The Third Beit HaMikdash, The Closing Ode

וְעָלַי לְהוֹדוֹת בְּשִׁירֵי יְדִידוֹת, לְמַשְׂכִּילֵי חֲמוּדוֹת, בְּבִנְיְנֵי עֲתִידוֹת The charm of the original ode lies in how Tosafos Yom Tov skillfully evoked subtle poetic allusions to well-loved Biblical verses and Midrashic phrases, whose pictorial and spiritual associations cannot be conjured up by their equivalents in any other language. In the tradition of the early medieval paytanim, or liturgical poets, our author’s contrived verbal riddles challenge the reader to navigate his way by following the above-described clues to his classical sources. Interestingly, the initial Hebrew letters of all the stanzas together spell the author’s name. In addition, every line ends with the letter yud – not to signify the first person, but to create a mesmerizing rhyme scheme.

יָדַי אֱמוּנָה, לָאֵל הָעוֹנֶה בְיוֹם קָרָאתִי My hands trust Him Who responds when I call upon Him,

וְאֵלָיו בַּקָּשָׁתִי, שְׁאֵלָתִי וּדְרִישָׁתִי, יַרְבֶּה סְלִיחָתִי When I beg and request and plead that He forgive in abundance,

מֵעֲוֹנֹתַי נִכְלַמְתִּי, חָטָאתִי אָשַׁמְתִּי, פְּשָׁעַי הִרְבֵּתִי For I am abashed by my transgressions: I have sinned, and am guilty of numerous iniquities.¹See Yechezkel 43:10, which associates the feelings of shame for one’s sins with knowledge of the Future Beis HaMikdash.

טֶרֶם אֶקְרָא, שְׂפָתַי אֶפְרַע מֵה' נַעֲנֵיתִי Even before I called and opened my lips, He answered me;²Cf. Yeshayahu 65:24.

וּמִשְׁאֲלוֹת לְבָבִי, אֱלֹקֵי אָבִי הָיָה בְעֶזְרָתִי The God of my father stood by me for my heart’s requests;

בִּינָה חָנָּנִי, מַדָּע זְבָדָנִי, הִשְׂכִּיל אוֹתִי He graced me with understanding, granted me knowledge, and made me wise.

הָהָר חָמַד, אִישׁ עָמַד, מָדַד גְּבוּלָתִי A man who loved the Temple Mount stood here and measured its bounds.

נְחֹשֶׁת מַרְאֵהוּ, פָּתִיל בְּיָדֵהוּ, וּקְנֵה מִדָּתִי He shone like copper, and his hand held a flaxen cord and a measuring rod.³See Yechezkel 40:3.

קָרָא לַנָּבִיא, רְאֵה אָבִי, אוֹתְךָ הֵבֵאתִי God called the prophet Yechezkel: “Behold, O venerable one! I have brought you here

רֹחַב הַגְּבוּל, מָעוֹן וּזְבוּל, לְרַחֵק טֻמְאָתִי To measure the bounds of My home and abode, to banish impurity

אֶשְׁכֹּן לְעוֹלָם, וְזֶה הַחִלָּם, לַעֲשׂוֹת פְּקֻדָּתִי So that I may dwell here forever – here, where they began to fulfill My commands.”⁴See Yechezkel 43:9. As Tosafos Yom Tov explains in the introduction, the repentance of the Jewish people and their observance of God’s commands will cause the Divine presence to rest in the Future Beis HaMikdash forever.

לְשַׁעַר הָאִיתוֹן, בָּא רִאשׁוֹן, וְי"ב מַעֲלוֹתָי The prophet first came to the Gate of Eison⁵See Yechezkel 40:15 and sec. 2 above. and to the twelve stairs,⁶See Yechez­kel 40:6 and sec. 2 above.

יַרְאֵהוּ אוּלָם, תָּאִים וְאֵילִם, וַאֲטוּמִים חַלּוֹנוֹתָי And God showed him the entrance hall and the cells and the pillars and the narrow windows.⁷See Yechezkel 40:6-11, 14-16, and sections 4-7 above.

פְּנֵי הַצָּפוֹן, דָּרוֹם סְפוֹן, שְׁעָרִים לְעֻמָּתִי Gates were positioned throughout the northern and southern facades.

מָדַד אוֹתָם, וַתְּהִי דֻגְמָתָם, כָּרִאשׁוֹן לְבִיאָתִי He measured them, and they were like the one at the first entrance,⁸See Yechezkel 40:23-24 and sections 9-10 above.

