Exodus 27

Sugya Map

Issue

The sugya in Shemot 27:1-8 delineates the precise specifications for the Mizbeiach Ha'Olah (the outer copper altar). The central issues revolve around its dimensions, materials, and construction, particularly the apparent redundancies in the textual description.

Nafka Mina(s)

1. Halachic Validity: Understanding the exact meaning of "רבוע" (square) and the requirement of "נבוב לוחות תעשה אותו" (hollow, of boards) is crucial for the altar's kashrut. Is any deviation from perfect squareness or hollowness pasul?
2. Symbolic Significance: The choice of acacia wood, copper, the horns, and the grating (מכבר) carries profound symbolic weight, impacting our understanding of atonement and the human condition.
3. Connection to Mizbeach Adama: How does this elaborate copper altar relate to the simpler "מזבח אדמה" (altar of earth) commanded earlier in Shemot 20:21?

Primary Sources

• Shemot 27:1-8
• Shemot 20:21
• Iyov 11:12
• Tehillim 66:12-13; 75:5-6
• Yeshayahu 48:4
• Sukkah 5a
• Zevachim 62a-b
• Menachot 35a
• Niddah 31a
• Ketubot 30b
• Rambam, Hilchot Beit HaBechira 3:10-13

Text Snapshot

וְעָשִׂיתָ אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים חָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת אֹרֶךְ וְחָמֵשׁ אַמּוֹת רֹחַב רָבוּעַ יִהְיֶה הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְשָׁלֹשׁ אַמּוֹת קֹמָתוֹ׃ וְעָשִׂיתָ קַרְנֹתָיו עַל אַרְבַּע פִּנֹּתָיו מִמֶּנּוּ תִּהְיֶיןָ קַרְנֹתָיו וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתוֹ נְחֹשֶׁת׃ וְעָשִׂיתָ סִּירוֹתָיו לְדַשְּׁנוֹ וְיָעָיו וּמִזְרְקֹתָיו וּמִזְלְגֹתָיו וּמַחְתֹּתָיו לְכָל־כֵּלָיו תַּעֲשֶׂה נְחֹשֶׁת׃ וְעָשִׂיתָ לּוֹ מִכְבָּר מַעֲשֵׂה רֶשֶׁת נְחֹשֶׁת וְעָשִׂיתָ עַל־הָרֶשֶׁת אַרְבַּע טַבְּעֹת נְחֹשֶׁת עַל אַרְבַּע קְצוֹתָיו׃ וְנָתַתָּה אֹתָהּ תַּחַת כַּרְכֹּב הַמִּזְבֵּחַ מִלְּמַטָּה וְהָיְתָה הָרֶשֶׁת עַד חֲצִי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ׃ וְעָשִׂיתָ בַדִּים לַמִּזְבֵּחַ בַּדֵּי עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וְצִפִּיתָ אֹתָם נְחֹשֶׁת׃ וְהוּבָא אֶת־בַּדָּיו בַּטַּבָּעֹת וְהָיוּ הַבַּדִּים עַל־שְׁתֵּי צַלְעֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ בְּשֵׂאת אֹתוֹ׃ נְבוּב לֻחֹת תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָה אֹתְךָ בָּהָר כֵּן יֵעָשׂוּ׃

Dikduk/Leshon Nuance

1. "ועשית את המזבח" (Ex. 27:1): The definite article "את" and "המזבח" (the altar) is noteworthy. Why "the" altar, as if previously mentioned, when this is its first detailed description?
2. "חמש אמות אורך וחמש אמות רוחב רבוע יהיה המזבח" (Ex. 27:1): The word "רבוע" (square) appears seemingly redundant after explicitly stating equal length and width. This invites inquiry into its precise meaning and added value.
3. "נבוב לוחות תעשה אותו" (Ex. 27:8): "Hollow, of boards." This instruction is critical, implying the altar was not solid. The implications of this hollowness are explored by Chazal and Rishonim.

Readings

Kli Yakar (Ex. 27:1:1, 27:1:2)

The Kli Yakar offers a rich, homiletic interpretation, linking the altar's physical components to spiritual concepts of sin and atonement.

