<b>Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered thereon (Exod. 20:23).</b> A logical conclusion may be derived from these words. If in regard to a stone, which understands neither good nor evil, the Holy One, blessed be He, warns you not to shame it, how much more (should you not shame) your companion, who is formed in the likeness of the Holy One, blessed be He. <i>For if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast profaned it</i> (Exod. 20:22). From this verse they argued that since the altar was created to prolong the life of man, while the iron blade shortens it, it would not be fitting to use a thing that shortens life upon that which prolongs it.
R. Johanan the son of Zakkai said: Scripture states: <i>Thou shalt build the altar of the Lord thy God of unhewn stones</i> (Deut. 27:6), for it will help to achieve peace between the Israelites and their Father in heaven. A logical conclusion may be derived from this. If the stones of the altar, which cannot see or hear or speak, achieve peace between Israel and their Father in heaven, so that the Torah commands that iron should not be wielded over them, how much more so, then, should one who promotes peace between husband and wife, or between a man and his companion, have his days and his years prolonged.
The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because of the evil inclination one’s years are shortened in this world, but in the world-to-come <i>He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces</i> (Isa. 25:8).