Kaisipang Hudyo sa Levitico 1:11: The Third Beit HaMikdash

There is, however, a difficulty according to Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov’s approach. In Tractates Zevachim and Yoma,²³Zevachim 59a; Yoma 16a, 37a. et al., he maintains that the entire Altar was in the south. As stated in those sources, it is written that the sacrifices of the most sacred order must be slaughtered “in the north, before God.”²⁴Vayikra 1:11. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov understands the verse as intimating that the northern portion of the Courtyard must be empty, containing neither sacred vessels, nor the Altar. Toras Kohanim²⁵Toras Kohanim, sec. 67. explicitly states: “ ‘In the north, before God,’ the northern portion of the Courtyard must be empty,” these are the words of Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov. [According to him,] the Altar was positioned in front of half the entrance to the Sanctuary, in front of one of the doors, and extended to the south.

A resolution can be offered based on our Sages’ statement:⁵Zevachim 62b. “Rav Yehudah said: There were two small ramps that emerged from the [main] ramp. On them, [the kohanim] would turn to the foundation and the sovev. [These ramps] were separated from the Altar by a hairs-breadth, because it is written:⁶Many verses (Vayikra 1:11, 3:2, et al.) speak of casting blood “all around” the Altar. ‘All around.’ ” In his commentary to the Talmud, Rashi states: “There were two small ramps” – The one which led to the sovev emerged from the east [side] of the [main] ramp to its right. It began its ascent in the midst of the incline of the ramp, continuing to ascend at an angle until it reached the sovev. The one which led to the foundation emerged to the west [side of the main ramp] so that the remainder of the blood of a sin-offering could be taken [to the southern corner of the foundation]⁷As the Mishnah (Zevachim 5:3) relates, the blood of a sin-offering would be presented on the four corners of the Altar. A kohen would ascend this small ramp and turn to the sovev. He would first present the blood on the southeastern corner and then circle the Altar on the sovev, presenting the blood on each of the corners. Zevachim 6:3 states: “All those who ascend to the Altar would ascend to the right, circle it, and descend to the left.” In his commentary to Zevachim 6:3, Tosafos Yom Tov emphasizes that after ascending to the sovev and presenting the blood of the sin-offering on the 4 corners of the Altar, the kohen would not retrace his steps, but would descend to the foundation using a second ramp on the left. Tosafos Yom Tov maintains that this ramp was v-shaped, running from the corner towards the main ramp and then from the main ramp to the foundation. Afterwards, as stated towards the end of this section, there was a third level descending from the foundation to the ground. (It must, however, be noted that in his gloss to the mishnah, Tosafos Yom Tov mentions only two levels. The concept of three levels is derived from joining his statements here with those in his commentary to the Mishnah. For technical reasons, a depiction of this three-leveled ramp was not included in the pictures of the Altar presented in this text.) where it would be poured out. When he descended from the Altar, he would descend the ramp, before he reached the ground, he would turn to the left on a small ramp. This ramp began from a low portion of the ramp, far from the Altar so that the descent to the foundation would be gentle.