נִשְׁכּוֹת שְׁלֹשִׁים, בְּגֹבַהּ חֲמִשִּׁים, עַל רִצְפָתִי With thirty chambers rising fifty cubits from the floor.⁹See Yechezkel 40:17 and sec. 12 above.

בְּאַרְבַּע מִקְצֹעוֹתָיו, קְטֻרוֹת חֲצֵרֹתָיו, לְבַשֵּׁל קָרְבְּנוֹתָי Smoke rose from the courtyard’s four corners, where God’s sacrifices were prepared,¹⁰See Yechezkel 46:22 and sec. 13 above.

נֶגֶד הַשְּׁעָרִים, לַפְּנִימִי מְיֻשָּׁרִים, כַּאֲשֶׁר הָרְאֵתִי Opposite the inner gates that were located as the prophet had been shown.

הַגְּדֶרֶת הֲגִינָה, לִפְנֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה, לַמְנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינוֹתָי Before the Divine presence he saw a platform for the conductor of His musical praises,¹¹See Yechezkel 42:12 and sec. 26 above.

רוּם הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, וּבֵית הַמִּטְבְּחַיִם, לְזֶבַח זָבַחְתִּי And a high altar,¹²See Yechezkel 40:47 and sec. 37 above. and carving space for the sacrifices that were offered;¹³See Yechezkel 40:39 and sec. 31 above.

רָאֹה אוּלָמוֹת, וּלְשָׁכוֹת רָמוֹת, לִמְשָׁרְתֵי בֵיתִי He saw chambers aloft, and compartments for those who serve in this House.¹⁴See Yechezkel 42:13 and sec. 71 above.

נְתִיבוֹת הָאוּלָם, וְאַתִּיקָיו לְמוּלָם, וּשְׁתֵּי עַמּוּדוֹתַי Facing them, he saw the walkways of the Entrance Hall, with its corridors¹⁵See Yechezkel 41:15 and sec. 50 above. and two mighty columns:¹⁶See Yechezkel 40:48-49 and sections 47-48 above.

תַּבְנִית הֵיכַל, פִּשְׁפָּשִׁים לַאֲמַרְכָּלִים, סַפִּיר גִּזְרָתִי The entire structure of the Sanctuary, with its wicket entrances¹⁷See Yechezkel 44:1-2 and sec. 52 above. for the men in charge, engraved like sapphire.

נִכְנָס בִּלְחָשִׁים, לְקֹדֶשׁ קָּדָשִׁים, חֶדֶר הוֹרָתִי Here the High Priest stepped whispering into the Holy of Holies,¹⁸See Yechezkel 41:4 and sec. 59 above. the chamber of my birth.

זָהָב טוּחַ, כְּרוּב מָשׁוּחַ, עֲלֵי קִירוֹתָי Its gold-paneled walls were ornamented with cherubs;

לִכְפִיר וְתִימוֹרָה, חָקוּק צוּרָה, עַל דַּלְתוֹתָי its doors were engraved with young lions and palm trees.¹⁹See Yechezkel 41:18-20.

לְג' צְלָעוֹת, בַּהֵיכָל קְבוּעוֹת, כְּאֹהֶל יְרִיעוֹתָי On the three sides of the Sanctuary were side-chambers,²⁰See Yechezkel 41:5-7 and sec. 65 above. affixed in it like the curtains of a tent.

וּלְעֻמָּתָן הַלְּשָׁכוֹת, בְּכ' מְשׁוּכוֹת, וּבַקָּדִים לְחַצְרוֹתָי And facing them twenty cubits away were chambers;²¹See Yechezkel 41:10 and sec. 70 above. and to the east of the courtyard,

יַרְכָתַיִם יָמָּה, יְבַשְּׁלוּ שָׁמָּה, הַכֹּהֲנִים חַטֹּאתָי Extending to the west, the kohanim prepared the sin-offerings.

הֵן אֵלֶּה, לָעַד סֶלָה, הֵם עֵדוֹתָי These sights will always remain my evidence of the Holy Temple

עֲדֵי יִבָּנֶה, תִּשְׁכֹּן הַשְּׁכִינָה, לְעוֹלָם בְּמַחֲנוֹתָי Until it is rebuilt and the Divine presence will forever abide in our midst,

לְהָחִישׁ מָשִׁיחַ, וְאֵלִיָּה הַשָּׁלִיחַ, יְבַשֵּׂר גְּאֻלָּתִי Hastening the arrival of Mashiach, and of the messenger Eliyahu, who will proclaim our Redemption,

רָמַז תְּחִיַּת, בִּוְעָשׂוּ אוֹתָם, וִיקוּמוּן נְבֵלָתִי. with the Resurrection of which the prophet speaks, when the dead bodies will arise.