Leon Debevec Musical Proportions in a Jewish Portable Sanctuary Glasbene proporcije v judovskem prenosnem svetišču Abstract: An architectural reading of biblical texts about the Jewish portable sanctuary, es- pecially the metrical properties of its components, shows the presence of relationships that belong to the family of musical proportions. This paper discusses the question of whether the understood proportions are merely concealed in the dimensional characteristics of the elements of this composite architecture, or whether they are in fact part of its deep structure. The discussion shows that the musical proportions are not just some sort of by-product or cu- riosity of the defined measurements of the most important parts of the Jewish portable sanc- tuary, but rather they regulate almost all of its essential design features in a mutual balance. Keywords: tabernacle, architecture, compositional analysis, musical proportions Izvleček: Arhitekturno branje bibličnih besedil o judovskem prenosnem svetišču, zlasti mer- skih lastnosti njegovih sestavin, pokaže navzočnost razmerij, ki spadajo v družino glasbenih proporcij. Problem te razprave je vprašanje, ali so razbrane proporcije zgolj skrite v dimen- zijskih značilnostih elementov te sestavljive arhitekture ali pa so v resnici del njene globinske strukture. Razprava pokaže, da glasbene proporcije niso zgolj nekakšen stranski produkt oziroma kurioziteta merskih opredelitev najpomembnejših delov judovskega prenosnega svetišča, temveč da v medsebojni uravnoteženosti uravnavajo domala vse njegove bistvene oblikovne značilnosti. Ključne besede: sveti šotor, arhitektura, kompozicijska analiza, glasbene proporcije There is divine power in numbers ordered by the same ratio. Daniele Matteo Alvise Barbaro (1514–1570) Edinost in dialog Unity and Dialogue 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 Izvirni znanstveni članek Original scientific paper (1.01) Besedilo prejeto Received: 13. 12. 2024; Sprejeto Accepted: 30. 1. 2025 UDK UDC: 26-53:78 DOI: 10.34291/Edinost/80/01/Debevec © 2025 Debevec CC BY 4.0 256 Edinost in dialog 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 LEON DEBEVEC Introduction The study of spatial images in the Pentateuch 1 centres on descriptions of the tabernacle, the place of the ritual meeting of Yahweh with the people of Israel during their forty-year sojourn in the desert. The volume of texts relating to the tabernacle (Exodus 25,1–27,19; 30,1-7, 17-19; 36,8–38,20), rich in detailed descriptions of its parts, with engineering terminology and the concentration of dimensional data, gives the impression even at first reading that this is not just a picturesque description, the purpose of which would only be to strengthen the effect of the reality of the drama of the journey of the Israelites from slavery to the Promised Land, but has a complexity that significantly exceeds the narrative layer of the Exodus. Through an architectural »reading « of these texts, the image of the sanctua- ry as an architectural work rises before our eyes, once with final certainty, at other times shrouded by a veil of vagueness. For centuries, the allure of the undefined has fuelled the passion of various scholars of biblical texts in their desire to clarify the image of this architectural enigma. The present discussion considers it from an architectural perspective. The ra- tionale of this is justified on the one hand by the already presented nature of the descriptions of the sanctuary and, on the other, by its divine »origin «, since the tabernacle was made according to the instructions of Yahweh himself (Exodus 25:8-9), 2 which gives it the status of a perfect architec- tural masterpiece. One of the most important elements of architectural art is its deep structure. It can be understood within the compositional framework because of which the architectural work awakens aesthetic pleasure in the viewer. Investigation of the deep structure of the Jewish portable sanctuary to date has revealed the presence of proportions. 3 They have been identified in the dimensions of its important elements, such as the ark of the covenant, the altar of incense, the table of shewbread, the altar of burnt offerings, the panels of the sanctuary wall, the carpet of the 1 The research entitled Genealogy of space in biblical texts is taking place within the framework of the research program of the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Ljubljana Sustainable design of a quality living environment (Source of financing no. P5-0068). 2 »And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it . « 3 More on this in Debevec 2023, 383–403. 