Menachot 194

וחיק האמה ואמה רוחב וגבולה אל שפתה סביב זרת האחד וזה גב המזבח חיק האמה זה יסוד אמה רוחב זה סובב וגבולה אל שפתה סביב זרת האחד אלו קרנות זה גב המזבח זה מזבח הזהב

the bottom shall be a cubit, and a cubit the breadth, and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about a span;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., half a cubit.');">¹</span> and this shall be the base of the altar.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XLIII, 13.');">²</span>

ר' מאיר סבר זהו באמה בת חמשה הא כל אמות כלים באמה בת שש ורבי יהודה סבר כזה יהו כל אמות כלים

'The bottom shall be a cubit' refers to the base [of the altar 'and a cubit the breadth' refers to the sobeb; 'and the border thereof by the edge thereof round about a span refers to the horns;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' These were blocks measuring one cubit each side which were placed upon the four corners of the altar. The measurement of a span stated in this verse in regard to the horns is explained as referring to the distance from the middle of each surface in every direction, i.e., the four quarters of every surface each measured a span by a span, therefore the whole of the surface was a cubit-square.');">³</span> 'and this shall be the base of the altar' refers to the golden altar.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the golden altar was also measured by the cubit of five handbreadths.');">⁴</span>

קא סלקא דעתך מיסוד ועד סובב באמה בת חמישה בגובה ומאי חיק האמה ואמה רוחב הכי קא אמר מחיק האמה ועד רוחב באמה בת חמשה

Now R'Meir maintained that [only] this<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the golden altar, which was placed in the category of Temple vessels; on the other hand the outer altar was regarded as a Temple building.');">⁵</span> was measured by a cubit of five handbreadths but all the other vessels [in the Temple] were measured by a cubit of six handbreadths; whereas R'Judah maintained that like this [cubit] shall be all the cubits for the vessels.

גובה המזבח כמה הוי עשר אמות שית בני חמשה חמשה וארבעי בני שיתא שיתא

It was assumed that it was the height from the base to the sobeb that was measured by a cubit of five handbreadths;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whereas the other parts of the altar were measured by a cubit of six handbreadths. The various parts of the altar and their measurements will be easily gathered from the adjoining diagram which represents one side of the altar. (See drawing) . The numbers in the figure represent cubits: vfrgn a=the base; b = wall of the sobeb; c = the sobeb; d = place for the altar fire, ; e = the horns.');">⁶</span> and the verse, 'The bottom shall be a cubit and a cubit the breadth,' meant to say that [the height]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which was six cubits.');">⁷</span>

מזבח כמה הוי חמשין וארבעה פלגיה דמזבח כמה הוי עשרים ושבעה מקרנות ועד סובב כמה הוי עשרים וארבעה כמה בציר לפלגיה דמזבח תלתא ותנן חוט של סקרא חוגרו באמצע כדי להבדיל בין דמים העליונים לדמים התחתונים

from the base [which rose up] one cubit to [the sobeb which was] one cubit wide was measured by a cubit of five handbreadths. [Let us now consider:] The height of the altar was in all ten cubits, six [cubits] being of five handbreadths each and four of six handbreadths each.

אלא הא דתניא גבי עולת העוף היה עולה בכבש ופנה לסובב ובא לו לקרן דרומית [מזרחית] ומולק את ראשה ממול ערפה ומבדיל ומוצה את דמה על קיר המזבח ואם עשאה למטה מרגליו אפילו אמה אחת כשירה

Thus the height of the altar was fifty-four handbreadths, and the half thereof was twenty-seven handbreadths. [The distance] from the [top of the] horns down to the sobeb was twenty-four handbreadths, that is, three handbreadths less than half the height of the altar.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In other words the sobeb was three handbreadths above the middle line of the altar.');">⁸</span>

הא קא יהיב עליונה למטה משני טפחים

And we have learnt:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Mid. III, 1.');">⁹</span> A red line went around the altar in the middle<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., twenty-seven handbreadths above the ground.');">¹⁰</span>

