Burnt altar

This altar had several names:

• The burnt altar (מזבח העולה, mizbah ha -ola ) - because it was used to burn sacrificial animals.
• External altar (מזבח החיצון, mizbah ha-chitson ) - since it was in the courtyard of the Tabernacle (later the Temple), unlike the altar of incense .
• The altar (הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, a-misbeach ).

In the Tabernacle, he was also called:

• The Copper Altar (מִזְבֵּחַ הַנְּחוֹשֶׁת misbah a-do not want ) - see he: מזבח הנחושת .
• The earth altar (מזבח האדמה, mizbah ha -adam ) - because it was hollow inside, and when the camp was set up, it was filled with earth.

According to the Bible, a number of miraculous phenomena were associated with this altar in the Tabernacle and the Temple of Solomon:

• in spite of the fact that eternal flame burned on it all the time, the altar was not damaged.
• although it was located in the open air, the rain never extinguished the fire on it.
• a column of smoke always rose from the altar vertically to the sky, and it was not carried by the wind.
• the smoke had no smell of burning flesh.

In the Tabernacle

The large altar of burnt offering was located in the courtyard of the Tabernacle , opposite the entrance and at 22 cubits from it. The frame of the altar was made of acacia wood, bound in copper and was hollow inside. The wooden case made it easy to carry, but when installed during parking, it was filled with earth ^[1] (and probably also with stones). If the altar was built of stones, the iron should not have touched its stones ( Exodus 20:22 ).

An unquenchable fire was burning on the altar ^[2] and sacrifices were made daily ( Exodus 30: 18-21 ).

The dimensions of the upper surface of the altar were 5 × 5 cubits (about 2.5 × 2.5 m), and its height was 3 cubits (about 1.5 m) ^[3] . The middle of the altar was surrounded by a copper grating with evenly spaced holes ( mihbar ), one elbow high ^[4] . Its upper edge divided the altar into upper and lower parts (this distinction was necessary for making the majority of sacrifices).

The altar had a copper grill for firewood inside. Above the grating floor was a convex rim ( frame ) ^[5] , trimmed with carved ornament of flowers and buds and served as a decoration. In the corner of the altar there were two openings for the drainage of blood of sacrificial animals. Near this corner there were two bowls where libations of wine and water took place.

Beneath the altar came the “base" ^[6] , an elbow high on which the blood poured out remained after it was sprinkled with the altar. On the sides of the altar were rings for carrying it on poles. A ramp ( kevesh ) led upstairs , since the Torah forbids the stairs to ascend to the altar ^[7] . All accessories of the altar were also made of copper.

Above, at each of the corners, the altar had horn-shaped protrusions ^[8] (apparently these protrusions were a symbol of strength, like the horns of a bull). Touching them served as a sign of the desire to completely surrender to the mercy of God, and also provided, in some cases, the inviolability and security from revenge.

According to legend ^[9] , after the construction of the Temple by King Solomon (around 950 BC), the Tabernacle and the copper altar were sheltered in an underground cache under the Temple.

In the Temple of Solomon

In the Temple of Solomon , a large copper altar of burnt offering stood in the center of the courtyard (the “Court of the Priests”), opposite the entrance to the Narthex ^[10] and 22 elbows from it and also 22 elbows from the “gate of Nicanor”, ​​which served as the entrance to the “Courtyard priests. " According to legend, the place of the altar served as the boundary between the allotments of the tribes of Yehuda (Judah) and Benjamin (Benjamin).

It was a square three-stage structure of 20 cubits long, 20 wide and 10 high (about 10 × 10 × 5 m):

1. The first step (20 × 20 cubits), immersed in the ground and encircled by a cuvette, was 2 cubits high;
2. second step (16 × 16 cubits) - 4 cubits high;
3. the third (12 × 12 cubits) - 4 cubits high - was called Harel , at its corners there were four “horns”.

They went up to the altar along an inclined plane adjacent to its southern side. On the east side steps adjoined to it.

King Ahaz ordered to move the altar, built by Solomon, and in its place to place the altar in the image of the altar, which was in Damascus . In all likelihood, his son, King Hizkiah (Hezekiah), removed this altar and returned the burnt altar to its former place. With the destruction of the Temple of Solomon in 586 BC. e. and the altar was destroyed by the Babylonians.

In the Second Jerusalem Temple

When the exiles led by Zerubavel returned to Jerusalem, they cleansed the Temple from the debris and ashes, erected a burnt altar, and resumed the sacrifice even before the construction of the Temple itself ^[11] . Soon, however, disputes arose between the Jews and the Samaritans , who in every way prevented the restoration of the Jerusalem temple. As a result, the construction of the Temple was interrupted. And, although it was renewed only after 15 years, all this time sacrifices were brought on the restored altar.

The altar of burnt offering in the Second Temple was erected on the basis of the altar of the First Temple, but in contrast to it, it was not located in the center of the courtyard, but was somewhat shifted to the south, revealing a view of the Temple building. It was made of rough stones ^[12] , which were not touched by iron ^[13] .

According to Hekatey, the altar was originally 20 cubits long and 10 cubits wide. In the southwestern corner of the altar there were two openings for the drainage of blood of sacrificial animals. This blood flowed into a pipe that led to the Kidron River. Near this corner there were also two bowls where libations of wine and water were performed.

Greco-Syrian king Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 167 BC e. defiled the altar, putting on it the altar of Zeus Olympic ^[14] . The temple service was interrupted for three years and renewed after the capture of Jerusalem by Yehuda Maccabee (164 BC) during the Maccabean revolt (165-163 BC). Yehuda Maccabee cleansed the Temple of pagan filth and repaired it ^[15] , and also set up a new altar of burnt offering and made new utensils for the sanctuary ^[16] . The old, defiled altar was dismantled and its stones were stored in a special temple room. Exactly three years after the desecration of the Temple by the Syrians, he was consecrated, and the sacrifices and lighting of the Menorah were resumed in it ^[17] .

