Talmud for Middot 2:3

לִפְנִים מִמֶּנּוּ, סוֹרֵג, גָּבוֹהַּ עֲשָׂרָה טְפָחִים. וּשְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה פְרָצוֹת הָיוּ שָׁם, שֶׁפְּרָצוּם מַלְכֵי יָוָן. חָזְרוּ וּגְדָרוּם, וְגָזְרוּ כְנֶגְדָּם שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיוֹת. לִפְנִים מִמֶּנּוּ, הַחֵיל, עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת. וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה מַעֲלוֹת הָיוּ שָׁם. רוּם הַמַּעֲלָה חֲצִי אַמָּה, וְשִׁלְחָהּ חֲצִי אַמָּה. כָּל הַמַּעֲלוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם, רוּם מַעֲלָה חֲצִי אַמָּה, וְשִׁלְחָהּ חֲצִי אַמָּה, חוּץ מִשֶּׁל אוּלָם. כָּל הַפְּתָחִים וְהַשְּׁעָרִים שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם, גָּבְהָן עֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה, וְרָחְבָּן עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת, חוּץ מִשֶּׁל אוּלָם. כָּל הַפְּתָחִים שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם, הָיוּ לָהֶן דְּלָתוֹת, חוּץ מִשֶּׁל אוּלָם. כָּל הַשְּׁעָרִים שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם, הָיוּ לָהֶן שְׁקוֹפוֹת, חוּץ מִשַּׁעַר טָדִי, שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם שְׁתֵּי אֲבָנִים מֻטּוֹת זוֹ עַל גַּב זוֹ. כָּל הַשְּׁעָרִים שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם, נִשְׁתַּנּוּ לִהְיוֹת שֶׁל זָהָב, חוּץ מִשַּׁעַר נִקָּנוֹר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בָהֶן נֵס. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנְּחֻשְׁתָּן מַצְהִיב:

Inside of it [the wall of the Temple Mount] was the Soreg [a low fence around the Temple, which served as a boundary, beyond which entry to those impure was prohibited] ten tefachim [hand-breadths] high. There were thirteen breaches in it, made originally by the Greek kings, and when the Jews fixed these breaches, they enacted thirteen prostrations equivalent to them. Inside the Soreg was the Cheil, [which was] ten amot [wide]. There were twelve steps there, and the height of each step was half an amah, and its tread was half an amah. All the steps that were there [in the Temple] had a height of half an amah and a tread of a half an amah, except those into the Antechamber. All the entrances that were there were twenty amot high and ten amot wide except to the Antechamber. All entrances that were there had doors except for of the Antechamber. All the gates that were there had lintels, except for the Tadi [gate], which had two stones leaning one on top of the other. All the [doors of the] gates were changed to gold [from copper] except the gates of Nikanor, since a miracle happened with them. Some say it is because its copper shone [like gold].

Jerusalem Talmud Shekalim

HALAKHAH: The Mishnah is Abba Yose ben Ḥanin’s, since Abba Yose ben Ḥanin said, corresponding to the thirteen gates. But according to the Rabbis there were seven gates⁵⁸As described in Mishnah Middot1:4.. In the Rabbis’ opinion, where were the thirteen prostrations? As we have stated there⁵⁹Mishnah Middot2:3., “There were thirteen breaches, were the Greek kings breached it; they came back and closed them and decided correspondingly thirteen prostrations.”

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Jerusalem Talmud Yoma

“Miracles happened to Nicanor’s doors; one remembers him for praise.” It was stated²¹⁷Babli 38a, Tosephta 2:4.: “It happened that they were traveling in a ship²¹⁸The parallel sources add: “From Alexandria”. when they ran into a big storm. They took one of the doors and threw it into the sea. When they wanted to throw also the second one he stood up and embraced it. He told them, it you are throwing it into the sea, throw me with it. He was crying and mourning continuously until he arrived at the port²¹⁹Greek λιμήν, -ένες, ὁ. of Jaffa. When he arrived at the port of Jaffa it started bubbling under the ship. As we have stated there²²⁰Mishnah Middot 2:3., ‘ All doors there were changed into golden ones except Nicanor’s doors since a miracle happened to them, but some say because their bronze had a golden shine.’ ” It was stated in the name of Rebbi Eliezer²²¹In the parallel sources: R. Eliezer ben Jacob., “their bronze was (Corinthian)²²²This is the correct scribe’s text. The corrector who did not understand the word changed it to the text in brackets. Corinthian brass was the most expensive kind, used for luxury goods; a copper alloy probably containing some precious metal. Greek Κορίνθιον “Corinthian”, adj., n.. [gold colored and more] beautiful than gold.”

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