יחזקאל, פרק מ״ב, פסוק כ׳

The vision of the future Temple concludes its structural description by establishing its outer boundaries. These architectural dimensions are not merely technical; they serve a clear spiritual purpose by creating an absolute barrier between the sacred space and the outside world.

The primary approach among commentators is that this boundary refers to a wall surrounding the entire Temple Mount. According to [רש״י], this is the specific outer wall enclosing the mountain. When calculating the area's dimensions of five hundred in length and width, [מצודת דוד] notes that this measurement includes the thickness of the wall itself.

However, there is an approach that drastically expands this scale. Both [רש״י] and [מלבי״ם] explain that the unit of measurement is not five hundred cubits, but rather five hundred measuring reeds. Because a single reed equals six cubits, the resulting area is an enormous three thousand by three thousand cubits. [ביאור שטיינזלץ] points out that this creates a square with each side measuring approximately fifteen hundred meters. Such massive dimensions never existed during the First or Second Temple eras, and it is difficult to imagine how such a vast, flat expanse could physically fit on the historical Temple Mount.

These immense proportions carry a deep conceptual meaning. An area of three thousand by three thousand cubits contains exactly thirty-six squares of five hundred by five hundred cubits, which was the original size of the Temple Mount [רש״י, מלבי״ם]. Based on this division, [מלבי״ם] presents a vision that is both national and universal. One square is dedicated solely to the people of Israel, while the remaining thirty-five squares are designated for the seventy nations of the world, with every two nations sharing a single square. In this structure, Israel is granted the status of a firstborn son who receives a double portion, as they are the only ones to receive a complete square for themselves.

Ultimately, the purpose of this massive wall is to create a definitive partition [מצודת ציון]. It functions as a physical barrier dividing the general public from the sacred space [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. It establishes a clear boundary between the holy domain within the Temple Mount and the mundane, secular world that exists beyond the wall [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ].