Yoma 17a — the Talmud in English

Rather, is it not so? Learn from it

that the tanna of tractate Middot

is Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov.

And we conclude:

Learn from it.

Rav Adda, son of Rav Yitzhak, said

to resolve the contradiction above concerning the contradiction between the Mishnayot regarding the location of the Chamber of the Lambs:

This chamber

of the lambs was very long, and

it was made angular,

for it was on the western side and extended toward both sides, to the north and to the south, until near the two ends of the azarah, on the southern side and on the northern side.

And

therefore, to one who

came

who comes

from

the side

of the north—

it appears to him

on account of its length, as though the main part of the chamber were

in the south

west.

For he sees an empty area in the southern area, beside him, and afterward he sees that the chamber continues.

And he does not see the empty area on the other side, between the chamber and the northern side. Therefore, it appears to him that the main part of the chamber is in the southwest, except that it also extends into the northern area.

And

to one who

came from

the side

of the south—

it appears to him

according to the same principle, as though its main part were located

in the north.

And Rav Adda further said:

And it is reasonable—

that

the main part of the Chamber of the Lambs

was in the southwestern [corner],

for it extended more toward the southern side.

That is, the empty area between the southern side of the chamber and the southern wall of the azarah was more narrow than the empty area between the northern side of the chamber and the northern wall of the azarah.

From what

is this to be proved?

We raise

a contradiction between the Mishnayot from the Mishna in tractate Middot, which says that the chamber of

the showbread

was in the southwestern corner,

the showbread,

against the Mishna in tractate Tamid, from which it is implied that it was in the northeastern corner.

And we answer

this contradiction:

Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, said:

The one,

the tanna in tractate Middot,

counts

the location of the chambers for one who comes

by the right-hand route.

And the other,

the tanna in tractate Tamid,

counts

the location of the chambers for one who comes

by the left-hand route.

And from now on, there is no contradiction between the Mishnayot.