Powtórzonego Prawa 12:3 Halacha: Mishneh Torah, The Chosen Temple, Mishneh Torah, Foundations, Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs & Mishneh Torah, Negative Mitzvot

Stones of the Sanctuary or the courtyard which were chipped or scraped cannot be repaired, rather they must be hid away. Any stone which was touched by iron may not be used for the Altar or the ramp because it says "for you have lifted your sword against it and desecrated it." One who built the ramp or the altar with stones touched by iron is flogged because it says (as a prohibition) "do not build them of hewn stones" but if one built with a chipped stone he has (only) transgressed a positive commandment.

It is forbidden to make steps up to the altar as it says "thou shalt not go up on steps to My altar" rather we build a sort of mound at the southern end of the altar which gets shorter and shorter until it reaches the ground and this is called a 'ramp.' One who ascends the altar on stairs is flogged, as is one who removes a stone from the altar, or from the entire Temple building or from the [area of courtyard] between the Temple and the altar as a destructive measure as it says "thou shalt break up their altars etc." and it says "thou shalt not do so to the LORD thy God."

Whosoever willfully destroys an inscription of any of the Holy and Pure Names by which the Holy One, blessed is He! is called, ¹Menahot, 30. Makkot, 22. Sifre, Deut. 22. C.is guilty of a sin punishable under the laws of the Torah with flogging. For, behold, it is said of idolatry: "And ye shall destroy their name from that place, but ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God" (Deut. 12.3–4).