Sefer Yechezkel Chapter 48 is the concluding chapter of the book. After studying the dimensions of the Temple, the order of the sacrificial service, and the borders of the Land, the final chapter arrives to delineate the dwelling places of the tribes in the future division, the designated strip of the contribution (terumah) with the Sanctuary and the city at its center, and the gates of the city named after the tribes of Israel - culminating in the final verse: "And the name of the city from that day shall be, 'Hashem is there.'"
וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הַשְּׁבָטִים מִקְצֵה צָפוֹנָה אֶל־יַד דֶּרֶךְ־חֶתְלֹן לְבוֹא־חֲמָת חֲצַר עֵינָן גְּבוּל דַּמֶּשֶׂק צָפוֹנָה אֶל־יַד חֲמָת וְהָיוּ־לוֹ פְאַת־קָדִים הַיָּם דָּן אֶחָד׃ - "Now these are the names of the tribes: from the northern end, beside the road of Chetlon leading to Chamath, Chatzer-Einan, the border of Damascus northward, beside Chamath; and these shall be his from east side to west: Dan, one portion."
Here the prophet begins to explain the dwelling places of the tribes, starting specifically from the north. At the northernmost edge sits the tribe of Dan, and Scripture lists the cities bordering it so that we may know precisely where its dwelling place lies.
The Malbim notes that according to Rashi's approach - that the tribes inherit as they did in the past - this appears difficult to understand, for here Scripture includes territory from Chatzer-Einan onward, an area far greater than what they possessed previously. However, according to what we have explained, that the inheritance is destined to expand, everything aligns smoothly: in the future, the inheritance of Israel will be significantly larger than its historical reality, as described here in the verses.
The Malbim makes another precise observation: Scripture specifies the width only regarding Dan's portion, and from then on it does not specify width again. As we have mentioned, Chazal had a tradition that the width would be 75 mil - each tribe receives a strip of 75 mil, stretching from the western side to the eastern side. The Land is divided horizontally in this manner, strip after strip.
וְעַל גְּבוּל דָּן מִפְּאַת קָדִים עַד־פְּאַת־יָמָּה אָשֵׁר אֶחָד׃ וְעַל גְּבוּל אָשֵׁר מִפְּאַת קָדִימָה וְעַד־פְּאַת־יָמָּה נַפְתָּלִי אֶחָד׃ וְעַל גְּבוּל נַפְתָּלִי מִפְּאַת קָדִמָה עַד־פְּאַת־יָמָּה מְנַשֶּׁה אֶחָד׃ וְעַל גְּבוּל מְנַשֶּׁה מִפְּאַת קָדִמָה עַד־פְּאַת־יָמָּה אֶפְרַיִם אֶחָד׃ וְעַל גְּבוּל אֶפְרַיִם מִפְּאַת קָדִים וְעַד־פְּאַת־יָמָּה רְאוּבֵן אֶחָד׃ וְעַל גְּבוּל רְאוּבֵן מִפְּאַת קָדִים עַד־פְּאַת־יָמָּה יְהוּדָה אֶחָד׃ - "And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side: Asher, one portion. And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side: Naphtali, one portion. And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side: Menasheh, one portion. And by the border of Menasheh, from the east side unto the west side: Ephraim, one portion. And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the west side: Reuven, one portion. And by the border of Reuven, from the east side unto the west side: Yehudah, one portion."
Anyone looking at diagrams depicting the Land sees precisely the order we read: Dan, followed by the strip of Asher, then Naphtali, Menasheh, Ephraim, Reuven, and Yehudah - one after the other. We began with Dan in the north and proceed southward, each time moving across another strip. "From the east side unto the west side" - from the eastern boundary to the western boundary, a long strip across.
Thus far we have seven tribes extending down to the portion of the prince (nasi), in the center of which lies Jerusalem with its internal division. Once we pass the portion of the prince and Jerusalem, we will count another five tribes, thereby completing the twelve tribes in their divisions and inheritances.
