מלכים ב, פרק כ״ג, פסוק ז׳

King Josiah’s sweeping purification of the Temple required the total demolition of foreign worship sites that had defiled the most sacred spaces. He completely shattered and uprooted specific structures that had been erected for idolatry [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Although the people and places associated with these structures were known by a title that normally implies being set apart for holiness, in this tragic context, they were dedicated entirely to impurity and forbidden acts [מצודת ציון].

The primary approach among commentators is that these buildings functioned as brothels designed for ritual prostitution, a practice deeply intertwined with the idol worship of that era [רש"י, מלבי"ם, רלב"ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The presence of such places within the sanctuary of God is deeply unsettling. [אהבת יהונתן] explains that this shocking reality stemmed from a gross misunderstanding of the Temple's sacred symbols. When the idolaters saw the Cherubim in the Holy of Holies intertwined like a man and his companion, they interpreted the image in a highly distorted and physical manner. This tragic error led them to believe that establishing brothels within the Temple itself was appropriate. However, [רד"ק] struggles to accept that actual acts of prostitution occurred inside God's Temple. Instead, he suggests that these structures were strictly dedicated to the service of the idols, built specifically to honor the Asherah statue erected by King Manasseh, rather than serving as brothels.

Within these structures, women were tasked with weaving items for the Asherah. Rather than constructing physical stone buildings, the women were actually weaving fabric hangings or coverings. There are two complementary perspectives regarding the purpose of these fabrics. One approach explains that the women wove these cloths simply to drape over and honor the Asherah idol [מלבי"ם, רד"ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. A broader perspective suggests that these woven sheets were hung around the idol to form a physical partition. This created a tent-like enclosure designed to provide privacy for those participating in the ritual prostitution surrounding the statue [מצודת דוד, רלב"ג].