A collection of information, sources, and ideas about the design and use of the Second Temple
Thursday, November 23, 2023
Yoma 31b – 33b: Placing the Menorah and the Shulchan
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Yoma 29a – 31a: The Mikveh Above the Mayim Gate
Thursday, November 9, 2023
Yoma 26b – 28b: The Slope of the Azarah Walls
Thursday, November 2, 2023
Yoma 24a – 26a: The Lishkas Hagazis
Thursday, October 26, 2023
Yoma 21b – 23b: The Ramp of the Mizbeyach
As recorded in the Torah, it is forbidden to access the Mizbeyach with steps. For this reason, a large ramp was built on the southern side of the Mizbeyach which measured 32 amos long, 16 amos wide, and 9 amos tall. While all ramps in the Beis Hamikdash conformed to a ratio of 3 amos in length for every amah of height, the slope of the Mizbeyach ramp was slightly shallower, with a ratio of 3½ amos + 1⅓ fingerbreadths of length for every amah of height.
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Yoma 19a – 21a: The Chamber of Melach
Starting in the southeast corner of the Azarah were three chambers which took up the entire 11-amah length of the Ezras Yisrael and continued into the Ezras Kohanim.
The first of these was the Chamber of Melach which held a large supply of salt used for
Thursday, October 12, 2023
Yoma 16b – 18b: The Beis Hamoked
Built around the first of the major gates on the northern side of the Azarah was a large complex with a domed ceiling called the Beis Hamoked [Hall of the Fire]. This building served as sleeping quarters for the watch of Kohanim currently on duty as well as a place for them to
Thursday, October 5, 2023
Sunday, October 1, 2023
Happy Chol Hamoed Succos 5784!

Thursday, September 28, 2023
Yoma 11b – 13b: Binyamin Hatzaddik and the Yesod of the Mizbeyach
Thursday, September 21, 2023
Yoma 9a – 11a: The Nikanor Gate
Friday, September 15, 2023
New Resource for the Oraysa Learning Program
Thursday, May 18, 2023
TOST Back in Stock
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Animals on Erev Pesach
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
House of Shadow and Light
To mark my father's yahrtzeit on 29 Shevat I delivered a new slideshow titled House of Shadow and Light. This shiur explores the relationship between the path of the sun and the structure of the Beis Hamikdash. The slideshow covers some topics from earlier blog posts, some ideas discussed in my book, as well as some brand new material.
The video now has closed captions thanks to the efforts of Martha Goodman and the Disability and Inclusion Services, Macks Center for Jewish Connections in Baltimore, MD.