The Malbim explains that this arrangement of the tribes has significance on the level of peshat as well. In the original inheritance, we saw that Yehudah and Binyamin inherited side by side, as it is written, "He shields him all the day" - for on the site of the Temple, Yehudah had a portion and Binyamin had a portion. So too here: the Temple stands in the middle, in the area of the prince, with Yehudah on one side and Binyamin on the other, side by side. The Malbim proceeds through all the tribes, demonstrating how each tribe inherits adjacent to the tribe that dwelt beside it in the ancient inheritance, ordering them all systematically.
According to this, there appears to be an imbalance: seven tribes on one side of the Beit HaMikdash and five on the other side. Why was a situation created of seven against five, rather than an even division of six against six?
The Malbim explains: Shevet Levi takes its portion in the central strip. As a rule, whenever Shevet Levi is counted as a tribe in its own right, there are thirteen tribes. Yaakov had twelve sons, and if Levi is counted as one of them, along with Yosef being divided into two, Menasheh and Ephraim, you arrive at thirteen. It turns out that the twelve tribal strips do not include Levi, for Shevet Levi is located in the thirteenth strip, which is the strip of the Nasi in which Jerusalem is found. And we have seen how that territory is apportioned - part of it to Shevet Levi, part to the ministers of the Sanctuary, and part to the rest of Israel, while the remainder to the west and to the east within that same strip belongs to the Nasi.
Now, the Malbim says, we can understand the design of the division: wherever Levi is counted as an independent tribe, Ephraim and Menasheh are reckoned together as a single tribe. Thus, in the north there are six - since Menasheh and Ephraim are counted as one. And in the south, if we join the five southern tribes with Shevet Levi in Jerusalem, we also arrive at six. The result is a perfectly balanced division: six tribes on this side, and six tribes on that side.
וְעַל גְּבוּל יְהוּדָה מִפְּאַת קָדִים עַד־פְּאַת־יָמָּה תִּהְיֶה הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר־תָּרִימוּ חֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף רֹחַב וְאֹרֶךְ כְּאַחַד הַחֲלָקִים מִפְּאַת קָדִימָה עַד־פְּאַת־יָמָּה וְהָיָה הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בְּתוֹכוֹ׃ - And by the border of Judah, from the east side to the west side, shall be the offering that you shall set aside, twenty-five thousand reeds in width, and in length like one of the tribal portions, from the east side to the west side; and the Sanctuary shall be in its midst.
Now the prophet speaks about the portion of Jerusalem. As explained in previous lessons, Jerusalem was situated within the strip called the strip of the Terumah (the set-aside portion), which is the strip allotted to the Nasi, and in the middle of this strip was a square known as the Jerusalem portion. Yehudah takes the strip directly to the north, and when looking beyond the border of Yehudah, one finds the area of Jerusalem: on one side is the border of Yehudah, on the other side is the border of Binyamin, and between them lies the area called the portion of Jerusalem.
"Shall be the offering (Terumah)" - the dedicated portion elevated from the Land of Israel, given over to the Nasi and to the site of Jerusalem. And when the verse states, "twenty-five thousand in width," one must understand that the entire area where the Kohanim, the Levi'im, the Israelites, the city, and the Beit HaMikdash will reside - this entire area will be 25,000 by 25,000 reeds, spanning the full north-to-south width of the strip. For this refers to 25,000 reeds, which correspond to 75,000 mil. This entire square, which contains the dwelling of the Kohanim, the dwelling of the Levi'im, the Beit HaMikdash, and the city of Jerusalem - it is all contained within it.
וּלְאֵלֶּה תִּהְיֶה תְרוּמַת־הַקֹּדֶשׁ לַכֹּהֲנִים צָפוֹנָה חֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף וְיָמָּה רֹחַב עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים וְקָדִימָה רֹחַב עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים וְנֶגְבָּה אֹרֶךְ חֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים אָלֶף וְהָיָה מִקְדַּשׁ־ה' בְּתוֹכוֹ׃ - And for these shall be the holy offering, for the Kohanim: toward the north twenty-five thousand in length, and toward the west a width of ten thousand, and toward the east a width of ten thousand, and toward the south a length of twenty-five thousand; and the Sanctuary of Hashem shall be in its midst.
