Kaisipang Hudyo sa Ezekiel 48:20: The Third Beit HaMikdash

Rav Yitzchak Abarbanel writes, “In addition to all the above, there will be the 50 cubits of the empty space around the city.” This does not appear accurate, for if it were so, the three strips of land to be separated from the Great Terumah will not be the same size. Instead, the strip of land designated for the kohanim, in which the Beis HaMikdash is located, will be 50 cubits longer on each of its four sides because of the extra empty space around the Beis HaMikdash. This is problematic because Scripture always describes the three strips as being equal, i.e., the strip for the kohanim and the Levites are of the same width and length,²See Yechezkel 48:13. and the strip of the city has the same length as the other two.³See Yechezkel 48:10. Similarly, the narrative later combines all three strips, and describes them as a square when discussing, “the entire Terumah,” as will be explained in sec. 83.

“The entire Terumah 25,000 [measuring rods] by 25,000 [measuring rods] square shall be set aside as a sanctified portion”¹Yechezkel 48:20. – for the kohanim, the Levites – “and the property of the city.” These areas were already discussed, each in its place. “The remaining portion [of the land] shall be for the Nasi,²I.e., the High Priest; alternatively, the king, the Mashiach (Rashi). [his portion being] on either side of the sanctified portion of the Terumah and the property of the city along its width of 25,000 [measuring rods] of the Terumah to the eastern and western borders.³As mentioned, the Terumah was a square, 25,000 measuring rods by 25,000 measuring rods. It was located in the center of one of the 13 strips of land into which Eretz Yisrael will be divided. The portions of land to the east and the west will be granted to the Nasi. [The area] on the western border parallel to the portions [allocated to the tribes] shall be for the Nasi. The consecrated Terumah and the Sanctuary of the House will be in it. The property of the Levites and the property of the city will be in the portion that will be for the Nasi.”⁴Yechez­kel 28:21-22.