In year 11 [(and in Seder Hadoros, error)] of his reign, it was completed. This is Year 2935. [(And in Seder Hadoros 2908, error.)] Even though according to the calculation they built for seven years and six months, for they finished in the eighth month [(Melachim Bet section 6)], he was not particular about the detail [(and in Seder Hadoros 15, 2, error)].

The Beit HaMikdash was in the center of the settlement, not in the center of the world. And Yerushalayim was not in the center of the land, for the land was 400 parsah by 400 parsah, and from Yerushalayim to the Yarden was ten parsaot [(Seder Hadoros 15, 2). And see in Tosafot Bava Metzia (28, 2)].

The rams that the Nasi'im donated to the Aron - they lived until Shlomo and he offered them, even though they had aged and were disqualified [(as stated in Bechorot (40) - that aging is considered like death)] - it was a temporary ruling [(Tosafot Zevachim 59)].

The fire that descended from Heaven in the days of Moshe did not depart from the copper altar until Shlomo came, and the fire that descended in the days of Shlomo did not depart until Menashe came and removed it [(Zevachim 60, 2)].

From Aharon the Kohen until the building of the Temple of Shlomo there were 12 Kohanim Gedolim [(Seder Hadoros 27, 274)].

The Building of the Temple in Brief According to What the Rambam Wrote

The Beit HaMikdash was not on a level plane but on a slope, and it was square, and its length was 500 amot on each side, with an amah being six large handbreadths, and a handbreadth being four large fingers. And there were double vaults - meaning caves that were built beneath it because of the tent of impurity. The gates: one to the west and one to the east, one to the north and two to the south. And the width of each gate was ten amot, and its height twenty [amot], and they had doors.

Before the wall there was a courtyard (cheil) around it, twelve amot high, and it had a wall of the courtyard before the cheil. And the large courtyard was 187 amot long and 135 amot wide. It had seven gates - two to the north near the west, and likewise to the south, and one to the east facing the middle toward the Holy of Holies. And their length and width were like the gates of the wall, and they had doors covered with gold, except for the eastern gate which was covered with Corinthian copper.

And it was called the Upper Gate or the Gate of Nikanor [(see there)]. And before the courtyard to the east was the Women's Courtyard, 135 [amot] long and 135 amot wide. And there were four chambers at its corners: one was the Chamber of the Nazirites where they would shave their hair and cook their peace offerings; the Chamber of the Wood where the blemished Kohanim would check if there were worms in the wood, which is disqualified for the altar; the Chamber of the Lepers; and the Chamber of Oil and Wine.

The Women's Courtyard was surrounded by a gallery so that the women could see and not mix with the men in confusion. And there was a large house at the side of this courtyard to the north, on the outside between the courtyard and the cheil, and it was built as a dome and surrounded by rows of stone, and it was called Beit HaMoked. It had two entrances, one to the courtyard and one to the cheil. And it had four chambers, two holy and two secular: the Chamber of the Lambs, the Chamber of the Showbread Makers, the Chamber of the Hewn Stones because of disqualification or defect, and a chamber where they would descend to immerse.

And the channel went in a circuit under the entire Temple, and lamps were always lit from here and there until one reached the immersion house and purified. And in the synagogue there they found a sandal - a sign that there was a person there. When a person entered the eastern gate of the Temple Mount, he would walk until the end of the cheil on level ground, and ascend from the cheil to the Women's Courtyard by twelve steps.

And he would walk the entire Women's Courtyard on level ground, and from there ascend to the Israelites' Courtyard by fifteen steps. And he would walk the entire Israelites' Courtyard. And there were eight chambers in the Israelites' Courtyard: the chamber where they gave salt for the sacrifices, the Parvah Chamber where they would flay the hides of the holy offerings. And on its roof was the mikvah for the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur.

The Rinsers' Chamber where they would rinse the innards of the holy offerings. And from there a ramp ascended to the roof of Beit HaParvah, and the Chamber of Hewn Stone - half holy and half secular. The Sanhedrin sat in the secular section. The Chamber of the Exile, where there was a cistern from which they would fill with a bucket, and from there they would supply water to the entire courtyard.

