How many cells were there?
Rashi, citing Midos 4:3: There were 38; 15 in the north, 15 in the south, and eight in the west. The northern cells were in three rows of five, one row on top of another. The same applies to the southern cells. The western cells were in three rows. The bottom two rows had three each, the top row had two.
Why were the higher cells wider than those below them?
Rashi: "Migra'os" means that the wall of the Bayis recesses above. After five Amos height, the wall became an Amah thinner and recessed. The [floor] beams of the [middle] cell rested on the Migra'os (where the wall recessed; it was like a wide step). After 10 Amos height, the wall recessed another Amah, to place the [floor] beams of the top cell. Therefore, the top cells were an Amah wider than the middle ones, which were an Amah wider than the bottom ones.
What is the meaning of "l'Vilti Achoz b'Kiros ha'Bayis"?
Rashi: He did not stick the beams [between a cell and the cell above it] in holes in the wall of the Bayis.
Since the cells were all around the Heichal, where were the windows of the Heichal?
Malbim: Each cell was five Amos tall (verse 10), so the height of all three 'floors' was 15 Amos, half the height of the Heichal. The windows were above this.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that the ends of the beams should not rest in holes in the wall of the Bayis. What is the reason?
Rashi: This ruins the wall, and it does not look nice.
Radak, Malbim: It is like verse 7 says - "all iron tools were not heard in the Bayis when it was being built." They could not make holes in the wall, and all rocks of the wall were the same size 1 . This is why that verse was put next to "l'Vilti Achoz b'Kiros ha'Bayis." Also refer to 6:7:1:3
Presumably, he says so to explain why they could not build the wall with rocks of the right sizes so that there would be a gap to hold the ends of the beams. However, they could have made holes outside, via iron tools or the Shamir! (PF)
