The keys of the Azara sleep under a marble slab one amah by one amah, set in the floor, with a ring to lift it; they hang on a chain in the cavity. At closing time the kohen lifts the slab, takes the keys, locks up from inside while the Levite sleeps outside, then puts back the keys and the slab, spreads his cover over it and sleeps on it. So no one can take the keys without his knowing.
Dimensions
- marble slab of 1 × 1 amah
- fixed iron ring
- in the nave, on the 'hol side, between the two hearths
Sources
- Middot 1:9“וּמָקוֹם הָיָה שָׁם, אַמָּה עַל אַמָּה, וְטַבְלָא שֶׁל שַׁיִשׁ וְטַבַּעַת הָיְתָה קְבוּעָה בָהּ, וְשַׁלְשֶׁלֶת שֶׁהַמַּפְתְּחוֹת הָיוּ תְלוּיוֹת בָּהּ”
- Middot 1:9“גָּמַר מִלִּנְעֹל, הֶחֱזִיר אֶת הַמַּפְתְּחוֹת לַשַּׁלְשֶׁלֶת וְאֶת הַטַּבְלָא לִמְקוֹמָהּ, נָתַן כְּסוּתוֹ עָלֶיהָ, יָשֵׁן לוֹ”
- Tamid 1:1“וְזִקְנֵי בֵית אָב יְשֵׁנִים שָׁם, וּמַפְתְּחוֹת הָעֲזָרָה בְּיָדָם”
- Lechem Shamayim Middot 1:9“וזה כדי שלא יגביה אחד הטבלא. ויקח השלשלת ויפתח השער שלא מדעתו. וצ"ל שמקום הטבלא בחלק החול שבבית המוקד”
Project decisionAdopted: the slab is on the 'hol side, since one sleeps on it, and lying down counts as sitting, which is forbidden in the Azara (Lechem Shamayim). Not modelled: the chain and the keys, under the slab. Tour's choice: the exact place of the slab.