(כ) לֹ֥א תַעֲשׂ֖וּן אִתִּ֑י אֱלֹ֤הֵי כֶ֙סֶף֙ וֵאלֹהֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב לֹ֥א תַעֲשׂ֖וּ לָכֶֽם׃ (כא) מִזְבַּ֣ח אֲדָמָה֮ תַּעֲשֶׂה־לִּי֒ וְזָבַחְתָּ֣ עָלָ֗יו אֶת־עֹלֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ וְאֶת־שְׁלָמֶ֔יךָ אֶת־צֹֽאנְךָ֖ וְאֶת־בְּקָרֶ֑ךָ בְּכָל־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַזְכִּ֣יר אֶת־שְׁמִ֔י אָב֥וֹא אֵלֶ֖יךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּֽיךָ׃ (כב) וְאִם־מִזְבַּ֤ח אֲבָנִים֙ תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֔י לֹֽא־תִבְנֶ֥ה אֶתְהֶ֖ן גָּזִ֑ית כִּ֧י חַרְבְּךָ֛ הֵנַ֥פְתָּ עָלֶ֖יהָ וַתְּחַֽלְלֶֽהָ׃ (כג) וְלֹֽא־תַעֲלֶ֥ה בְמַעֲלֹ֖ת עַֽל־מִזְבְּחִ֑י אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־תִגָּלֶ֥ה עֶרְוָתְךָ֖ עָלָֽיו׃ (פ)
(20) With Me, therefore, you shall not make any gods of silver, nor shall you make for yourselves any gods of gold. (21) Make for Me an altar of earth and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your sacrifices of well-being, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you. (22) And if you make for Me an altar of stones, do not build it of hewn stones; for by wielding your tool upon them you have profaned them. (23) Do not ascend My altar by steps, that your nakedness may not be exposed upon it.
(א) אֵ֠לֶּה הַֽחֻקִּ֣ים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְר֣וּן לַעֲשׂוֹת֒ בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֩ נָתַ֨ן יְהוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֧י אֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְךָ֖ לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ כָּל־הַיָּמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם חַיִּ֖ים עַל־הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ (ב) אַבֵּ֣ד תְּ֠אַבְּדוּן אֶֽת־כָּל־הַמְּקֹמ֞וֹת אֲשֶׁ֧ר עָֽבְדוּ־שָׁ֣ם הַגּוֹיִ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֛ם יֹרְשִׁ֥ים אֹתָ֖ם אֶת־אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם עַל־הֶהָרִ֤ים הָֽרָמִים֙ וְעַל־הַגְּבָע֔וֹת וְתַ֖חַת כָּל־עֵ֥ץ רַעֲנָן׃ (ג) וְנִתַּצְתֶּ֣ם אֶת־מִזְבּחֹתָ֗ם וְשִׁבַּרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־מַצֵּ֣בֹתָ֔ם וַאֲשֵֽׁרֵיהֶם֙ תִּשְׂרְפ֣וּן בָּאֵ֔שׁ וּפְסִילֵ֥י אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֖ם תְּגַדֵּע֑וּן וְאִבַּדְתֶּ֣ם אֶת־שְׁמָ֔ם מִן־הַמָּק֖וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ (ד) לֹֽא־תַעֲשׂ֣וּן כֵּ֔ן לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (ה) כִּ֠י אִֽם־אֶל־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ מִכָּל־שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֔ם לָשׂ֥וּם אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם לְשִׁכְנ֥וֹ תִדְרְשׁ֖וּ וּבָ֥אתָ שָֽׁמָּה׃ (ו) וַהֲבֵאתֶ֣ם שָׁ֗מָּה עֹלֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ וְזִבְחֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֵת֙ מַעְשְׂרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת תְּרוּמַ֣ת יֶדְכֶ֑ם וְנִדְרֵיכֶם֙ וְנִדְבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וּבְכֹרֹ֥ת בְּקַרְכֶ֖ם וְצֹאנְכֶֽם׃ (ז) וַאֲכַלְתֶּם־שָׁ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וּשְׂמַחְתֶּ֗ם בְּכֹל֙ מִשְׁלַ֣ח יֶדְכֶ֔ם אַתֶּ֖ם וּבָתֵּיכֶ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֵּֽרַכְךָ֖ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
(1) These are the laws and rules that you must carefully observe in the land that the LORD, God of your fathers, is giving you to possess, as long as you live on earth. (2) You must destroy all the sites at which the nations you are to dispossess worshiped their gods, whether on lofty mountains and on hills or under any luxuriant tree. (3) Tear down their altars, smash their pillars, put their sacred posts to the fire, and cut down the images of their gods, obliterating their name from that site. (4) Do not worship the LORD your God in like manner, (5) but look only to the site that the LORD your God will choose amidst all your tribes as His habitation, to establish His name there. There you are to go, (6) and there you are to bring your burnt offerings and other sacrifices, your tithes and contributions, your votive and freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and flocks. (7) Together with your households, you shall feast there before the LORD your God, happy in all the undertakings in which the LORD your God has blessed you.