This is the portion of the Kohanim. The length from east to west is 25,000 reeds, and the width from north to south is 10,000 reeds. Thus, they received a strip within that sacred precinct, a strip whose length equals the full length of the precinct, 25,000 reeds, and whose width is 10,000 reeds. In the center stands the Sanctuary of Hashem, measuring five hundred reeds by five hundred reeds, surrounded by the domain of the Kohanim.
לַכֹּהֲנִים הַמְקֻדָּשׁ מִבְּנֵי צָדוֹק אֲשֶׁר שָׁמְרוּ מִשְׁמַרְתִּי אֲשֶׁר לֹא־תָעוּ בִּתְעוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּאֲשֶׁר תָּעוּ הַלְוִיִּם׃ - It shall be for the Kohanim who are sanctified of the sons of Tzadok, who kept My charge, who did not go astray when the Children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.
We have already seen the uniqueness of the sons of Tzadok - that they did not worship idols, and therefore only they will be qualified for service in the Beit HaMikdash, while the rest of the Kohanim will not be fit for the service upon the Altar. Therefore, this portion, which is more sacred than the other portions, will be given to them: they did not go astray when Bnei Yisrael strayed after idolatry, as the Levi'im strayed.
וְהָיְתָה לָהֶם תְּרוּמִיָּה מִתְּרוּמַת הָאָרֶץ קֹדֶשׁ קׇדָשִׁים אֶל־גְּבוּל הַלְוִיִּם׃ - And it shall be to them a special gift from the offering of the land, most holy, by the border of the Levi'im.
"Most holy" - in comparison to the other portions. The portion of the Levi'im is lower than it in its level of sanctity, being called "holy," whereas the area of the Kohanim, which also contains the Mikdash within it, is considered an offering that has the status of "most holy."
וְהַלְוִיִּם לְעֻמַּת גְּבוּל הַכֹּהֲנִים חֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף אֹרֶךְ וְרֹחַב עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים כׇּל־אֹרֶךְ חֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף וְרֹחַב עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים׃ - And alongside the border of the Kohanim, the Levi'im shall have twenty-five thousand in length and ten thousand in width; the entire length shall be twenty-five thousand and the width ten thousand.
The Levi'im are located directly alongside the Kohanim's territory: twenty-five thousand reeds in length and ten thousand reeds in width. The portion of the Kohanim was closer to the portion of Yehudah, and the portion of the Levi'im was in the middle - before the portion of Yisrael, which was closer to the portion of Binyamin.
And why does the verse repeat, "the entire length shall be twenty-five thousand and the width ten thousand"? The Malbim explains that this comes to distinguish them from the Kohanim: the Kohanim did not receive the entire area for themselves, as five hundred reeds were set aside from their portion for the Beit HaMikdash, which stood in the middle of their area. Thus, although they had twenty-five thousand by ten thousand, it was not net entirely theirs. But for the Levi'im - "the entire length," the whole length belonged exclusively to them.
וְלֹא־יִמְכְּרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא יָמֵר וְלֹא יַעֲבִיר רֵאשִׁית הָאָרֶץ כִּי־קֹדֶשׁ לַה'׃ - And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor transfer the first portion of the land, for it is holy to Hashem.
Even though this portion was given to the Levi'im as an estate, they have no permission to sell any of it, nor to exchange it for another plot if someone were to offer them land in exchange for their portion. "Nor transfer" - transfer occurs through a daughter inheriting an estate, so that she should not inherit this portion. "For it is holy to Hashem," just as it is written, "And the field of the open land around their cities may not be sold." Alluded to here are also the other laws recorded in the Torah: that one may not turn open land into a field or a field into open land, along with several other laws related to this.
וַחֲמֵשֶׁת אֲלָפִים הַנּוֹתָר בָּרֹחַב עַל־פְּנֵי חֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף חֹל־הוּא לָעִיר לְמוֹשָׁב וּלְמִגְרָשׁ וְהָיְתָה הָעִיר בְּתוֹכֹה׃ - And the five thousand remaining in the width along the front of the twenty-five thousand is secular land for the city, for dwellings and for open land, and the city shall be in its midst.
