יהושע, פרק ח׳, פסוק ל״א

Upon entering the land of Israel, Joshua fulfills the instruction to construct an altar on Mount Ebal. This act of building and offering sacrifices reflects a total commitment to earlier instructions, demonstrating a strict adherence to both law and prophecy. The construction was carried out in accordance with the commands given by Moses as well as the written Torah. Commentators offer different ways to understand this dual reference. One approach separates the sources, suggesting that one set of instructions points to the specific mandate in Deuteronomy to plaster the stones and use those taken from their campsite, while the other refers to the general law in Exodus requiring whole stones [מלבי״ם]. Another perspective views the dual phrasing as a single, comprehensive summary covering every step of the work from start to finish, including the preparation of the stones, the building of the altar, and the plastering process [אברבנאל].

The requirement to use whole stones untouched by iron tools establishes an important legal principle. Although earlier instructions might seem to present the building of a stone altar as a conditional choice, the strict obligation to construct this specific altar on Mount Ebal proves that using unhewn stones is an absolute Commandment, not merely an option [רלב״ג]. Furthermore, the sacrifices offered upon it are explicitly dedicated to God. This emphasis highlights that the entire effort of gathering, preparing, and building the stones was done exclusively for His honor and service [אברבנאל].

An essential part of building this altar involved writing on the plastered stones, though there are varying opinions on what exactly was inscribed. Some suggest it was the entire book of Deuteronomy or a summary of all the Commandments. Others propose that only the specific blessings and curses read at the ceremony were written, or perhaps the entire Torah, assuming the altar was exceptionally large [רלב״ג]. However, due to the sheer length of the Torah, another view rejects the possibility of the entire text being written there, concluding instead that only the Ten Commandments were engraved on the stones [אברבנאל].