מלכים א, פרק ז׳, פסוק כ״ח

The construction of the copper bases that carried the heavy water lavers in the Temple was a complex architectural feat. The foundational skeleton of these stands had to be carefully engineered to support the massive weight of the water reservoir above it. The primary approach among commentators is that the structure consisted of two main components: flat panels or partitions that enclosed the base [רש״י, רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ], and a series of poles, pegs, or rods that formed the structural skeleton, much like the rungs of a ladder [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Exactly how these parts were assembled is a matter of discussion. One perspective divides the base into an inner and outer section. The inner panels were designed to securely hold and enclose the laver itself [רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. Surrounding this, an outer shell was formed by integrating thick boards between woven rods, creating a lattice-like exterior [מלבי״ם].

Another view envisions the structure building upward from the ground. A low partition connected the four wheels at the very bottom of the base [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. Rising from this foundation were upright copper poles. Additional panels were set between these vertical poles, binding them together and providing a flat background for carved reliefs of lions, oxen, and cherubs [רש״י, רלב״ג]. Furthermore, these upright poles may have curved inward at their tops, meeting to form a roof or dome over the structure [מצודת דוד].

Alternatively, a different interpretation suggests that the structural rods were not vertical poles at all. Instead, they acted as horizontal, step-like ledges protruding outward from the panels parallel to the ground. From these ledges, the frames extended to create a stable, secure seat for the laver [רלב״ג].