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זבחים 62:1
Soncino English Talmud · Berean Standard Bible
or over cellars. R. Joseph said: Is that not which was taught: And they set the altar upon its bases, [which means] that they attained to its final measurements? But surely it is written, And all this [do I give thee] in writing, as the Lord hath made me wise by His hand upon me, even all works of this pattern? Rather said R. Joseph: They found a text and interpreted it: Then David said: This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of burnt-offering for Israel: [this intimated that the altar was] like the house: as the house was sixty cubits [in length], so were there sixty cubits for the altar. As for the Temple, it is well, for its outline was distinguishable; but how did they know [the site of] the altar? — Said R. Eleazar: They saw [in a vision] the altar built, and Michael the great prince standing and offering upon it. While R. Isaac Nappaha said: They saw Isaac's ashes lying in that place. R. Samuel b. Nahman said: From [the site of] the whole House they smelt the odour of incense, while from there [the site of the altar] they smelt the odour of limbs. Rabbah b. Hanah said in R. Johanan's name: Three prophets went up with them from the Exile: one testified to them about [the dimensions of] the altar; another testified to them about the site of the altar; and the third testified to them that they could sacrifice even though there was no Temple. In a Baraitha it was taught, R. Eleazar b. Jacob said: Three prophets went up with them from the Exile: one who testified to them about [the dimensions of] the altar and the site of the altar; another who testified to them that they could sacrifice even though there was no Temple; and a third who testified to them that the Torah should be written in Assyrian characters. Our Rabbis taught: The horn, the ascent, the base and squareness are indispensable; the measurements of its length, breadth and height are not indispensable. How do we know it? — Said R. Huna, Scripture saith, ‘The altar’, and wherever ‘the altar’ is said it is indispensable. If so, are the laver, according to Rabbi, and the terrace, according to R. Jose son of R. Judah, also indispensable, because it is written, And thou shalt put it under the karkob [ledge] round the altar beneath, and it was taught: What was the karkob? Rabbi said: It was the laver; R. Jose son of R. Judah said: It was the terrace! — Yes [it is indeed so], for it was taught: On that day the horn of the altar was damaged, and they brought a lump of salt and stopped it up. Not because it was [now] fit for service, but that it should not appear damaged, for every altar which lacks a horn, ascent, base and squareness is invalid. R. Jose son of R. Judah said: The same applies to the terrace. Our Rabbis taught: What was the karkob? [A strip] between one horn and another horn a cubit [in breadth], where the priests walked. Did then the priests walk between one horn and another? — Rather say: and there was [a strip of] a cubit where the priests walked. But it is written, Under the karkob round it beneath, reaching halfway up! — Said R. Nahman b. Isaac: There were two, one for ornamental purposes, and the other for the priests, that they should not slip. ‘The measurements of its length, breadth, and height are not indispensable.’ Said R. Mani: provided that it is not smaller than the altar made by Moses. And how much is that? — Said R. Joseph: One cubit [square]. They ridiculed him: [quoting the text, And thou shalt make the altar . . . ] five cubits long, and five cubits broad! Said Abaye to him: perhaps the master meant the place of the pile? — The master [sc. yourself], who is a great man, knows what I meant, he replied. Then he dubbed them24
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