All the walls that were there were [very] high, ex-cept for the eastern wall, so that the Kohen who burned the parah [adumah] could stand atop the Mount of Olives and direct his gaze through the Heichal Entrance at the time of the sprinkling of the blood.

The Women’s Courtyard was one hundred thirty-five [amos] in length by one hundred thirty-five [amos] in width. And there were four chambers at its four corners, [each] with a length of forty amos. [These chambers] were not roofed, and that is how they are [destined] to be. For it is stated (Ezekiel 46:21-22): “[The angel] brought me out into the Outer Courtyard, and led me past the four corners of the Courtyard, and behold, an enclosure at one corner of the Courtyard, an enclosure at one corner of the Courtyard; at the four corners of the Courtyard [were] enclosures that were ‹keturos’ ”; and [the term] “keturos” denotes nothing other than the fact that they were unroofed.  And what were their functions? [The] southeastern chamber —- it was the Chamber of the Nezirim, for there the nezirim would cook their shelamim offerings and shave their hair and cast [the shorn hair] beneath the cauldron. [The] northeastern chamber —- it was the Chamber of the Wood, for there the Kohanim who were physically blemished would sort out the wormy pieces of wood, and any [piece of] wood in which a worm was found was disqualified from [being used] upon the Altar. [The] northwestern chamber —- it was the Chamber of the Metzoraim. [Regarding the] southwestern chamber, R’ Eliezer ben Yaakov said: I forgot what function it served.  Abba Shaul says: They used to place wine and oil there, [and] it was called “the Chamber Housing the Oils.” It was originally smooth, and they surrounded it with a balcony so that the women should watch from above and the men from below, so that they should not be intermingled.  And fifteen steps ascended from within [the Women’s Courtyard] to the Israelites’ Courtyard, corresponding to the fifteen Songs of Ascents that are [found] in Psalms; for upon [these steps] the Leviim would utter song. [These fifteen steps] were not straight; rather, [they were] rounded, like half a circular threshing floor.