As recorded in the Torah, it is forbidden to access the Mizbeyach with steps. For this reason, a large ramp was built on the southern side of the Mizbeyach which measured 32 amos long, 16 amos wide, and 9 amos tall. While all ramps in the Beis Hamikdash conformed to a ratio of 3 amos in length for every amah of height, the slope of the Mizbeyach ramp was slightly shallower, with a ratio of 3½ amos + 1⅓ fingerbreadths of length for every amah of height.
All of the sacrificial parts which were burned on the Mizbeyach had to be thrown onto the Mizbeyach from the ramp, and part of this requirement was that there be a recognizable gap of airspace between the ramp and the Mizbeyach. Thus, the ramp did not touch the Mizbeyach.
On the western half of the ramp this gap was one amah wide and provided access to the Shissin (the cavity where the wine and water libations collected) at the southwest corner of the Mizbeyach. On the ground in the vicinity of that same corner was the access hole for the Shis (the pipe that carried blood from the Yesod to the stream of water beneath the floor).
Set into the top surface of the ramp was a square receptacle measuring one amah to a side and as deep as an arm’s length. Bird chatas-offerings which became unfit would be placed here overnight.
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How do you know the Kohen was pushed off the ramp? The mishna just says that he was pushed, fell, and broke his leg. That could just mean he fell on the ramp itself.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is not clear from the lashon how he broke his leg. I do think that the word ונפל is slightly extraneous, since if he fell on the ramp itself you could have said that "he pushed his friend and broke his leg." Adding "and he fell" indicates something more, that he fell some distance and that is why he broke his leg. I did not see anyone on the Mishnah say this.
ReplyDeleteSome girsaos in the mishnayos actually don't have ונפל.
Delete"Even though the ramp had a lip along either side which kept the Kohanim from slipping off the edge"
ReplyDeleteWhat is your source that there was a lip?
Tiferes Yisrael to Middos 3:3 §30
ReplyDeleteSifrei in Ki Setzei (229) says the ramp was exempt from a ma'akeh. Could be he didn't see it but that is a big chiddush and definitely not the mainstream approach.
DeleteI think TY would agree that it was exempt, because otherwise he would have required a maakeh of the proper height. This was a siman be'alma for the Kohanim, who are zerizim anyway, just to keep an eye out for the edge of the ramp. All of the posts, images, and content of my book are based primarily on Tiferes Yisrael. I'm not saying his shitah is always the right one, but for consistency that is the one I chose to follow.
ReplyDelete