I Kings 7:13-26.
This week we backtrack to the construction details for the first Holy Temple–reminding us that the haftorah portions were often chosen to parallel the accompanying parshot rather than progress sequentially.
While we’re in the midst of construction, King Solomon calls for an expert coppersmith, Hiram of Tyre, to create copper columns for the doorway to the Temple; these were to be capped with intricate carvings of pomegranates and palm leaves. The right column was named Jachin; the left Boaz. Hiram was also to build a giant copper basin, sanding on 12 oxen statuary, three pointed in each direction, to be used as a mikvah for the priests.
The size of these massive columns were about 6-feet thick by 27-feet tall, and hollow, (four “fingers” thick) with 8-foot capitals, featuring brass lilies. Interestingly, despite that these giant columns, which would have been very much a “big [Read more…]
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