(Mishnah): Where were these prostrations done?

Four in the north, four in the south, three in the east and two in the west, opposite the 13 gates.

The southern gates were near the west side - the Upper Gate, the Fuel Gate, the Firstborn's Gate and the Water Gate.

Why was it called the Water Gate? Because through it the flask of water was brought for the water libations of the Chag (Succos).

(R. Eliezer ben Yaakov): Through it the waters flow, and in the future, they will flow out from under the threshold of the Temple.

Opposite them, on the north, near the western side, is Yechaniah's Gate, the Korban Gate, Women's Gate and the Song Gate.

Why is it called Yechaniah's Gate? Through it, Yechaniah went out to exile.

On the east was Nikanor's Gate which had two openings, one to its right and one to its left. There were two on the west that had no names.

(Gemara): The Mishnah follows the opinion of Abba Yosa ben Yochanan, who said that the 13 prostrations were opposite the 13 gates. However, according to the Rabbanan, there were only 7 gates in the Courtyard.

Question: According to Rabbanan, where were the 13 prostrations?

Answer: It follows the Mishnah (in Maseches Tamid) that teaches that the Yevani kings breached the Soreg in 13 places and when the Chashmonaim were victorious, they closed the breaches and established 13 prostrations to give thanks to Hash-m for their victory.

The Pasuk states (Zecharia 14:8), "And it shall be, on that day, 'living' water shall come out from Yerushalayim".,,

(Beraisa): From the Kodesh haKodoshim until its curtain, the water will flow as wide as the antennae of snails.

Between the curtain and the (golden) Mizbeach, it will be as wide as the antennae of locusts.

Between the (golden) Mizbeach and the Courtyards, it will be as wide as a thread of warp.

Between the Courtyards and the threshold of the Temple, it will be as wide a thread of woof.

Beyond there, it will be like the lip of a jar.

The Pasuk states (Yechezkel 47:2-5), "...water was trickling from the right side. When the man went out eastward with a cord in his hand, he measured one thousand Amos, and he led me through the water, ankle-deep water" - reaching the ankles.

"And he measured a thousand and led me through the water, knee-deep water" - reaching the knees.

"And he measured one thousand and he led me though water that reached the loins" - until the hips.

Beyond there, "And he measured one thousand, a stream that I could not cross" - even a large ship could not cross it.

What is the source of this? The Pasuk states (Yishaya 33:21), "And a mighty ship will not pass it."

Why is this? (Yechezkel 47:5), "for the water was so high that it was Mei Sachu".

What is Mei Sachu? Water for swimming.

(Rav Chuna): In our area, a swimmer is known as a Sechuna, as the Pasuk states (Yishayah 25:11), "And he shall spread out his hands in his midst as the swimmer spreads out (his hands) to swim".

What is Mei Sachu? R. Yosi bei R. Bun said that it is water about which the entire world speaks.

The Pasuk states (Zecharia 13:1), "On that day, a water source will open for the House of David and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, for purification (of the Red Heifer) and for (the immersion of) the Nidah.

(R. Shmuel bar Nachman citing R. Yonasan): From the House of David until the residents of Yerushalayim, the water can be used for Nidah and purification.

From that point and onwards, they are mixed waters and they can be used for Nidah but not for purification.

(R. Elazar): From the House of David until the residents of Yerushalayim, the water can be used for Nidah and purification.

From that point and onwards, they are 'sloping' waters and cannot be used for Nidah or purification.

The Pasuk states (Yechezkel 47:8), "And he said to me, "This water is going out to the eastern frontier" - this is the Sea of Samchu; "and will descend upon the plain" - this is the Sea of Tiveria; "and come to the sea" - this is the Dead Sea; "to the sea that is brought out" - this is the Mediterranean Sea.

Why is it called "brought out"? Because of the two occasions that it came out (beyond its borders) to flood the world, in the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Haflagah.

(R. Elazar citing R. Chaninah): The first time it came out until Calabria (at the southern tip of Italy) and the second time, until the rocks of Barbary (the area of the North African coast that runs from Morocco through Libya).

(R. Acha citing R. Chaninah): The first time it came out until the rocks of Barbary and the second time it came out until Acco and Yaffo.

The Pasuk states (Iyov 38:11), "until here you shall come but no further" - until Acco but no further; "and here will be placed your waves with pride" - until Yaffo I will place the pride of your waves.

Question: It is understandable why the waters will go to the Mediterranean and the Dead Seas, as it is in order to sweeten them; but why to the Seas of Tiveria and Samchu?

Answer: In order to increase their fish, as the Pasuk states (Yechezkel 47:10), "their fish will be of many species" - their fish will be species upon species.

Beraisa (Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel): I once went to Tzaidon and they served me more than 300 species of fish in one bowl.

The Pasuk states (ibid:8), "and the waters will be healed". And in Pasuk 11, "Its marshes and its pools will not heal; they will be set aside for salt."

Question: It is written that 'the water will be healed' and you say 'will not heal'? Why are these Pesukim not contradictory?

Answer: It is actually referring to a place called 'Velo Yerafu' 'will not heal'.

