3,866. The Chambers of the Ezras Yisroel

Hilchos Beis HaBechirah 5:16

The whole rectangle described in the preceding halachos is referred to as “the north.” That’s where the sacrifices of the highest sanctity were slaughtered.

Hilchos Beis HaBechirah 5:17

The ezras Yisroel (Israelite courtyard) had eight chambers, three of which were in the north and three of which were in the south. The ones in the south were the salt chamber, the Parva* chamber and the washing chamber. The salt chamber was where they kept the salt for the sacrifices. The hides of the sacrifices were salted in the Parva chamber, whose roof had a mikvah that the Kohein Gadol would use on Yom Kippur. The organs of the sacrifices were washed in the washing chamber, which had a walkway to the roof of the Parva chamber.

The three northern chambers were the chamber of hewn stone, the wheel chamber and the wood chamber. The Sanhedrin sat in the chamber of hewn stone, half of which was on holy ground and half of which wasn’t. The Sanhedrin sat in the part that wasn’t on holy ground. The wheel chamber had a well from which water was drawn using a wheel. From here, water was supplied to the whole courtyard. The wood chamber was behind these other two chambers. This was the Kohein Gadol’s chamber, which was also called the Parhedrin chamber.** The roofs of these three chambers were all the same height. The ezras Yisroel had two other chambers; on the right of the eastern gate was the chamber of Pinchas the tailor, and on the left was the chamber of those who made the pan offerings. This concludes the layout of the courtyard and all of its chambers.

*“Parva” was a proper noun.

**“Parhedrin” – a plural noun – refers to some kind of public official.