R. Abba said: ‘There are two altars below and two altars above. Of the latter one, the innermost of all, is that on which is offered the inner fine incense, which is the bond of faith, and the most high Priest of all offers this incense with the bond of faith. This is called the Altar of Gold, the place where all the threads of faith are bound together. There is another altar called the Altar of Brass, which is more external and on which Michael the great chief brings the pleasing offering of the Holy One, blessed be He. On earth there are correspondingly the altar of gold and the altar of brass, on the one of which was offered incense and on the other fat and limbs.
It is written, “Oil and incense rejoice the heart” (Prov. 27, 9), but not fat and limbs, although these, too, allay wrath. The altar which is the innermost of all, the linking of faith, is called “a still silent voice”, and in relation to this the other altar is called the “outer” one.
Said R. Abba: ‘When Moses built an altar (Ex. 17, 15), he meant it to correspond to that inner one, and therefore he called it “The Lord is my banner”, because it was stamped with the sign of the holy covenant. This is the inner Altar, the “still silent voice”,
and on this “fire shall be burnt continually”, that is, the perpetual Fire, the Fire of Isaac. The proper name for this is Adonai, but when the priest puts wood on the altar we call it by the name of mercy, TETRAGRAMMATON; sometimes it answers to one and sometimes to the other.’ R. Simeon said that there were two, the inner supported on the outer and fed from it, the two being thus linked together.
THIS IS THE OBLATION OF AARON. Said R. Hizkiah: ‘How solicitous should men be for the honour of their Master, and how careful not to turn aside from the right way, for every day punishment impends over the world, and man never knows when it may fall.
If he sits in his house, judgement impends over him; if he goes abroad, judgement impends over him, and he does not know if he will return or not. Therefore he should in time beseech for mercy from the King, for every day judgement impends over the world, as it is written, “El (God) hath indignation every day” (Ps. 7, 12).
אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא תְּרֵין מַדְבְּחָאן אִינּוּן לְתַתָּא, וּתְרֵין לְעֵילָּא. חַד פְּנִימָאָה דְּכֹלָּא, דְּמִתְקָרֵב בֵּיהּ קְטֹרֶת פְּנִימָאָה, וְדַקָּה. קִשּׁוּרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְכַהֲנָא עִלָּאָה מִכֹּלָּא, אִתְקְשַׁר (נ"א אקטר) קְטוֹרְתָּא דָּא, בְּקִשּׁוּרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְדָא אִתְקְרֵי מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב, וּמֵהָכָא אִתְקְטַר וְאִתְקְשַׁר קִשְׁרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, בְּחַד קִשְׁרָא. וְחַד מַדְבְּחָא אָחֳרָא, וְאִקְרֵי מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת, וְדָא הוּא לְבַר, (רברבא עלאה) וּמִיכָאֵל הַשַּׂר הַגָּדוֹל, מַקְרִיב עָלֵיהּ קָרְבְּנָא נַיְיחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וּלְתַתָּא, מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב, וּמִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת, בְּדָא קְטֹרֶת. וּבְדָא חֲלָבִין וְאֵמוּרִין.
R. Abba said: ‘There are two altars below and two altars above. Of the latter one, the innermost of all, is that on which is offered the inner fine incense, which is the bond of faith, and the most high Priest of all offers this incense with the bond of faith. This is called the Altar of Gold, the place where all the threads of faith are bound together. There is another altar called the Altar of Brass, which is more external and on which Michael the great chief brings the pleasing offering of the Holy One, blessed be He. On earth there are correspondingly the altar of gold and the altar of brass, on the one of which was offered incense and on the other fat and limbs.
וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (משלי כ״ז:ט׳) שֶׁמֶן וּקְטֹרֶת יְשַׂמַּח לֵב. וְלָא כְּתִיב שֶׁמֶן וַחֲלָבִין וְאֵמוּרִין יְשַׂמַּח, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְבַּסְמוּתָא דְּרוּגְזָא וְדִינָא אִינּוּן. אֲבָל שֶׁמֶן וּקְטֹרֶת, חֶדְוָותָא דְּכֹלָּא אִיהוּ, וְלָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּרוּגְזָא וְדִינָא. וְדָא מַדְבְּחָא דְּאִיהוּ פְּנִימָאָה דִּקְטֹרֶת (ס"א דאינון פנימאה דקטרת) דַּקָּה, בְּדַקּוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא, בְּקִשּׁוּרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, אִקְרֵי קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַּקָּה, וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ מַדְבְּחָא פְּנִימָאָה, דְּאִתְקְשַׁר בְּקִשּׁוּרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא.
It is written, “Oil and incense rejoice the heart” (Prov. 27, 9), but not fat and limbs, although these, too, allay wrath. The altar which is the innermost of all, the linking of faith, is called “a still silent voice”, and in relation to this the other altar is called the “outer” one.
מַדְבְּחָא אָחֳרָא, אִקְרֵי מִזְבֵּחַ הַחִצוֹן. וּפְנִימָאָה אִקְרֵי מִזְבַּח יְיָ'. אָחֳרָא, אִקְרֵי מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (מלכים א ח׳:ס״ד) מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי יְיָ' קָטֹן מֵהָכִיל וְגוֹ'. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר מֵהָכָא, (דברים ל״ג:י׳) וְכָלִיל עַל מִזְבְּחֶךָ, תְּרֵי. וּכְתִיב עַל מִזְבְּחוֹתַי לְרָצוֹן.
