כֹּֽה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי אֱלוֹהִים שַׁעַר הֶֽחָצֵר הַפְּנִימִית הַפֹּנֶה קָדִים יִֽהְיֶה סָגוּר שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַֽמַּֽעֲשֶׂה וּבְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת יִפָּתֵחַ ובְיוֹם הַחֹדֶשׁ יִפָּתֵֽחַ

So said the Lord God: The gate of the inner courtyard that faces eastward, meaning the eastern gate of the courtyard in which the altar is located, shall be closed for all of the six days of the week that are work days, but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and also on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened.

וּבָא הַנָּשִׂיא דֶּרֶךְ אוּלָם הַשַּׁעַר מִחוּץ וְעָמַד עַל־מְזוּזַת הַשַּׁעַר וְעָשׂוּ הַכֹּֽהֲנִים אֶת־עֽוֹלָתוֹ וְאֶת־שְׁלָמָיו והִֽשְׁתַּֽחֲוָה עַל־מִפְתַּן הַשַּׁעַר וְיָצָא וְהַשַּׁעַר לֹֽא־יִסָּגֵר עַד־הָעָֽרֶב

The prince shall come by the way of the Hall of the Gate from without, and he shall stand by the gatepost of the open gate. The prince will not enter into the courtyard itself; rather, he will stand within the gateway, opposite the altar. And the priests shall present before him his burnt offering and his peace offering, and then he shall prostrate himself at the threshold of the gate, across from the Sanctuary; and then he shall depart, but the gate shall not be closed until the evening.

וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ עַם־הָאָרֶץ פֶּתַח הַשַּׁעַר הַהוּא בַּשַּׁבָּתוֹת וּבֶֽחֳדָשִׁים לִפְנֵי ה'

The gate shall remain open all day for the members of the public who come to the Temple on the Sabbath and the New Moon, and the people of the land shall prostrate themselves at the entrance of that gate on the Sabbaths and on the New Moons before the Lord.

וְהָעֹלָה אֲשֶׁר־יַקְרִב הַנָּשִׂיא לַֽה' בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת שִׁשָּׁה כְבָשִׂים תְּמִימִם וְאַיִל תָּמִֽים

The burnt offering that the prince shall present to the Lord on the Sabbath day shall be six unblemished sheep and an unblemished ram;

וּמִנְחָה אֵיפָה לָאַיִל וְלַכְּבָשִׂים מִנְחָה מַתַּת וְשֶׁמֶן הִין לָֽאֵיפָֽה

and a meal offering of one ephah for the ram, and for each sheep, a meal offering of the gift of his hand, in accordance with his means or with the fixed offering specified above (45:13), which is one-sixth of an ephah, and oil, a hin for each ephah.

ובְיוֹם הַחֹדֶשׁ פַּר בֶּן־בָּקָר תְּמִימִם וְשֵׁשֶׁת כְּבָשִׂים וָאַיִל תְּמִימִם יִֽהְיֽוּ

On the day of the New Moon, it, the burnt offering of the prince, shall be an unblemished bull and six sheep and a ram, they shall be unblemished.

וְאֵיפָה לַפָּר וְאֵיפָה לָאַיִל יַֽעֲשֶׂה מִנְחָה וְלַכְּבָשִׂים כַּֽאֲשֶׁר תַּשִּׂיג יָדוֹ וְשֶׁמֶן הִין לָֽאֵיפָֽה

And an ephah for the bull and an ephah for the ram he shall present as a meal offering, and for each sheep according to that for which his means suffice, and oil, one hin for each ephah.

וּבְבוֹא הַנָּשִׂיא דֶּרֶךְ אוּלָם הַשַּׁעַר יָבוֹא וּבְדַרְכּוֹ יֵצֵֽא

When the prince comes to stand alongside his offering on the Sabbath and the New Moon, by way of the Hall of the east Gate he shall come, and by its way he shall also depart, through the same gate through which he entered.

וּבְבוֹא עַם־הָאָרֶץ לִפְנֵי ה' בַּמּֽוֹעֲדִים הַבָּא דֶּרֶךְ שַׁעַר צָפוֹן לְהִֽשְׁתַּֽחֲוֹת יֵצֵא דֶּֽרֶךְ־שַׁעַר נֶגֶב וְהַבָּא דֶּֽרֶךְ־שַׁעַר נֶגֶב יֵצֵא דֶּֽרֶךְ־שַׁעַר צָפוֹנָה לֹא יָשׁוּב דֶּרֶךְ הַשַּׁעַר אֲשֶׁר־בָּא בוֹ כִּי נִכְחוֹ יֵצֵֽא

But when the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed times, on the festivals, when the nation comes en masse to visit the Temple, the arrangements for entering and exiting the Temple will be different: He who comes by way of the north gate of the outer courtyard to prostrate himself shall depart by way of the south gate of that courtyard, and he who comes by way of the south gate shall depart by way of the north gate; he shall not return by way of the gate through which he came; rather, he shall depart through the gate that is opposite it.

