יחזקאל, פרק מ״ה, פסוק ג׳

Establishing the borders of the holy land portion belonging to the priests requires absolute precision. It is essential to define the exact unit of measurement for this vast area and to pinpoint the supreme center of holiness within it. Earlier instructions provided large numerical values, specifically twenty-five thousand and ten thousand, but left the actual unit of measurement unclear. This ambiguity is now resolved by confirming that the counting is done using a specific measuring reed. This is the exact same tool used to measure the Temple Mount, consisting of six large cubits [רד״ק, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The measurement process accounts for both the abstract unit of measure and the physical measuring reed simultaneously to ensure complete accuracy [רד״ק, מנחת שי].

Within this carefully measured space, the Temple finds its proper place. The dimensions of the Temple Mount are not an extra, outside addition; rather, they are fully contained within the larger land portion dedicated to the priests [רד״ק]. Furthermore, the Temple is destined to stand precisely in the middle of this area [מצודת דוד].

This arrangement creates a clear spatial hierarchy of holiness. While the entire strip of land given to the priests is designated as holy, the Temple inside it, particularly the main hall and the inner sanctuary [רד״ק], stands as the most sacred place of all [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This structure is part of a much wider system consisting of ten ascending levels of holiness. The progression begins with the broader division of the land among the prince, the city, the Levites, and the priests. It then continues moving inward through the courtyards of the Temple Mount, finally reaching the ultimate peak of holiness in the Holy of Holies [מלבי״ם].