The inner one is called “the altar of the Lord” and the other one “the altar of brass”.
רִבִּי אַבָּא (אחא) אָמַר, כְּתִיב (שמות י״ז:ט״ו) וַיִבֶן מֹשֶׁה מִזְבֵּחַ וְגוֹ', לָקֳבֵל הַהוּא פְּנִימָאָה בָּנָהּ הַאי, וְעַל דָּא אִתְקְרֵי יְיָ' נִסִּי. מַהוּ נִסִּי. דְּרָשִׁים רְשִׁימָא דְּאָת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא. דִּבְשַׁעֲתָא דַּעֲמָלֵק אָתָא לְאַעְבְּרָא הַאי רְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא מִנַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, הַאי מִזְבַּח קַיְּימָא לָקֳבְלֵיהּ לְנַקְמָא הַהוּא נוּקְמָא דְּאָת קַיָּימָא, וְעַל דָּא אִתְקְרֵי (ויקרא כ״ו:כ״ה) חֶרֶב נוֹקֶמֶת נְקַם בְּרִית. וְדָא אַתְקְנַת לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל רְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא. וּמֹשֶׁה בָּנָה לָקֳבֵל הַאי מִזְבֵּחַ, וְקָרֵי לֵיהּ יְיָ' נִסִּי. וְדָא הוּא מִזְבֵּחַ פְּנִימִי, (מלכים א י״ט:י״ב) קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַּקָּה.
Said R. Abba: ‘When Moses built an altar (Ex. 17, 15), he meant it to correspond to that inner one, and therefore he called it “The Lord is my banner”, because it was stamped with the sign of the holy covenant. This is the inner Altar, the “still silent voice”,
וְעַל דָּא אֵשׁ תָּמִיד תּוּקַד עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְגוֹ', אֵשׁ דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח תְּדִירָא. וּמַאי אִיהוּ. אֶשָּׁא דְּיִצְחָק. וּכְדֵין, שְׁמָא דָּא, אֲדֹנָ"י. וְכַד יְסַדָּר עָלָה כַּהֲנָא אִינּוּן אָעִין, אִתְבַּסְמָא בִּשְׁמָא, וְקָרֵינָן לָהּ בִּשְׁמָא דְּרַחֲמֵי, יְיָ', וְקָרֵינָן לָהּ בִּשְׁמָא דָּא. וּלְזִמְנִין קַיְּימָא כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, וּלְזִמְנִין קַיְּימָא כְּגַוְונָא דָּא. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, תְּרֵי הֲווֹ, וּפְנִימָאָה קַיְּימָא עַל הַהוּא דִּלְבַר, וּמִנָהּ אִתְּזָן, וְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא דָּא בְּדָא.
and on this “fire shall be burnt continually”, that is, the perpetual Fire, the Fire of Isaac. The proper name for this is Adonai, but when the priest puts wood on the altar we call it by the name of mercy, TETRAGRAMMATON; sometimes it answers to one and sometimes to the other.’ R. Simeon said that there were two, the inner supported on the outer and fed from it, the two being thus linked together.
(ויקרא ו׳:י״ג) זֶה קָרְבָּן אַהֲרֹן. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח, (תהילים קמ״ה:י״ז) צַדִּיק יְיָ' בְּכָל דְּרָכָיו וְחָסִיד בְּכָל מַעֲשָׂיו. צַדִּיק יְיָ' בְּכָל דְּרָכָיו, הָא תָּנֵינָן, כַּמָה אִית לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בִּיקָרָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, וְלָא יִסְטוּ מֵאָרְחַיְיהוּ לְבַר. דְּהָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא דִּינָא תָּלֵי בְּעָלְמָא, בְּגִין דְּעָלְמָא עַל דִּינָא אִתְבְּרֵי וְקַיְּימָא.
THIS IS THE OBLATION OF AARON. Said R. Hizkiah: ‘How solicitous should men be for the honour of their Master, and how careful not to turn aside from the right way, for every day punishment impends over the world, and man never knows when it may fall.
וְעַל דָּא, בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא מֵחוֹבוֹי, דְּלָא יָדַע זִמְנָא דְּדִינָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי. יָתִיב בְּבֵיתֵיהּ, דִּינָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי. נָפַק מִבֵּיתֵיהּ לְבַר, דִּינָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי. וְלָא יָדַע אִי יְתוּב לְבֵיתֵיהּ אִי לָאו. נָפִיק לְאָרְחָא, עַל אַחַת כַּמָה וְכַמָּה, דְּהָא כְּדֵין דִּינָא נָפְקָא קַמֵּיהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים פ״ה:י״ד) צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ. בְּגִין כָּךְ, בָּעֵי לְאַקְדְּמָא וּלְמִבָּעֵי רַחֲמֵי קָמֵי מַלְכָּא, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּזִיב מִן דִּינָא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּשַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא. דְּהָא כָּל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא שַׁרְיָא דִּינָא בְּעָלְמָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהלים ז) וְאֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם.
If he sits in his house, judgement impends over him; if he goes abroad, judgement impends over him, and he does not know if he will return or not. Therefore he should in time beseech for mercy from the King, for every day judgement impends over the world, as it is written, “El (God) hath indignation every day” (Ps. 7, 12).