The third chamber of the north. Its use is debated in the Mishna: Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov, who describes the Temple, says of it: “I have forgotten what it was used for”; Abba Shaul says it was the chamber of the Kohen Gadol, built behind the Lishkat HaGazit and the Lishkat HaGola, the roof of the three at the same level.
Dimensions
- in the north, set back behind HaGazit and HaGola
- across their full width
- same roof height as the other two
Sources
- Middot 5:4“אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר, לִשְׁכַּת כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, וְהִיא הָיְתָה אֲחוֹרֵי שְׁתֵּיהֶן, וְגַג שְׁלָשְׁתָּן שָׁוֶה”
- Middot 5:4“אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב, שָׁכַחְתִּי מֶה הָיְתָה מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת”
- Rambam, Hilchot Beit HaBechirah 5:17“וְלִשְׁכַּת הָעֵץ הָיְתָה אֲחוֹרֵי שְׁתֵּיהֶן וְהִיא הָיְתָה לִשְׁכַּת כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל וְהִיא הַנִּקְרֵאת לִשְׁכַּת פַּרְהֶדְרִין”
- Yoma 19a“אַחַת בַּצָּפוֹן, דִּתְנַן: שֵׁשׁ לְשָׁכוֹת הָיוּ בָּעֲזָרָה”
- Bartenura Middot 5:4“אוֹתָהּ לִשְׁכַּת הָעֵץ הִיא הָיְתָה לִשְׁכַּת כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל. וְהִיא לִשְׁכַּת פַּרְהֶדְרִין”
- Tosafot Yom Tov Middot 5:4“כתב הר"ב לשכת פרהדרין כו'. הכי מסיק בגמ' פ"ק דיומא דף י"ט”
Project decisionAdopted: the distribution of Yoma 19a and the Rambam (Beit HaBechirah 5:17) — Melach, Parva and Medichin in the south, Etz, Gola and Gazit in the north. The standard text of Middot 5:3–4 reverses the two sides; Tosafot Yom Tov (Middot 5:3) notes the variant. The Rambam also places these chambers “in the Ezrat Israel”; the tour sets them against the wall of the Azara. Also adopted: the arrangement Tosafot Yom Tov (Middot 5:4) draws from “behind the two of them” — HaGazit in front, to the east; HaGola behind it, on the courtyard side; HaEtz behind HaGola, its back to the north, hence on the far side of the wall, on the terrace of the Cheil. Tour's choice: its door, onto the Cheil. Set aside: the identification with the chamber of the Kohen Gadol. Abba Shaul (Middot 5:4) says it was his chamber; Yoma 19a sees in it one of his two chambers, Parhedrin or Avtinas, without deciding; Bartenura (Middot 5:4) and the Rambam (Beit HaBechirah 5:17) identify it with the Lishkat Parhedrin. The tour places the Lishkat Parhedrin in the south, as a separate chamber.