(ד) וְהָיָה֮ בְּעָבְרְכֶ֣ם אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ תָּקִ֜ימוּ אֶת־הָאֲבָנִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֜י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֛ם הַיּ֖וֹם בְּהַ֣ר עֵיבָ֑ל וְשַׂדְתָּ֥ אוֹתָ֖ם בַּשִּֽׂיד׃ (ה) וּבָנִ֤יתָ שָּׁם֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ מִזְבַּ֣ח אֲבָנִ֔ים לֹא־תָנִ֥יף עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם בַּרְזֶֽל׃ (ו) אֲבָנִ֤ים שְׁלֵמוֹת֙ תִּבְנֶ֔ה אֶת־מִזְבַּ֖ח יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְהַעֲלִ֤יתָ עָלָיו֙ עוֹלֹ֔ת לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
(4) upon crossing the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, about which I charge you this day, on Mount Ebal, and coat them with plaster. (5) There, too, you shall build an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. Do not wield an iron tool over them; (6) you must build the altar of the LORD your God of unhewn stones. You shall offer on it burnt offerings to the LORD your God,
(א) וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ עֲצֵ֣י שִׁטִּ֑ים חָמֵשׁ֩ אַמּ֨וֹת אֹ֜רֶךְ וְחָמֵ֧שׁ אַמּ֣וֹת רֹ֗חַב רָב֤וּעַ יִהְיֶה֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ וְשָׁלֹ֥שׁ אַמּ֖וֹת קֹמָתֽוֹ׃ (ב) וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ קַרְנֹתָ֗יו עַ֚ל אַרְבַּ֣ע פִּנֹּתָ֔יו מִמֶּ֖נּוּ תִּהְיֶ֣יןָ קַרְנֹתָ֑יו וְצִפִּיתָ֥ אֹת֖וֹ נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ (ג) וְעָשִׂ֤יתָ סִּֽירֹתָיו֙ לְדַשְּׁנ֔וֹ וְיָעָיו֙ וּמִזְרְקֹתָ֔יו וּמִזְלְגֹתָ֖יו וּמַחְתֹּתָ֑יו לְכָל־כֵּלָ֖יו תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ (ד) וְעָשִׂ֤יתָ לּוֹ֙ מִכְבָּ֔ר מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה רֶ֣שֶׁת נְחֹ֑שֶׁת וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ עַל־הָרֶ֗שֶׁת אַרְבַּע֙ טַבְּעֹ֣ת נְחֹ֔שֶׁת עַ֖ל אַרְבַּ֥ע קְצוֹתָֽיו׃
(1) You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide—the altar is to be square—and three cubits high. (2) Make its horns on the four corners, the horns to be of one piece with it; and overlay it with copper. (3) Make the pails for removing its ashes, as well as its scrapers, basins, flesh hooks, and fire pans—make all its utensils of copper. (4) Make for it a grating of meshwork in copper; and on the mesh make four copper rings at its four corners.
