שמות, פרק כ״ז, פסוק י״ג

The layout of the Tabernacle courtyard was designed with a clear sense of direction and purpose, establishing a distinct front and a main entrance. In biblical thought, spatial orientation is modeled after the human body facing the sunrise. The east is considered the front, the west is the back, the north is the left side, and the south is the right side [רש״י, ביאור יש״ר]. Naturally, the eastern side served as the face of the sacred complex, positioned directly opposite the inner entrance of the Tent of Meeting [קאסוטו].

The total width of this eastern front measured fifty cubits. However, unlike the other boundaries of the courtyard which were enclosed by continuous curtains, this side had to accommodate the main gateway. Therefore, the fifty-cubit expanse was divided into three distinct sections [רש״י, קאסוטו]. Flanking the central entrance were two sets of curtains, each spanning fifteen cubits. These side sections functioned as the shoulders of the entrance. This arrangement left a twenty-cubit opening in the very center, serving as the courtyard gate. A special screen, matching the exact twenty-cubit width of the gap, was hung over this entrance [רש״י, ביאור יש״ר].

The entire eastern front was meticulously planned. The arrangement of the curtains, the central screen, and the ten pillars supporting them was calculated with absolute precision. The spaces between the pillars were kept perfectly equal, ensuring that every single pillar on the eastern front stood in exact alignment with its corresponding pillar on the western side of the courtyard [ביאור יש״ר].