• עצי שטים (Acacia Wood): He cites Tanchuma (Yitro 10), which connects shitah (acacia) to shtut (folly). Just as Bnei Yisrael committed "folly" with the Golden Calf, so too "every sinner is entered by a spirit of folly" (Sotah 3a). The acacia wood altar thus atones for their folly.
• נבוב לוחות תעשה אותו (Hollow, of Boards): This hollowness is linked to Iyov 11:12, "ואיש נבוב ילבב" (a hollow man will get a heart). Rashi on Iyov explains that one who is empty of knowledge and understanding needs to acquire a "heart" for repentance. The altar's hollowness symbolizes the need for the sinner to fill their spiritual void with da'at and teshuvah.
• חמש אמות אורך וחמש אמות רוחב ושלוש אמות קומתו: The Kli Yakar notes the dimensions: 5 cubits length, 5 cubits width, totaling 10 cubits, corresponding to the 10 things that come from parents (flesh, sinews, etc., as listed in Niddah 31a), which are often the source of sin. The height of 3 cubits is like an average person, signifying that the altar atones for human deeds.
• קרנותיו (Its Horns): Horns are a symbol of strength and pride. He relates this to the sinner who is "like a ram with horns, goring upwards" (Tehillim 75:5-6, "ולרשעים אל תרימו קרן"), indicating one who proudly challenges Heaven. The horns of the altar, used for atonement (e.g., placing sin-offering blood), thus atone for this prideful obstinacy.
• צפית אותו נחושת (Overlay it with Copper): Following Rashi, copper atones for "עזות מצח" (brazenness), as in Yeshayahu 48:4, "ומצחך נחושה" (your forehead is copper). This aligns with the horns being on the forehead, connecting the brazenness with the proud goring.
• מכבר מעשה רשת נחשת (Grating of Copper Meshwork): The Kli Yakar interprets the meshwork as a counter to the yetzer hara, which "spreads a net to capture man in its trap." The altar's net frees one from the yetzer's snare. He further describes the altar's miraculous resilience to fire, water, and wind, and its protection from the sword and stones (as it was either filled with earth or made of unhewn stones). This symbolizes how the altar saves a person from harm from the four elements and even from the four mitot beit din (capital punishments), connecting to Tehillim 66:12-13.

Haamek Davar (Ex. 27:1:1, 27:1:2, 27:1:3)

The Haamek Davar focuses on textual precision and halachic implications, particularly addressing the "redundancy" of "המזבח" and "רבוע".

• ועשית את המזבח (Ex. 27:1): He asks why the definite article "את המזבח" is used instead of simply "ועשית מזבח." His chiddush is that this instruction refers back to the "מזבח אדמה תעשה לי" (altar of earth you shall make for Me) in Shemot 20:21. The present verses detail that very altar, which explains why the command to fill it with earth is not repeated here, as it was already stated implicitly by calling it an "altar of earth" (Haamek Davar on Ex. 27:1:1).
• חמש אמות אורך וחמש אמות רוחב רבוע (Ex. 27:1): He grapples with why "רבוע" is necessary after specifying equal length and width. He argues that "מרובע" (square) does not inherently mean equal length and width, but rather having square corners. He cites Menachot 35a regarding tefillin (מרובעות הלכה למשה מסיני), where Rashi explains it means "ארכו כרחבו," implying that without such clarification, "מרובע" might just mean non-circular. Similarly, Eruvin 55a discusses a "טבלה מרובעת" (square table) whose length is not necessarily equal to its width, but rather it simply has square corners. Therefore, "ארכו ורחבו" specifies the equal dimensions, and "רבוע" ensures the corners are indeed square (Haamek Davar on Ex. 27:1:2).
• רבוע (as seemingly superfluous): For the Mizbeiach Ha'Olah (outer altar), where the dimensions of 5x5 cubits were not necessarily constant for all generations (e.g., in the Second Temple), the word "רבוע" serves to teach that the altar must always be square, regardless of its specific dimensions (based on Zevachim 62b). For the inner altar (Ex. 30:2), where dimensions were constant (1x1 cubit), "רבוע" teaches that the altar must not be pagum (damaged) in its squareness, as a damaged altar is pasul (Haamek Davar on Ex. 27:1:3).

