The Stones of the Altar That Make Peace

Rabbi Yishmael says: every "if" in the Torah is optional, except for three. "And if you bring a meal offering of first fruits" (Leviticus 2:14) is obligatory - or is it merely optional? Scripture teaches, "you shall bring the meal offering of your first fruits," obligatory and not optional. Similarly, "If you lend money to My people" (Exodus 22:24) is obligatory - or merely optional? Scripture teaches, "you shall surely lend to him" (Deuteronomy 15:8), obligatory and not optional. "And if you make an altar of stones" is obligatory - or merely optional? Scripture teaches, "you shall build of whole stones" (Deuteronomy 27:6), obligatory and not optional. "An altar of earth you shall make for Me" is optional and not obligatory. And what does Scripture teach by saying "and if you make an altar of stones"? Only that if one wished to make it of stones he may, of bricks he may. And these matters are a case of inference from minor to major: just as with the altar, which is weighty, if one wished to change he may change, all the more so for the rest of the vessels. "You shall not build them of hewn stone" (Exodus 20:25) - "hewn" means only stones that have been cut, over which iron has been waved. I might hear that the whole altar is invalid; Scripture teaches, "you shall not build them of hewn stone" - they are invalid, but the rest of the altar is fit. "You shall not build them of hewn stone" - of it you do not build hewn stone, but you do build with hewn stone in the Sanctuary and in the Holy of Holies. For by logic: just as the altar, which is lighter, is forbidden to be built of hewn stone, the Sanctuary and Holy of Holies, which are weightier, by logic should also be forbidden; therefore Scripture teaches, "you shall not build them of hewn stone" - of it you do not build hewn stone, but you do build hewn stone in the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies. And how do I uphold "and the hammers and the axe, any iron tool, was not heard in the house" (I Kings 6:7)? In the house it was not heard, but outside it was heard. "For you have waved your sword over it and profaned it" (Exodus 20:25). From here Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar would say: the altar was created to lengthen a person's years, and iron shortens a person's days; it is not right that what shortens should be waved over what lengthens. Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai says: behold, it says, "you shall build of whole stones" - stones that cast peace between Israel and their Father in Heaven. And these matters are a case of inference from minor to major: if the stones of the altar, which neither see nor hear nor speak, because they cast peace between Israel and their Father in Heaven, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "do not wave iron over them," then one who casts peace between a man and his wife, between one man and another, between city and city, between nation and nation, between family and family, between government and government - how much more so shall no calamity come upon him. "And you shall not go up by steps" (Exodus 20:26). From here they said: make a ramp for the altar. I would know only of going up; from where do I learn going down? Scripture teaches, "that your nakedness not be uncovered upon it" - thus it is not the going up or going down that caused it, but the covering that mattered. Rabbi Yishmael says: it is not necessary; behold, it says, "and make for them linen breeches" (Exodus 28:42). And what does Scripture teach by saying "that your nakedness not be uncovered upon it"? That they should not take a wide stride upon it, but toe beside heel and heel beside toe. "That your nakedness not be uncovered upon it" - upon it you do not take an extra-wide stride, but you may take a wide stride in the Sanctuary and the Holy of Holies. For by logic: just as the altar, which is lighter, you forbid taking a wide stride upon, the Sanctuary and Holy of Holies, which are weightier, by logic should be forbidden; therefore Scripture teaches, "that your nakedness not be uncovered upon it" - upon it you do not stride wide, but you do stride wide in the Sanctuary and Holy of Holies. And these matters are a case of inference from minor to major: just as the stones, which have no awareness of bad or good, the Omnipresent said, "do not treat them with contempt," your fellow, who is in the likeness of the One who spoke and the world came to be, by logic you should not treat with contempt. "That your nakedness not be uncovered upon it" - followed by "and these are the ordinances." We find from this that the Sanhedrin arranges its seat beside the altar; although there is no proof for the matter, there is a remembrance for it: "and Yoav fled to the Tent of the LORD and grasped the horns of the altar" (I Kings 2:28).