Now he turns to the final portion of the overall Terumah - the portion of Yisrael, which was closer to the side of Binyamin. This is the remaining five thousand: 5,000 reeds in width and 25,000 reeds in length. The length was unchanged for everyone - all received a length of 25,000 reeds measured from east to west. Only the width varied: for the Kohanim ten thousand, for the Levi'im adjacent to them ten thousand, and for Yisrael adjacent to them only 5,000. And there was the city, with open land surrounding it.
וְאֵלֶּה מִדּוֹתֶיהָ פְּאַת צָפוֹן חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וְאַרְבַּעַת אֲלָפִים וּפְאַת־נֶגֶב חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וְאַרְבַּעַת אֲלָפִים וּמִפְּאַת קָדִים חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וְאַרְבַּעַת אֲלָפִים וּפְאַת־יָמָּה חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וְאַרְבַּעַת אֲלָפִים׃ - And these shall be its measurements: the north side four thousand and five hundred, the south side four thousand and five hundred, the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side four thousand and five hundred.
Here he delineates the city from all four directions, encircling it, as it were, and stating that the city was square on every side: 4,500 by 4,500 by 4,500 by 4,500 reeds. And each reed, as we have already noted, is six amot, and each amah is six tefachim.
וְהָיָה מִגְרָשׁ לָעִיר צָפוֹנָה חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם וְנֶגְבָּה חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתָיִם וְקָדִימָה חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתַיִם וְיָמָּה חֲמִשִּׁים וּמָאתָיִם׃ - And the city shall have an open space: to the north two hundred and fifty, to the south two hundred and fifty, to the east two hundred and fifty, and to the west two hundred and fifty.
In addition to the city itself, it was surrounded by an open space (migrash) of 250 reeds on each side, meaning 500 reeds in total from both sides together. Calculate it: 4,500 for the city, plus 250 on this side and 250 on that side - you reach 5,000. And that is precisely the width of the strip allotted to all of Israel. It turns out that the city and its open space filled the strip's entire width from end to end, though not its length, for the length was 25,000 reeds. There was also an open space of 500 reeds on the northern, eastern, and western sides: 250 on one side and 250 on the other.
וְהַנּוֹתָר בָּאֹרֶךְ לְעֻמַּת תְּרוּמַת הַקֹּדֶשׁ עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים קָדִימָה וַעֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים יָמָּה וְהָיָה לְעֻמַּת תְּרוּמַת הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְהָיְתָה תְבוּאָתֹה לְלֶחֶם לְעֹבְדֵי הָעִיר׃ - And the remainder in length alongside the holy portion shall be ten thousand to the east and ten thousand to the west; and it shall be alongside the holy portion, and its produce shall be for food for the workers of the city.
The total length is 25,000, and in the middle lies the city with its open space, taking up 5,000. That leaves ten thousand to the right and ten thousand to the left - this is the remaining area. This is the meaning of "And the remainder in length": from the eastern edge to the city, and from the edge of the city toward the west. "Alongside the holy portion" - running parallel to the portion the Nasi received on both sides.
And what does "its produce shall be for food for the workers of the city" mean? The Malbim explains that there will be fields and vineyards there for those engaged in the upkeep and administration of the city. This refers to the people of Israel, for the entire discussion of the 5,000 by 25,000 reeds concerns Israel's portion, the city's domain. The ten thousand remaining on each side of the 25,000 are also permitted for mundane labor, and there are fields and vineyards there for those dedicated to the work of the city.
Rashi offers a novel interpretation here: "the workers of the city" refers to the Givonim (Gibeonites), the Netinim who were woodcutters and water drawers, citing this in the name of Rabbi Menachem zt"l. However, the Radak cites this interpretation and writes: "And it makes no sense, for the Givonim will no longer serve in the future." It is inconceivable that Givonim would be among the dwellers of Jerusalem, the holy city, such that Israel would bring them there. After all, it is well known that the Givonim are not from Bnei Yisrael, and King David distanced them after they sought vengeance against the sons of Shaul. It is unthinkable that when Mashiach arrives they will be brought back, drawn near, and made inhabitants of Jerusalem, the holy city.