257 Unity and Dialogue 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 MUSICAL PROPORTIONS IN A JEWISH PORTABLE SANCTUARY covering and carpet of the roof covering. The set of established proporti- ons is not random, since they form a complete set of musical proportions. As a result of the described findings, the central question remains as to what extent and in what way the revealed richness of proportions deter- mines the architectural image of the Jewish portable sanctuary. In sear- ching for an answer to the question posed, the descriptive method and the method of compositional analysis were used as specific tools of archi- tectural analysis. In the current investigation of the discussed problem, an architectural scheme of the Jewish sanctuary complex has already been drawn up for the purposes of compositional analysis, without which any compositional test remains pure speculation. To understand the procedures and findings presented in the discussion, the distinction between measure, module, ratio and proportion is im- portant. Measure is a description of the size characteristics of a certain whole or individual part of it, expressed in numbers. As a selected me- asure, the module is the size unit of the composition. It is therefore »the axiomatic basis of a certain system of formal and conceptual relations « (Muhovič 2015, 515). Ratio is a relation expressed by measures (numbers) or modules. We can talk about proportion when we are dealing with the repetition of a ratio in a certain composition (Kurent 2002, 7). Starting points of compositional analysis The basis of any architectural reading of the compositional characteristics of the selected architecture is the plan or scheme of its architectural chara- cteristics. As a result of the study of biblical records about the tabernacle in the discussion The Deep Structure of the Jewish Portable Sanctuary, the starting points based on the architectural scheme of the sanctuary com- plex were presented. The architectural scheme was created with a digital drawing tool, which prevents the possibility of geometric inaccuracy and the associated dubiousness of the results of compositional analysis. The architectural scheme shows the set of parts of the sanctuary complex that will be the subject of further compositional analysis. According to architec- tural logic, the hierarchical set is formed by the following parts: the fanum of the sanctuary, the fence of the fanum, the floor plan of the sacred tent, 258 Edinost in dialog 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 LEON DEBEVEC its longitudinal and transverse facades, the covering of the sacred tent and the roof covering. In the case of the fanum fence, the demonstration of the presence of proportions will be limited to its transverse part, since the established proportions also correspond in the same way and with the same module to the format and structure of its longitudinal part. In the proportional analysis of the listed parts of the Jewish portable sanctuary, a whole set of musical proportions was used, which succe- ed each other in the following order: 1:1 square – unison, 8:9, hemidia- gon – major second, 5:6 quadriagon – minor third, 4:5 biauron – major third, 3:4 penton – perfect fourth, 2:3 hemiolion – perfect fifth, 3:5 auron, 4:7 sixton – minor seventh and 1:2 double square – octave (Wilkinson 1989, 69). A geometric method was used to determine the presence of a particu- lar proportion in the specific part of the sanctuary in question. The essence of this is the use of similar rectangles. 4 The simplest geometric way of de- termining the relationship between two sides of a rectangle is the diagonal, which allows a proportional grid to be drawn. This shows two things: the degree to which it corresponds to the format and inner structure of the part being analysed and, based on the field of such a proportional grid, it is also possible to determine the size of the module according to which the grid is calibrated. An essential condition for the credibility of the re- sults of the geometric method is the accuracy of the drawing. This is no longer a problem with the use of digital drawing tools, which were also used in our analyses. The complexity of the tent of the tabernacle’s composition The result of the compositional analysis of the individual parts of the Jewish portable sanctuary, based on the described starting points, is sur- prisingly extensive material that fulfils the pre-set minimum condition that the proportional grid of the selected proportion fits at least with the outer edge of the considered work, whereby the module of such a pro- portional network is expressed by integer multiples of the units of the Old 4 More on this in Scholfield 1958, 102–105. 