A detailed description of the altar erected by the Maccabees is found in several places in the Mishnah . It was a three-stage construction: its base (32 × 32 cubits), immersed in the ground and circled by a cuvette, was called Yesod and was elbow-high; Sovev and Karkov were placed on it; on the four upper corners of Karkov there were four “horns”. On the south side of the altar was a central ramp ( kevesh ) with a length of 30 cubits, along which the priests ascended to the roof of Karkov a. On the side were two more small ramps that led to Yesod and Sovev . On the roof of Karkov a were three (or four) groups of firewood that supported an “unquenchable fire”.

A rebellious attempt by the people to prevent Tsar Alexander Yannai from performing priestly duties in the Temple resulted in a fence around the altar ^[18] .

In the Temple of Herod

In the Temple of Herod, the altar was square and significantly larger than the previous altars: 50 × 50 cubits and 15 cubits in height. ^[nineteen]

Bible

As the central subject of serving God, the altar appears in the Bible already in the history of Cain and Abel ^[20] , who sacrificed part of the fruits of their labor to God. According to the Talmudic tradition, Adam already brought the first created bull, as a thankful sacrifice to God, for creating himself and creating the whole world and all creatures and as atonement for his sin ^[21] .

In the altar that Noah built, after he left the Ark , there is already a distinction between animals suitable for the sacrifice and unsuitable, and the sacrifice for the Almighty is for the first time called “fragrance” (ריח ניחוח) ^[22] (an expression that is then often used in the Bible repeated).

Many altars were built by the Forefathers , the most significant of which is the altar on which Isaac's Sacrifice was to be held in the land of Moriah. It is traditionally believed that this altar was placed on the site of the altar, which Adam erected, and where subsequently the altar of burnt offering would have to stand in the Jerusalem temple .

Joshua built an altar from stones taken from the bottom of the Jordan after the miraculous passage of the Israelites through it. He was ordered to build an altar from uncut stones on Mount Gebal ^[23] .

Appointment of the Altar

The Jewish sages explained the symbolic meaning of the altar, choosing words beginning with each of the four letters that make up the word "altar" - מִזְבֵּחַ (misbeach):

1. מְחִילָה ( mehila , “forgiveness”) - the altar was the channel through which everyone could seek reconciliation with God, from which he was estranged from sin;
2. זְכוּת ( zhut , “merit”) - feelings of appreciation, humility, repentance were found on the altar, and as a result of the manifestation of these virtues, life was ennobled and merits were acquired before God;
3. בְּרָכָה (braha, “blessing”) - faithfully following the Doctrine, the focus of which is serving on the altar, a person receives Divine blessing and becomes a blessing for others;
4. חַיִּים ( haim , “life”) - the altar indicates the path to eternal life, to the eternal values ​​of truth, righteousness and holiness.

Ritual associated with the altar of burnt offering

The altar of burnt offering served mainly as a place where sacrifices were made and parts of those sacrificial animals that were intended for the burnt offering were burnt: burnt offerings ( ol ), guilty ( asham ), peace ( shlamim ), part of the atoning sacrifice ( hut ). The blood of the sacrificial animals was sprinkled on the altar: the blood of the peaceful sacrifice, the burnt offering and the guilty sacrifice were sprinkled on the lower part of the altar, and the upper part (four “horns”) was sprinkled with the blood of the cleansing sacrifice, except for the bird sacrifice, when they did the opposite. On the altar, part of the bread (flour) offerings ( minha ) were brought; on it they made libations of wine ( nisuh a-yayin ) and water. In addition, in some temple rituals, the altar had other functions: in Sukkot, the altar was part of the Oshanot ceremony, during which it was repeatedly circumvented with willow branches in their hands.

Altar Asylum

It follows from this verse that the altar cannot in this case protect the killer. At the same time, he is able to temporarily protect him if the killer meets the following three conditions:

1. He killed a man unintentionally.
2. He does not hold on to the altar, but is on it.
3. He is a priest ( cohen ) and is in the performance of temple services.

In any other case, the killer is taken to court by force. If we are talking about a murderer unintentionally, in the case of which the court has already ruled, the relatives of the deceased ( Goel Ha-Dam , lit. “redeeming the blood”) are allowed to kill him.

During the rebellion of Adonia against King Solomon, Joab ben Tseruya, army commander ^[24] and Adonia himself ^[25] tried to find refuge in holding onto the "horns" of the altar. Adonia himself descended from the altar after Solomon promised not to kill him, provided that he would no longer rebel against the king (subsequently, Adonia violated this condition and Solomon ordered him executed). Joab Solomon ordered to kill on the spot, near the altar. After these cases, the saying “clinging to the horns of an altar”, about someone who is trying to be saved dishonestly, came into the saying.

The sages of the Talmud cite the principle that came to them in the oral tradition: “They offer sacrifices, despite the fact that the Temple is missing.” ^[26] .

With the beginning of the national revival of the Jewish people in Palestine (end of the 19th century), Rabbi Zvi Kalisher called for renewal of the sacrifices on the Temple Mount , even if without rebuilding the Temple, similar to what Zerubavel did when returning from the Babylonian captivity . He even embarked on trial attempts to obtain permission from the Turkish authorities.

A certain halachic problem for the resumption of sacrifices is the lack of confidence in the exact location of the altar. This problem can be solved by the prophet or with the help of various historical and archaeological evidence.

• The altar of burnt offerings // Biblical Encyclopedia of Archimandrite Nicephorus . - M. , 1891-1892.