Or HaChaim (Ex. 27:1:1)

The Or HaChaim also addresses the definite article "המזבח." His chiddush is that it refers to the blueprint of the altar shown to Moshe on the mountain (Shemot 25:9). G-d showed Moshe a completed, copper-covered altar. Here, the Torah clarifies that this altar was not to be solid copper, but rather acacia wood overlaid with copper, revealing the internal structure not visible in the initial blueprint.

Ibn Ezra (Ex. 27:1:1)

Ibn Ezra provides a linguistic and geometric perspective on "רבוע." He defines a square as any shape whose length equals its width. He notes that "quadrilaterals come in five shapes" (squares, rectangles, parallelograms, rhombuses, trapezoids), implying that merely having four sides isn't enough; the text must specify a true square. He also discusses a textual variant for "ba'amah" (by cubits) versus "be'emet" (truly), with "be'emet" emphasizing that it was a perfect square, 5x5 cubits.

Rashbam (Ex. 27:1:1)

The Rashbam offers a concise, peshat-oriented identification, stating that "המזבח" refers to the copper altar located in the courtyard in front of the Tabernacle, distinguishing it from other altars (like the inner incense altar).

Friction

The Redundancy of "רבוע"

The most significant textual friction arises from the phrase "חמש אמות אורך וחמש אמות רוחב רבוע יהיה המזבח" (Ex. 27:1). Stating "five cubits long and five cubits wide" already defines a square. Why then add the explicit term "רבוע" (square)? This apparent redundancy prompts rigorous analysis from the Rishonim and Acharonim.

Terutz 1: Haamek Davar's Dikduk and Halacha L'Dorot

The Haamek Davar offers a multi-layered solution that highlights the precision of Lashon HaKodesh and its halachic implications. First, he argues that the term "מרובע" (square) in Chazal does not ipso facto mean that its length equals its width. He brings compelling proofs from Menachot 35a and Eruvin 55a. In Menachot, the halacha l'Moshe miSinai for tefillin is that they must be "מרובעות." Rashi on that gemara explains that this means "ארכו כרחבו" (its length is like its width), implying that without this specific interpretation, "מרובע" might simply mean having four corners that are square, as opposed to being round or irregularly shaped. Similarly, in Eruvin 55a, a "טבלה מרובעת" (square table) is discussed, and the gemara clarifies that "מרובע" there means having square corners, not necessarily equal sides. This linguistic nuance suggests that "חמש אמות אורך וחמש אמות רוחב" is necessary to establish the equality of the sides, while "רבוע" then serves to ensure the squareness of the corners. Second, the Haamek Davar explains the independent purpose of "רבוע" for the Mizbeiach Ha'Olah as a halacha l'dorot. While the specific dimensions of 5x5 cubits applied to the Mishkan, the principle of the altar's squareness ("רבוע יהיה המזבח") was eternal, even for future altars in the Temple whose dimensions might vary (Zevachim 62b). Thus, "רבוע" teaches a constant, fundamental requirement beyond the specific Mishkan dimensions. For the inner altar (Ex. 30:2), where the 1x1 cubit dimensions were constant, "רבוע" teaches that the altar must not be pagum (damaged) at its corners, as a flawed square is pasul. This nuanced reading transforms an apparent redundancy into a source of multiple halachic and definitional insights.

Terutz 2: Ibn Ezra's Geometric Precision

Ibn Ezra's approach, while simpler, also addresses the perceived redundancy. By noting that "quadrilaterals come in five shapes," he implies that merely having four sides isn't sufficient to convey the precise shape intended. Even if "length equals width" implies a square, the explicit "רבוע" serves to affirm that it is a perfect geometric square, not just any four-sided figure where length and width might coincidentally be equal. This emphasis ensures that the construction adheres to the most ideal and exact definition of a square, leaving no room for approximation or misinterpretation. The discussion of emending "ba'amah" to "be'emet" further underscores this desire for absolute precision in defining the altar's form (Ibn Ezra on Ex. 27:1:1).