259 Unity and Dialogue 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 MUSICAL PROPORTIONS IN A JEWISH PORTABLE SANCTUARY Testament measurement system. 5 The stated condition is fulfilled by 102 analyses. According to the proportions presented, they are distributed in the following shares: 1:1 six, 8:9 five, 5:6 eleven, 4:5 twelve, 3:4 ninete- en, 2:3 nineteen, 3:5 thirteen, 4:7 one and 1:2 sixteen. The final selection of compositional analyses is the result of the introduction of an additional condition. According to this, in addition to matching the format of the work in question, the proportional grid must also be harmonized to some extent with its internal structure. The vagueness of such a condition is a consequence of the contradiction involved in the search for the largest possible module. On the one hand, this increases the persuasiveness of the presence of a certain proportion in the part of architecture that is the subject of analysis but, on the other hand, due to its size, it necessarily only partially or only exceptionally fits with its finer internal structure. The described paradox is beautifully shown in the proportional analysis of the fanum – the courtyard that surrounds the holy tabernacle in a ratio of 1:2. 6 The latter covers the fanum surface next to the 100S module with only one field (Figure 01). A proportional mesh of the same proportion, structured with a ten-times smaller module, 10S, corresponds with all the pillars of the longitudinal part of the fanum enclosure and with every other pillar of its transverse part (Figure 02). The material sifted with the added condition shows fifty-three analyses that are worthy of a more detailed presentation. According to the discus- sed parts of the portable sanctuary, they are arranged in the following shares: the fanum of the sanctuary 7, the fence of the fanum 8, the floor plan of the sacred tent 9, the longitudinal facade of the sacred tent 7, its transverse facade 8, the covering of the sacred tent 7 and the roof cover of the sacred tent 7. Among the modules, 2S is the most common. It appe- ars in 17 analyses. The others follow in noticeably smaller proportions: 1S seven times, 3S and 10S four times, 2P three times, then 6S, 5S, 4S, 20P, 10F and 6F twice and 100S, 50P, 5P, 4P and 1P once. 5 The Old Testament system of measures of length consists of the following units and their interrela- tionships. The basic unit is the cubit (C). It consists of two spans (S). Each span is divided into three palms (P) and each palm is further divided into four fingers (F) (Powell 1992, 899–908). 6 Double square. 260 Edinost in dialog 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 LEON DEBEVEC The presence of the auron in the Jewish portable sanctuary The available scope of the discussion precludes a more detailed presen- tation of all the proportional analyses. Further presentation will therefore be limited to only one of the proportions. The chosen ratio is the auron, 3:5. There are at least three reasons for its representativeness, although it does not stand out from the others in terms of persuasiveness: in biblical texts it is written in relation to the most excellent element of the Jewish portable sanctuary – the »ark of the covenant« (Exodus 25:10, 17), 7 propor- tional analyses confirmed its presence in all the considered parts of the portable sanctuary, and the proportion itself is also an expression of the golden section, the auron, with small whole numbers. In terms of size, the largest part of the portable sanctuary is the fanum. The 3:5 ratio is present in the fanum with the 20P module. A proportional grid calibrated according to it and with cell orientation: longitudinal 3, transverse 5, covers the surface of the fanum with ten cells in the longitudi- nal direction and three in the transverse direction. The transverse division of such a network corresponds with every other pole of the longitudinal part of the fanum fence (Figure 03). 8 In the fanum enclosure, the auron is revealed with a ten times smaller module. 9 A proportional grid calibrated according to it, whose cells are oriented: horizontally 3, vertically 5, divides the surface of the enclosure 7 »And they shall make an arc of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof! [...] And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof! « 8 We place the diagonal d1 of the considered proportion in the corner of the fanum O1. The diagonal intersects the opposite longitudinal edge of the fanum at point O2. The horizontal H1 placed here determines point O3 on the opposite edge of the fanum and with it also the position of the next diagonal d2, its intersection with the edge of the fanum O4 and the horizontal H2 drawn through it. The latter defines point O5 on the longitudinal