Yoma 54a – 56a: The Chamber of the Eitzim

In the northeastern corner of the Ezras Nashim was the Chamber of the Eitzim. Here the Kohanim would inspect firewood to determine if it was infested with worms, since any piece of wood containing worms was not fit to be burned upon the Mizbeyach. This wormy wood was not discarded but rather was used for other purposes in the Beis Hamikdash, such as fueling the various warming fires or the stoves used for cooking sacrificial meat.

Slideshow at the Talmudical Academy 4th Grade

 This week I had the opportunity to speak to Rabbi Sruly Slansky's fourth grade class at the Talmudical Academy of Baltimore. The boys just completed Mishnayos Succah and were curious to learn more about the Simchas Beis Hashoeavah, the Nisuch Hamayim, and where these events took place in the Beis Hamikdash.

Yoma 51b – 53b: The Duchan

The first section of the Azarah measured 11 amos from east to west and was known as the Ezras Yisrael, and beyond that was the Ezras Kohanim, also 11 amos from east to west. The Ezras Kohanim was elevated 2.5 amos above the Ezras Yisrael and these two areas were separated by four steps running the entire width of the Azarah. The first of these was a large step, one amah high and one amah deep, and marked the point beyond which all non-Kohanim should not enter (the step itself was located within the Ezras Kohanim). 

Yoma 49a – 51a: The Chavitin of the Kohen Gadol

The Torah (Vayikra 6:12-15) describes the chavitin, a type of minchah offering that was brought daily (and paid for) by the Kohen Gadol. The chavitin consisted of a prescribed amount of flour, water, and oil that were kneaded together, scalded in boiling water, baked, and then fried with oil.

Yoma 46b – 48b: Chamber of the Keilim

 

As the Kohen Gadol prepared to offer the Ketores on Yom Kippur, they would bring him an empty ladle from the Chamber of the Keilim. This room was located somewhere within the Azarah, although its exact location is unknown.

Yoma 44a – 46a: The Maarachos

Three fires were kept burning on the top of the Mizbeyach every day. The largest of these was located in the southeastern quadrant. All sacrificial parts which were required to be burned on the top of the Mizbeyach were placed on this fire. Each morning this fire would be rebuilt by laying down two logs, parallel to each other, and then stacking two more logs on top, perpendicular to the first two, to form a square. A few more layers were added to make it “very large.”

Yoma 41b – 43b: Preparing the Parah Adumah

 

The Gemara has been discussing various details of the parah adumah procedure. This process was a rare occurrence, for it only happened nine times in the history of the world. Even so, a great deal of preparation and construction was put into place so that the process could be carried out properly when the need arose.

Yoma 39a – 41a: The Golden Fruit Trees

Shlomo Hamelech planted trees in the First Beis Hamikdash that produced golden fruit. The Kohanim would sell this fruit and use the money to support their families. Although these magical trees died when the First Beis Hamikdash was destroyed, we shall experience this miracle once again in the future Beis Hamikdash. During the times of the Second Beis Hamikdash, however, they had no golden fruit but still had poor Kohanim, so they attempted to replicate this concept with a manmade alternative.

Yoma 36b – 38b: The Kiyor and the Muchni

The Kiyor was a container of water used by the Kohanim to wash their hands and feet prior to beginning the avodah. It was a sanctified vessel, and if water would remain inside the Kiyor overnight it would become unfit for use in the Beis Hamikdash. This would have required the Kohanim to empty the Kiyor each night and refill it the next day, which is both degrading to the sanctified water of the Kiyor and a time-consuming task.

Yoma 34a – 36a: The Chamber of Parvah

The Chamber of Parvah, located near the southeastern corner of the Azarah, was used to tan the hides of the sacrificial animals. Since this is a very smelly process, the chamber did not open directly to the Azarah but likely had a door to the adjoining Chamber of Madichin  (Rinsers) which did open to the Azarah.

Yoma 31b – 33b: Placing the Menorah and the Shulchan

The Gemara describes the arrangement of the vessels in the Kodesh: The Shulchan stood in the north, the Menorah stood in the south, and the Mizbeyach Hazahav was centered between them and placed slightly further to the east. A more detailed explanation is given in Menachos (98b) where we learn that the arrangement was more complicated — and crowded — than our Gemara implies.

Yoma 29a – 31a: The Mikveh Above the Mayim Gate

Adjacent to the Chamber of Avtinas above the Mayim Gate was a mikveh that was used by the Kohen Gadol for the first of his immersions on Yom Kippur. This mikveh was visible from the Azarah so a linen sheet would be held up in front of it for privacy while the Kohen Gadol immersed.

Yoma 26b – 28b: The Slope of the Azarah Walls

The Gemara states that Avraham davened Minchah “when the [eastern] faces of the walls begin to darken,” i.e., immediately after solar noon. Now, we know that our prayers correspond to the Tamid-offerings, and that the time period allowed for the Minchah prayer is identical to that allotted for the afternoon Tamid. It should emerge that the afternoon Tamid may be brought “when the [eastern] faces of the walls begin to darken” yet we find that the earliest permissible time for the afternoon Tamid is not until half an hour past noon!

Yoma 24a – 26a: The Lishkas Hagazis

The Lishkas Hagazis [Chamber of Hewn Stone], so called for the special square stones used in its construction, was located in the northeast corner of the Azarah. This room served as the seat of the 71-member Sanhedrin court.

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.