(ב) וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ קַרְנֹתָ֗יו עַ֚ל אַרְבַּ֣ע פִּנֹּתָ֔יו מִמֶּ֖נּוּ תִּהְיֶ֣יןָ קַרְנֹתָ֑יו וְצִפִּיתָ֥ אֹת֖וֹ נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃
(2) Make its horns on the four corners, the horns to be of one piece with it; and overlay it with copper.
(א) וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ מִזְבֵּ֖חַ מִקְטַ֣ר קְטֹ֑רֶת עֲצֵ֥י שִׁטִּ֖ים תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֹתֽוֹ׃ (ב) אַמָּ֨ה אָרְכּ֜וֹ וְאַמָּ֤ה רָחְבּוֹ֙ רָב֣וּעַ יִהְיֶ֔ה וְאַמָּתַ֖יִם קֹמָת֑וֹ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ קַרְנֹתָֽיו׃ (ג) וְצִפִּיתָ֨ אֹת֜וֹ זָהָ֣ב טָה֗וֹר אֶת־גַּגּ֧וֹ וְאֶת־קִירֹתָ֛יו סָבִ֖יב וְאֶת־קַרְנֹתָ֑יו וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ לּ֛וֹ זֵ֥ר זָהָ֖ב סָבִֽיב׃ (ד) וּשְׁתֵּי֩ טַבְּעֹ֨ת זָהָ֜ב תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לּ֣וֹ ׀ מִתַּ֣חַת לְזֵר֗וֹ עַ֚ל שְׁתֵּ֣י צַלְעֹתָ֔יו תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה עַל־שְׁנֵ֣י צִדָּ֑יו וְהָיָה֙ לְבָתִּ֣ים לְבַדִּ֔ים לָשֵׂ֥את אֹת֖וֹ בָּהֵֽמָּה׃
(1) You shall make an altar for burning incense; make it of acacia wood. (2) It shall be a cubit long and a cubit wide—it shall be square—and two cubits high, its horns of one piece with it. (3) Overlay it with pure gold: its top, its sides round about, and its horns; and make a gold molding for it round about. (4) And make two gold rings for it under its molding; make them on its two side walls, on opposite sides. They shall serve as holders for poles with which to carry it.
(ז) וַיִּיצֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַֽיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃
(7) the LORD God formed man from the dust of the earth. He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.
(א) לא תעשון אתי אלהי כסף ומאחר שראיתם שאין אתם צריכים לאמצעיים להתקרב אלי, לא תעשו אתי כאלה לאמצעיים:
(1) לר תעשון אתי אלוהי כסף, seeing that you have experienced with your own senses that you do not need to resort to intermediaries in order to communicate with G’d do not construct for yourselves such intermediaries even for communicating with Me.
