Zevachim

But surely it is said, A thousand burnt-offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar,1 while of the Eternal House2 it is said, And Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen,3 and when you calculate the number of burnt-offerings and the number of cubits, the latter was larger than the former?4 Rather, what does ‘was too little to receive’ mean? As one says to his neighbours. ‘So-and-so is a dwarf’, when he is unfit for [sacrificial] service.5 But R. Jose says well to R. Judah?6 — R. Judah is consistent with his view, for he maintained that the altar made by Moses was large. For it was taught: [And thou shalt make the altar of acacia wood.] five cubits long, and five cubits broad; [the altar shall be square]:7 this is meant literally: these are the words of R. Jose. R. Judah said: ‘Square’ is stated here, and ‘square’ is stated elsewhere:8 as there it was measured from the centre, so here it was measured from the centre. And how do we know [that it was so] there? — Because it is written, And the hearth9 shall be twelve cubits long by twelve cubits broad, square. You might think that it was only twelve cubits square; when, however, it says, to10 the four sides thereof, it teaches that the measurement was taken from the middle.11 And R. Jose?12 — The gezerah shawah refers to the height [of the altar]. For it was taught: And the height thereof shall be three cubits:13 this is meant literally: these are the words of R. Judah. R. Jose said: ‘Square’ is stated here, and ‘square’ is stated elsewhere:14 as there its height was twice its length, so here too [its height was] twice its length.15 Said R. Judah to him: Is it possible that the priest stood on the altar, performing the service, whilst all the people saw him from without?16 Said R. Jose to him: But surely it is stated, And the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar roundabout,17 [which teaches that] as the tabernacle was ten cubits [high], so was the altar ten cubits [high]; and it says. The hangings for the one side were fifteen cubits.18 cubit on all sides for the terrace where the priests walked. This left only one cubit square for the actual burning. Whereas in Solomon's altar the actual place for burning was twenty cubits square, according to R. Jose, which means four hundred times as large. If then the smaller altar could cope with a thousand animals, this larger one was surely more than enough for the number offered that day. Hence ‘was too little to receive’ etc. cannot be meant literally. here, the altar had become unfit for service, and that is delicately stated by saying that it was too small. the centre. Accordingly, Moses’ altar was ten cubits square, not five, and when the two cubits on all sides are deducted (v. n. 11, p. 296) it was still six as against Solomon's twenty cubits square. The latter therefore would not be large enough for the extra work it had to do. square shall it be; and two cubits shall be the height thereof. accordance with the Yalkut. context refers to the width, and accordingly emends: ‘and the hangings were fifteen cubits,’ omitting ‘and it says’ and ‘for one side’, this being a statement by R. Jose on their height, not a Biblical quotation.