As mentioned above,¹ it was forbidden to ascend the Altar by steps because of the prohibition,² 20:23. “Do not ascend My Altar with steps.” If so, the term ומעלתיהו in the verse,³ 43:17. “Its ramps [would allow one to] turn to the east,” should have been singular. Why is it plural?⁴ introduces this question by mentioning steps because the word ומעלתיהו could also be translated as “and its steps,” in which instance, the use of the plural would have been understandable. This concept is also mentioned in his commentary to Zevachim 5:3.

footnotes: ¹ See sec. 43. ² Shmos ³ Yechezkel ⁴ Tosafos Yom Tov

A resolution can be offered based on our Sages’ statement:⁵ 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:⁶ 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]⁷ (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.

footnotes: ⁵ Zevachim ⁶ Many verses (Vayikra ⁷ As the Mishnah

“Because it is written: ‘All around’ ” – Implied is that a complete circuit of the Altar must be possible. If the ramps were joined to the Altar, there would be no complete circuit. A person would not even be able to wind a string around it.

In that source, the Talmud states⁸ 63a. that the gradient of all the smaller ramps was one cubit over the length of 3 cubits. If so, in the Future Beis HaMikdash, when the foundation will be 2 cubits high, the incline of the smaller ramps will extend over the length of 6 cubits. In contrast, in the Second Beis HaMikdash, the Altar’s foundation was only one cubit high and hence, its ramp extended only 3 cubits.⁹ states in his gloss to the above-mentioned mishnah, the three activities performed at the northwest corner of the Altar were performed while the kohen was standing on the ground. At present, this writer does not know how to resolve that question. The ramp to the sovev will be the same in the Future Beis HaMikdash as it was in the Second Beis HaMikdash, for the sovev will be 6 cubits high in the Future Beis HaMikdash, just as it was in the Second Beis HaMikdash., as explained in its place.¹⁰ If so, its ramp will extend over a length of 18 cubits.¹¹ understood that there were – and will be – separate ramps leading to the sovev and the foundation. These ramps did not and will not extend out from the main ramp, for were they to extend from the main ramp, their length or their gradient would be different.

footnotes: ⁸ Zevachim ⁹ One might ask: Why was there a ramp to the foundation? As Tosafos Yom Tov ¹⁰ See sec. 38. ¹¹ From the statements here, it appears that Tosafos Yom Tov