וְהָעֹבֵד הָעִיר יַעַבְדוּהוּ מִכֹּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ - And those who cultivate the city, workers from all the tribes of Israel shall till it.
All the tribes of Israel will have to provide for the needs and livelihood of the city's workers. That is why this strip was designated for them - in which all of Israel has a share - and this area was given over to fields and vineyards because those people served the city. Since every one of us has an obligation toward the city, the portion that belongs, as it were, to all of us - ten thousand on one side and ten thousand on the other - was granted to them so they can attend to all the city's needs.
כׇּל־הַתְּרוּמָה חֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף בַּחֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים אָלֶף רְבִיעִית תָּרִימוּ אֶת־תְּרוּמַת הַקֹּדֶשׁ אֶל־אֲחֻזַּת הָעִיר׃ - All the contribution shall be twenty-five thousand by twenty-five thousand; a fourth part shall you set apart as the holy contribution together with the possession of the city.
Here is an overall summary: if we take the portion of the Kohanim, the Levites, and Israel - the entire area is 25,000 by 25,000. The length from east to west was 25,000 for all of them equally, while the width, from north to south, was what was divided: ten thousand for the Kohanim - the portion adjacent to the strip of Yehudah; after them, ten thousand by a length of 25,000 for the Levites; and after them, 5,000 by a length of 25,000 for Israel and Yerushalayim, which were closer to the portion of Binyamin.
And what is meant by "a fourth part shall you set apart as the holy contribution together with the possession of the city"? Let us return to Israel's portion: 25,000 reeds in length by 5,000 in width, and in the middle, 5,000 by 5,000 - this is Yerushalayim. On either side remain ten thousand and ten thousand, which are the open areas. When we calculate the ratio - 5,000 compared to 20,000 - it is exactly one quarter. This is "a fourth part shall you set apart": the city's portion is one quarter relative to the remaining portions to its right and left, which are designated for its produce as food for the city's workers. It turns out that the city itself was only a quarter of that total.
וְהַנּוֹתָר לַנָּשִׂיא מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה לִתְרוּמַת־הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְלַאֲחֻזַּת הָעִיר אֶל־פְּנֵי חֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף תְּרוּמָה עַד־גְּבוּל קָדִימָה וְיָמָּה עַל־פְּנֵי חֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף עַל־גְּבוּל יָמָּה לְעֻמַּת חֲלָקִים לַנָּשִׂיא וְהָיְתָה תְּרוּמַת הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּמִקְדַּשׁ הַבַּיִת בְּתוֹכֹה׃ - And the remainder shall belong to the prince, on this side and on that side of the holy contribution and of the possession of the city, facing the twenty-five thousand of the contribution toward the eastern border, and westward facing the twenty-five thousand toward the western border, alongside the tribal portions, it shall belong to the prince; and the holy contribution and the sanctuary of the Temple shall be in its midst.
After accounting for the total square of 25,000 by 25,000 reeds, which includes the portion of the Kohanim, the Levites, and the Israelites, Scripture now speaks of what lies on both sides - toward the east and toward the west. We have already explained that this entire strip throughout its length belongs to the prince, except that in the middle, as it were, the prince allocated 25,000 by 25,000 reeds from his portion for the Kohanim, the Levites, the Israelites, and the Beit HaMikdash.
"And the remainder shall belong to the prince, on this side and on that side" - from the edge of the contribution portion to the eastern end, and from the other edge of the contribution portion to the western end, reaching the sea. "Toward the eastern border" - up to the eastern side; "and westward" - up to the western edge, along the entire width of 25,000; "alongside the portions, it shall belong to the prince" - this is the corresponding area, what belonged to the prince.
