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CHAP. XXXI. The room of Salt: of Parvah, and of the washing. (Book 31)
AS there were three rooms between the middle Gate Corban, which was also called the Gate of the Women, and the more Westward Gate Corban, which was also called the Gate Beth Mokadh, namely two Treasuries and a Levites ward between the two: So were there three rooms also between the same middle Gate Corban, and the Gate more Eastward which was called the Gate Nitsots, and those were a 1.1 The room of the Salt: the room of Parvah, and the room of the Washers: The room of the Salt was the most Westward of the three, and joyned to the Gate of the Women, and it was so called, be∣cause they there laid up the Salt for the use of the Temple. For howsoever Salt and Wine and Oil and such things were sold in the Tabernae, for the use of particular persons offerings, yet for the publick offerings and service, these things were stocked up at the publick charge in several rooms appointed for them.
The use of Salt at the Temple was exceeding much, b 1.2 for nothing was laid on the Al∣tar unsalted, but only the Wood, the Blood and the Wine of the drink-offering: and how much Salt might be spent upon all their Sacrifices, let any one imagine, for this was the Law, with all thine offerings thou shalt offer Salt, Lev. II. 13. And they had not this way only for the spending of Salt, but they also salted the skins of all the Sacrifices when they had flayed them off. For the skins belonged to the Priests as their Fee: the course therefore of the Priests that was in serving, did still Salt the skins of what Sacrifices they offered, that they might not be offensive, and kept them till the end of the week of their Service: and on the Eve of the Sabbath, towards night they divided them to every one his share.
The place where they salted and laid up the skins till that time, was in the room of Parvah, which joyned to this room of the Salt, on the East; and which is the next piece of building that we are to survey: The reason of the name is somewhat doubtful: the Gemarites in the Treatise Joma debating it, conclude in this Tradition: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 c 1.3 what is meant by Parvah? Rab Joseph saith, Parvah was a Magician; d 1.4 the meaning of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (saith Rabbi Nathan) is to this purpose: Parvah is the name of a man who was a Magician: And there are some of the wise Men that say that he digged a vault under ground, till he could come to see what the High Priest did on the day of Expiation. And the wise Men were aware of this vault that he had made, and they found him in it, and they called this Chamber by his name. The short Gloss upon the Mishnaioth in octavo goes yet further. A Conjurer (saith he) whose name was Parvah built this room by Magick: And some say that he digged through the Wall to see the service of the High Priest, and there he was slain. Magick was a matter more in use at the Temple among some of the Grandees there, than one could have possibly thought that it could have been: for the e 1.5 Jerusalem Talmud relates that some of the High Priests used to destroy one another with it. f 1.6 But others deduce the reason of the name Parvah from Parim which signifieth Bullocks, because of the many Hides or Skins of Bullocks that were laid up there: About which matter we shall not be curious to sway the ballance one way or other: but shall leave the reason of the name to be disputed by them that have a mind to such a business, it is enough to our sur∣vey to take notice of the place, and name and use of it without more circumstances.
At the East end of this building of Parvah, there was another piece of building which was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The room of the Washers: And the reason of the name was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 g 1.7 Because in this room they washed the inwards of the Sacrifices according to the Law, Lev. 1. 9. It hath been a very general conceit, of washing the beasts that were to be offered in the pool of Bethesda, of which there is mention, Joh. V. If that opinion mean, the washing of the Beast whilest he was alive, I know not where the least footstep of any such custom is to be found, either in Scripture or in Jewish monuments of antiquity. And if it mean the washing of the Inwards after the Beast was slain, the room that we are about was the place where that was done, and they went no further: and when they had first washed them here, they did it again upon the Marble Tables, of which we shall speak ere it be long.
h 1.8 Out of this room of washing, there was a pair of winding Stairs, to the top of the room Parvah, i 1.9 and on the top of that room there was a Bath, where the High Priest did bathe himself on the day of expiation, the several bathings that he was to bathe on that day, but only the first which was in the Bath on the top of the room Abhtines, as hath been observed before. It appeareth that here was a great issue or running cock of Water, in this washing room, which served for the washing of so many Intrails as there