edge of the fanum. We place a new diagonal d3 on it, with which we determine point O6 on the opposite edge, and with it also the position of the horizontal H3. Its intersection with the opposite edge at point O7 determines the position of the last diagonal d4. It intersects the transverse edge of the fanum at point O8, through which we draw the vertical V1. Diagonals d1, d2 and d3 determine the intersections P1, P2 and P3, through which we draw horizontals H4, H5 and H6. We continue the analysis by placing the diagonal d1' at the corner 01' which is diagonally opposite the starting point. The diagonal intersects the horizontal H3 at point P4, through which we draw the vertical V2. The intersections of this vertical with the other diagonals, P5, P6 and P7, determine the positions of the missing horizontals of the proportional grid. 9 Two palms. 261 Unity and Dialogue 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 MUSICAL PROPORTIONS IN A JEWISH PORTABLE SANCTUARY into three parts by height, while its vertical division in the rhythm of five cells corresponds with all the pillars of the fence (Figure 04). 10 The auron proportion covers the floor of the tabernacle with only two cells, oriented longitudinally 5 and transversely 3. The size of the cell is de- termined by module 6S. The transverse that delimits the cells corresponds to the joint of the tenth panel of the tent frame with the eleventh. 11 Note that the outer edge of the extended grid for the half-field in the longitudi- nal direction corresponds with the lower edge of the obliquely tensioned roof covering (Figure 05). In the proportional analysis of the longitudinal facade, the auron propor- tion appears with module 4S. According to it, the calibrated grid with cell orientation: horizontal 3, vertical 5, covers the format of the facade area with a total of five cells. Its vertical division corresponds with the joints of the fourth with the fifth panel, the eighth with the ninth, the twelfth with the thirteenth and the sixteenth with the seventeenth (Figure 06). 12 A half module 13 shows the presence of the golden section on the transverse facade of the sanctuary. A grid with cell orientation: horizontal 3, vertical 5, covers the facade surface with three cells in the horizontal direction and two in the vertical direction, while its vertical division corresponds to the 10 We place the proportional diagonal d1 in the corner of the transverse fence of the fanum O1. The diagonal intersects the upper edge of the considered surface at point O2, where we can place the first vertical of the proportional grid V1. This defines a new point O3 on the opposite edge of the fence. We continue the division along the horizontal edge of the plane in the described manner. The last diagonal d17 intersects the vertical edge of the plane at point O34. At point O34, we draw the horizontal line H1. This intersects the drawn diagonals at points P1, P2, P3, ... and P16. Through them we draw new verticals of the proportional grid. We repeat the described way of dividing the area of the fence in question by placing the diagonal d1' at the corner O1', which is diagonally oppo- site the starting point. Diagonal d1' drawn through this point intersects vertical V16 at point P17, through which we draw another horizontal H2. This determines a new set of intersections with the diagonals (d1 to d17), and with them also the positions of the missing verticals of the proportional grid. 11 We begin the proportional analysis of the floor plan of sacred tent by placing the proportional dia- gonal d1 in the corner O1. The diagonal intersects the longitudinal edge of the sanctuary opposite the corner at point O2, through which we draw the horizontal H1. Thus, we get a new intersection with the longitudinal side on the opposite side O3. We draw a diagonal d2 through it. It ends exactly at the starting point diagonally opposite corner O4. 12 We place the proportional diagonal d1 in the lower left corner of the facade O1. The diagonal inter- sects the upper edge of the facade at point O2. Through it we draw the vertical V1, which intersects the lower edge of the facade at point O3. We repeat the described procedure four more times. The last diagonal dz ends exactly in the upper left corner Oz of the facade. 13 Two spans. 262 Edinost in dialog 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 LEON DEBEVEC joints of the second panel with the third and the fourth with the fifth (Figure 07). 