land of Israel, why didn’t he pray for mercy? To here [is the citation].

“They would be held fast, but they were not held fast inside the walls of the House,” i.e., the beams were supported by the wall’s indentation, but not by the wall itself, for holes were not made in the wall into which the beams would be inserted. Instead, they were supported by the wall’s indentations.¹⁵Rashi in his commentary to I Melachim 6:6 explains that this was done because it is more attractive. Radak in his commentary to ibid. 6:7 gives another reason. Metal tools were not allowed to be used while building the Beis HaMikdash. Radak¹⁶See Radak, Yechezkel 41:6. and Ri¹⁷See Ri, Tosafos, Yoma 52a, s.v." kosel". offer similar explanations, except according to their opinions, this indentation only existed on the side of the wall adjoining the Sanctuary, and not on the outer side. Their opinion is based on their interpretation of the structure, which accords with that of Rashi, as will be explained shortly.

The mishnah states:¹⁹Middos 4:4. “The lowest level was five [cubits] wide, the surface above it was six, as indicated by the verse,²⁰I Melachim 6:6. ‘for he made recesses in the House all around.’ ” Rambam and Rav Ovadiah of Bartenura interpret this as meaning that an indentation measuring one cubit was made on all three levels. However, they maintain that this mishnah and this verse are referring to a structure outside the wall of the winding stairwell. On the outside of that wall, there were three balconies, one on top of the other. This structure was called a yetzia in the Beis HaMikdash built by King Shlomoh.²¹See I Melachim 6:5, 10.