And why is this also called the "holy contribution"? The Malbim explains: because the sanctuary of Hashem is within it. Not only is the prince's portion called a contribution (terumah) because we set it apart, as it were, from our own and give it to the prince, but the area containing the Beit HaMikdash is also called a contribution, for this portion of 25,000 reeds is an area within which stands Hashem's sanctuary, having been set apart, as it were, from the overall territory.
וּמֵאֲחֻזַּת הַלְוִיִּם וּמֵאֲחֻזַּת הָעִיר בְּתוֹךְ אֲשֶׁר לַנָּשִׂיא יִהְיֶה בֵּין גְּבוּל יְהוּדָה וּבֵין גְּבוּל בִּנְיָמִן לַנָּשִׂיא יִהְיֶה׃ - And from the possession of the Levites and from the possession of the city, being in the midst of what belongs to the prince, between the border of Yehudah and the border of Binyamin, shall belong to the prince.
Both the portion of the Levites and the possession of the city are entirely within what belongs to the prince, inside that very same strip. Lest one think that the portion of the Levites or the portion of Israel spilled over into the territory of Binyamin or Yehudah, you should know that everything given to the Kohanim, the Levites, and the Israelites as the area we defined as the city's contribution - 25,000 reeds - was entirely within the prince's portion, between the border of Yehudah and the border of Binyamin. It did not intrude at all into the territory of Yehudah or Binyamin, but remained solely within the prince's strip, with the prince, as it were, setting it aside and elevating it from his own portion for the sake of the sanctuary.
וְיֶתֶר הַשְּׁבָטִים מִפְּאַת קָדִימָה עַד־פְּאַת־יָמָּה בִּנְיָמִן אֶחָד׃ וְעַל גְּבוּל בִּנְיָמִן מִפְּאַת קָדִימָה עַד־פְּאַת־יָמָּה שִׁמְעוֹן אֶחָד׃ וְעַל גְּבוּל שִׁמְעוֹן מִפְּאַת קָדִימָה עַד־פְּאַת־יָמָּה יִשָּׂשכָר אֶחָד׃ וְעַל גְּבוּל יִשָּׂשכָר מִפְּאַת קָדִימָה עַד־פְּאַת־יָמָּה זְבוּלֻן אֶחָד׃ וְעַל גְּבוּל זְבוּלֻן מִפְּאַת קָדִמָה עַד־פְּאַת־יָמָּה גָּד אֶחָד׃ - And as for the rest of the tribes, from the eastern side to the western side, Binyamin, one portion. And alongside the border of Binyamin, from the eastern side to the western side, Shimon, one portion. And alongside the border of Shimon, from the eastern side to the western side, Yissachar, one portion. And alongside the border of Yissachar, from the eastern side to the western side, Zevulun, one portion. And alongside the border of Zevulun, from the eastern side to the western side, Gad, one portion.
After telling us where the portion of the Nasi is located - more or less in the middle, and we have already explained why it is not precisely in the middle - he now arranges the strips of the tribes one after another, and regarding each tribe he states that its strip extends from the eastern side to the western side. The strips are like horizontal slices: as if one stands facing the sea and cuts Eretz Yisrael with a knife toward Jerusalem, toward the Jordan, toward the east - strip by strip. Until now we spoke about the strip of the Nasi, and now about the strips to the south of it.
Behind Jerusalem comes Binyamin, followed adjacent to it by Shimon, followed by Yissachar, followed by Zevulun, followed by Gad.
וְעַל גְּבוּל גָּד אֶל־פְּאַת נֶגֶב תֵּימָנָה וְהָיָה גְבוּל מִתָּמָר מֵי מְרִיבַת קָדֵשׁ נַחֲלָה עַל־הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל׃ - "And by the border of Gad, toward the southern edge southward, the border shall be from Tamar to the waters of Merivat Kadesh, to the brook, by the Great Sea."
The border of Gad is the final border, situated at the southernmost end of Eretz Yisrael. Here, there is a need to mention place names and landmarks so that one knows where Eretz Yisrael ends. For the other strips there is no need for place names - one simply advances 25,000 reeds, makes a division, and that is the tribal portion; another 25,000 reeds, another strip. But when reaching the last one, it must be stated where it terminates. Therefore it says that on the southern side, southward, the border was from Tamar, to the waters of Merivat Kadesh, unto the Great Sea.
