Menachos 11:5-6

Menachos 11:5

Rabbi Yehuda says that the Table was ten handbreadths long and five handbreadths wide (approx. 30”x15”) and the showbread was ten handbreadths long by five wide. The kohein placed the showbread lengthwise across the width of the Table and turned up 2½ handbreadths (about 7.5”) of the loaves on either side so that its length filled the width of the table. Rabbi Meir says that the Table was 12 handbreadths long and six handbreadths wide (approx. 36”x18”) and the showbread was ten handbreadths long by five wide. The kohein placed the showbread lengthwise across the width of the table and turned up two handbreadths (about 6”) of the loaves on either side; there was also a space of two handbreadths in the middle so that the wind could blow between the two rows of loaves. Abba Shaul said that this empty space in the middle was where they would put the two dishes of frankincense for the showbread. The Sages said to him that Leviticus 24:7 says, “You shall put pure frankincense on each row,” i.e., the frankincense should be placed on the loaves. Abba Shaul responded by citing Numbers 2:20, “And on him the Tribe of Menashe” (i.e., we all understand that the Tribe of Menashe was next to Elishama ben Amihud and not literally on top of him. Similarly, the frankincense need not be literally on top of the showbread).

Menachos 11:6

The Table had four golden poles, split at the top, that supported the loaves, two per row. There were 28 rods, each like half of a hollow reed; 14 supported each row of loaves. Neither placing nor removing the rods supersedes Shabbos. Rather the kohein entered before Shabbos, removed the rods, and placed them parallel to the table lengthwise. All Temple utensils were placed with their length parallel to the length of the building.