Zevachim Daf 54 זבחים דַף 54

The previous Daf taught that the southeast corner of the מזבח had no יסוד, and Amoraim debate what this means. Rav says this means בבנין – there was literally no יסוד in the structure of the מזבח on that side. Levi says that there was a physical יסוד built all around, and the Gemara means בדמים – there was no legal base regarding bloods, i.e., no blood applications were valid on that corner (since it was not in Binyomin’s portion). According to Rav, Yaakov’s berachah to Binyomin is translated as באחסנתיה יתבני מדבחא – in his inheritance the מזבח shall be built, implying that no structural part of the מזבח will be built outside his territory. According to Levi, it is translated באחסנתיה יתבני מקדשא – in his inheritance, the “Mikdash” shall be built, meaning מקום מקודש לדמים – a place sanctified for blood applications. Although part of the מזבח structure was outside his territory, that part could not receive any blood.

Rav is challenged from a Baraisa describing the מזבח’s construction: They bring a מלבן – wooden frame measuring thirty-two amos by thirty-two amos, and one אמה high, and bring smooth, damp stones, and bring lime, lead glaze and tar, dissolve them together and pour the mixture over the stones, resulting in a solid block of 32x32, which forms the מזבח’s base. This is repeated with a frame of thirty amos square and five amos high, and a third frame of twenty-eight amos square and three amos high, thus forming the three sections of the מזבח. Finally, a frame of one cubic אמה forms each קרן. This Baraisa apparently proves that the יסוד was a full thirty-two amos on each side!? The sections of the יסוד in Yehudah’s portion could not have been cut off, because אבנים שלמות כתיב – it is written for the מזבח to be “whole stones,” i.e., perfectly smooth, which is impossible if the original block is cut!? The Gemara answers: דמחית מידי מתותיה – he puts something into the frame in the place where there should not be a יסוד, and later removes it, resulting in sides without a base. This is supported by the fact that Rav Kahana says the קרנות were hollow inside, based on a passuk, which likewise could only have been constructed this way.

Rava quoted a passuk describing Dovid and Shmuel residing in "נויות רמה", which is two different places, and explains that they were residing in Ramah, ועוסקין בנויו של עולם – and were involved with the “adornment of the world,” the Beis Hamikdash. The passuk says "וקמת ועלית אל המקום" – and you shall rise up and ascend to the place (which Hashem will choose), which teaches שבית המקדש גבוה מכל ארץ ישראל – that the Beis Hamikdash must be higher than all of Eretz Yisroel. They did not know where this was, until studying ספר יהושע and finding that the border of Binyomin’s portion (with Yehudah’s) is uniquely described only as “ascending,” but not “descending,” and they realized that the site must be there. They considered building it in עין איטם, the highest point there, but concluded to build it somewhat lower down, because of the passuk "ובין כתיפיו שכן" – and He resides between his shoulders, i.e., not at the very top. Alternatively, since they knew from a tradition that the Sanhedrin must be in Yehudah’s territory and the שכינה is in Binyomin’s, building the Beis Hamikdash in עין איטם would result in a distance between the two, so they concluded to build it lower.