Halakhah for Middot 1:1

בִּשְׁלשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת הַכֹּהֲנִים שׁוֹמְרִים בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, בְּבֵית אַבְטִינָס, וּבְבֵית הַנִּיצוֹץ, וּבְבֵית הַמּוֹקֵד. וְהַלְוִיִּם בְּעֶשְׂרִים וְאֶחָד מָקוֹם. חֲמִשָּׁה, עַל חֲמִשָּׁה שַׁעֲרֵי הַר הַבַּיִת. אַרְבָּעָה, עַל אַרְבַּע פִּנּוֹתָיו מִתּוֹכוֹ. חֲמִשָּׁה, עַל חֲמִשָּׁה שַׁעֲרֵי הָעֲזָרָה. אַרְבָּעָה, עַל אַרְבַּע פִּנּוֹתֶיהָ מִבַּחוּץ. וְאֶחָד בְּלִשְׁכַּת הַקָּרְבָּן, וְאֶחָד בְּלִשְׁכַּת הַפָּרֹכֶת, וְאֶחָד לַאֲחוֹרֵי בֵית הַכַּפֹּרֶת:

In three places the <i>Kohanim</i> stood guard in the Temple: in the Chamber of Avtinas, in the Chamber of <i>Nitsots</i> [sparks] and in the Chamber of Fire. The Levites would [guard] in twenty one places: five [Levites] on the five gates of the Temple Mount, four [Levites] on the four corners [of the Temple Mount walls] from the inside, five [Levites] , on the five gates of the courtyard, four [Levites] on the four corners [of the courtyard] from the outside, one in the Chamber of the Sacrifices, one in the Chamber of the Curtain, and one behind in the Chamber of the Cover [the holy of holies].

Sefer HaChinukh

From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Middot 1:1-2) that twenty-four men guard it every night in twenty-four stations: the priests guard in three stations inside and the Levites outside. And they would appoint one who would circulate to the stations all of the night and there would be torches lit in front of him, and he was called the man of the Temple Mount. And it would be recognizable that any sentry that would not get up when the man of the Temple Mount would say to him, "Peace unto you," was asleep. And [the man of the Temple Mount] would hit him with his stick, and he had the right to burn his clothing, to the point that they would say in Jerusalem, "What is the voice in the Courtyard? It is the voice of a Levite being struck and his clothes burning, because he was sleeping at his sentry.

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