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.