(Mishnah): He came to the east of the Azarah to the north of the Mizbe'ach. The Segan was on his right, and the Av Beis Din on his left. There were two goats there and a box was there, and in it were two lots of Eshkero'a (an esteemed wood). Ben Gamla made them of gold, and he was praised for this.

Ben Katin made 12 spouts for the Kiyor. [Initially] there were only two. He also made a pulley for the Kiyor (to enable submerging it in the pit), lest its water become Pasul through Linah.

King Munvaz made the handles of all Kelim of Yom Kipur of gold. His mother Hilni made a gold Nivreshes at the opening of the Heichal. She also made a gold tablet on which Parshas Sotah was written [from which the Kohen would copy onto a parchment].

Miracles were done for the doors of Nikanor (which he brought for the Azarah). He was praised for this.

(Gemara) Question: What is north of the Mizbe'ach, which is Kosher for Shechitas Kodshei Kodoshim? It is from the north wall of the Mizbe'ach until the north wall of the Azarah. The text there in the previous Halachah (3:7, 18a is) until "from the north wall of the Mizbe'ach until the east wall of the Azarah.'' (Only the beginning and end of the Beraisa were copied into our text here.)

The Segan had five functions - he says "Ishi Kohen Gadol, lift your right hand!'' The Segan is at his right, and the Rosh Beis Av is on his left hand [when he goes to do the lottery, or the entire year, when he walks], the Segan waves flags [when wine libations are poured, to inform the Leviyim that it is time to sing], the Segan held his right hand and lifted it (if it had the lot for Hash-m);

[And,] one was not appointed to be Kohen Gadol before becoming Segan.

(Mishnah): A box was there, and in it were two lots of Eshkero'a.

What is Eshkero'a? It is Paskinan (a kind of cedar wood - PNEI MOSHE).

Question (R. Shmuel, Rav's brother): If [the gold lots] were lost, [and the original lots are around, must] we make gold [lots] in place of them? (MASA D'YERUSHALAYIM)

Answer: (We must.) This is like it was taught, that we ascend in Kedushah, and we do not descend.

Question: (The Mishnah connotes that there were 12 spouts in one row, around.) They should make [more above,] one above [each] one [in the row of 12]!

Answer (R. Yonah): [It sufficed to have 12, for this is] like the biggest day of the Tamid (Shabbos of Sukos, when 12 engaged in it, including the Levonah and Nisuch ha'Mayim. We explained the question and answer like RIDVAZ.)

Question: The top (the Kiyor itself was Kosher for regular Kidush; it) was a Kli that it mostly open. The bottom (the pit in which it was submerged), was it not in the airspace of a Kli?! (How was it Kosher for Kidush for Terumas ha'Deshen, according to R. Yochanan (9b), who holds that it requires Kidush from a Kiyor submerged in water? HA'AROS HA'GRIM NECHED HA'GRA)

Answer (R. Yehoshua ben Levi): A stream went from Eitam, and the legs [of the Muchni, which submerged the Kiyor] had holes the size of pomegranates [so it was considered connected to the stream - KEREN ORAH Zevachim 21b].

(R. Shimon bar Karsena, citing R. Acha) Question: The Yam [Shel Shlomo] was a Beis Tevilah for Kohanim - "veha'Yam Lerachtzah la'Kohanim Bo'' - is it not a Kli?! (One may not immerse in a Kli.)

Answer: A stream went from Eitam, and the legs of the oxen [on which the Yam rested] had holes the size of pomegranates.

It says "v'Eleh Misparam Agartelei Zahav Sheloshim.'' R. Shmuel bar Nachman said, this is the place where they are OGeR (collect) blood of a TeLeh (lamb, i.e. a bucket);

(Reish Lakish): "Agartelei Kesef Elef'' - this is the place where they collect blood of an ox (Alafecha refers to cattle, e.g. Devarim 7:13).

(R. Simon): "Mechalfim Tish'ah v'Esrim'' - [Mechalfim] knives (in Arabic. Alternatively, they switch from life to death.)

Support (Mishnah): It was called Beis ha'Chalifos, for there they hid the knives.

(Mishnah): His mother Hilni made a gold Nivreshes at the opening of the Heichal.

When the sun shone, rays shot out from it, and people knew that the sun is shining. (It shines on the ground only a while after it shines on a high place.)

There were two Amora'im - one said that this was a Menorah (a regular, straight candelabra), and the other said that it was a round candelabra.

Support (for the first opinion): Akilas translated "Lakbel Navrashta'' (Daniel 5:5) "opposite the Mefares (Menorah).''

Note: Rishonim (Sefer ha'Minhagos 14b, Kolbo 14) say that Akilas is not Unkelos.

(Mishnah): She also made a gold tablet on which Parshas Sotah was written [from which the Kohen would copy onto a parchment].

Question: What was written on it?

Answer #1 (Reish Lakish citing R. Yanai): Aleph Beis (i.e. the first letters of the words in the Parshah) was written on it.

Question (Beraisa): Like the writing here [on the gold tablet], so is the writing here [in Megilas Sotah]. It was not thick or thin, rather, average.

Answer: Like the Aleph here, so is the Aleph here. Like the Beis here, so is the Beis here. (However, the gold tablet had only the initial letters, and the Megilah had the entire words.)

Answer #2 (R. Hoshayah - Beraisa): The entire Parshas Sotah was written on it. From it, [the Kohen] read and explained [to the Sotah] all details of the Parshah.

(Mishnah): Miracles were done for the doors of Nikanor. He was praised for this.

(Beraisa): A case occurred in which they were coming on a boat [with the doors from Mitzrayim] and a great storm came on them. They took one of them and cast it to the sea. They wanted to cast also the second. [Nikanor] stood and embraced it. He told them "if you cast it to the sea, cast me with it!'' (The storm abated.)

He was crying and mourning [that he was not Moser Nefesh for the first door] until he reached the port of Yafo. Once he reached the port of Yafo, [the first door] came out from under the boat.

This is like the Mishnah teaches, all gates that were there [in Bayis Sheni] were changed to be of gold [after they became richer], except for Sha'arei Nikanor, because a miracle was done for them. Some say [that they were not changed to gold] because their copper glittered.

(Beraisa - in the name of R. Li'ezer): Their copper glittered more than [doors of] gold.