וְֽהַנָּשִׂיא בְּתוֹכָם בְּבוֹאָם יָבוֹא וּבְצֵאתָם יֵצֵֽאוּ

And likewise, the prince, who also comes on festivals, with their coming he shall come in their midst, and with their departure he shall depart. The prince shall exit through the gate opposite the one through which he entered, like all the other people. The festival pilgrimage is a mass movement of people from one side of the courtyard to the other.

וּבַֽחַגִּים וּבַמּֽוֹעֲדִים תִּֽהְיֶה הַמִּנְחָה אֵיפָה לַפָּר וְאֵיפָה לָאַיִל וְלַכְּבָשִׂים מַתַּת יָדוֹ וְשֶׁמֶן הִין לָֽאֵיפָֽה

On the festivals and at the appointed times, the meal offering shall be an ephah for each bull and an ephah for each ram and for each sheep, the gift of his hand, and oil, a hin for each ephah.

וְכִי־יַֽעֲשֶׂה הַנָּשִׂיא נְדָבָה עוֹלָה אֽוֹ־שְׁלָמִים נְדָבָה לַֽה' וּפָתַח לוֹ אֶת־הַשַּׁעַר הַפֹּנֶה קָדִים וְעָשָׂה אֶת־עֹֽלָתוֹ וְאֶת־שְׁלָמָיו כַּֽאֲשֶׁר יַֽעֲשֶׂה בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת וְיָצָא וְסָגַר אֶת־הַשַּׁעַר אַֽחֲרֵי צֵאתֽוֹ

When the prince presents a gift offering on a weekday, a burnt offering or a peace offering which are brought as a pledge to the Lord, one shall open for him the gate of the inner courtyard that faces eastward, which is generally closed on weekdays, as stated above (verse 1). And he shall present his burnt offering and his peace offering as he does on the Sabbath day, in the manner described above: The prince stands within the gateway of the eastern gate, opposite the altar. However, on weekdays, the gate is kept closed and is opened only to allow the prince access, and therefore, after the offerings are complete, he shall depart and one shall close the gate after his departure, unlike on a Sabbath or a New Moon, when the gate remains open until the evening.

וְכֶבֶשׂ בֶּן־שְׁנָתוֹ תָּמִים תַּֽעֲשֶׂה עוֹלָה לַיּוֹם לַֽה' בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר תַּֽעֲשֶׂה אֹתֽוֹ

An unblemished sheep in its first year you shall present as a burnt offering for the day to the Lord; every morning you shall present it. This is the daily offering, the sacrifice of which is detailed in the Torah.

וּמִנְחָה תַֽעֲשֶׂה עָלָיו בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר שִׁשִּׁית הָֽאֵיפָה וְשֶׁמֶן שְׁלִישִׁית הַהִין לָרֹס אֶת־הַסֹּלֶת מִנְחָה לַֽה' חֻקּוֹת עוֹלָם תָּמִֽיד

And a meal offering you shall present with it every morning, one-sixth of an ephah, and oil, one-third of a hin, to moisten the high-quality flour, a meal offering to the Lord, an eternal, continual ordinance.

יַֽעֲשׂוּ אֶת־הַכֶּבֶשׂ וְאֶת־הַמִּנְחָה וְאֶת־הַשֶּׁמֶן בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר עוֹלַת תָּמִֽיד

They shall present the sheep and the meal offering and the oil every morning as a continual burnt offering.

כֹּֽה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי אֱלוֹהִים כִּֽי־יִתֵּן הַנָּשִׂיא מַתָּנָה לְאִישׁ מִבָּנָיו נַֽחֲלָתוֹ הִיא לְבָנָיו תִּֽהְיֶה אֲחֻזָּתָם הִיא בְּנַֽחֲלָֽה

The prophet now addresses the laws of the prince’s land holdings. So said the Lord God: If the prince gives a gift to one of his sons, it is his exclusive inheritance, and therefore it shall be for his sons. The son who inherited the gift bequeaths it to his descendants in turn, as it is their portion by inheritance.

וְכִֽי־יִתֵּן מַתָּנָה מִנַּֽחֲלָתוֹ לְאַחַד מֵֽעֲבָדָיו וְהָיְתָה לּוֹ עַד־שְׁנַת הַדְּרוֹר וְשָׁבַת לַנָּשִׂיא אַךְ נַֽחֲלָתוֹ בָּנָיו לָהֶם תִּֽהְיֶֽה

If he, the prince, gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his, the servant’s, until the year of liberty, the Jubilee Year, and then it shall return to the prince; however, his inheritance shall be for his sons.

