Are there any Architectural Similarities between Herod's and Ezekiel's Temples?

Question

<sup>Closely Related:
- In Luke, Was Jesus Dedicated in the Second Temple, or Third?</sup>

NKJV, Ezekiel 43:10 - “Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern.

If Israel had this "pattern", wouldn't they have tried implementing it?

Are there any evidences that Herod's Temple was designed after the pattern set out in Ezekiel?

Or - are there any architectural or written evidences that show that Herod's Temple couldn't possibly have been Ezekiel's?

JewishMag.com's Metaphysical Objection that Herod's Temple is Ezekiel's Third:

Are there non-metaphysical / non-kabbalah arguments to support or refute this claim?

JewishMag.com, The Third Temple: Israel's Missing Link - The Ramchal explains that the Sanctuary (Heichal) in the Temple is 32 cubits wide (approx. 64 feet or 19.2 meters). These 32 cubits, states the Ramchal, correspond to the 32 paths of Divine Wisdom known as Daath Elyon, the Supernal Knowledge, looking from above to below, from God's perspective so to speak. ... The correct place of the Mizbeyach is precisely in front of the Sanctuary so that the 32 paths of higher and lower wisdom are in alignment. Then heaven and earth are aligned and the Shechina dwells in the Holy Temple. But for a technical reason explained in the Talmud, the Mizbeyach of the Second Temple was drawn to the south of the Sanctuary, clearly out of alignment with the Sanctuary. This indicated that God's Knowledge and man's knowledge were out of alignment and the Shechina did not dwell in the Second Temple. ...

Ramchal's arguments above do not seem very compelling - for either conclusion ...

Answer 1

Yes there is Talmudic evidence that - at least - some parts were modeled after Ezekiel's temple. There are few places in the Mishna in Middot (2:5; 3:1; 4:1; 4:2) where it is explicitly stated that parts of the second temple were modeled after Ezekiel's vision. For example, there were two chambers on the sides of the "Big gate" of the Heichal, the southern one was never opened and no one ever set foot there. This was added based on a verse in Ezekiel 44:2 that one chamber should be reserved for the LORD, in which he shall enter,

Then said the Lord unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.

And i cite the relevant Mishna in Middot 4:2 here,

וּשְׁנֵי פִשְׁפָּשִׁין הָיוּ לוֹ לְשַׁעַר הַגָּדוֹל, אֶחָד בַּצָּפוֹן, וְאֶחָד בַּדָּרוֹם. שֶׁבַּדָּרוֹם לֹא נִכְנַס בּוֹ אָדָם מֵעוֹלָם, וְעָלָיו הוּא מְפֹרָשׁ עַל יְדֵי יְחֶזְקֵאל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם מד), וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי יְיָ הַשַּׁעַר הַזֶּה סָגוּר יִהְיֶה לֹא יִפָּתֵחַ וְאִישׁ לֹא יָבֹא בוֹ כִּי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּא בוֹ וְהָיָה סָגוּר.

This is just an example, there are many more cited below.

עֶזְרַת הַנָּשִׁים הָיְתָה אֹרֶךְ מֵאָה וּשְׁלשִׁים וְחָמֵשׁ עַל רֹחַב מֵאָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וְחָמֵשׁ. וְאַרְבַּע לְשָׁכוֹת הָיוּ בְאַרְבַּע מִקְצֹעוֹתֶיהָ, שֶׁל אַרְבָּעִים אַרְבָּעִים אַמָּה. וְלֹא הָיוּ מְקֹרוֹת. וְכָךְ הֵם עֲתִידִים לִהְיוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל מו), וַיוֹצִיאֵנִי אֶל הֶחָצֵר הַחִיצוֹנָה וַיַּעֲבִירֵנִי אֶל אַרְבַּעַת מִקְצוֹעֵי הֶחָצֵר וְהִנֵּה חָצֵר בְּמִקְצֹעַ הֶחָצֵר, חָצֵר בְּמִקְצֹעַ הֶחָצֵר, בְּאַרְבַּעַת מִקְצֹעֹת הֶחָצֵר חֲצֵרוֹת קְטוּרוֹת. (וְאֵין קְטוּרוֹת) אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵינָן מְקֹרוֹת.

וּכְשֶׁעָלוּ בְנֵי הַגּוֹלָה, הוֹסִיפוּ עָלָיו אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת מִן הַדָּרוֹם וְאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת מִן הַמַּעֲרָב, כְּמִין גַּמָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל מג), וְהָאֲרִיאֵל שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה אֹרֶךְ בִּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה רֹחַב רָבוּעַ. יָכוֹל שֶׁאֵינוֹ אֶלָּא שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה עַל שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר אֶל אַרְבַּעַת רְבָעָיו, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמִּן הָאֶמְצַע הוּא מוֹדֵד שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה לְכָל רוּחַ

פִּתְחוֹ שֶׁל הֵיכָל, גָּבְהוֹ עֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה וְרָחְבּוֹ עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת. וְאַרְבַּע דְּלָתוֹת הָיוּ לוֹ, שְׁתַּיִם בִּפְנִים וּשְׁתַּיִם בַּחוּץ, שֶׁנֶאֱמַר (יחזקאל מא), וּשְׁתַּיִם דְּלָתוֹת לַהֵיכָל וְלַקֹּדֶש

(2:5; 3:1; 4:1)