Adapted from The Original Second Temple: An Illustrated
Guide to the Layout and Design of the Pre-Herodian Beis Hamikdash
(Feldheim, 2021)
Nearly 2,000 years ago our nation witnessed the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, a gleaming edifice of marble and gold described by the Gemara as the most magnificent building in the world. To this day we cherish the memory of that structure along with the ever-present hope that it will soon be rebuilt.
The Ezras Nashim
To the east of the Azarah (courtyard) stood a large
enclosed area called the Ezras Nashim (women’s
courtyard). Entry into this area was not restricted to women, as its name might
imply. To the contrary, it was used as a staging area for the multitudes of
people arriving daily – bearing sacrifices and gifts – who would assemble here
before proceeding into the Azarah. It
was called the Ezras Nashim because
the women would specifically gather inside this area to watch the Simchas Beis Hashoevah, which took place
each year on the holiday of Succos. In addition, this courtyard was the
furthest that women were generally permitted to proceed while visiting the Beis
Hamikdash. Since they could enter there with no restriction, it was named the Ezras Nashim, in the same way that the Ezras Yisrael provided unrestricted
access to all non-Kohanim.
Simchas Beis Hashoevah
On the holiday of Succos, the Simchas Beis Hashoevah would take place
inside the Ezras Nashim. This
celebration began on the second night of the holiday, when the great sages and
pious men of the generation would assemble in this courtyard to dance, juggle,
and sing G-d’s praises, while scores of Leviim stood upon the 15 round steps in
front of the Nikanor Gate providing musical accompaniment. This rejoicing
continued all night until dawn when, with great ceremony, a delegation was
dispatched to a nearby spring to draw water for that day’s nesachim (libations),
which would be poured onto the Mizbeyach (altar).
Numerous spectators, both men and women, stood along the sides of the Ezras
Nashim to watch these festivities. The women would watch from balconies
constructed along the inside of the walls, while the men would stand on ground
level.
Balconies
The balconies for the women ran
along the southern, eastern, and northern sides of the Ezras Nashim, but not the western side. Halfway up these walls were
protruding stone ledges that supported the wooden planks which formed the floorboards
of the balcony. A row of marble columns encircled the interior of the Ezras Nashim, and these, too, may have
been used to support the balcony. Above the floorboards they built row upon row
of stadium-like steps to afford all of the women a good view of the festivities
below. As a safety measure, the entire balcony was surrounded by a protective
fence. Only the marble columns and protruding balcony supports were permanent
fixtures, whereas the floorboards and steps were put up each year during Succos
and then taken down after the holiday.
Chamber of the Nezirim
In the four corners of the Ezras Nashim were smaller chambers, and
each of the four chambers served a different purpose. The southeastern chamber
was called the Chamber of the Nezirim.
A nazir is a man or woman who, for a
set period of time, accepts upon themselves not to drink wine, cut their hair,
or contract corpse-tumah. When the
term of their vow was completed, the individual was required to come to the
Beis Hamikdash and offer certain sacrifices, one of which was a shelamim (peace offering). After the shelamim was slaughtered, its meat was
brought to the Chamber of the Nezirim
to be cooked. The nazir would also
receive a haircut in this chamber and then the cut hair would be thrown into
the fire beneath the pot cooking the shelamim.
Chamber of the Eitzim
In the northeast 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 ovens used for cooking sacrificial meat.
Trees destined to be used as wood
for the Mizbeyach would be harvested from 1 Nisan through 15 Av and this supply
would last the entire year. After 15 Av, the power of the sun began to wane and
could not sufficiently dry out the trees; the increased moisture content in the
wood caused it to smoke when burned and also promoted infestation by worms,
neither of which were desirable. The final day of the tree harvest, 15 Av, was
celebrated as a holiday known as “Breaking of the Hatchet” to mark the
conclusion of this great undertaking.
Chamber of the Metzoraim
In the northwest corner stood the
Chamber of the Metzoraim. Individuals
who have contracted tzaraas would immerse
in a mikveh within this chamber. Although this chamber (and the mikveh it
contained) was designated primarily for metzoraim,
as its name indicates, it was also open to the general public who could immerse
here prior to entering the Azarah.
Some maintain that this chamber was further used by the purified metzoraim to cook their sacrificial meat
(as the nezirim did in their
chamber).
Chamber of the Shemanim
The chamber in the southwestern
corner was called the Chamber of the Shemanim
and served as the storage area for the Beis Hamikdash’s supply of oil, wine,
and flour. It was named for the oils stored here since oil was present in
greater quantities than wine (or flour). All of the supplies contained in this
chamber were used in the Beis Hamikdash on a daily basis: Oil was needed for
the Menorah and, in combination with flour, for minchah-offerings, while wine was poured onto the Mizbeyach as nesachim.
To learn more about
the Beis Hamikdash or to order the book, please visit BeisHamikdashTopics.com or email the
author at yoavelan@gmail.com.