זֹאת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־תַּפִּילוּ מִנַּחֲלָה לְשִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֵלֶּה מַחְלְקוֹתָם נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי ה'׃ - "This is the land that you shall allot as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions, says the Lord Hashem."
וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹצְאֹת הָעִיר מִפְּאַת צָפוֹן חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וְאַרְבַּעַת אֲלָפִים מִדָּה׃ וְשַׁעֲרֵי הָעִיר עַל־שְׁמוֹת שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁעָרִים שְׁלוֹשָׁה צָפוֹנָה שַׁעַר רְאוּבֵן אֶחָד שַׁעַר יְהוּדָה אֶחָד שַׁעַר לֵוִי אֶחָד׃ - "And these are the exits of the city: on the north side, four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure. And the gates of the city shall be named after the tribes of Israel: three gates northward - the gate of Reuven, one; the gate of Yehudah, one; the gate of Levi, one."
"The exits of the city" - the gates of the city on its four directions. It is as if he measures the city once again and counts its gates, going side by side. Recall that we are dealing with the portion of Israel: out of the entire square of 25,000 reeds, the portion of Israel is 5,000 reeds wide by 25,000 reeds long, with the city inside it measuring 5,000 by 5,000, and once the open land (migrash) is deducted, 4,500 reeds by 4,500 reeds. And on each side, there were three gates.
On the northern side, which faces the side of Yehudah: Levi is closer to the eastern side, Yehudah is in the middle, and Reuven is close to the western side - and the verse enumerates them from west to east.
וְאֶל־פְּאַת קָדִימָה חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וְאַרְבַּעַת אֲלָפִים וּשְׁעָרִים שְׁלֹשָׁה וְשַׁעַר יוֹסֵף אֶחָד שַׁעַר בִּנְיָמִן אֶחָד שַׁעַר דָּן אֶחָד׃ - "And on the east side, four thousand and five hundred reeds, and three gates: the gate of Yosef, one; the gate of Binyamin, one; the gate of Dan, one."
These are the gates of the eastern flank, and there too the length of the city is 4,500.
וּפְאַת־נֶגְבָּה חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וְאַרְבַּעַת אֲלָפִים מִדָּה וּשְׁעָרִים שְׁלֹשָׁה שַׁעַר שִׁמְעוֹן אֶחָד שַׁעַר יִשָּׂשכָר אֶחָד שַׁעַר זְבוּלֻן אֶחָד׃ - "And on the south side, four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure, and three gates: the gate of Shimon, one; the gate of Yissachar, one; the gate of Zevulun, one."
The southern side is closer to the territory of Binyamin, and there too the length of the city is 4,500, with three gates.
פְּאַת־יָמָּה חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וְאַרְבַּעַת אֲלָפִים שַׁעֲרֵיהֶם שְׁלֹשָׁה שַׁעַר גָּד אֶחָד שַׁעַר אָשֵׁר אֶחָד שַׁעַר נַפְתָּלִי אֶחָד׃ - The west side, four thousand and five hundred, their gates three: one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naftali.
He continues and circles around to the western side, toward the sea, and there are the three gates: Gad, Asher, and Naftali.
The Malbim notes an intriguing point here, though he does not elaborate on it fully. Look at the stones of the Choshen: Odem, Pitdah, and Barekes - Reuven, Shimon, and Levi; this is the first row. Nofech, Sapir, and Yahalom - Yehudah, Yissachar, and Zevulun; the second row. Leshem, Shevo, and Achlamah - Dan, Naftali, and Gad; the third row. Tarshish, Shoham, and Yashfeh - Asher, Yosef, and Binyamin; the fourth row.
The Malbim explains: If you examine the arrangement of the gates, you will see that two are always on one side, and the third is on the opposite side. You will not find one from this direction, the second from another direction, and the third from a third direction. Rather, in the triplets listed on the stones of the Choshen, two are always on one side and the third on the opposite side: two on the south and the third on the north, and in another row the reverse, two on the north and the third on the south; or two on the east and the third on the west, and the other two on the west and the third on the east.
