Kaisipang Hudyo sa Ezekiel 42:5: The Third Beit HaMikdash

The expression, “you are involved in its construction,” warrants an explanation. God did not say, “You are building it,”¹¹Significantly, the standard published text of the Pesikta states, “you are building it.” Nevertheless, the word cited by the Tosafos Yom Tov is found in Yalkut Shimoni, loc. cit. See Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 18, pp. 412, 419 which discusses this point. because that would imply building the structure in its entirety. “Involved in its construction,” by contrast, implies building a portion of it, for there are aspects of this building that are enigmatic, and not explicitly explained. Thus Radak,¹²Radak, Yechezkel 40:13. when describing the measure of the cells around the gate and the chambers of the Sanctuary, quotes our Sages’ statement, “Certain aspects of this prophecy will be interpreted by the prophet Eliyahu in the future,” implying that we are unable to interpret these details at present.

“The upper chambers were narrowed, because the pillars reduced the structure of these, on their lower and middle stories. For they had three stories; they did not have pillars like the pillars of the courtyards. Therefore, the lower and the middle stories had their floor space reduced.”¹⁹Ibid. 42:5-6. The explanations that follow are quoted, with only slight variations, from Rashi’s commentary to these verses. These chambers are described as, “the upper chambers,” because they are located on the upper portion of Mount Moriah, opposite the main edifice of the Beis HaMikdash. In contrast, as will be explained in sec. 73, there were other chambers located on the lower portion of the mountain.