The entrance of the Heichal: Its height [was] twenty amos, and its width [was] ten amos. And it had four doors, two at the inside and two at the outside, as it is stated (Ezekiel 41:23): There were two doors to the Heichal and to the Holy [of Holies]. The outer [doors] opened into the entrance to cover the thickness of [the] wall, and the inner [doors] opened into the Heichal to cover [the area] behind the doors, for the entire Heichal was plated with gold, except for [the area] behind the doors.  R’ Yehudah says: [Both sets of doors] stood within the entranceway, and they were like an isteramita insofar as they folded back on themselves: the [outer doors occupied] two and a half amos and the [inner doors occupied] two and a half amos, [leaving] half an amah [for] the doorpost on this side and half an amah [for] the doorpost on this side; as it is stated (Ezekiel 41:24): There were two doors for [each one of] the doors, two swinging doors: two for one door and two doors for the other.

The Great Gate had two minor doorways, one in the north and one in the south. The one to the south, no man ever entered through it. [The reason for] this is explained by [the prophet] Ezekiel, as it is stated (Ezekiel 44:2): Hashem said to me, ”This gate shall be closed, it shall not be opened; a man shall not come through it, because Hashem, the God of Israel, comes through it; it shall be closed.”  He took the key and opened the minor doorway and entered the cell, and from the cell [he went] to the Heichal. R’ Yehudah says: He would walk within the thickness of the [Heichal’s] wall until he is found standing between the [Heichal’s] two sets of doors; and he opened the outer [doors] from the inside and the inner [doors] from the outside.

Thirty-eight cells were there: fifteen in the north, fifteen in the south, and eight in the west. [Those] in the north and in the south: five [cells] on top of five, and five on top of them. And those in the west: three [cells] on top of three and two on top of them.  Each [cell] had three openings: one to the cell on the right, one to the cell on the left, and one to the cell above it. But [in the cell] at the northeast corner were five openings: one to the cell on the right, one to the cell above it, one to the Winding Ramp, one to the minor doorway, and one to the Heichal.

The [cells of the] bottom [level were] five [amos wide], and [with] the ledge [were] six [amos]. The [cells of the] middle [level were] six [amos wide], and [with] the ledge [were] seven [amos]. The [cells of the] top [level were] seven [amos wide]. As it is stated (I Kings 6:6): The lowest cell, five amos was its width; the middle one, six amos was its width; and the third one, seven amos was its width.