An Altar for Hashem Alone

1. Rashi’s Omission Regarding the Third Altar

In the course of this week’s parshah, the Torah tells of three altars built by Avraham Avinu:

1. “And there he built an altar to Hashem, Who had appeared to him.”
2. “And there he built an altar to Hashem, and he called in the name of Hashem.”
3. “And there he built an altar to Hashem.”

Our Sages explain:

He built three altars: one for the good tidings concerning Eretz Yisrael, one for its acquisition, and one so that his descendants would not fall.

In other words, Avraham built each of these three altars for a distinct purpose: The first was built after Hashem told him, “To your descendants I will give this land.” It was built in response to “the good tidings concerning Eretz Yisrael.” The {second} altar, which he built near Ai, was intended as {an expression of} his prayer “that his descendants would not fall at Ai.” The third altar was built after Avraham fulfilled Hashem’s command, “Rise, walk in the land, to its length and to its breadth, for I will give it to you.” Through this act, “he acquired it.” {Accordingly,} this altar was built “for [the] acquisition” of Eretz Yisrael.

In his commentary on the Torah, Rashi cites the substance of the Midrash’s teaching regarding the first two altars. Commenting on the first occurrence of “and there he built an altar,” he explains: “For the good tidings concerning his descendants and the good tidings concerning the Land of Israel.” Regarding the second occurrence, Rashi writes: “He prophesied that his sons were destined to stumble there because of the iniquity of Achan, and he prayed there for them.” Regarding the third altar, however — built after Hashem’s command, “Rise, walk in the land…” — Rashi offers no explanation.

The reason Rashi does not follow the Midrash and explain that the third altar was built “for its acquisition” may be understood as follows: The Midrash follows the view that Avraham “acquired” Eretz Yisrael by walking its length and breadth — i.e., that walking through a property effects its acquisition. According to this view, it is fitting to say that the altar was built “for its acquisition.”

According to Rashi’s interpretation of the Torah, however, following the straightforward meaning of Scripture, Avraham’s walking the length and breadth of the land did not constitute an act of acquisition. This is indicated by the conclusion of the verse itself: “Rise, walk in the land… for I will give it to you.” {The phrase “I will give it” is} in the future tense. Avraham’s walk was thus intended only to mark out the length and breadth of the land that Hashem would ultimately give him. Accordingly, the altar cannot be explained as having been built “for its acquisition.”

This, however, raises a question: Since Rashi saw fit to explain the purpose of each of the first two altars, why did he not do so for the third?

2. The Third Altar’s Connection to Chevron

A straightforward reading suggests the following explanation:

Once Rashi has explained that Avraham built an altar in response to good tidings — “the good tidings concerning his descendants” and “the good tidings concerning Eretz Yisrael” — there is seemingly no need to seek a different reason for his construction of the third altar. Scripture explicitly states that Avraham built it after receiving the good tidings, “For all the land that you see I will give to you and to your descendants forever,” and “I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth….” These promises contained numerous blessings and favorable assurances, both regarding Eretz Yisrael and regarding his descendants, that Avraham heard specifically on this occasion and that had not been included in the first promise. It is therefore self-evident that these additional good tidings prompted Avraham to build a separate altar to Hashem.

The wording of the verses, however, makes this explanation somewhat difficult to sustain. The phrase “and there he built an altar” implies that the altar’s construction was connected with the place in which it was built. The same is true of the first two altars — regarding which the Torah likewise states, “and there he built an altar” — whose purposes were connected with the places in which they were built. Avraham built the first altar, “to Hashem, Who had appeared to him,” specifically “there,” because Hashem had appeared to him in that place. He built the second altar “there,” near Ai, because, as Rashi explains, “He prophesied that his sons were destined to stumble there… and [therefore] he prayed there for them.”

If we were to say that the third altar was built because of the good tidings Avraham received before arriving in Chevron, we would have to assume that he built it specifically in Chevron merely because this was the place he reached after carrying out Hashem’s command (given when He promised him the land): “Rise, walk in the land…” In that case, however, the reason for building the altar would seemingly bear no particular connection to that location. {Why, then, does} the verse emphasize, “and there he built an altar”?

From the perspective of pshat (the straightforward understanding), the altar’s connection to its location can be explained as follows: Chevron was the first place in Eretz Yisrael where Avraham Avinu established a permanent residence. Until then, Avraham had been {constantly on the move, as reflected in the phrases,} “traveling continually” and “went on his journeys.” Only upon arriving in Chevron did he settle in the land, as the verse states, “and he dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Chevron.” Indeed, as related later, Avraham remained there for twenty-five years. It follows that this was the appropriate place for him to thank Hashem for “the good tidings concerning [his permanent settlement in] Eretz Yisrael.”