אלא חיק האמה כניסה אמה רוחב כניסה גבולה אל שפתה סביב כניסה

to separate between blood that must be sprinkled above and blood that must be sprinkled below. How then could it have taught in connection with the burnt-offering of a bird that [the priest] went up the ascent, passed on to the sobeb and came to the south-eastern horn, nipped off the head close by its neck and divided it asunder, and drained out the blood on the altar wall, and that if he did it even one cubit's distance below his feet,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., he bent down low and drained out the blood of the offering against the wall of the sobeb upon which he stood.');">¹¹</span>

מזבח כמה הוה ליה שיתין פלגיה דמזבח כמה הוי תלתין מקרנות ועד סובב כמה הוי עשרים וארבעה כמה בציר לפלגיה דמזבח ששה ותנן אם עשאה למטה מרגליו אפילו אמה אחת כשרה

it was valid? He has then applied below, to the extent of two handbreadths, blood that must be applied above!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The blood of the burnt-offering of a bird must be applied above the red line, but by draining out the blood against the wall beneath his feet a cubit's distance down he has reached two handbreadths (taking the cubit to be five handbreadths) below the red line.');">¹²</span>

במאי אוקימתא בכניסה ומי מצית מוקמת לה בכניסה והא תנן מזבח היה שלשים ושתים על שלשים ושתים עלה אמה וכנס אמה זהו יסוד נמצא שלשים על שלשים

- It must be said, therefore, that 'the bottom shall be a cubit' refers to the rebatement<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the drawing in'. The cubit of five handbreadths spoken of in this verse was used only for measuring the depth or width of each ledge or platform round the altar.');">¹³</span> [of the base], 'a cubi the breadth' to the rebatement [of the sobeb], and 'the border thereof by the edge thereof round about' to the rebatement [of the horns].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the space taken up by the horns upon the altar surface.');">¹⁴</span>

שלשים ושני טפחים הוי

Accordingly the height of the altar was sixty handbreadths,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the measurements of the other parts of the altar, save those parts mentioned in this verse, were by the cubit of six handbreadths.');">¹⁵</span> and the half thereof was thirty handbreadths.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At which height from the ground ran the red line round the sides of the altar.');">¹⁶</span>

ותו עלה חמש וכנס אמה זהו סובב נמצא עשרים ושמונה על עשרים ושמונה עשרים ושמונה וארבע טפחים הוי

[The distance] from the [top of the] horns down to the sobeb was twenty-four handbreadths, that is, six handbreadths<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Or one cubit.');">¹⁷</span> less than half the height of the altar.

וכי תימא כיון דלא הוי אמה לא חשיב ליה מקום קרנות אמה מזה ואמה מזה נמצא עשרים ושש על עשרים ושש

And therefore we have learnt: If he did it even one cubit's distance below his feet, it was valid.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the draining of the blood was still performed in the upper part of the altar above the red line.');">¹⁸</span> How have you explained it?

עשרין ושבע הוו לא דק

As referring to the rebatements. But how can you explain it as referring to the rebatements?

מקום הילוך רגלי הכהנים אמה מזה ואמה מזה נמצא עשרים וארבע על עשרים וארבע מקום המערכה עשרים וחמשה הואי

Behold we have learnt: The altar was [at its base] thirty-two cubits long and thirty-two cubits wide. It rose up one cubit and receded one cubit:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On every side.');">¹⁹</span>

וכי תימא הכא נמי לא דק והא כתיב (יחזקאל מג, טז) והאריאל שתים עשרה אורך בשתים עשרה רוחב רבוע יכול שאינו אלא שתים עשרה על שתים עשרה כשהוא אומר אל ארבעת רבעיו מלמד שבאמצע הוא מודד שתים עשרה אמה לכל רוח ורוח

this formed the base; thus there were left thirty cubits by thirty.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Mid. III, 1.');">²⁰</span> According to you, however, it should be thirty cubits and two handbreadths by thirty cubits and two handbreadths!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the rebatement or width of each ledge was measured by a cubit of five handbreadths.');">²¹</span>