14 Proportional analysis of the covering shows the presence of the golden section in the format of the set. It is revealed by module 4S, which has already been encountered in the analysis of the longitudinal facade. The proportional grid designed in this way with cell orientation: horizontal 3, vertical 5, covers the format of the connecting area with seven cells in the horizontal direction and three in the vertical direction. Note that the offsets of the horizontal subdivisions of the grid away from the joints between the carpets are the same size as the overlap between the set of carpets (Figure 08). 15 The six times smaller module 16 shows the auron proportion in the roof covering. The proportional grid designed according to this module with cell orientation: horizontal 5, vertical 3, covers the roof covering format with eighteen cells in the horizontal direction and thirty-two cells in the vertical direction. The horizontal division of this rather dense mesh is cap- tured by the entire internal structure of the roof covering (Figure 09). 17 14 We place the proportional diagonal d1 in the lower left corner of the facade O1. The diagonal inter- sects the upper edge of the facade at point O2. Through it we draw the vertical V1, which intersects the lower edge of the facade at point O3. We draw a diagonal d2 through it. It intersects the vertical edge of the facade at point O4, through which we draw the horizontal line H1. It intersects diagonal d1 at point P1, the position of the last vertical of the proportional grid. 15 We place the diagonal d1 of the considered proportion in the corner of the set of carpets O1. The diagonal intersects the opposite edge of the set of carpets at point O2. We place the vertical V1 thro- ugh it, which defines a new intersection O3 opposite this intersection. We place a new diagonal d2 at it, which determines the intersection O4 on the opposite edge, in which we place the vertical V2. In the same way, we place the diagonal d1' in the starting point of the analysis, the diagonally opposite corner of the set of carpets O1'. It intersects the vertical V2 at point P1 and the opposite edge at point O5. Through the first we draw the horizontal H1, and through the second the vertical V3. The horizontal H1 intersects both the diagonal d2 at point P2 and the diagonal d1 at point P3. We place the new verticals V4 and V5 in them. The vertical V3 intersects the diagonal d2 at point P4, through which we draw the horizontal H2. The latter, with the diagonal d1, determines the last intersection of the proportional grid P5, through which we draw the vertical V6. 16 Two palms. 17 The proportional diagonal d1 is drawn through the corner of the roof covering O1. The diagonal intersects the opposite edge of the covering at point O2. We place the first horizontal H1 at the point and determine with it the intersection with the opposite edge O3. At the resulting intersection, we place the diagonal d2, which intersects the edge of the roof covering at point O4. Here we place the vertical V1. It intersects the diagonal d1 at point P1, through which we place the horizontal H2. The procedure described so far is repeated, except that we take the corner of the roof covering O1' diagonally opposite the starting corner as the starting point. The diagonal d1' placed in it intersects the vertical V1 at point P2. The horizontal line H3 is drawn through it. This determines the inter- section of P3 with the diagonal d2. The vertical V2 drawn through this point intersects the diagonal d1 at point P4, where the horizontal H4 is placed. The same vertical also intersects the diagonal 263 Unity and Dialogue 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 MUSICAL PROPORTIONS IN A JEWISH PORTABLE SANCTUARY At least three conclusions can be drawn from the refined set of composi- tional analyses with the presented criteria: 1. Musical proportions are not just some sort of by-product or curiosity of the defined measurements of the most important parts of the Jewish portable sanctuary, but regulate almost all of its essential design features. 2. The presence of a whole set of musical proportions in the compositional subcutaneous of the Jewish portable sanctuary can be confirmed. The compositional analysis confirmed the convincing presence of proporti- ons of 1:1, 2:3, 3:5 and 1:2 in all the considered parts of the sanctuary. The presence of the proportion 4:7 is confirmed to the smallest extent, since it only appears in the analysis of the set of carpets of the covering of the sacred tent. 3. The degree of presence of musical proportions in the composition of the Jewish portable sanctuary is balanced, to the extent that none of the proportions stand out among the others due to their presence to such d1' at point P5. It determines the horizontal position of H5. The construction of the proportional grid is continued by placing a new diagonal d2' in the intersection point O3' determined by the horizontal H2 and the edge of the