דברי הימים ב, פרק ז׳, פסוק ז׳

During the dedication of the Temple, the sheer volume of offerings brought to God required a unique spatial arrangement that extended far beyond the normal boundaries of the altar. To accommodate the massive influx of offerings, Solomon sanctified the middle of the courtyard, specifically the courtyard of the priests [רלב״ג, מצודת דוד]. This action was necessary because the existing altar simply could not hold the immense quantity of sacrifices [מצודת ציון]. These included burnt offerings, which were consumed entirely by fire, as well as the fat portions of the peace offerings designated for burning [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The exact nature of how Solomon sanctified the courtyard is a matter of discussion. The primary approach among commentators suggests that he temporarily elevated the courtyard floor to the holy status of an altar. Because even Solomon's large altar was insufficient for this monumental event, the sacrifices were burned directly on the stone floor. Another perspective suggests that instead of using the floor itself, Solomon constructed an additional, temporary altar within the courtyard to handle the overflow [רד״ק].

A contrasting viewpoint challenges the idea that Solomon's altar lacked the necessary capacity. According to this approach, the new stone altar Solomon built was actually enormous, hundreds of times larger than the one built by Moses, and was fully capable of holding all the offerings. In this light, sanctifying the courtyard meant that Solomon permanently established this massive new stone altar there, attaching it directly to the floor. Consequently, it was the original copper altar created by Moses in the desert that was considered too small and inadequate for the extensive service of the new Temple, prompting the need for Solomon's permanent, larger replacement [רש י בשם ר' יוסי, מצודת דוד].