(א) מזבח אדמה. מְחֻבָּר בַּאֲדָמָה, שֶׁלֹּא יִבְנֶנּוּ עַל גַּבֵּי עַמּוּדִים אוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי בָּסִיס; דָּ"אַ שֶׁהָיָה מְמַלֵּא אֶת חֲלַל מִזְבַּח הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֲדָמָה בִּשְׁעַת חֲנִיָּתָן (שם): (ב) תעשה לי. שֶׁתְּהֵא תְּחִלַּת עֲשִׂיָּתוֹ לִשְׁמִי: (ג) וזבחת עליו. אֶצְלוֹ, כְּמוֹ וְעָלָיו מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה (במדבר ב'), אוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא עָלָיו מַמָּשׁ? תַּ"לֹ הַבָּשָׂר וְהַדָּם עַל מִזְבַּח ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ (דברים י"ב), וְאֵין שְׁחִיטָה בְּרֹאשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ: (ד) את עלתיך ואת שלמיך. אֲשֶׁר מִצֹּאנְךָ וּמִבְּקָרֶךָ: (את צאנך ואת בקרך. פֵּרוּשׁ לְאֶת עוֹלֹתֶיךָ וְאֶת שְׁלָמֶיךָ:) (ה) בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי. אֲשֶׁר אֶתֵּן לְךָ רְשׁוּת לְהַזְכִּיר שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ שֶׁלִּי, שָׁם אבוא אליך וברכתיך – אַשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתִי עָלֶיךָ; מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁלֹּא נִתַּן רְשׁוּת לְהַזְכִּיר שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ אֶלָּא בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה בָאָה שָׁם, וְזֶהוּ בֵית הַבְּחִירָה, שָׁם נָתַן רְשׁוּת לַכֹּהֲנִים לְהַזְכִּיר שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ בִּנְשִׂיאַת כַּפַּיִם לְבָרֵךְ אֶת הָעָם (סוטה ל"ח):
(1) מזבח אדמה AN ALTAR OF EARTH [SHALT THOU MAKE] — i. e. an altar attached to the earth, meaning, that they should not build an altar upon columnes or upon a base but it must rest upon the actual ground. Another explanation is, that one should fill the hollow interior of the copper altar (Exodus 27:8) with earth at the time when they encamp, and then erect it for the purpose of sacrifice (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:21:1). (2) תעשה לי THOU SHALT MAKE FOR ME — this implies that from its very beginning it shall be made for My Name (i. e. for the service of Me). (3) וזבחת עליו AND THOU SHALT SACRIFICE (slaughter) עליו — i. e. near it, in the same sense as, (Numbers 2:20) “and by him (ועליו) the tribe of Manasseh”. Or perhaps this is not the meaning, but it means “[thou shalt slaughter] upon it”, in its literal sense? This cannot be so, because it states, (Deuteronomy 12:27) “[And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings] as regards the flesh and the blood upon the altar of the Lord thy God”, but the slaughtering shall not be on the top of the altar (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:21:2). (4) את עלתיך ואת שלמיך THY BURNT OFFERINGS AND THY FEAST OFFERINGS which are from (belong to) thy flocks and thy herds. [את צאנך ואת בקרך are thus a further explanation of the words את עלתיך ואת שלמיך]. (5) בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי IN ALL PLACES WHERE I MENTION MY NAME — This means: where I will give you permission to mention My Proper Name, there אבא אליך וברכתיך I WILL COME TO THEE AND I WILL BLESS THEE — I will make My Shechina rest upon thee. From this you may learn that He did not give any permission to mention (pronounce) His Proper Name except in the place where the Shechina would come — and this is the Chosen House (another term for the Temple at Jerusalem). He gave permission to the priests to pronounce His Proper Name there whilst lifting up their hands to bless the people (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:21:3; Sotah 38a; and Rashi on Numbers 6:27).
(א) מזבח אדמה תעשה לי וגם כן לא תצטרך לעשות היכלות של כסף וזהב ואבנים יקרות למען אקרב אליכם, אבל יספיק מזבח אדמה: (ב) כל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי שאבחר לבית ועד לעבדי, כענין הזכירו כי נשגב שמו: (ג) אבא אליך וברכתיך לא תצטרך למשוך הנהגתי אליך באמצעיים של כסף וזהב וזולתם כי אמנם אני אבא אליך וברכתיך:
(1) מזבח אדמה תעשה לי, you do not need to build elaborate temples for Me either, using precious materials. It suffices if you will erect an earthen altar. I am available to be prayed to and to respond. (2) בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי, at any lace which at one time or another I select to serve as such a place for communing with My servant. Compare Isaiah 12,4 הזכירו כי נשגב שמי, “declare that His name is exalted. (3) אבא אליך וברכתיך, you do not need to employ artificial means made from silver or gold to attract My benevolent providence, for I can come to you anywhere and bless you when you but mention My name in prayer.
וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ אֶחָד שֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁשְּׁכִינָה עִמּוֹ — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּכָל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי אָבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּיךָ״.