covering. The diagonal defines two new intersections: P6 with the vertical V2 and O4' with the edge of the roof covering. The intersection P6, through which the horizontal H6 is drawn, intersects the diagonal d1 at point P7. We place a new vertical V3 in it. The vertical V1' placed at the intersection point O4' also determines two intersections: P8 with diagonal d1 and P9 with diagonal d2. Horizontal H7 in the first and horizontal H8 in the second. We con- tinue with the proportional analysis with the placement of the mirrored diagonal d1 - d1zr in the starting opposite corner of the cover O5. It defines as many as four new intersections. The first P10 with diagonal d2', the second P11 with diagonal d1, the third P12 with vertical V3 and the fourth P13 with diagonal d1'. The horizontal H9 placed through the intersection point P10 intersects the diagonal d1 at point P14 and thus allows the vertical V4 to be drawn through it. The horizontal H10 placed through point P11 intersects the diagonal d2' at point P15 and thus allows the vertical V5 to be drawn through it. The horizontal H11 drawn through point P12 intersects both the diagonal d1 at point P16, through which the vertical V6 is drawn, and the diagonal d2' at point P17, through which the vertical V7 is drawn. Through point P13 are drawn both the horizontal H12 and the vertical V8, which determines the intersection of P18 with the diagonal d1, through which the horizontal H13 is drawn. Vertical V4 intersects diagonal d2' at point P19. The horizontal line H14 is drawn through it. The same vertical also intersects diagonal d1' at point P20; The horizontal H15 is drawn through it; and diagonal d2 at point P21, which simultaneously determines the position of horizontal H16. Vertical V5 defines four intersections with the diagonals drawn: with diagonal d2 at point P22, with diagonal d1' at point P23, with diagonal d1 at point P24 and with diagonal d1zr at point P25. Horizontals H17, H18, H19 and H20 are drawn through the listed points. Vertical V6 defines two new intersections with diagonals: with diagonal d2 at point P26 and with diagonal d2' at point P27. The horizontal lines H21 and H22 are drawn through the two points. The horizontal H16 intersects the diagonal d1' at point P28, through which the vertical V9 is drawn. It intersects both diagonal d2 at point P29 and diagonal d1 at point P30. The horizontals H23 and H24 are drawn thorough the two points. The horizontal H17 intersects the diagonal d1' at point P31. Vertical V10 is drawn through it. It intersects the diagonal d1zr at point P32, and the position of the horizontal H25, which deter- mines with the diagonal d1 the last intersection P33, necessary to complete the proportional grid. 264 Edinost in dialog 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 LEON DEBEVEC an extent that it could be called the leading compositional principle of the considered architecture. The compositional diversity raises the question of the quality of the archi- tectural work composed in this way. An astute researcher and connoisseur of the nature of works of art, Roman Ingarden, cites among the necessary features of an architectural work the requirement that the spatial form it embodies »is such that the principle of its building can be seen in it « (Ingarden 1980, 186). According to him, the composition of the holy taber- nacle, if it is to be a superior work of art, should be governed by only one compositional key. So how should we understand the balanced presence of musical proportions in the architecture of the holy tabernacle? The aliquot principle in the composition of the Jewish portable sanctuary The answer to the question is to be found in the specific nature of mu- sical proportions. It appears when comparing the proportional grids of the considered proportions, which are the result of compositional analyses of individual parts of the portable sanctuary. Specifically, when such a group of proportional grids is »stacked « one on top of the other, we find that some of them fit exactly in certain places. It is an obvious internal mutual harmony of proportions, the inherent inter-compatibility of musical proportions. This is to be expected, since musical proportions are originally derived from the logic of the oscillation of a variously divi- ded tensioned string. In order to make it easier to understand the princi- ple of inter-compatibility in the family of musical proportions, they are presented separately graphically with a waveform on an axis of uniform length (Figure 10). The wave presentation of a single proportion shows two key characteristics. The first determines the intersection of the wave with its axis. Since it is a logic of oscillation, the point in