Еврейская мысль к Йехезкэля 41:6

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.

“There were side-chambers, one side-chamber on top of another, 33 in number.”¹Yechezkel 41:6. We have described three of these side-chambers previously.²See sec. 62. I.e., the side-chambers on the western side. Here, we will explain the thirty others. Since the verse states,³Yechezkel 41:7. “[The side-chambers] became progressively wider. There was a spiral [stairwell]…. From the lowest level, one would ascend to the highest level, via the middle level,” it is apparent that there will be three levels of side-chambers.

We did not think that the side-chambers might be located next to each other, with two side-chambers being situated between two additional walls that were not that thick, as we explained with regard to the Second Beis HaMikdash and with regard to the northern and southern sides of the Future Beis HaMikdash. The reason for our choice is that Targum Yonason¹³See Targum Yonason, Yechezkel 41:6. states that there will be “eleven [side-chambers] in a row.” This can be understood as follows. On the western side, the side-chambers were built one on top of other. When the five lowest side-chambers in the north, the five side-chambers in the south, and the lowest side-chamber in the west are viewed as a whole, there will be “eleven [side-chambers] in a row.” This concept will also apply regarding the second and third levels. However, if the three levels of chambers in the west are interpreted as being next to each other, there will be 13 side-chambers in a row, not “eleven [side-chambers] in a row.”