"Ve'asisa es ha'Mizbe'ach Atzei Shitim". Which Mizbe'ach is "ha'Mizbe'ach" referring to.
R. Bachye and Rashbam: It refers to the Mizbe'ach ha'Olah on which they broght Korbamos.
Oznayim la'Torah: It refers to which the Torah mentioned immediately after the Aseres ha'Dibros - at the end of Parshas Yisro (the Mizbe'ach ha'Nechoshes).
"Ve'asisa es ha'Mizbe'ach Atzei Shitim". What is the significance of 'Atzei Shitim'?
R. Bachye (citing Midrash Tanchuma): "Shitim" is the aconym of 'Shalom Tovah Yeshu'ah Mechilah'. 1
R. Bachye ibid.: And "Mizbe'ach" is the acronym of 'Mechilah Z'chus B'rachah Chayim'.
"Chamesh Amos Orech va'Chamesh Amos Rochav". What is the significance of the five by five Amos?
R. Bachye: They represent the five Dibros on each of the two Luchos.
What was the height of the Mizbe'ach?
Rashi #1 (citing R. Yehudah, Zevachim 60a): It was three Amos tall, as the Torah records.
Rashi #2 (citing R. Yossi, Zevachim 60a) and R. Bachye: It was ten Amos tall (twice its length). 1 2 3
Based on a Gezeirah-Shavah "Ravu'a" "Ravu'a" from the Mizbe'ach ha'Ketores. See Torah Temimh, note 6. See also R. Bachye who elaborates and who brngs three further proofs that the Mizbe'ach was ten Amos tall.
Rashi: And the Torah gives the height as three Amos, because that was the height of the Mizbe'ach (excluding the K'ranos) above the Sovev - a walkway for Kohanim around the Mizbe'ach. Refer also to Bamidbar, 3:27:1:1.
See also Torah Temimah note 7 citing the Rambam.
If the Mizbe'ach was ten Amos tall, what is the significance of the three Amos from the Sovev to the top?
R. Bachye: They corresponded to the three redeemers Moshe Aharon and Miriam.
Having given the measurements as five Amos by five Amos, why does the Torah add the word "Ravu'a"?
Refer to 27:1:1:2*.
Oznayim la'Torah: Square is not dependent only on the four sides being equal, but also on the four corners, which must all be at an angle of ninety degrees.
What if the Mizbe'ach was not exactly square?
Zevachim, 62a: Wherever the Torah inserts the word "ha'Mizbe'ach", it is crucial to the Mitzvah, 1 and without it, the Mizbe'ach is Pasul. 2
Though the measurements are not, which explains why, in the second Beis-Hamikdash, the Mizbe'ach measured thirty-two by thirty-two Amos.
The same D'rashah pertains in Tetzaveh, 29:13 to the K'ranos and to the Y'sod there in Pasuk 12, and in Tzav, Vayikra 6:7, to the Kevesh. See Torah Temimah, note 5.
What is the siginifcance of the fact that the Mizbe'ach was square?
R. Bachye: It corresponds to the fourth leg of the Merkavah ('Malchus') and the fourth letter ('Hey') of the Name Havayah. 1
Correspondingly, perhaps the Aron corresponded to Chochmah ('Yud'), the Shulchan, to Binah (the first 'Hey') and the Menorah to Tiferes ('Vav').
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that one opinion holds that the Mizbe'ach was ten Amos tall. How could the Kohanim place blood on the corners, and wood, limbs and Cheilev on the fire on top?
