יחזקאל, פרק מ״ח, פסוק ט״ו

The future division of the land features a carefully planned landscape, dedicating a specific tract entirely to the public needs of Jerusalem. This designated strip distinguishes the daily life of the city from the highly sacred grounds reserved for the Temple and those who serve within it. Out of a massive tract of land measuring twenty-five thousand units, the bulk is given to the priests and Levites. What remains is a strip five thousand units wide and twenty-five thousand units long.

This specific area is classified as ordinary public space, meaning it does not belong to the Temple. However, its ordinary status is only relative. When compared to the supreme sanctity of the lands given to the priests and Levites, it appears common, but in truth, it retains a distinct level of holiness as part of the dedicated land offering. Jerusalem, after all, holds a greater sanctity than the rest of the land of Israel [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, רש״י].

This public strip is designated for two main purposes: settlement and open space. The settlement area is meant for the physical construction of the city itself, along with the surrounding fields and vineyards necessary to feed and sustain its residents [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מלבי״ם]. Surrounding this inhabited zone is the open space, a concept rooted in the idea of being placed just beyond the city limits [מצודת ציון]. This outer perimeter is intentionally left empty, kept completely free from homes, crops, or trees. While it serves various practical needs, its primary purpose is to provide beauty and aesthetic breathing room for the city [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

To complete this vision, the city itself is not placed randomly within the tract. It is designed to sit exactly in the center of this dedicated strip of land, creating a perfectly balanced urban layout [רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].