It is written (Pasuk 12), "But by the stream, on its bank from either side, will grow every tree for food; its leaf will not wither, neither will its fruit end; month after month its fruits will ripen..."

Beraisa (R. Yehuda): In this world, grain produces every 6 months and a tree produces every 12 months, but in the future, grain will produce in one month and a tree will produce every two months.

What is the source for this? The Pasuk said 'month after month, its fruits will ripen'.

(R. Yosi): In this world, grain produces every 6 months and a tree produces every 12 months, but in the future, grain will produce in 15 days and a tree will produce in one month.

As we find that grain was produced in 15 days in the days of the Navi Yoel and it was used for the Omer offering.

What is the source for this? The Pasuk states (Yoel 2:23), "The children of Tzion, rejoice and be glad with Hash-m, your G-d, as He gave you a teacher for righteousness; and He brought down rain for you, the early rain and the late rain, in the first month."

Question: How does R. Yosi understand the phrase, "'month after month, its fruits will ripen'? In each and every month, it will grow new fruit.

The Pasuk states (ibid: 12), "...and its leaves for a cure". R. Yochanan explained that its leaves provide sustenance, because as soon as the leaves come out, the fruit is already ripe.'Teref' means food.

(Rav and Shmuel disagreed): They both expound the word 'Terufah' to mean 'Lehatir Peh' - to ease the mouth. One said that it refers to the upper mouth (that if a mute will eat from the leaves, he will be healed). The other said that it refers to the lower mouth (meaning the womb, that barren women who eat from the leaves will conceive).

(R. Chanina and R. Yehoshua ben Levi disagreed): (They followed the same understanding as Rav and Shmuel) - one said that it eases the mouth of the barren and the other said that it eases the mouth of the mute.

The Mishnah (see earlier 1f) discussed the gates on the northern side. You find that when Nebuchadnetzar came here, he took residence near Antuchya. The Great Sanhedrin came out to greet him and asked if the time for the destruction of the Temple has come.

(Nebuchadnetzar to the Sanhedrin): The one that I appointed as king over you (Yehuyachin) - give him to me and I will leave.

They came and told Yehuyachin, king of Yehuda, that Nebuchadnetzar wanted him. When he heard this, he took the keys of the Beis HaMikdash, ascended to the roof of the Heichal and said, "Master of the world, in the past, we were faithful to You and Your keys were entrusted with us. Now that we are not faithful, Your keys are entrusted with You."

Two Amoraim disagreed - one said that he threw them upwards, and they did not fall back down. The other said that the form of a hand came and took them from his hand.

When the leaders of Yehuda saw this, they threw themselves down from their roofs.

As the Pasuk states (Yishayah 22:1-2), "The harsh prophecy of the Valley of Vision: What troubles you then, that all of you have gone up to the rooftops? Full of noise, a tumultuous city..."

There were thirteen tables in the Mikdash. Eight were made of marble in the slaughter area upon which they would wash the innards of the sacrifices.

There were two to the west of the ramp, one of marble and one of silver.

The limbs of the sacrifices were placed on the marble table and the Service Vessels were placed on the silver table.

There were two tables within the Ulam at the entrance. One was made of marble and the other was made of silver.

The Lechem haPanim was placed on the marble table when it was brought in, and on the golden table when it was removed, as one must ascend in sanctity and not descend.

One golden table, within the Heichal, upon which the Lechem haPanim rested at all times.

(Gemara - Beraisa): (Disagreeing with our Mishnah) The Lechem haPanim were placed on a silver table. (Note: Some commentators understand that the Beraisa is referring to the table that is to west of the ramp, upon which the limbs were placed.)

(R. Yosi citing R. Shmuel bar Rav Yitzchak and R. Chananyah citing R. Yochanan): There is no table of silver here, as it heats up the bread (and causes it to spoil).

Question (Beraisa): One of the miracles that occurred in the Temple was that the Lechem haPanim was at the same temperature when it was taken off as when it was put on, as the Pasuk states (Shmuel I 21:7), "to place hot bread on the day it was taken"...?

Answer (R. Yehoshua ben Levi): We do not mention (i.e. rely on) miraculous occurrences.

Question (to R. Ila): If they do not have any new breads, may they leave the Lechem haPanim there for another week?

Answer (R. Ila): The Pasuk states (Shemos 25:30), "And you shall place before Me upon the table, Lechem haPanim at all times." Even if it is for a number of days, it is still valid.

King Shlomo made ten tables (in the Mikdash), as the Pasuk states (Divrei haYamim II 4:8), "And he made ten tables and placed them in the Heichal, five from the right and five from the left".

Question: If you say that the Pasuk means five in the south and five in the north, surely the table is only valid in the north, as the Pasuk says (Shemos 26:35), "And you shall put the Table on the north side". If so, what is the understanding of "five to the right and five to the left"?

Answer: Five to the right of Moshe's table and five to its left.

Despite this, the Lechem haPanim was only arranged on Moshe's table, as the Pasuk says (Melachim I 7:48), "the table upon which is the Lechem haPanim".

(R. Yosi bei R. Yehudah): He would arrange it on all of them, as the Pasuk says (Divrei haYamim II 2:19), "the tables, and upon them the Lechem haPanim".