The Chamber of Wood, called the Chamber of the Parhedrin; the Chamber of Pinchas the Clothier; the Chamber of the Chavitim Makers. And from the Israelites' Courtyard they would ascend to the Kohanim's Courtyard by fifteen steps. And there was a platform upon which the Leviim would sing the song over the sacrifice. And on each step was a song - the steps were 2 [amot each].

And the Kohanim's Courtyard, between the entrance hall and the altar, was level. And from there one ascends to the entrance hall by twelve steps. And the Heikhal and the Holy of Holies were level with the entrance hall. And each step was half an amah, and its platform was half an amah.

And there were other chambers there beneath the Israelites' Courtyard, open to the Women's Courtyard, where the Leviim would place the harps and lyres and cymbals and all musical instruments. It is found that the height of the floor of the Heikhal above all the floor of the other [(it seems "gate")] eastern [gate] of the Temple Mount was 27 amot. And besides this, there were houses adjacent to the Beit HaMikdash [(it seems "on it")] - the upper stories one upon the other, where there were the treasuries of the House of HaShem and all the holy articles.

And with the galleries that surrounded the House on two sides and the north, they were chambers made in the empty spaces between the walls - fifteen to the south and fifteen to the north and eight to the west. And other houses were on the Temple Mount for the Leviim who would eat and sleep when they were not serving in their watches. And every night they would guard the Temple, not from fear of enemies or robbers, but for honor.

And there were 24 watches of Kohanim in two places inside, and the Leviim in 21 places outside. And there was one appointed over them called "Ish Har HaBayit" (Man of the Temple Mount), who would go around all the watches, and torches were lit before him. And anyone he found sleeping, he would strike with his staff and burn his clothes if he wished [(Seder Hadoros). In Tractate Middot, chapter 2, 2:] In the southwestern corner there were two openings like thin threads where the blood would flow - given at the southern foundation, they would descend through it and mix within an amah and descend to Nachal Kidron. [And Rashi explained that the openings were in the four corners so that the sin offering would fall into it and be absorbed.

And it is a wonder that they were not presenting above, but a flat point projected from outside (Tosafot Zevachim 55, Seder Olam)].

Our Sages of blessed memory said there were ten levels of holiness, each higher than the one before: [1] Walled cities are holier than unwalled cities in the Land, and from them lepers are sent out, and no corpse may be buried in them unless it is a prophet or a king. [2] Jerusalem has greater holiness than other walled cities, for there they eat holy offerings and the second tithe within its walls, and no corpse may be left overnight in it, and no human bones may be passed through it, and no houses may be sold in it, and no place may be given in it to a resident alien, and no grave may be maintained in it except for the graves of the House of David and the prophetess. And no gardens or orchards may be planted in it, and it may not be sown or plowed lest it become foul-smelling, and no trees may be maintained in it except rose gardens, and no garbage heaps may be maintained in it, and no projecting balconies or galleries may go out from it according to Rabbi "R" because of the tent of impurity, and no kilns may be made in it because of the smoke, and no chickens may be raised in it because of the holy offerings (and similarly the Kohanim did not raise chickens anywhere in the Land of Israel because of purity), and no house in it becomes leprous, and it does not become impure through plagues, and it does not become a condemned city, and no heifer whose neck is broken may be brought from it because it was not divided among the tribes. [3] The Temple Mount was holier than Jerusalem, for no man with a seminal emission and no menstruating woman or woman who gave birth entered there. [4] There was greater holiness in the Cheil than on the Temple Mount, for no non-Jew and one impure from a corpse or a man who cohabited with a menstruating woman entered there. [5] There was greater holiness in the Women's Court, for no tevul yom (one who immersed but awaits sunset) entered there, and this is a Rabbinic prohibition. [6] There was greater holiness in the Israelites' Court than the Women's Court, for one obligated in atonement did not enter there, and one impure from a corpse was liable to karet. [7] There was greater holiness in the Kohanim's Court, for no Israelite entered there except for the needs of slaughtering, laying hands, and waving. [8] Between the Hall and the Altar, no one with a blemish or with wild hair entered there. [9] The Sanctuary—no one entered there except with washed hands and feet. [10] There was greater holiness in the Holy of Holies, for no one entered there except the Kohen Gadol four times on Yom Kippur at the time of the service [(Seder HaKabbalah)].