וכי תימא שית מינייהו מעיקרא באמה בת חמשה מייתי להו אם כן רווחא לה עזרה

And further we have learnt: It rose up five cubits and receded one cubit: this formed the sobeb; thus there were left twenty-eight cubits by twenty-eight.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Mid. III, 1.');">²⁰</span> According to you, however, it should be twenty-eight cubits and four handbreadths by twenty-eight cubits and four handbreadths! And should you say that since they<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The four additional handbreadths.');">²²</span>

דתנן כל העזרה היתה אורך מאה ושמונים ושבע על רוחב מאה ושלשים וחמש ממזרח למערב מאה שמונים ושבע מקום דריסת רגלי ישראל אחת עשרה אמה ומקום דריסת רגלי הכהנים אחת עשרה אמה המזבח שלשים ושתים בין אולם ולמזבח עשרים ושתים אמה ההיכל מאה אמה אחת עשרה אמה אחורי בית הכפורת

were less than one cubit [the Tanna] purposely omitted them, but we have learnt further: The place of the horns was one cubit on every side; thus there were left twenty-six cubits by twenty-six;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Mid. III, 1.');">²⁰</span> and according to you it should be twenty-seven by twenty-seven!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the handbreadths that were not reckoned now amount to one whole cubit!');">²³</span>

אלא חיק האמה בגובהה אמה רוחב כניסה גבולה אל שפתה סביב

- He was not exact [in his reckoning]. But we have learnt further: The place<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the top surface, beyond the horns, upon the altar.');">²⁴</span> on which the feet of the priests trod was one cubit on every side; thus there were left twenty-four cubits by twenty-four, the place for the altar fire.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Mid. III, 1.');">²⁰</span> According to you, however, it should be twenty-five by twenty-five! Should you say also here that he was not exact, but it is written, And the altar hearth shall be twelve cubits long by twelve broad, square.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XLIII, 16.');">²⁵</span> Now you might say that it was only twelve cubits by twelve; but when it also says, In the four quarters thereof,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ezek. XLIII, 16.');">²⁵</span> it teaches that one must measure from the middle twelve cubits in every direction!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., each quarter of the top surface of the altar must measure twelve cubits by twelve, therefore the whole top surface must be twenty-four by twenty-four. And as this is the teaching of the verse it cannot be said that the measurement is not exact!');">²⁶</span> And should you say that originally<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At the construction of the altar.');">²⁷</span> six [of the thirty-two cubits] were cubits of five handbreadths,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the last three cubits of each side of the base were of five handbreadths each, so that six of these cubits equalled five cubits of six handbreadths each; accordingly the length of each side was in reality thirty-one cubits.');">²⁸</span> then the Temple court must have had more space, and we have learnt: The Temple court was in all a hundred and eighty-seven cubits long and a hundred and thirty-five cubits wide. From east to west it was a hundred and eighty-seven cubits: the place where the feet of the Israelites trod<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The court of the Israelites, at the entrance of the Temple court.');">²⁹</span> was eleven cubits; the place where the feet of the priests trod<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The court of the priests. okut kfhv');">³⁰</span> was eleven cubits; the altar was thirty-two cubits; between the porch<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. , the entrance to the , the Sanctuary.');">³¹</span> and the altar was twenty-two cubits; the Sanctuary was a hundred cubits, and eleven cubits behind the Holy of Holies!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'the house of the mercy seat'; v. Mid. V, 1.');">³²</span> - You must therefore say that 'the bottom shall be a cubit' refers to the height [of the base], 'a cubit the breadth' to the rebatement [of the sobeb], an 'the border thereof by the edge thereof round about' refers to the height<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So MS.M. and Sh. Mek., and such is the interpretation of Rashi. It is omitted in cur. edd.');">³³</span> [of the horns], but [as to the spac taken up by the horns]