יחזקאל, פרק מ׳, פסוק ג׳

The prophetic journey leads Ezekiel to an encounter with a wondrous figure acting as a heavenly architect. This vision is designed to comfort the exiled Israelites with a profound promise: the future Temple will be constructed under the direct guidance of God. This stands in contrast to the Second Temple, which would rely on human initiative and the permission of mortal kings [אברבנאל, מלבי״ם].

After observing the mountain from a distance, the prophet is brought directly into the sacred space at its peak [מלבי״ם]. Waiting for him at the entrance to the Temple Mount complex, specifically by the eastern gate of the outer wall, is the heavenly architect [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Although appearing in human form, the commentators agree that this figure is an angel. His appearance is striking, glowing and sparkling like polished copper, reminiscent of the divine chariot vision Ezekiel experienced earlier [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל].

The angel holds two distinct tools: a thick, woven flax cord [מצודת ציון] and a rigid measuring rod [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Despite the mystical nature of the vision, the use of these instruments follows practical logic. The long flax cord is meant for measuring vast tracts of land or circular surfaces, because using a short rod for huge areas would require constant marking and moving. The rigid rod, meanwhile, is used for smaller, straight measurements, such as the thickness of the walls and the dimensions of the gates [רש״י, רד״ק, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אברבנאל]. Furthermore, the flexible cord can be folded to precisely capture dimensions that are shorter than the length of the rigid rod [מצודת דוד].