יחזקאל, פרק מ״א, פסוק ט״ז

The interior design of the Temple reveals a fascinating intermediate stage of construction, bridging the gap between raw stone and brilliant gold. Because gold cannot be applied directly to stone walls, a wooden foundation had to be installed first. The building at this phase consisted of a stone structure fully wrapped in wood, waiting for its final metallic layer.

The space featured several distinct architectural elements. There were doorposts and thresholds framing the entrances, as well as closed windows that functioned either as decorative wall niches or as actual windows sealed with a clear, bright partition. Additionally, square support columns protruded from the walls to strengthen the building. These columns were structurally designed to be wider at the base, gradually narrowing toward the top. There are different ways to understand the grouping of these features. One perspective suggests that the doorposts, windows, and support columns all shared a uniform shape and design [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another view explains that the support columns themselves were strategically placed along three specific sides of the building, namely the western, northern, and southern walls [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

To prepare the space for its gold overlay, wood was carefully placed around the doorposts, filling the inner thickness of the entrances and covering the lintels completely. The primary approach among commentators is that this covering consisted of standard cedar planks and boards. However, a unique approach suggests a more intricate method [מלבי״ם]. While the flat walls could easily be paneled with wide wooden boards, the complex, uneven surfaces of the doorposts, windows, and columns required a different solution. In these highly detailed areas, builders used thin, split pieces of wood resembling branches, which could be precisely fitted into every groove and protrusion of the stone.

This wooden layer extended far beyond the doorways. It stretched across the walls from the ground all the way up to the windows. The panels rose from the floor and completely covered the windows from above and from the inside. This thorough application ensured that the entire stone structure was wrapped in a complete wooden foundation, perfectly prepared for the final layer of gold to be stretched over the Temple walls.