The Temple as Sacred Space

8. Within the wall [of Jerusalem] was holier [than outside the wall], for they would eat the lesser holy offerings and the produce of the second tithe there. The Temple Mount was holier than [within the wall of Jerusalem], for men and women with impurity due to discharges of bodily fluids, as well as women in a state of menstrual impurity and women who had recently given birth, would not enter it. The Temple was holier than [the Temple Mount], for non-Jews and those who contracted impurity through contact with the dead did not enter there. The Women’s Court was holier [than the Temple], for a person who had immersed and was waiting for the day to end to finish their purification did not enter there—but they would not be liable for a sin offering [if they did enter]. The Israelite Court was holier than [the Women’s Court], for those waiting for atonement [i.e., for their sacrifice to be offered] did not enter there, and [if they did enter] they would be liable for a sin offering. The Priests’ Court was holier than [the Israelite Court], for Jews would not enter there except when they needed to lay their hands on, slaughter, and wave [their offerings].

9. The area between the entrance hall and the altar was holier than [the Priests’ Court], for those with physical blemishes and those with unkempt hair [see Leviticus 21:10] did not enter there. The hekhal¹ was holier than [the area between the entrance hall and the altar], for no [priest] would enter there without washing their hands and feet. The holy of holies was holier than [the hekhal], for only the high priest would enter there on the Day of Atonement during the time of his service. R. Yosi said: In five respects, the area between the entrance hall and the altar was of equal [holiness] to the hekhal, for those with physical blemishes, those with unkempt hair, those intoxicated with wine, and those who did not wash their hands and feet did not enter there. And they would remove [people] from the area between the entrance hall and the altar during the time of incense offering.