Zevachim

R. Jose said: This is the token: whatever is taken [from] within to be placed without,1 is placed as near as possible [to the inner altar]; and whatever is taken from without to be placed within, is taken from as near as possible [to the inner altar]. ‘Whatever is taken [from] within to be placed without’: What is it? If we say, the residue [of the blood], surely it is distinctly written thereof, [And all the remaining blood of the bullock shall he pour out] at the base of the altar of burnt-offering, which is at the door of the tent of meeting?2 Further, as to whatever is taken without to be placed within’, what is it? If we say, the coals of the Day of Atonement, surely it is explicitly written thereof, And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord?3 Rather, ‘whatever is taken within to be placed without’ means the two censers of the frankincense for the shewbread,4 which we infer from the residue [of the blood];5 and ‘Whatever is taken without to be placed within’ is the coals of every day.6 which are inferred from the coals of the Day of Atonement. Now, what does he hold?7 If he holds [that] the whole altar is in the south, he would have to carry it twenty-seven [cubits from the horn]?8 And even if he holds that the sanctity of the hekal and that of the ulam are one,9 yet he would have to carry it down twenty-two cubits?10 And if he holds that it was half in the north and half in the south, he would have to bring it down eleven cubits?11 And even if he holds that the sanctity of the hekal and that of the ulam are one, he would have to bring it down six cubits?12 Hence it must surely be that he holds that the whole altar was in the north, and these four cubits are as follows: one cubit for the base, one for the terrace, one for the horns, and one for the feet of the priests; for should one go further than this, there would no more be the door.13 Said R. Adda b. Ahabah:14 This is in accordance with R. Judah. For it was taught. R. Judah said: The altar stood in the middle of the Temple court.15 Now, it was thirty-two cubits [square], [of which] ten cubits faced the door of the hekal, and [it extended] eleven cubits on either side [thereof]. Thus the altar was exactly opposite the hekal. Yet even so, according to R. Judah he would have to bring it down eleven cubits? And even if he held that the sanctity of the hekal and that of the ulam are one, he would still have to bring it down six cubits? — Do you think that these four cubits include the cubit of the base and the cubit of the terrace? [No:] they are exclusive of the cubit of the base and the cubit of the terrace. Now, let us make this agree with R. Jose, and [assume] that [he too holds that] it stood in the centre?16 — Because we know definitely that R. Judah holds that it stood in the middle.17 R. Sherabia said: This is in accordance with R. Jose the Galilean. For it was taught: R. Jose the Galilean said: Since it says. And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar,18 while another verse states, [And thou shalt set] explicitly stated? side facing the door. thirty-two square. Now, deducting the five cubits which the door passed into the north, the nearest point to the door would thus be twenty-seven cubits from the opposite horn. was five cubits wider than that of the hekal on both sides (i.e., ten wider in all), five cubits can be deducted from the preceding calculation. from these sixteen. regarding R. Jose.