The Third Beit HaMikdash · The Third Beit HaMikdash, Chapter 34
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"וְהַשְׁפַתַּיִם [טֹפַח אֶחָד]" (יחזקאל מ, מג), פֵּרוּשׁ, עֻנְקְלִיּוֹת שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל קְבוּעִין וְיוֹצְאִין טֶפַח מֵעַמּוּדִים נַנָּסִין אבמקרא אינו מפורש העמודין רק האונקליות (ווים) בגודל טפח שעליהם תולים הזבח,ומקום קביעתן כתוב “בבית סביב סביב” משמע רק בכותל הבית, אלא שרש”י פירש כן עפ”י דברי חז”ל דלהלן בפנים, שכך היה בבית שני. שֶׁבְּבֵית הַמִּטְבְּחַיִים בַּצָּפוֹן, לִתְלוֹת וּלְהַפְשִׁיט בָּהֶם אֶת הַקֳּדָשִׁים, הוּא שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ בִּפְסָחִים פֶּרֶק חֲמִישִׁי (סד.) אֻנְקְלִיּוֹת שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל הָיוּ קְבוּעִין בָּעַמּוּדִים וּבַכְּתָלִים בשהוויים הנ”ל היו קבועין גם על שמונה עמודים הנ”ל וכן על כתלי בית המטבחיים. שֶׁבָּהֶם תּוֹלִין וּמַפְשִׁיטִין.
“The hooks, one handbreadth [long].”1Yechezkel 40:43. In his commentary to this phrase, Rashi explains that these were iron hooks that were embedded in the short pillars2Even though the verse does not mention pillars with hooks – only hooks on the “House,” i.e., the walls of the Courtyard – based on our Sages’ account of the Second Beis HaMikdash, Rashi understands that there will also be pillars with hooks in the Future Beis HaMikdash. that were located in the butchering area in the northern portion of the courtyard. The sacrificial animals were hung on these hooks when they were being skinned. Similarly, the fifth chapter of Tractate Pesachim3Pesachim 64a. teaches that there were iron hooks embedded in the pillars and the walls of the courtyard. The sacrificial animals were hung from and skinned on these hooks.
It is also taught in the third chapter both of Tamid and Middos:4Tamid 3:5; Middos 3:5. The butchering area was located to the north of the Altar. In it were 8 dwarf-like – i.e., short – pillars of stone. A square block of cedar wood was affixed to the top of the pillars. And hooks – i.e., iron fork-like spikes – were embedded in the wooden blocks. There were three sets5In his commentary to Middos, loc. cit., Tosafos Yom Tov explains that there were no hooks on the western side of the pillars so that the kohanim skinning the sacrificial animals would not stand with their backs to the building of the Beis HaMikdash. of hooks in each wooden block, one above the other. Rabbeinu Shemayah6In Rabbeinu Shemayah’s gloss to Middos, loc. cit. explains that the lowest hook was for a sheep to be hung on, the middle one was for a ram, and the upper one was for a bull.
"וְהַשְׁפַתַּיִם [טֹפַח אֶחָד]" (יחזקאל מ, מג), פֵּרוּשׁ, עֻנְקְלִיּוֹת שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל קְבוּעִין וְיוֹצְאִין טֶפַח מֵעַמּוּדִים נַנָּסִין אבמקרא אינו מפורש העמודין רק האונקליות (ווים) בגודל טפח שעליהם תולים הזבח,ומקום קביעתן כתוב “בבית סביב סביב” משמע רק בכותל הבית, אלא שרש”י פירש כן עפ”י דברי חז”ל דלהלן בפנים, שכך היה בבית שני. שֶׁבְּבֵית הַמִּטְבְּחַיִים בַּצָּפוֹן, לִתְלוֹת וּלְהַפְשִׁיט בָּהֶם אֶת הַקֳּדָשִׁים, הוּא שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ בִּפְסָחִים פֶּרֶק חֲמִישִׁי (סד.) אֻנְקְלִיּוֹת שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל הָיוּ קְבוּעִין בָּעַמּוּדִים וּבַכְּתָלִים בשהוויים הנ”ל היו קבועין גם על שמונה עמודים הנ”ל וכן על כתלי בית המטבחיים. שֶׁבָּהֶם תּוֹלִין וּמַפְשִׁיטִין.
