אִיסְטְבָא, [also ָה, a. with one ו] m. (Ispe. noun of סב, סבב = h. אִיסְטֵיב q. v., b. h. מֵסֵב; v. אִיסְ־) a surrounding, attachment, whence
אִיסְטְבָא, balcony, colonnade, portico(also an independent colonnade), esp. הָאִ׳ the Itst’ba (Ist’ba) the Temple portico. Pes. I, 5 (11ᵇ) על גג האיצ׳ Ms. M. (Bab. ed. incorr. גב, Var. אִסְטְוָה, v. Rabb. D. S. a. l. note). Ib. 13ᵇ one recited על גב on top (inside) …, say על גג הא׳ on the roof of the Its. (so as to expose it to public view). Y. Sabb. I, 2ᵈ bot. איסטוה וכ׳; Bab. Sabb. 7ᵃ איצ׳ שלפני העמודים a balcony in front of the columns (projecting into the street, used as a stand for dealers, v. אִיסְטֵיב). Ib. דוקא א׳ דלא ניחא תשמישיה Ms. M. (ed. א׳ הוא דלא) only the colonnade the use of which for passers by is not convenient. Num. R. s. 12 two columns of silver which were placed in front of the Ark כמין איסטווה (Cant. R. to I, 11 אִיסְטְוִוין pl.) forming a kind of balcony; Y. Sot. VIII, 22ᶜ תנם לא׳ allow the surplus of three handbreadths (over the space occupied by the Tablets) for the balcony.—Yoma 49ᵃ דעבוד מעשה אסטווה Ar. (ed. איצ׳) they (the laymen) served only the purpose of a portico (holding the bowls up to view, v. Pes. I, 5, but not handing them to the altar).—Y. Succ. V, 55ᵃ bot., v. דִּיפְּלֵי.
אִיסְטְבָא, (cmp. הֶסֵּב, הֲסִיבָּה) something to recline on; couch, seat. Kidd. 70ᵃ, (to one using the high-toned קרפיטא q. v.) א׳ דאמרי אינשי call it itst’ba as the people do.—M. Kat. 10ᵇ למבני א׳ Ar. a. ed. (Var. as Yoma l. c.) to build a temporary banqueting place for guests during the festive week, cmp. אַכְוַרְנְקָא, (Rashi: stone building, Ms. Rashi כסא).—Pl. אִיצְטְבָאוֹת (h. form). Ex. R. s. 31 (basilicas).—אִיצְטְבֵי (Chald. form). Pes. 65ᵇ דמסגי אא׳ they (the priests) walked alongside the walls on balconies (projecting boards made for them that they should not tread on the blood); Y. ib. V, 32ᶜ bot. מִסְטְוָיוֹת, V. מִסְטְוָה.