question can be called the »point of calm « or node. The long characteristic of a wave is the point at which the wave is farthest from its axis. The latter is called the »extremity point « or antinode. A comparison of the proportions pre- sented in this way shows different moments of their inter-compatibility. Thus, the node of the proportion 5:6 corresponds to the antinode of the proportion 8:9 on the eighth wave and of the proportion 2:3 on the third 265 Unity and Dialogue 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 MUSICAL PROPORTIONS IN A JEWISH PORTABLE SANCTUARY wave. Similarly, the node of the proportion 3:4 corresponds to the antino- de of the proportion 5:6 on the fifth wave and the proportion 1:2 on the second wave. The position of the node of the proportion 2:3 corresponds to the position of the nodes of the proportion 5:6 between the fourth and fifth waves and the proportion 8:9 between the sixth and seventh waves. The position of the node of the proportion 3:5 corresponds to the position of the node of the proportion 4:5 between the third and fourth waves. The proportion 1:2 shows the richest harmony with the other pro- portions. Its node corresponds to the nodes of the proportions 3:4 betwe- en the second and third waves and the 5:6 between the third and fourth waves. At the same time, it also corresponds to the antinodes of all other proportions; with the proportion 1:1 on the first wave, with the proportion 8:9 on the fifth wave, with the proportion 4:5 on the third wave, with the proportion 2:3 on the second wave, with proportion 3:5 on the third wave and with the proportion 4:7 on the fourth wave. The reason for our attention to the presented inter-compatibility is not so much in the geometric, mathematical or physical »purity « of the phenomenon, althou- gh the latter is impressive, but in its effect. The essence of using a certain proportional key in an architectural composition is to pursue a particular effect or character of the composition in which it is used. The demonstra- ted inter-compatibility in the family of musical proportions shows that their co-presence in the composition, at the level of effect, does not cre- ate discrepancies. Quite the opposite. It enriches the characteristic effect in a way that is known in the world of music as the »aliquot « principle. Aliquot tones 18 are almost inaudible consonant tones with a certain basic tone which, together with it, form a sound, a tonal »alloy «. This is crucial to the basic tonal colour (Becker 1957, 156–64). When we try to translate this unique phenomenon from the world of sounds into the architectural language of the discussed topic, the question is appropriate of what is the »basic tone « of the architectural composition of the Jewish portable sanctu- ary, which is enriched by the musical proportions present in it according to the aliquot principle. The status of the basic tone in the composition under consideration seems to belong to the golden section. From the 18 Also resonant tones, subtones, partial tones, higher harmonic tones. Aliquot tones were discovered by Marin Mersenne (1588–1648). 266 Edinost in dialog 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 LEON DEBEVEC logic of the first and second Fibonacci number series, 19 namely, we know that the proportions 1:1, 1:2, 2:3, 3:5, 3:4 and 4:7 are different expressions (approximations) of the golden ratio with small whole numbers. To conclude; the writers and redactors of biblical descriptions of the Jewish portable sanctuary, be it mere fiction or real architecture, were aware that an important, if not essential, feature of a complete work of art worthy of divine authorship is its imaginative composition. The golden ratio was chosen as its »basic tone « as a kind of beauty matrix, the principle of all creation expressed through numbers. It is written into the compo- sition of the holy tabernacle with the entire spectrum of musical propor- tions, with the obvious intention of bringing it to life in all its richness and harmoniously tuned variety. The way in which excellence is shown to be woven into the text of Exodus shows the virtuosity of the priestly elite of that time, who were aware that knowledge of how to approach the quality of transcendent beauty in the coordinates of this world can be safeguarded only if it is woven into sacred texts that are untouchable for the majority. Discussion The discussion showed the depth and variety of the presence of musical proportions in the underlying tissue of the Jewish portable sanctuary. The established inter-compatibility, which can be discerned in the com- positional analysis in the partial mutual matching of the proportional grids, can serve the further research of this architecture towards resol- ving the textual ambiguities of the biblical descriptions of the portable sanctuary’s architectural image, since in a perfect architectural work of art, the author of which is Yahweh himself, there can be nothing that would be an expression of vagueness or even arbitrariness. There is no shortage of open questions in this regard; where the interior covering is placed between the holy and the holy of holies, what the floor plan »format «of the holy of holies is, what the structure of the tent's floor is, how the tables for the shewbread and the altar of incense are placed in the holy, what the 19 More on this Debevec 2023, 395. 