Viewed from the perspective of derush (an interpretive approach that probes beyond the straightforward meaning of the text), however, this explanation is still not entirely satisfactory. If this third altar was built solely in response to the promises “For all the land… I will give to you…” and “I will make your descendants…,” the verses should have emphasized — or at least alluded to — the fact that its construction followed closely and directly upon Avraham’s receiving these promises. Instead, the wording of the verse emphasizes the opposite — an interval and delay between the promises and the altar’s construction. {The verse first states,} “And Avram pitched his tents, and he came, and he dwelt…,” and only afterward, “and there he built an altar to Hashem.”

It is therefore reasonable to conclude that the construction of this altar also served a purpose of its own, connected specifically with Avraham’s settlement in the city of Chevron.

3. Three Functions of the Altar

We may suggest the following explanation:

Our Sages state, “Hashem gave Avraham a sign: Everything that happened to him would happen to his descendants.” {This is the principle of} maaseh avos siman labanim — “the deeds of the Patriarchs are a sign for their descendants.” As Ramban writes, “All [the deeds of the Patriarchs] come to teach about the future, for when an event occurs to one of the three Patriarchs, who were prophets, he can discern from it what has been decreed to happen to his descendants.” One might further suggest that the deeds of the Patriarchs {not merely} served as a sign of future events, {but actually} brought those events about.

Accordingly, the altars Avraham built prepared the way and provided the {spiritual} strength for the Jewish people’s sacrificial service on the altar in the Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdash.

This explains why Avraham built three altars: The altar used by his descendants fulfilled three functions, for which these three altars served as a sign and provided the spiritual strength.

To explain:

Regarding the function of the altar, our Sages state: “[The term] mizbe’ach (altar) [alludes to its four functions]. It removes (meziach), sustains (mezin), endears (mechabev), and atones (mechapper).” That is, it “removes” decrees (evil decrees against the Jewish people); it “sustains” — “in the merit of the offerings, the world is sustained, for the offerings come from food and bring blessing to it”; it “endears the Jewish people to their Father”; and it “atones” for sins.

These four functions fall into three general categories:

1. “Sustains” — providing the world with sustenance.
2. “Removes” and “atones” — eliminating undesirable things affecting the Jewish people: evil decrees and sins.
3. “Endears the Jewish people to their Father.”

We find a similar division of “four that are three” in the classification of the offerings brought on the altar. Rambam divides the offerings into “four types: burnt-offerings, sin-offerings, guilt-offerings, and peace-offerings.” The Midrash, however, lists three: “burnt-offerings, peace-offerings, and sin-offerings.” There is no contradiction: Sin-offerings and guilt-offerings serve the same general purpose — both bring atonement.

Accordingly, it may be suggested that the three functions of the offerings described above correspond to these three categories of offerings:

Peace-offerings, portions of which are eaten by their owners, correspond to the altar’s function of “sustaining” the world. Just as bringing an offering to Hashem enables its owner to partake of it (a physical meal that nourishes the body), so too, “in the merit of the offerings, the world is sustained.”

Sin-offerings (and guilt-offerings), which bring atonement, correspond to “removes… and atones.”

The burnt-offering, which is offered entirely to Hashem, serves to “endear the Jewish people to their Father.” As the Midrash states, “The burnt-offering is brought solely for the honor of the Holy One, blessed be He, whereas the peace-offering and sin-offering are for our own sake.” In other words, peace-offerings and sin-offerings serve to benefit the person bringing them — whether as their primary purpose or as an additional objective — either by providing sustenance or by eliminating undesirable things. The burnt-offering, by contrast, is brought solely “for the honor of the Holy One, blessed be He,” and through it, the Jewish people become endeared to their Father in heaven.

4. Every Offering Contains All Three

It may further be suggested that, in a general sense, all three functions described above are present in every offering, since every offering involves three elements:

1. Sprinkling its blood on the altar.
2. The portions eaten by the kohanim and the owners (even in the case of a burnt-offering, its hide is given to the kohanim).
3. The revelation of the Divine Presence — the fire that descended from heaven and “consumed” the offerings. More broadly, this is reflected in the altar’s location within the Beis HaMikdash, which Rambam describes as “a House for Hashem, prepared for sacrifices to be offered within.”

