Middos 4:4-5

Middos 4:4

The chambers on the ground floor were five cubits wide (about 8’). Their ceiling, which was the floor of the chambers above them, was six cubits wide (about 9’). The chambers in the middle level were six cubits wide with a ceiling of seven cubits (about 11’). The chambers on the top level were seven cubits wide as per I Kings 6:6, “The bottom level of the wall was five cubits wide, the middle was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide.”

Middos 4:5

A passageway ran from the northeast corner to the northwest corner. This was used to access the roof of the chambers. One entered the passageway facing west and proceeded the length of the northern side until he reached the west. When he reached the west, he turned to the south and proceeded the length of the western side until he reached the south. Once he reached the south, he turned towards the east and proceeded along the southern side until he reached the door of the loft (aliyah – the upper level), which opened to the south. In the doorway of the loft there were two cedar poles that they would climb to the roof of the loft. Beams extended into the loft showing the boundary between the Kodesh and the Kodesh HaKadoshim (the Holy and the Holy of Holies). There were hatches in the loft opening up into the Kodesh HaKadoshim through which workmen were lowered in baskets so that they shouldn’t gaze upon the Kodesh HaKadoshim.