יחזקאל, פרק ח׳, פסוק ה׳

In a prophetic vision, a disturbing scene unfolds on the Temple Mount, revealing a symbol of idolatry positioned right at the threshold of the sacred grounds. The prophet is guided to look northward toward the area outside the main Israelite courtyard. Standing at the entrance of the courtyard's northern gate, he gazes outward to witness this profanation [רש״י].

The idol is situated just north of a specific entryway known as the Gate of the Altar. The primary approach among commentators explains that this northern gate earned its name because it aligned perfectly with the main sacrificial altar located inside the Temple. However, another perspective suggests a darker origin for the name. According to this view, the gate was named after a pagan altar built expressly for this idol, and the statue itself stood just north of this idolatrous altar [רד״ק].

The idol was positioned exactly at the entryway from the outside, ensuring that anyone coming to enter the courtyard would immediately confront it. Placing the statue at the threshold rather than inside the Temple was a deliberate choice by the idolaters. They intentionally set it at the entrance and offered sacrifices to it there in an attempt to appease the idol and keep it at a distance. By satisfying it at the gate, they hoped to prevent the idol from entering the inner sanctuary to become jealous and bring disaster upon them [מלבי״ם].