Intertext

The Mizbeach Adama and Mizbeach Ha'Olah

The instruction for the Mizbeiach Ha'Olah in Shemot 27 can be seen as the specific, detailed realization of the general principle laid out in Shemot 20:21: "מזבח אדמה תעשה לי" (An altar of earth you shall make for Me). The Haamek Davar (on Ex. 27:1:1) explicitly connects these two passages, suggesting that "את המזבח" (the altar) in Chapter 27 refers back to the "altar of earth" mentioned earlier. This connection highlights a progression in divine instruction: from a foundational, abstract command to a concrete, elaborate design. The hollowness of the Mizbeiach Ha'Olah ("נבוב לוחות תעשה אותו," Ex. 27:8) is understood by Chazal (Sukkah 5a) to mean that it was filled with earth, thereby fulfilling the "מזבח אדמה" requirement. This intertextual link transforms the detailed construction of the Tabernacle altar from a mere new instruction into an amplification and specification of an existing, fundamental mitzvah.

The Symbolic Dimensions of Sin and Atonement

The Kli Yakar's symbolic readings of the altar's components (acacia wood for folly, copper for brazenness, horns for pride) find parallels in various pesukim and Rabbinic teachings concerning the nature of sin and the mechanisms of teshuvah. For instance, the concept of "רוח שטות" (spirit of folly) entering a person before sinning is a well-known Midrash (Sotah 3a). The brazenness associated with copper (m'tzach nechosha, Yeshayahu 48:4) and the pride linked to horns (al tarimu keren, Tehillim 75:5-6) are consistent biblical metaphors for human failings. The altar, therefore, is not merely a place for korbanot but a physical manifestation of a spiritual system designed to address specific human character flaws and offer a pathway to rectification. The Kli Yakar's interpretation that the altar's "net" frees one from the yetzer hara's net (Ex. 27:1:2) resonates with the idea that divine commandments and avodah provide protection and liberation from negative inclinations, echoing themes found in works like Avot (e.g., Avot 3:2, "הקב"ה ממלא לכל מידותיו מכל וכל").

Psak/Practice

The instructions in Shemot 27 form the bedrock for the halachic construction of the Mizbeiach Ha'Olah, as codified by the Rambam.

1. Dimensions and Form: The altar must be precisely 5 cubits long, 5 cubits wide, and 3 cubits high. Critically, it must be "רבוע" – perfectly square, with equal length and width, and true square corners (Rambam, Hilchot Beit HaBechira 3:10, 3:13). Any deviation from these dimensions or the square form would render it pasul.
2. Hollowness and Filling: The instruction "נבוב לוחות תעשה אותו" (Ex. 27:8) is understood halachically to mean the altar was constructed as a hollow frame of acacia wood, overlaid with copper, and then filled with earth (Rambam, Hilchot Beit HaBechira 3:11, based on Sukkah 5a). This fulfills the requirement of "מזבח אדמה" (Ex. 20:21).
3. Materials and Components: The copper overlay, the horns, the grating (מכבר), and all its vessels were indispensable for its kashrut and function (Rambam, Hilchot Beit HaBechira 3:13). The horns, in particular, were essential for certain korbanot whose blood was placed upon them. While the Kli Yakar's symbolic insights do not directly translate into psak halacha, they profoundly shape our meta-psak heuristics. Every detail of the Mishkan and its service is understood to possess layers of meaning, reflecting not just functional requirements but also deep spiritual truths about human nature, sin, atonement, and the path to divine closeness. This encourages a holistic approach to halacha, where the "how" is inseparable from the "why."

Takeaway

The Mizbeiach Ha'Olah is a microcosm of human spiritual striving, designed with precise dimensions and materials that not only facilitate sacrificial service but also symbolize deep processes of atonement, self-correction, and divine protection from human frailty. The textual 'redundancies' are pedagogical tools, forcing precise definitions and imparting halachic and symbolic lessons beyond simple peshat.