Which Chatzer is this?
Rashi: It is the interior of Ezras Yisrael, in front of the Ulam and Heichal. Radak - this is unlike Bayis Sheni, in which Ezras Yisrael was 135 Amos long and 11 wide, and so was Ezras Kohanim 1 .
They hold that the entire Chatzer is called Ezras Yisrael. Malbim holds that the names 'Ezras Yisrael' and 'Ezras Kohanim' apply only to what is east of the Mizbe'ach. (PF)
What does the verse teach about the Mizbe'ach?
Radak: He measured also the Mizbe'ach. However, the Navi does not reveal the measure 1 , and does not mention the Mizbe'ach again.
Vilna Gaon: It was "Lifnei ha'Bayis", i.e. Ulam ha'Heichal. Malbim - the verse implies like R. Yehudah (Yuma 16a), that the Mizbe'ach was in the middle of the Azarah. The middle 10 Amos were opposite the opening of the Heichal, and 11 Amos stuck out on each side. According to the opinions that the Mizbe'ach was in the north or south 2 , "Lifnei" is imprecise. It seems that all agree that the Mizbe'ach was in the middle of the Azarah between east and west, like in Bayis Sheni, in which the Azarah was only 76 Amos; the Mizbe'ach was 22 Amos from the eastern gate, and from the Ulam. In Bayis Shelishi it will be 34 Amos from the eastern gate and 34 from the Ulam - 17 for Ezras Yisrael and 17 for Ezras Kohanim. Their areas will be (1700 each) more than they were in Bayis Sheni (1485 each) - then they were longer (135 Amos) but narrower (11 Amos).
Midos 3:1 learns from below (43:16) that also in Bayis Sheni, the Mizbe'ach was 32 by 32 Amos. (PF)
Midos 5:2 holds that it was in the south. A Tana in Sotah 14b holds that it was in the north. The Tana'im discussed Bayis Sheni; Midos 3:1 learns from below (43:16) the size of the Mizbe'ach in Bayis Sheni. (PF)