267 Unity and Dialogue 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 MUSICAL PROPORTIONS IN A JEWISH PORTABLE SANCTUARY appearance of the entrance façade is, where the sacrificial altar is, where the laver for the clergy is and what its shape is, what the structure of the anchor ropes of the tent is and the fence of the courtyard, how the tent is placed in the courtyard surrounding it, to name just the most obvious. The directions in which the findings from the research on the architectural features of the Jewish portable sanctuary point are finally a kind of proof that we can, with the wealth of directions for treating biblical texts from theological, philosophical, historical, cultural-historical, sociological, nor- mative, narrative, literary, symbolic and contemplative, to list only those that thought of the Bible immediately bring to mind, also talk about the legitimacy of the architectural layer by which the Bible is also a first-rate architectural theoretical work. 268 Edinost in dialog 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 LEON DEBEVEC References Becker, Oskar. 1957. Frühgriechische Mathematik und Musiklehre. Archiv für Musikwissenschaft 14: 156–164. Debevec, Leon. 2018. Genealogija prostora v bibličnih besedilih: Stvarjenje. Edinost in dialog 74/1: 195–212. – – –. 2021. Spatial Images in Biblical Texts: Exodus. Bogoslovni vestnik 81/3: 655–668. – – –. 2023. The Deep Structure of the Jewish Portable Sanctuary. Edinost in dialog 78/2: 383–403. Holly Bible. n.d. Http://www.biblegateway. com/passage/?search=Exodus (acesssed 12. 10. 2024). Ingarden, Roman. 1980. Eseji iz estetike. Ljubljana: Slovenska matica Ljubljana. Kurent, Tine. 2002. Arhitektov zvezek. Ljubljana: Nuit. Muhovič, Jožef. 2015. Leksikon likovne teorije. Ljubljana: Celjska Mohorjeva družba. Scholfield, Peter Hugh. 1958. The Theory of Proportion in Architecture. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Sveto pismo: Peteroknjižje. 2014. Ljubljana: Družina. Powell, A. Marvin. 1992. Weights and mea- sures. In: The Anchor Bible Dictionary. Vol. 6, Si-Z, 899–908. New York: Doubleday. Wilkinson, Scott. 1989. Microtonal Musings. Music Technology (August): 68–71. 269 Unity and Dialogue 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 MUSICAL PROPORTIONS IN A JEWISH PORTABLE SANCTUARY Figure 01: The proportion 1:2 in the fanum of the sanctuary. Module is 100S. 270 Edinost in dialog 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 LEON DEBEVEC Figure 02: The proportion 1:2 in the fanum of the sanctuary. Module is 10S. 271 Unity and Dialogue 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 MUSICAL PROPORTIONS IN A JEWISH PORTABLE SANCTUARY Figure 03: The proportion 3:5 in the fanum of the sanctuary. Module is 20P. 272 Edinost in dialog 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 LEON DEBEVEC Figure 04: The proportion 3:5 in the fanum enclosure. Module is 2P. 273 Unity and Dialogue 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 MUSICAL PROPORTIONS IN A JEWISH PORTABLE SANCTUARY Figure 05: The proportion 3:5 in the ground plan of the holy tabernacle. Module is 6S. 274 Edinost in dialog 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 LEON DEBEVEC Figure 06: The proportion 3:5 in the longitudinal facade of the holy tabernacle. Module is 4S. 275 Unity and Dialogue 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 MUSICAL PROPORTIONS IN A JEWISH PORTABLE SANCTUARY Figure 07: The proportion 3:5 in the transverse facade of the holy tabernacle. Module is 2S. 276 Edinost in dialog 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 LEON DEBEVEC Figure 08: The proportion 3:5 in the covering of the holy tabernacle. Module is 4S. 277 Unity and Dialogue 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 MUSICAL PROPORTIONS IN A JEWISH PORTABLE SANCTUARY Figure 09: The proportion 3:5 in the roof coverings of the holy tabernacle. Module is 2P. 278 Edinost in dialog 80 (2025) 1: 255–278 LEON DEBEVEC Figure 10: Schematic presentation of mutual correspondence of musical proportions.