The portion of the offering eaten by (or belonging to) the kohanim and the owners alludes to the function of “sustaining the world,” as explained above.

Sprinkling the blood on the altar brings about atonement for sins and restores Divine favor (which includes gaining Divine favor with respect to all undesirable matters).

The revelation of the Divine Presence associated with the offerings — the fire descending from heaven and, more broadly, the altar’s location within the Beis HaMikdash, “a House for Hashem” — expresses how beloved the Jewish people are to Him. This extends to the principle, “In the manner that [Hashem] comes, [so to speak, to the Beis HaMikdash] to see [the pilgrims], so does He come [to the Beis HaMikdash for His Divine presence] to be seen [by the pilgrims].” All this Divine revelation is for the sake of the Jewish people, the people close to Him.

5. Three Levels of Divine Service

It is well known that the sacrificial service is referred to simply as avodah, “service,” because it expresses the overall concept of serving Hashem.

It follows that, just as the offerings contain the three elements described above, Divine service as a whole likewise comprises three levels.

The first is the service of Torah and mitzvos, which nourish the soul (“sustains”). The Torah is “our life,” and regarding the mitzvos, it is stated, “which a man shall do and live by them.” As is well known, the 248 positive commandments correspond to the body’s 248 limbs. Through observing Torah and mitzvos, we draw the soul’s vitality into the limbs of the body.

A higher level of Divine service is teshuvah (repentance). Even when a person has sinned, caused spiritual damage, and strayed from the proper path, G-d forbid, he can rectify this through teshuvah (“atones” and “removes”).

The fullest expression of attachment to Hashem, however, is the service of mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) — surrendering oneself completely to Him (like a burnt-offering, which is offered entirely to Hashem). This is the true meaning of mesirus nefesh: A person gives himself over not for reward or for any benefit, whether physical or spiritual, but solely for Hashem’s honor, without any calculation whatsoever. By offering himself entirely to Hashem and setting aside all sense of self, seeking nothing for himself, he “endears the Jewish people to their Father.”

6. The Three Altars as Foundations of Divine Service

Based on the above, we can understand the significance of the three altars Avraham built in light of the principle that “the deeds of the Patriarchs are a sign for their descendants.” Through these altars, Avraham laid the foundations (the “sign”) for three general dimensions of the Jewish people’s Divine service throughout the generations:

The first altar was built “for the good tidings concerning his descendants and the good tidings concerning Eretz Yisrael.” These relate to a person’s needs, both physical and spiritual, corresponding to the altar’s function of “sustaining.”

The second altar — where Avraham prayed for his descendants (to atone for Achan’s sin) — corresponds to the functions of “removing… and atoning.”

Regarding the third altar, however, Rashi does not explain its purpose, because Avraham built it not to secure any secondary benefit, but simply to erect an altar to Hashem (like a burnt-offering, which is offered entirely to Hashem and brought solely for His honor, as explained above). This “deed of the Patriarchs” serves as a “sign for their descendants” regarding the offerings’ function of “endearing,” since an offering brought in this manner makes the Jewish people beloved to Hashem, as explained above.

Thus, the three altars Avraham built follow a progression from a lower level of Divine service to a higher one: The first was built “for the good tidings concerning his descendants and the good tidings concerning Eretz Yisrael” (corresponding to “sustaining”); the second was associated with his prayer concerning Achan’s sin (“removing… and atoning”); and the third — “and there he built an altar to Hashem” ({whose purpose Rashi does} not explain) — was built solely for Hashem’s honor, with no further intention.

[This also helps explain why, regarding the first altar, Rashi does not quote the words “to Hashem, Who had appeared to him.” At first glance, the straightforward meaning of the verse is that after Hashem appeared to Avraham — “And Hashem appeared to Avram” — he built an altar “to Hashem, Who had appeared to him.” Accordingly, Rashi should seemingly have quoted these words and explained that Avraham built the altar to give thanks for this revelation (or that the revelation inspired him to serve Hashem by building an altar). Why, then, does Rashi explain that the altar was built (solely) “for the good tidings concerning his descendants and the good tidings concerning Eretz Yisrael”?

The explanation follows from the above: Divine service develops gradually, from below upward, progressing from a lower level to a higher one. Building an altar “to Hashem, Who had appeared to him” expresses the dimension of Divine service associated with the third altar. Rashi therefore explains that the words “to Hashem, Who had appeared to him,” concerning the first altar, do not describe its nature or purpose. They merely indicate when Avraham received the good tidings that prompted him to build it: when Hashem appeared to him.]

