שמות, פרק כ״ז, פסוק י״ד

The eastern side of the Tabernacle courtyard stands apart from the rest, as it houses the main entrance and requires a distinct architectural layout. Spanning a total width of fifty cubits, this boundary is carefully divided to accommodate both the gateway and its surrounding walls.

The sections flanking the entrance are described using an anatomical term, likened to human shoulders [רש"ר הירש]. The primary approach among commentators is that each of these two side sections consists of fifteen cubits of fabric hangings. This specific division leaves exactly twenty cubits of open space in the center, which serves as the main gateway covered by a screen [רשב"ם, רש"ר הירש].

When detailing the fifteen-cubit measurement, a subtle addition in the text prompts different explanations. One perspective views this minor addition simply as a grammatical clarification [קאסוטו]. However, another tradition suggests that it teaches a detail beyond the width of the walls, revealing that the height of the courtyard hangings also stood at exactly fifteen cubits [העמק דבר].

To support the fifteen cubits of fabric on each side, three pillars resting in three bases are used. Because the standard distance between pillars is five cubits, the first of these three is positioned five cubits away from the corner pillar of the courtyard. This arrangement creates three equal five-cubit spaces, perfectly spanning the fifteen-cubit section [רש"י, מלבי"ם, קאסוטו]. When combining the pillars from both side sections with the four pillars that support the central entrance screen, the eastern boundary contains exactly ten pillars. This precise number perfectly mirrors the pillar count on the western side of the courtyard [רש"י].