מלכים א, פרק ז׳, פסוק ט״ז

Within Solomon's Temple, the two massive copper pillars were topped with magnificent decorations. These ornate tops functioned as majestic crowns for the structures below [רד״ק, רש״י]. Just like the pillars they rested upon, these crowns were crafted entirely from cast molten copper [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The primary approach among commentators is that there were exactly two of these copper tops in total, one designed for each pillar [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל]. However, a more complex visual is suggested by [רלב״ג], who describes each top as appearing like two separate crowns joined together, a perspective that [אברבנאל] disputes.

A central discussion among commentators revolves around the actual height of these crowns. While the height is initially recorded as five cubits, later accounts at the end of the Book of Kings state that the crowns were only three cubits tall. Commentators agree that the solution to this apparent contradiction lies in a two-part design. The bottom two cubits of the crown were entirely smooth and lacked any decoration. They shared the exact width of the pillar itself, allowing the top of the pillar to be inserted directly into them, effectively swallowing up that lower section. In contrast, the top three cubits widened and bulged outward. This upper section was richly wrapped in stylized, net-like decorations that resembled palm branches. Therefore, the measurement of five cubits represents the total physical height of the entire crown. The later record of three cubits refers strictly to the upper, decorated section that prominently stood out to anyone viewing the pillars [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד, רלב״ג, מלבי״ם].