יחזקאל, פרק מ׳, פסוק ל״ח

The architecture of the Temple courtyard was carefully designed with dedicated zones for each step of the sacrificial service, ensuring both order and purity. In the northern section of the inner courtyard, right next to the northern gate, stood a specialized chamber [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. Its primary function was the preparation of the burnt offering. Because biblical law requires that holy sacrifices be slaughtered, flayed, and divided on the northern side of the altar before God, this adjacent room served as the designated washing station. Here, the inner organs and legs of the animal were thoroughly rinsed with water before being placed on the altar [רש״י, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This careful washing took place on marble tables [רד״ק, אברבנאל], and the surrounding area effectively functioned as the main slaughterhouse of the Temple [מצודת דוד].

Beyond its practical use, this northern location served a moral purpose. The sin offering was slaughtered in the exact same area as the burnt offering. This shared location ensured that onlookers could not easily distinguish which type of sacrifice was being brought, thereby protecting the dignity of individuals coming to atone and saving them from public embarrassment [אברבנאל].

The entrance to this chamber was positioned by the pillars of the gates [רש״י]. The primary approach among commentators is that the doorway directly faced the pillars of the northern gate. The area is described with plural gates because the complex featured a double structure, consisting of both an inner and an outer gate [מצודת דוד]. A subtle shift in the description of these pillars hints at further architectural precision. While some commentators view this shift simply as a variation in language [רד״ק], others understand it as a deliberate clue regarding the exact placement of the door. According to this perspective, the phrasing emphasizes that the chamber's entrance was not situated directly within the main space between the gate's two pillars. Instead, the doorway was set at a slightly different angle, located between one pillar of the gate and another pillar near the adjacent steps, opening into a uniquely sanctified space [מלבי״ם].