The Hall of the Fire had two gateways: one opened to the Cheil and one opened to the Courtyard. R’ Yehudah said: The [gateway] that opened to the Courtyard had a small doorway, through which [the Kohanim] would enter to inspect the Courtyard.

The Hall of the Fire [was] a dome. And it was a large house, encircled with ledges of stone. And the elders of the beis av would sleep there, and the keys of the Courtyard were in their hands. And the young Kohanim [would sleep] each with his pillow on the ground.