“The hooks, one handbreadth [long].”¹ 40:43. In his commentary to this phrase, Rashi explains that these were iron hooks that were embedded in the short pillars², Rashi understands that there will also be pillars with hooks in the Future Beis HaMikdash. that were located in the butchering area in the northern portion of the courtyard. The sacrificial animals were hung on these hooks when they were being skinned. Similarly, the fifth chapter of Tractate Pesachim³ 64a. teaches that there were iron hooks embedded in the pillars and the walls of the courtyard. The sacrificial animals were hung from and skinned on these hooks.

footnotes: ¹ Yechezkel ² Even though the verse does not mention pillars with hooks – only hooks on the “House,” i.e., the walls of the Courtyard – based on our Sages’ account of the Second Beis HaMikdash ³ Pesachim

It is also taught in the third chapter both of Tamid and *Middos:*⁴ 3:5; Middos 3:5. The butchering area was located to the north of the Altar. In it were 8 dwarf-like – i.e., short – pillars of stone. A square block of cedar wood was affixed to the top of the pillars. And hooks – i.e., iron fork-like spikes – were embedded in the wooden blocks. There were three sets⁵ explains that there were no hooks on the western side of the pillars so that the kohanim skinning the sacrificial animals would not stand with their backs to the building of the Beis HaMikdash. of hooks in each wooden block, one above the other. Rabbeinu Shemayah⁶ explains that the lowest hook was for a sheep to be hung on, the middle one was for a ram, and the upper one was for a bull.

footnotes: ⁴ Tamid ⁵ In his commentary to Middos, loc. cit., Tosafos Yom Tov ⁶ In Rabbeinu Shemayah’s gloss to Middos, loc. cit.