Difference between revisions of "Altars of Earth, Stone, and Wood/2"
(Original Author: Yonatan Novetsky, Yehuda Novetsky, Neima Novetsky, Rabbi Hillel Novetsky) |
(Original Author: Yonatan Novetsky, Yehuda Novetsky, Neima Novetsky, Rabbi Hillel Novetsky) |
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<point><b>"מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים"</b> – Most of these commentators associate this altar with the successor to the altar of the tabernacle: the altars in Shiloh, Nov, Givon, and the Temple, which were built from or filled with stones. Rashi and Ralbag, though, suggest that it refers to the stone altar built on Mt. Eival.</point> | <point><b>"מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים"</b> – Most of these commentators associate this altar with the successor to the altar of the tabernacle: the altars in Shiloh, Nov, Givon, and the Temple, which were built from or filled with stones. Rashi and Ralbag, though, suggest that it refers to the stone altar built on Mt. Eival.</point> | ||
<point><b>"נְבוּב לֻחֹת"</b> – These commentators explain this phrase to mean that the altar was made of wooden boards with a hollow inside (which was filled with earth).</point> | <point><b>"נְבוּב לֻחֹת"</b> – These commentators explain this phrase to mean that the altar was made of wooden boards with a hollow inside (which was filled with earth).</point> | ||
− | <point><b>Would not the wood burn?</b> – According to Rashi, the altar was hollow and filled with earth, and there was thus reduced fear of it burning.</point> | + | <point><b>Would not the wood burn?</b> – According to <multilink><aht source="RashiShemot30-3">Rashi</aht><aht source="RashiShemot30-3">Shemot 30:3</aht><aht parshan="Rashi">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</aht></multilink>, the altar was hollow and filled with earth, and there was thus reduced fear of it burning.<fn>Cf. <multilink><aht source="TanchumaTerumah11">Tanchuma</aht><aht source="TanchumaTerumah11">Terumah 11</aht><aht parshan="Tanchuma">About the Tanchuma</aht></multilink> and <aht source="Raavyah">Raavyah</aht>.</fn></point> |
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<point><b>"בְּכָל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי"</b> – </point> | <point><b>"בְּכָל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי"</b> – </point> | ||
<point><b>"...וְאִם מִזְבַּח"</b> – </point> | <point><b>"...וְאִם מִזְבַּח"</b> – </point> | ||
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− | <point><b>No steps for modesty</b> The Mekhiltas reinterpret the prohibition to refer to taking large steps. The priests are not to use stairs so that they do not approach Hashem with a "hasty step". Rashi, though, maintains that | + | <point><b>No steps for modesty</b> The Mekhiltas reinterpret the prohibition to refer to taking large steps. The priests are not to use stairs so that they do not approach Hashem with a "hasty step". Rashi, though, maintains that there is some immodesty in walking up stairs, even though the priests are wearing pants.</point> |
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<point><b>The Altar at Mt. Sinai</b> – </point> | <point><b>The Altar at Mt. Sinai</b> – </point> |
Version as of 05:07, 29 January 2014
Altars of Earth, Stone, and Wood
Exegetical Approaches
Overview
Shemot 20 and 27 appear to be at odds regarding the materials from which the altar was constructed, and commentators disagree as to how to reconcile the two accounts. The Mekhilta attempts to synthesize them by suggesting that the altar was made of wood, but filled with earth. Many later exegetes, though, understand that the two texts speak of different altars. Ibn Ezra explains that Shemot 20 speaks of the one-time altars at Mt. Sinai and Mt. Eival, while R. D"Z Hoffmann posits that Shemot 20 refers to altars made for individual use rather than for the entire nation. Finally, the Hoil Moshe suggests that the two chapters reflect a change in plans which occurred as a result of the sin of the Golden Calf.
Same Altar
This approach harmonizes the two sets of verses, suggesting that both refer to the altar of the Tabernacle, and the command in Shemot 20 is merely presenting additional aspects which are not mentioned in Shemot 27.
Different Locations
The commands to build an earthen or stone altar in Shemot 20 refer to altars which could co-exist with the altar in the Tabernacle but which were to be built outside the Tabernacle. These are distinct from the altar in the Tabernacle which is spoken about in Shemot 27. Commentators divide regarding which altars are referred to:
One-time Command to Build Specific Altars
The commandments to build earthen and stone altars constitute an individual directive to Moshe to build two specific altars, one at the foot of Mt Sinai, and one on Mt. Eival.
General Use of Bamot
The verses which speak of earth and stone altars refer to individual altars (bamot) used by non-priests outside the Tabernacle and the Temple for either sacrificial worship or slaughtering of meat.
- Bamot for individual sacrificial worship – Yefet asserts that the altars for individual sacrifice could be made from either earth or stone and that this verse, too, is a directive allowing such temporary altars.
- Slaughtering בשר תאווה – Two other Karaites, Nahawandi and Hadassi, maintain that this verse is referring to building stone altars for the slaughtering of non-sacrificial meat. They point to Shemuel I 14:32-35 as evidence, where Shaul commands his soldiers to slaughter their sheep and cattle on a large stone, instead of pouring the blood on the ground.9
- Permanent altars – R. D"Z Hoffman suggests that this command refers to the permanent and centralized altars of Mt. Eival, Shiloh and the Beit HaMikdash. According to R. Hoffmann, the earthen altars were allowed during periods of insecurity and unrest but during eras of peace, only one centralized, altar was to be used. As this was meant to be a permanent structure, it was made of stone.10
Different Eras
The commands in Shemot 20 and 27 refer to different time periods. Before the sin of the Golden Calf, when there were private altars, they were made out of earth or stone. After the sin of the Golden Calf, when the altar was only in the Mishkan, it was made out of wood and brass.