וְלֹֽא־יִקַּח הַנָּשִׂיא מִנַּֽחֲלַת הָעָם לְהֽוֹנֹתָם מֵֽאֲחֻזָּתָם מֵֽאֲחֻזָּתוֹ יַנְחִל אֶת־בָּנָיו לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יָפֻצוּ עַמִּי אִישׁ מֵֽאֲחֻזָּתֽוֹ

Moreover, the prince shall not take from the inheritance of the people to dispossess them from their portion, by expelling them from their land; rather, only from his portion he shall bequeath to his sons so that My people will not be dispersed each from his portion. The people should not be expelled from their ancestral lands.

וַיְבִיאֵנִי בַמָּבוֹא אֲשֶׁר עַל־כֶּתֶף הַשַּׁעַר אֶל־הַלִּשְׁכוֹת הַקֹּדֶשׁ אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים הַפֹּנוֹת צָפוֹנָה וְהִנֵּה־שָׁם מָקוֹם בַּיַּרְכָתַיִם יָמָּה

He brought me through the entrance that was at the side of the gate to the sacred chambers of the priests that faced northward, where sin offerings and guilt offerings are eaten (42:13), and behold, there was a certain place there, in the court in the rear to the west, on the western edge of the court.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי זֶה הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יְבַשְּׁלוּ־שָׁם הַכֹּהֲנִים אֶת־הָאָשָׁם וְאֶת־הַחַטָּאת אֲשֶׁר יֹאפוּ אֶת־הַמִּנְחָה לְבִלְתִּי הוֹצִיא אֶל־הֶחָצֵר הַחִיצוֹנָה לְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת־הָעָם

He said to me: This is the place where the priests shall cook the guilt offering and the sin offering, where they shall bake the meal offering, so as not to take them out to the outer courtyard to sanctify the people. Defining a specific location for these activities was designed to prevent the removal of guilt offerings, sin offerings, and meal offerings from the priests’ courtyard so that non-priests in the Israelites’ courtyard would not become sanctified, so to speak, through contact with the sacred meat. Alternatively, the verse means that these chambers were designed to sanctify the people, to ensure that they would not be forced to distance themselves to prevent contact with those offerings (44:19).

וַיּוֹצִיאֵנִי אֶל־הֶחָצֵר הַחִיצוֹנָה וַיַּעֲבִרֵנִי אֶל־אַרְבַּעַת מִקְצוֹעֵי הֶחָצֵר וְהִנֵּה חָצֵר בְּמִקְצֹעַ הֶחָצֵר חָצֵר בְּמִקְצֹעַ הֶחָצֵר

He took me out to the outer courtyard, and he brought me past the four corners of the courtyard, and behold, a small courtyard was in each corner of the outer courtyard.

בְּאַרְבַּעַת מִקְצֹעֹת הֶחָצֵר חֲצֵרוֹת קְטֻרוֹת אַרְבָּעִים אֹרֶךְ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים רֹחַב מִדָּה אַחַת לְאַרְבַּעְתָּם מְהֹֻקְֹצָֹעֹוֹתֹ

In the four corners of the courtyard there were unroofed courtyards; the word keturot implies that the smoke [ketoret] from the offerings would ascend from them. Each court was forty cubits in length and thirty cubits in width; there was one measure for the four of them in the corners.

וְטוּר סָבִיב בָּהֶם סָבִיב לְאַרְבַּעְתָּם וּמְבַשְּׁלוֹת עָשׂוּי מִתַּחַת הַטִּירוֹת סָבִיב

There was a row all around them, all around the four of them, and hearths were made beneath the rows of masonry all around. The courts contained stoves for boiling and baking which were surrounded by low stone walls known as tirot.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָי אֵלֶּה בֵּית הַמְבַשְּׁלִים אֲשֶׁר יְבַשְּׁלוּ־שָׁם מְשָׁרְתֵי הַבַּיִת אֶת־זֶבַח הָעָם

He said to me: These are the kitchens where the servants of the House shall cook the peace offerings of the people. Peace offerings, which constituted the bulk of the offerings brought, were consumed by those who brought them, and by the priests. Although the portions of the offering eaten by the owner could be consumed anywhere in Jerusalem, the flesh was cooked or roasted in the outer courtyard of the Temple. In addition, during the Second Temple era, there were chambers in the four corners of the Women’s Courtyard, and in some of them the flesh of certain offerings was cooked.