And what is the reason and logic behind this division? The Malbim writes: I have a reason for this, but this is not the place to elaborate upon it. We were not privileged to know his reason. Perhaps one should search in other places where the Malbim addressed this topic, and perhaps the reason can be found there, but here he does not elaborate.
סָבִיב שְׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר אָלֶף וְשֵׁם־הָעִיר מִיּוֹם ה' שָׁמָּה׃ - The perimeter is eighteen thousand, and the name of the city from that day on shall be: Hashem Shamah [Hashem is there].
The Malbim explains: Eighteen thousand reeds is the measurement of the city's circumference all around. And indeed, this is how the calculation works out: the city is square, and each side is 4,500 reeds; 4,500 on this side and 4,500 on that side, and so on all four sides - giving you eighteen thousand.
What is the significance and allusion in this? The Malbim explains that this alludes to the Divine Chariot, "The chariots of God are myriads upon myriads, thousands upon thousands," and Chazal taught: eighteen camps surrounding the Glory of Hashem. Therefore it says, "and the name of the city from that day on shall be Hashem Shamah" - Hashem Shamah, there rests the Shechinah of His glory. And the eighteen-thousand perimeter of the city represents an angel from Hashem's Throne of Glory stationed at every single reed around the city to guard it.
The Malbim adds further: If we measure from the location of the city to the Temple Mount, we reach precisely 45 mil, and this is what is written: "There shall be on the bells of the horse Holy to Hashem." With this, the Malbim concludes his commentary, seemingly leaving us in doubt: What is the connection between the distance from the city, which was in the portion of Yisrael, to the Temple Mount, which was in the portion of the Kohanim, and "the bells of the horse Holy to Hashem"?
However, the Malbim's words are cryptic in one place and explicit in another, and we have already learned this in the Malbim on Sefer Zechariah, chapter 14, verse 20. There, on the verse "On that day, there shall be upon the bells of the horse Holy to Hashem," the Malbim explains: Since the Jerusalem of the future will be 45 mil away from the Temple - and this is precisely what we see here - this is greater than a person's walking journey in a single day, for the Gemara states that a person walks ten parsaot in a day (40 mil), whereas here we are speaking of 45 mil. Perforce, the sanctity will expand to the point that a person can reach in one day not by walking, but by riding on a horse. And the Gemara says that the distance a horse runs and casts shade (metzal), that is, until it rests at noon, is an expanse of 45 mil. If so, the verse comes to teach that the sanctity will extend to the place a person reaches when galloping on his horse. "And the pots" (veha-sirot) that will be found at that time in the Beit HaMikdash - sirot meaning cooking pots - will be considered like sprinkling basins, for due to the abundance of sacrifices, they will place the blood of the offerings in them to sprinkle upon the Altar.
It turns out that the matter is as follows: from the location of the Temple, the sanctity will expand 45 mil to the city. The sanctity will not remain confined solely to the site of the Temple, which is the domain of the Kohanim, but will also extend toward the city of Jerusalem, which is the domain of all of Israel.
The concluding chapter of Yechezkel arranges the future Land of Israel in equal strips of 75 mil, from north to south: seven tribes north of the Terumah strip and five south of it, and in the true reckoning - six corresponding to six, with Levi counted in the center and Ephraim and Menashe counted together as one. In the center of the Prince's strip lies the square of the Terumah, twenty-five thousand by twenty-five thousand reeds: the portion of the Kohanim with the Temple inside it, the portion of the Levi'im alongside it, and the portion of Yisrael containing the square city with its open land, flanked on both sides by fields and vineyards for the city workers. Around the city are eighteen thousand reeds, corresponding to the eighteen camps that surround the Glory of Hashem, and its name is "Hashem Shamah" - Hashem is there; and from the Temple, the sanctity will expand 45 mil to the city, corresponding to the galloping distance of a horse. May Hashem redeem us with an eternal redemption and grant us the merit to witness the Third Beit HaMikdash descending fully built in fire from Heaven, Amen ve-Amen.