7. Chevron and the Meaning of True Connection

Based on the above, we can also understand why the Torah emphasizes, regarding the third altar as well, “and there he built an altar to Hashem.” Avraham built it specifically in Chevron because the purpose of this altar is particularly connected with that city.

As is well known, the name “Chevron” is etymologically related to the word chibbur, “connection.” As explained elsewhere, this also relates to the city of Chevron itself: The Patriarchs and Matriarchs of the entire Jewish people are buried there, and these titles apply to them alone. {As the common ancestors of all Jews, they unite their descendants.} Moreover, {prayer connects the Jewish people with Hashem, and} all prayers ascend through Chevron.

The Jewish people’s connection with Hashem finds its truest expression when our Divine service is not “for our own sake,” to secure some personal benefit — not even the great spiritual benefit of atonement. Rather, our “altar” — the offering of ourselves — must be solely for His honor, devoted entirely to Hashem.

8. The Third Altar and the Kingship of Moshiach

It is well known that the altar is the central feature of the Beis HaMikdash — “a House for Hashem, prepared for sacrifices to be offered within.” Based on the above, we may suggest that Avraham’s three altars correspond to the three Batei HaMikdash.

As explained elsewhere at length, the first and second Batei HaMikdash represent different forms of Divine service: The first represents the service of tzaddikim, whereas the second, built after the destruction of the first to repair {the spiritual effects of} that destruction, represents the service of teshuvah.

Thus, Avraham’s first altar, which corresponds to the service of Torah and mitzvos, serves as the “sign” for the first Beis HaMikdash — the service of tzaddikim (so called because of their observance of Torah and mitzvos). His second altar, which corresponds to the service of teshuvah, serves as the “sign” for the Divine service associated with the second Beis HaMikdash.

The ultimate perfection, however, will be attained in the third Beis HaMikdash, when Divine service will reach its fullest expression. At that time, the promise “eye to eye they shall see…” will be fulfilled: G-dliness will be fully revealed. Consequently, the Jewish people’s attachment to Hashem will also be complete, with total self-nullification before Him. Among “the deeds of the Patriarchs,” this is represented by Avraham’s third altar, built in Chevron solely for {Hashem’s honor} — “and there he built an altar to Hashem” — as explained above at length.

This connection finds support in the Midrash’s statement that Avraham built an altar in Chevron because it was “the place where David was crowned king and where they made a covenant, as it is stated: ‘And all the elders of Israel came to the king in Chevron, and King David made a covenant with them in Chevron before Hashem.’”

It is well known that King David’s kingship — particularly once he became king over all Israel — is eternal, and will find its fullest expression in the kingship of Moshiach.

As Rambam rules, “In the future, the Messianic king will arise and renew the Davidic dynasty, restoring it to its initial sovereignty.” Moreover, our Sages identify Moshiach with King David himself: “His name is David.” As {we say in the Hoshanos}, “The man whose name is Tzemach is David himself.”

Thus, the altar Avraham built in Chevron is connected with David’s kingship, which finds expression in the kingship of Moshiach, when Divine service will attain the ultimate perfection described above.

9. Preparing for Redemption

The practical lesson for our Divine service today is as follows:

Since “the deeds of the Patriarchs are a sign for their descendants,” all three altars Avraham built must find expression in the Divine service of every Jew, even today.

As explained above, the third altar corresponds to the perfection that will be attained with the true and complete Redemption through Moshiach. It follows that all aspects of Divine service (represented by the altar and the offerings), even during exile, must be connected with David’s kingship — David Malka Meshicha, “David, the King Moshiach.”

Our service of Torah and mitzvos, as well as teshuvah, must therefore be permeated by a clear awareness that Divine service will reach its perfection only in the Era of Redemption. Only then will we fulfill the mitzvos “in accordance with Your will.” As Ramban famously explains, the mitzvos we observe today (outside Eretz Yisrael) are merely “signposts,” for “the primary fulfillment of all the commandments is for those who dwell in Hashem’s land.”

This very awareness heightens our yearning and longing for the true and complete Redemption. Through this, we hasten the time when we will see the covenant between the entire Jewish people and King David — David Malka Meshicha — tangibly and openly fulfilled: “And My servant David shall be king over them, and one shepherd shall be for them all… and My servant David shall be their prince forever.”

May this take place speedily, in our days.

From a sichah delivered on 7 MarCheshvan 5746 (1985)