It is written in Shevet Yehuda that the Temple was built with twelve things: stones, cedars, cypresses, almugim wood (this is coral), and large pillars of silver, gold, copper, tin, iron, and marble. And the place of the Temple was on the mountain and the Foundation Stone, and see the builders of the complete Temple and the designs and measurements and the Second Temple and that of Herod.

The manner of the Passover sacrifice: When the first of Nisan arrived, messengers went out by command of the king and judges to all the surroundings of Jerusalem, to all who had flocks of sheep and cattle, to hasten to bring them so that the pilgrims would find animals for sacrifice and for food. And whoever did not come by the appointed time, they would confiscate his property.

Therefore they would hasten and come to the stream near Jerusalem in numbers like the sand of the sea, covering all the mountains and hills. And when the fourteenth of the month arrived, the appointed ones would ascend a high tower in the Temple and blow the trumpets, saying "The time for slaughtering the Passover offering has arrived." And immediately the people would don their festive garments. At the entrance of the great courtyard stood twelve Levites outside with silver staffs in their hands to direct those entering so they would not harm one another due to the great haste, and also so they would not come to quarrel, and twelve other Levites inside to direct those exiting after performing the sacrifice.

And when they saw that enough had entered the courtyard, they would close the courtyard gate so no more would enter then. And when they reached the place of slaughter, there were rows of Kohanim, and in each one's hand a golden bowl, and another row with silver bowls, and all this for beauty and glory. And the Kohen at the head of the row would receive one bowl from the place of slaughter and give it to his fellow, and so from one to another until the place of the altar, and the Kohen at the head of the altar would sprinkle the blood and return the empty bowl and give it to his fellow, and so from one to another until the end, in such a manner that each Kohen would receive one full bowl and return an empty one.

And all the Kohanim were so diligent in this service that the bowls appeared to run like arrows in a mighty wind, and for three days beforehand they would practice this service so that no mishap would occur. And there were two large and tall pillars, and upon them two Kohanim blowing silver trumpets at the beginning of the sacrifice to make heard to the Kohanim standing on the platform that they should recite Hallel in a loud voice and without singing.

And after the slaughter, the walls around were filled with iron hooks and forks to hang the sacrifice and flay it. And there were bundles of sticks there, and if there was no room on the hooks on the wall, one would take one stick on his shoulder and on his fellow's shoulder and flay. And he would give what was fit for the altar, etc. And the Kohanim at the time of that service would wear red garments because of the blood, and a short garment reaching to the leg, and they would stand barefoot, and the sleeves up to the arm were open so they would not be delayed during service.

And on his head a small cap and a two-cubit turban tied around him. And on the head of the Kohen Gadol there were forty white turban wrappings around him. And the sounds of Hallel and the joyous songs were heard from very far away. And the gates of Jerusalem stood open on the night of Passover because of the honor of those passing through and returning, for they were very many, and sometimes they were double like those who left Egypt.

The Yom Kippur service: Seven days before, they would prepare in the Kohen Gadol's chamber several seats for the Av Beit Din, for the Nasi, for the Kohen Gadol, for the elders of the Kohanim, and for the king, and seventy silver seats for the Sanhedrin. And the elder of the Kohanim would stand on his feet and speak before him words of rebuke and exhortation, saying to him: "See before Whom you are entering, and know that if you lose the proper intention, you will immediately fall and die, and the atonement of Israel will be lost, and the eyes of all Israel are dependent on you.

Therefore search your ways lest there be in you any sin, even a light one, and also examine your fellow Kohanim regarding this." And he would respond that he had already searched and done teshuvah. And similarly he would have his fellow Kohanim swear that each and every one would inform what he knows about his fellow and about himself, and all of them would seek to be purified from all sin. And also the king would speak to him soft and good words with promises.

After this they would announce to the people to accompany him to his chamber in the Temple, and all the people would rise and walk in this order. (For so I have seen with my own eyes) First would walk before him all who were of the seed of the kings of Israel, and after them all who were of the seed of the kings of the House of David, and a herald before them saying "Give honor to the House of David," and all in proper order. And after them would come all who were of the seed of Levi, and a herald before them saying "Give honor to the House of Levi." And the Levites were in the thousands, and all of them dressed in blue silk garments.

