וּמִחוּצָה֩ לַשַּׁ֨עַר הַפְּנִימִ֜י לִֽשְׁכ֣וֹת שָׁרִ֗ים בֶּחָצֵ֤ר הַפְּנִימִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֗ר אֶל־כֶּ֙תֶף֙ שַׁ֣עַר הַצָּפ֔וֹן וּפְנֵיהֶ֖ם דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַדָּר֑וֹם אֶחָ֗ד אֶל־כֶּ֙תֶף֙ שַׁ֣עַר הַקָּדִ֔ים פְּנֵ֖י דֶּ֥רֶךְ הַצָּפֹֽן׃
Sa labas ng panloob na pintuang-daan, sa loob ng panloob na patyo, ay may mga silid para sa mga mang-aawit. Ang mga ito ay nasa tagiliran ng pintuang-daan sa hilaga, at nakaharap sa gawing timog; at ang isa ay nasa tagiliran ng pintuang-daan sa silangan, na nakaharap sa gawing hilaga.
The Third Beit HaMikdash
There was a chamber … “on the flank of the eastern gate”, its entrance “facing northward”.1Yechezkel 40:44. They were “for the kohanim, the keepers of the watch of the altar: they are the descendants of Tzadok, the ones [chosen] from the descendants of Levi to draw close to God and serve Him.”2Ibid.:46.
The Third Beit HaMikdash
“Outside the inner gate, there were chambers for the singers, inside the Inner Courtyard, on the flank of the Northern Gate, facing southward.”1Yechezkel 40:44. This verse implies that the Chambers of the Levites who would sing were outside the inner space of the gate’s vestibule, within the Inner Courtyard, on the side of the gate – i.e., behind the gate, as Radak explains. The entrance to these chambers was to the south. This is the meaning of the verse,2Ibid.:45. “This chamber that faces south is for the kohanim, the guardians of the watch of the House.” Although the verse uses the term kohanim, Rashi comments: “It appears to refer to the Levites who were singers.” Rav Yitzchak Abarbanel explains that the Levites are called kohanim in this verse because a kohen is one who serves, and the Levites served through song.