μετὰ δὲ τὸ δεύτερον καταπέτασμα. “Behind the second veil.” There were two veils in the Tabernacle—one called מָסָךְ (Exodus 26:36-37, LXX. κάλυμμα, or ἐπίσπαστρον) which hung before the entrance; and “the second,” called פָּרֹכֶת (LXX. καταπέτασμα), which hung between the Holy Place and the Holiest (Exodus 26:31-35). The Rabbis invent two curtains between the Holy Place and the Holiest with a space of a cubit between them, to which they give the name Tarkesin, which is of uncertain origin. They had many fables about the size and weight of this curtain—that it was a handbreadth thick, and took 300 priests to draw it, &c. &c.

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Old Testament