“The hooks, one handbreadth [long].”1Yechezkel 40:43. In his commentary to this phrase, Rashi explains that these were iron hooks that were embedded in the short pillars2Even though the verse does not mention pillars with hooks – only hooks on the “House,” i.e., the walls of the Courtyard – based on our Sages’ account of the Second Beis HaMikdash, Rashi understands that there will also be pillars with hooks in the Future Beis HaMikdash. that were located in the butchering area in the northern portion of the courtyard. The sacrificial animals were hung on these hooks when they were being skinned. Similarly, the fifth chapter of Tractate Pesachim3Pesachim 64a. teaches that there were iron hooks embedded in the pillars and the walls of the courtyard. The sacrificial animals were hung from and skinned on these hooks.
תּוּ תְּנַן בפ"ג (מ"ה) מִתָּמִיד וּמִדּוֹת, בֵּית הַמִּטְבְּחַיִים הָיָה לִצְפוֹנוֹ שֶׁל מִזְבֵּחַ וְעָלָיו שְמוֹנָה עַמּוּדִים נַנָּסִין, פֵּרוּשׁ עַמּוּדִים שֶׁל אֶבֶן נְמוּכִים, וּרְבִיעִית שֶׁל אֶרֶז עַל גַּבֵּיהֶן, פֵּרוּשׁ חֲתִיכוֹת מְרֻבָּעוֹת שֶׁל אֶרֶז הָיוּ עַל הָעַמּוּדִים, וְאֻנְקְלִיּוֹת. פֵּרוּשׁ כְּמִין מִזְלָגוֹת שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל, הָיוּ קְבוּעִין בָּהֶן, בְּאוֹתָן שֶׁל אֶרֶז, וּשְׁלֹשָה סְדָרִים שֶׁל אֻנְקְלִיּוֹת גועיין מ”ש רבינו במדות (שם ד”ה ושלושה) בשם הראבי”ה, שעל כל עמוד היה שלשה אונקליות מג’ צדדים, למזרח לצפון ולדרום, אבל לא לצד מערב, שלא יעמדו המפשיטים ואחוריהם אל הקודש. זוֹ לְמַעְלָה מִזּוֹ הָיוּ בְּכָל חֲתִיכָה שֶׁל עֵץ, שֶׁבָּהֶן תּוֹלִין וְכוּ'. וְכָתַב הר"ר שְׁמַעְיָה (פ"ג מ"ה) ז"ל וְזֶה לְשוֹנוֹ וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶהַנָּמוּךְ לִתְלוֹת בּוֹ כֶּבֶשׂ, וְהָאֶמְצָעִי לִתְלוֹת בּוֹ אַיִל, וְהַגָּבוֹהַּ לִתְלוֹת בּוֹ פַּר.
It is also taught in the third chapter both of Tamid and Middos:4Tamid 3:5; Middos 3:5. The butchering area was located to the north of the Altar. In it were 8 dwarf-like – i.e., short – pillars of stone. A square block of cedar wood was affixed to the top of the pillars. And hooks – i.e., iron fork-like spikes – were embedded in the wooden blocks. There were three sets5In his commentary to Middos, loc. cit., Tosafos Yom Tov explains that there were no hooks on the western side of the pillars so that the kohanim skinning the sacrificial animals would not stand with their backs to the building of the Beis HaMikdash. of hooks in each wooden block, one above the other. Rabbeinu Shemayah6In Rabbeinu Shemayah’s gloss to Middos, loc. cit. explains that the lowest hook was for a sheep to be hung on, the middle one was for a ram, and the upper one was for a bull.