Mishnayos Shekalim Perek 6 Mishnah 3

The previous mishna mentioned that there were thirteen prostrations in the Temple. Where were these prostrations? There were four in the north of the courtyard, four in the south, three in the east and two in the west, as the thirteen prostrations were facing the thirteen gates of the Temple courtyard. The thirteen gates were as follows: The southern ones, listed in order, beginning with the one adjacent to the western side, were the Upper Gate, and the topography of the courtyard was such that there was an incline on the east-west plane, therefore the gate farthest to the west was higher than the other gates; the Gate of Kindling, through which the priests would bring the wood for the arrangement of fire on top of the altar; the Gate of the Firstborn, through which priests would bring the ritually pure firstborn animals to be sacrificed, as it is permitted to slaughter firstborn animals on the southern side of the courtyard; and the Gate of Water. The mishna elaborates: And why was it named the Gate of Water? Since through it they would bring in the vial of water for the water libation on the festival of Sukkot, as they would ceremoniously draw the water from the Pool of Siloam and bring it to the altar through this gate. Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: There was a different reason for this name. It was called the Gate of Water because through it the water would trickle [mefakim], and in the future this water will increase and go out from under the threshold of the House. Facing these gates were the ones in the north, listed in order from the one closest to the west: The Gate of Jeconiah; the Gate of the Offering, through which they would bring the offerings of the most sacred order, as these could be slaughtered only in the northern part of the courtyard; the Gate of Women, where women would enter the courtyard to place their hands on the heads of their offerings; and the Gate of Song, through which they would bring the musical instruments into the courtyard. The mishna asks: And why was it called the Gate of Jeconiah? The reason is that through it Jeconiah went out to his exile. Before Jeconiah was exiled by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon he came to take leave of the Temple, and he left through this gate. The mishna resumes the list with the gates that are in the east: the Gate of Nicanor, which was named after Nicanor, who brought the doors of this gate from Egypt (see Yoma 38a). And the Gate of Nicanor had two wickets [pishpeshin], one on its right and one on its left. And there were two gates in the west that did not have a name, making a total of thirteen gates.

וְהֵיכָן הָיוּ מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים, אַרְבַּע בַּצָּפוֹן, וְאַרְבַּע בַּדָּרוֹם, שָׁלשׁ בַּמִּזְרָח, וּשְׁתַּיִם בַּמַּעֲרָב, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁלשָׁה עָשָׂר שְׁעָרִים. שְׁעָרִים דְּרוֹמִיִּים סְמוּכִין לַמַּעֲרָב, שַׁעַר הָעֶלְיוֹן, שַׁעַר הַדֶּלֶק, שַׁעַר הַבְּכוֹרוֹת, שַׁעַר הַמָּיִם. וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ שַׁעַר הַמַּיִם, שֶׁבּוֹ מַכְנִיסִין צְלוֹחִית שֶׁל מַיִם שֶׁל נִסּוּךְ בֶּחָג. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר, בּוֹ הַמַּיִם מְפַכִּים וַעֲתִידִין לִהְיוֹת יוֹצְאִין מִתַּחַת מִפְתַּן הַבַּיִת. לְעֻמָּתָן בַּצָּפוֹן סְמוּכִין לַמַּעֲרָב, שַׁעַר יְכָנְיָה, שַׁעַר קָרְבָּן, שַׁעַר נָשִׁים, שַׁעַר הַשִּׁיר. וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ שַׁעַר יְכָנְיָה, שֶׁבּוֹ יָצָא יְכָנְיָה בְּגָלוּתוֹ. בַּמִּזְרָח, שַׁעַר נִיקָנוֹר, וּשְׁנֵי פִשְׁפְּשִׁין הָיוּ לוֹ, אֶחָד בִּימִינוֹ וְאֶחָד בִּשְׂמֹאלוֹ. וּשְׁנַיִם בַּמַּעֲרָב שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה לָהֶם שֵׁם: