Halakhah zu Schemot 20:22

Rav Hisda said, “if someone has eaten meat, he is forbidden to eat cheese, but if he ate cheese first, he is permitted to eat meat,¹⁶⁸Ibid., 105a. and Rav Hisda’s view is the accepted view.¹⁶⁹So the Tur and Shulhan Arukh Yoreh Deah 89. But surely he said, “He is forbidden to eat cheese until another meal.” Indeed, for a whole day is a more stringent practice, and thus it was when Mar Ukba’s practice was to wait only until the next meal. For Mar Ukba said, “I am in this matter like ‘Hametz the son of Wine,’ for if my father would eat meat he was fastidious and wouldn’t eat cheese till the same time the next day. But while I won’t eat it at the same meal, I’ll eat it at the next meal.¹⁷⁰B. Hullin 105a. And the custom of Mar Ukba’s father to wait for a whole day is extra stringent, so accordingly we follow Mar Ukba’s practice, even though he said, “I am in this matter like Hametz the son of Wine.” And so it is our practice to wait just until the next meal. Hence, it is not sufficient just to wipe one’s mouth or to wash one’s hands, since meat is not digested after the first meal for at least six hours, and meat caught in between the teeth is still meat, as it is said, “The meat was still between their teeth.”¹⁷¹Nu 11:33, a reference to the quail meat God over-fed the Israelites in response to their complaining in the desert. But if one eats cheese, he is permitted to eat meat without any delay at all. He only has to wipe his mouth whether it’s day or night, and wash his hands if it’s at night, but not if it’s during the day, nor does it make a difference whether it’s game or meat from a domesticated animal.¹⁷²An so also the Tur and Shulhan Arukh Y.D. 89:1. Poultry and cheese are eaten “like an epicurean,”¹⁷³B. Hullin 104b, which Rashi explains to mean “without any qualms,” as libertines eat. which I found in the explanation of the Arukh to mean without wiping one’s mouth or washing their hands whether in the day or in the night.¹⁷⁴Sefer Ha-Arukh, the Dictionary of R. Natan ben Yehiel of Rome (11th century). The reason given was that mayim ahronim are an obligation, because a person eats salt after his meal, which contains Sodomite salt that blinds the eyes, even one grain in a kor of regular salt,¹⁷⁵Sodomite salt – salt from the Dead Sea. Potent stuff. Even in a mixture of one grain to a kor (about 530 liters) of regular salt would blind you ! It was customary to eat a little salt for “dessert,” presumably to “kill” anything potentially harmful in the food one has just eaten. See Rabbi Levi Cooper, “World of Our Sages: Salty Hands,” <http: www.pardes.org.il="" weekly-talmud="" 2009-02-12.php="">. though no blessing is required, except for someone who is saying a blessing over washing dirty hands. For just as a polluted priest was unfit for the Temple service, someone whose hands are polluted is unfit to say a blessing. What does it mean to be “polluted”? Anything that is not fit to be brought near the altar, such as an animal or birds, but whatever is fit does not require washing, since it isn’t something that’s polluted. However, there are some among the great teachers who are of the opinion that anything can be polluted.

One also has to careful when about to say birkat ha-mazon to remove the knife from the table. The reason for this practice is because the table is called an “altar,” and just as on an altar we have been warned not to brandish something made of iron over it, as it is said, “do not build it [an altar] of hewn stones, etc.”¹⁹⁴Ex 20:22. The rule of Torah is that if one makes it into an altar of hewn stones with a tool of silver or flint, it is permitted. For the point of the prohibition is not against it being hewn, but rather because it is hewn with something made of iron, i.e., a sword, and Torah kept it far from the tabernacle, when it is written: “gold, silver, and copper,”¹⁹⁵Ex 25:3. but does not mention iron there. And likewise with the sanctuary it is written, “No hammers or axe or any iron tool was heard in the House when it was being built.”¹⁹⁶I Kings 6:7. The reason is because that is the power of Esau with what he was blessed from his father’s mouth; this is what is meant by “By the sword you shall live,”¹⁹⁷Gen 27:40. and it is written, “but Esau I hated.”¹⁹⁸Mal 1:3. Therefore it is kept far from the sanctuary. And likewise at the table we have been warned to remove the sword from it, because the sword is something destructive¹⁹⁹The pun ha-herev hu ha-mahriv is lost in the translation. and the source of destruction, the opposite of peace, and it does not belong in a place of blessing, i.e., peace. For indeed the altar and the table prolongs a person’s days, while a sword shortens them, and it makes no sense to brandish something that shortens over something that prolongs life.²⁰⁰Mekhilta Yitro (end).

The Mishnah (Eiduyot 8:6) records Rabbi Yehoshua’s testimony that we may offer korbanot even in the absence of a Beit Hamikdash, and the Rambam (Hilchot Beit Habechirah 6:15) codifies his opinion.¹⁵See, however, Teshuvot Binyan Tzion (1:1), who raises the possibility that Rabbi Yehoshua’s opinion applies only to times when the process of rebuilding the Beit Hamikdash has begun based on divine command, whereas one may not offer korbanot when no divinely sanctioned plans exist to rebuild it. However, although we may bring korbanot without the Beit Hamikdash, we still need a mizbei’ach (altar).¹⁶Constructing the mizbei’ach is also complicated, because its stones may not be cut with metal (see Shemot 20:22). See Tosafot (Sukkah 49a s.v. shekol) regarding the possibility of cutting the stones with metal before they have been sanctified for the mizbei’ach. The Rambam (Hilchot Beit Habechirah 2:1) writes that the mizbei’ach must be built in an extremely precise location on the Temple Mount. Due to the difficulty in properly identifying the mizbei’ach’s place, the people consulted prophets when they constructed it shortly before building the Second Temple (Zevachim 62a and Rambam, Hilchot Beit Habechirah 2:4). Accordingly, the Binyan Tzion (1:1) asserts that we need a prophet to pinpoint the location for the mizbei’ach. Nevertheless, Rav Kalischer (Ma’amar Kadishin, “Comments to the Av Beit Din of Griditz” 4) argues that we may simply follow the measurements found in Masechet Midot to position the mizbei’ach. He explains that a prophet was required during the building of the Second Temple only because they lacked a written record of the mizbei’ach’s precise location. On the other hand, the Mishnah in Middot stipulates exactly how far the mizbeiach should be from each wall. Similarly, Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook (in the sources cited in Techumin 11:532-545) does not believe that a prophet is indispensable for renewing the korbanot. Nonetheless, Rav Moshe Shternbuch (Moadim Uzmanim 5:351) comments that we cannot easily implement Rav Kalischer’s suggestion, because great uncertainty surrounds the size of an amah (cubit), the unit of measurement used by the Mishnah (see Encyclopedia Talmudit 2:29).

That is that we were commanded to build a choice house for Divine service, in which there will be sacrifices and an eternal burning of fire; and to which there will be journeying and pilgrimage on the festivals, and gatherings every year. And that is His saying, "And let them make Me a sanctuary" (Exodus 25:8). And the language of the Sifrei (Sifrei Devarim 67:1) is, "Three commandments were commanded to Israel upon their entrance to the land: To appoint a king over themselves; to build themselves a choice house; and to cut off the seed of Amalek." Behold it has been made clear to you that the building of the choice house is a separate commandment. And we have already explained (Sefer HaMitzvot, Shorashim 12) that this aggregate includes many parts, such as the menorah, the table, the altar and the rest of them - all of them are parts of the Temple. And all of it is called, Temple, even as each and every part has an individual command. However, His saying about the altar, "Make for Me an altar of earth" (Exodus 20:21), could have been thought of as a separate commandment, besides the commandment of the Temple. And the content of this is as I will tell you: True, the simple understanding of the verse is indeed clearly speaking about the time of the permissibility of altars - as at that time, it was permitted for us to build an earthen altar and sacrifice upon it. But [the Sages] have already said that the [actual] content in this is that He commanded us to to build an altar that is connected to the ground, and that it not be detached and moved, as it was in the desert [journey from Egypt]. And that is their saying in the Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael (Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon bar Yochai 20:21) in explanation of this verse, "When you come to the land, make Me an altar that is attached to the ground." And since the matter is so, behold that this command is practiced for [all] generations; and it would be one of the parts of the Temple - meaning that specifically an altar of stones be built. And they said in the Mekhilta (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:22:1) in explanation of, "And if an altar of stones you make for Me" (Exodus 20:22), "Rabbi Yishmael says, 'Each and every, if, in the Torah [connotes] optionality, except for three.'" And one of the them is, "And if an altar of stones." They said, "'And if an altar of stones you make for Me.' This is obligatory. You say it is obligatory, but perhaps it is optional. [Hence] we learn to say, 'Of whole stones shall you build [the altar of the Lord]' (Devarim 27:6)." And the regulations of this commandment as a whole - meaning to say, the building of the Temple and its description and the building of the altar - have been explained in the tractate associated with it, and that is Tractate Middot. And likewise is the form of the menorah, the table and the golden altar; and the location of their placement in the chamber explained in the Gemara, Menachot and Yoma. (See Parashat Terumah; Mishneh Torah, The Chosen Temple 1.)

To not build [with] hewn stones: That we should not build an altar of stones that metal would touch, as it is stated (Exodus 20:22), "do not build of hewn (gazit) stones." The explanation of hewn (Ramban on Exodus 20:22) is when we chisel from the stone with an iron tool. And if [the altar] is built with hewn stones, it is disqualified.

It is forbidden to kill lice on a table at which you are eating.¹Shulhan Arukh, “Orah Hayim,” 167, Mogen Avraham, note 13. And he who kills lice on it, is as if he killed on the altar, for the table is the altar,²Hagigah 27a. as it is said “and he said unto me: ‘This is the table that is before the Lord’” (Ezek. 41:22). And for this reason we cover knives during the grace, for it is said “For if thou lift up thy sword upon it, thou hast profaned it” (Exod. 20:25). It is forbidden to write in a book “so and so owes me so much and so much.” “And round about Him it stormeth mightily” (Ps. 15:3). From this we learn that the Holy One, blessed be He, deals with the good strictly, even to a hair’s breadth.³Yebamoth 121b. Because Sarah lied about Isaac, “Then Sarah denied, saying, etc.… ” (Gen. 18:15) therefore the circumstance precipitating her death came through Isaac, for her soul took flight and she died when she heard the report of the binding of Isaac.⁴Rashi, Genesis 23:2. The news precipitated her death.