דברים, פרק כ״ז, פסוק ה׳

Entering the land of Israel marks a profound moment of thanksgiving and the renewal of a sacred covenant. The immediate construction of an altar serves as the very first duty required of the people upon their arrival. It is a direct expression of gratitude to God for the realization of their long-held dream to inherit the land [ביאור יש״ר]. This gathering acts as a natural continuation of the events at Mount Sinai. Just as the Israelites first became God's people through sacrifices and joy in the desert, they now enter a new phase of their covenant. This elevated destiny tasks them with spreading the belief in one God and eradicating idolatry across all nations. Accompanied by the recording of the Torah in seventy languages, this moment symbolizes the dawn of God's glory being revealed to the entire earth [העמק דבר].

The decision to build this altar specifically on Mount Ebal carries a dual symbolic weight. Mount Ebal is the barren, rocky mountain associated with the pronouncement of curses. Establishing the altar here teaches that spiritual elevation and dedication to the Torah do not depend on lush, comfortable material conditions. Even the most desolate ground can be transformed into a site of profound joy and closeness to God [רש ר הירש]. Additionally, placing the altar on Mount Ebal serves to comfort the tribes assigned to stand on that specific mountain. By hosting the altar, the peace offerings, the communal celebration, and the Divine Presence in their territory, these tribes receive essential spiritual reassurance and are protected from feeling discouraged [בכור שור].

A careful distinction exists regarding the materials used at this site. The primary approach among commentators is that the stones used to build the altar were completely separate from the memorial stones upon which the Torah was inscribed. The memorial stones were coated in lime to permanently preserve the text, much like a sealed cistern that never loses a single drop of water [חתם סופר]. The altar stones, however, were dedicated strictly for offering sacrifices and sharing the joyous meal that sealed the covenant [שד״ל, מלבי״ם]. While an opinion in the Jerusalem Talmud suggests the Torah was written directly on the altar itself, the prevailing view maintains a clear physical separation between the two sets of stones [שד״ל].

This separation is highlighted by the strict rules governing how the stones were prepared. The memorial stones bearing the Torah were deliberately shaped using iron tools to ensure the layer of lime and the depth of the engraved letters were perfectly uniform. The altar stones, however, were strictly protected from any contact with iron [מלבי״ם]. This restriction ensured that the altar was constructed exclusively from entirely natural, whole stones. Consequently, any touch of iron automatically invalidates a stone for use in the altar. Furthermore, even a minor chip or flaw in the stone, regardless of whether it was caused by iron, renders it unfit for sacred use [חזקוני].