And after them twenty-five thousand Kohanim, all dressed in white silk garments, and after them the singers, and after them the musicians, and after them the trumpet blowers, and after them the gatekeepers, and after them the incense makers, and after them the curtain makers, and after them the watchmen, and after them the treasurers, and after them another group called Kartophilos, and after them all the craftsmen who did the work of the holy. And after them the seventy of the Sanhedrin, and after them one hundred Kohanim with silver staffs in their hands to make way, and after them the Kohen Gadol, and whoever was closer to him was more important.

And after him all the elders of the Kehunah, two by two. And at the head of every street stood the heads of the yeshivot saying "Men of the Kohen Gadol, come in peace, pray to our Creator that He sustain us and that we may engage in His Torah." And when they reached the entrance of the Temple Mount, they would pray for the continuity of the kings of the House of David and for the Kohanim and for the Temple.

And the voice was so strong from the multitude of people answering Amen that birds flying in the air would fall to the ground. And then the Kohen Gadol would bow to all the people and depart weeping and fearful, and two elders of the Kehunah would lead him to his chamber, and there he would separate from all his fellow Kohanim. And all this was at his entrance. But at his exit in peace, the honor was doubled, for all the people would pass before him, and in the hands of most of them was a wax torch burning white, and all of them dressed in white garments, and all the windows were decorated with embroidery and full of candles.

And most years the Kohen Gadol could not reach his home before midnight because of the press of the people who were very many, and even though they were all fasting they would not go to their homes until they could kiss the hands of the Kohen Gadol. And on the next day he would make a great feast and holiday and invite his relatives because he exited in peace from the Temple. Afterwards he would command a goldsmith and have him make a golden plate, and he would write on it in engraved letters: "I, so-and-so, Kohen Gadol, son of so-and-so Kohen Gadol, served in the great Kehunah in the great and holy House for the service of the One Whose Name dwells there, in such-and-such year of creation.

May whoever merited this service merit that his sons after him stand to serve before Him." Thus concluded.

Shlomo made three books: Mishlei (Proverbs), Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), and at the end of his days he made Shir HaShirim (Song of Songs) [(Rashi, Bava Batra 14b)]. He established eruvin and netilat yadayim and secondary forbidden relationships [(first chapter of Yevamot and Rashi, chapter "Osin Pasin")]. And he established that at the setting of the sun it is permitted to walk on the paths of the fields until the second rainfall [(chapter "Merubeh")].

In Tikunim, tikun 69, "one owner went on the road and encountered a certain owner" etc. That "certain owner" was Shlomo, and he was expert in the musical notes fifty-seven times, and he wanted to show Rashbi and his companions his wisdom, for with wisdom he spoke great words. For there were some who wanted to suppress Kohelet, and he wanted to hint to them that it is not an empty thing, etc. (Bereishit Nun).

Solomon's teacher was Shimei, and he did not marry the daughter of Pharaoh the whole time he was alive. But when he married her, Gabriel stuck a pole into the sea and a sand embankment arose, and it was upon it that Rome was built (Sanhedrin 82). But according to the [Roman] chronicles, it was already built. Rather the intention is that [as a result of his marriage], Rome grew and they built a wall around it. (S.

K. 15) They say that David gave his son, Solomon, over to Nathan the prophet, such that he be his special teacher, and that the days of his life were 94 years. And they say that besides the compositions that Solomon composed, which are written in the 24 [books of the Bible], he also composed books about the nature of trees, grasses, wild animals, domesticated animals and birds, and the oaths against oppressive demons and it is called Solomon's Key.

The queen of Sheba, who came to see Solomon's wisdom, was the queen of an island called Moorea. And she asked many riddles to Solomon, and he answered all of them properly, so she gave him presents and saplings that produce balsam, which Solomon planted in his kingdom.

Moreover, it says in the Midrash that this queen became pregnant from Solomon and gave birth to a daughter, and she gave birth to Nebuchadnezzar, who destroyed the Temple. And in that kingdom, they are still accustomed to calling the names of their kings, David or Solomon, since they say they come from that seed. (S. H. K. 98, 272, and see G A 319.

And she was the reincarnation of Tamar (See B A 226).

Tzadok was the Kohen Gadol in his days, and Ido and Achiyah HaShiloni were prophets who ate at his table—there were sixty thousand [(Seder HaKabbalah, and see there)]. The burial of Ido (see above, year 3197).

Benayahu [son of Yehoyada who brought him the shamir (see above, year 2935) and it is a worm (see above, year 2909)].