The Gemara returns to Ravin bar Rav Adda’s statement: And from where is it derived that when even one who sits and engages in Torah study, the Divine Presence is with him? As it is stated: “In every place where I cause My Name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you” (Exodus 20:21); God blesses even a single person who mentions God’s name, a reference to Torah study (Iyyun Ya’akov).
רבי יאשיה אומר אינו צריך הרי הוא אומר (שמות כ, כא) בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי אבוא אליך בכל מקום ס"ד אלא מקרא זה מסורס הוא בכל מקום אשר אבוא אליך וברכתיך שם אזכיר את שמי והיכן אבוא אליך וברכתיך בבית הבחירה שם אזכיר את שמי בבית הבחירה
Rabbi Yoshiya says: It is not necessary to derive this halakha from the verbal analogy, as it can be derived from a verse. It says in the verse: “In every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you” (Exodus 20:20). Does it enter your mind that this verse literally means that the Divine Presence will be revealed everywhere? Rather, this verse must be interpreted by transposition. It must be reordered and read as follows: In every place where I will come to you and bless you, there I will cause My name to be mentioned. Rabbi Yoshiya explains that God is stating: And where will I come to you and bless you? In the Temple. Therefore, he derives: There, in the Temple, I will cause My name to be mentioned, but the ineffable name is not mentioned elsewhere.
כל הכלים שבמקדש יש להם שניים כו': מזבח הנחושת דכתיב (שמות כ, כד) מזבח אדמה תעשה לי מזבח הזהב דכתיב (במדבר ג, לא) המנורה והמזבחות איתקוש מזבחות זה לזה:
§ The mishna taught: All the vessels that were in the Temple had second and third substitute vessels, etc. All the vessels that were in the Temple required immersion, apart from the golden altar and the bronze altar, because they are considered like the ground. The Gemara cites the relevant sources: The bronze altar is considered like the ground, as it written concerning this altar: “An altar of earth you shall make for Me” (Exodus 20:21). The golden altar is considered like the ground, as it is written: “The candelabrum and the altars” (Numbers 3:31). The plural word “altars” indicates that the two altars of the Temple, the bronze one and the golden one, are compared to each other, teaching that just as the bronze altar is like the ground in that it cannot contract impurity, the same applies to the golden altar.
(כ) וְלִפְנֵ֣י הַדְּבִ֡יר עֶשְׂרִים֩ אַמָּ֨ה אֹ֜רֶךְ וְעֶשְׂרִ֧ים אַמָּ֣ה רֹ֗חַב וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים אַמָּה֙ קֽוֹמָת֔וֹ וַיְצַפֵּ֖הוּ זָהָ֣ב סָג֑וּר וַיְצַ֥ף מִזְבֵּ֖חַ אָֽרֶז׃
(20) The interior of the Shrine was 20 cubits long, 20 cubits wide, and 20 cubits high. He overlaid it with solid gold; he similarly overlaid [its] cedar altar.
The two altars, one covered in copper and one covered in gold represent two categories of Jews, separated by wealth of spirit. Those rich in spirit are the Jews of gold and those poor in spirit are the Jews of copper. The distinction is not one of achievement but rather endowment. Some people are created with more abilities than others and each man is tested in terms of exploiting his givens and realizing his own potential. In the Mishkan offerings were brought on these two altars. These offerings included animals, slaughtered and burned. The processes were complex but the key to their secret lies in appreciating that every Jewish neshamah is made up of Nefesh HaElokis and Nefesh HaBehamis, a G‑dly soul and an animal soul.7 When a level of impurity is manifested it can be removed by an offering brought from the animal soul burned and consumed by the Nefesh HaElokis, by the G‑dly soul.8 This fundamental process existed in the Mishkan and then in the First Temple (which replaced it) and continued into the era of the Second Temple. The process continues today, without accessing the need for the physical activity. The process continues because each and every Jew has his own altars, whether of copper or whether of gold in his neshamah.
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/91482/jewish/Tetzaveh-Altars-of-Gold-Copper.htm
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/91482/jewish/Tetzaveh-Altars-of-Gold-Copper.htm