From Mount Sinai to the Altar Ramp: Why the Path Matters as Much as the Law

Revelation at Sinai: Unity Before the Law

“And it was on the third day, when morning came, that there was thunder and lightning, and a heavy cloud upon the mountain, and the sound of a very strong shofar; and all the people in the camp trembled. Moshe brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was entirely enveloped in smoke, because the Lord had descended upon it in fire; its smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the entire mountain trembled greatly. The sound of the shofar grew increasingly stronger… And God spoke all these words, saying: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any likeness of what is in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters beneath the earth.”

After the Exodus from Egypt and the Song at the Sea, which we encountered in Parashat Beshalach, Parashat Yitro focuses on the most formative and central moment of all: the Revelation at Mount Sinai. Following this event, both the Written Torah and the Oral Torah were given, and from them developed the entire corpus of Jewish literature in all its layers — halachic, ethical, and philosophical. The Torah emphasizes, as a message for all generations, that the people of Israel arrived at Mount Sinai in unity: “And Israel encamped there opposite the mountain.” Rashi explains: “as one person, with one heart.”

From Revelation to Building Instructions

After concluding the Ten Commandments — the core of the Torah and the Bible, and one of the most famous texts in human history, the end of Parashat Yitro presents what appears to be a technical appendix: construction instructions for a contractor. This “appendix” is framed in architectural terms, for example:

“And if you make for Me an altar of stones, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you raise your sword upon it, you have profaned it. And you shall not ascend My altar by steps, so that your nakedness not be exposed upon it.”

One must not use hewn stones for the altar, since shaping them requires iron tools associated with violence and war. Additionally, the altar must not be approached by steps, but rather by a ramp, allowing for a gentle, accessible incline.

It is difficult not to wonder at the juxtaposition: from the sublime heights of Mount Sinai and the giving of the Torah, to technical, architectural details about building materials and ramps. What connection is there between the core of Jewish law and morality and a set of blueprints specifying how to construct an altar?

The End Result or the Moral Process?

In a capitalist world, the focus is often on the bottom line of profit, price, or final outcome. In contrast, there exists a value system that emphasizes intention and initial thought, as expressed in the Talmudic principle: “A good thought is joined to action.” The path taken, the intention of the heart, and the will behind an act are no less important than the final result.

For example, regarding the mitzvah of taking the lulav, the Torah states: “And you shall take for yourselves.” From this the Sages learn that one who takes a stolen lulav has not fulfilled the mitzvah, even if the technical act was performed.

Similarly, in social and economic ethics, there is growing attention to the “production chain.” When purchasing a product, one should consider not only its price, but also its moral and legal integrity, from development and production to its appearance on the store shelf. This includes workers’ rights, the legality of raw materials, environmental impact, and more. A well-known example is “blood diamonds” which are gems whose extraction involved slavery, violence, and the funding of war and terror. In response, the international Kimberley Process was established to regulate and certify ethical diamond production. Interestingly, Israel was among its founders, and the world’s first Kimberley certification was issued in Israel in 2003.

Architecture and the Human Psyche

In recent years, the field of neuro-architecture has developed, examining how buildings, interior design, and spatial organization affect human psychology, health, and emotional experience. Architecture can profoundly influence consciousness and feeling: lighting, color, proportions, acoustics, furniture placement, and layout can foster calm, creativity, inspiration, and warmth, or, conversely, evoke fear, pressure, alienation, and helplessness.

Towering monuments may inspire awe or insignificance. A kitchen island can transform family interaction. An open-plan office may encourage collaboration. Feng Shui, literally “wind and water,” emphasizes harmony, openness, light, and flow in spatial design. Likewise, mediation and therapy often favor circular seating arrangements, which create equality and connection, over confrontational, face-to-face setups.

The Torah offers its own example: “How goodly are your tents, O Yaakov.” Balaam praised the Israelite camp upon seeing that “their entrances were not aligned opposite one another,” as Rashi explains. From the architecture of their tents, Balaam inferred the society’s core values of community alongside modesty and respect for privacy.

Architecture as Power and Ideology

In 1787, the British philosopher and jurist Jeremy Bentham proposed an ideal prison design: the Panopticon — “the all-seeing.” It consisted of a circular structure with prisoners’ cells on the perimeter and a central watchtower. The guard could see all inmates, while remaining unseen. The French philosopher Michel Foucault later analyzed this structure as a mechanism of control, surveillance, and internalized discipline.

In her novel The Fountainhead, the Jewish-American philosopher and writer Ayn Rand used architecture to critique inauthentic society and to express her existential ideal. Her protagonist, architect Howard Roark, explains: “Your house is built to serve its purpose. The others were built to impress. Yours is about the house itself; theirs are about the audience.” Architecture, then, shapes not only space, but consciousness and values.

The Ramp to the Altar

The Mechilta explains: “One must not make steps, but rather build a ramp—a gentle incline descending gradually from the top of the altar to the ground. One who ascends by steps is liable, even if only by a single step.” It further clarifies: when ascending the altar, one must not take large strides, but walk heel-to-toe, modestly.

These technical instructions now come into focus. The ramp not only prevents exposure, but it positively shapes the priest’s movement, cultivating restraint, humility, and dignity. Architecture influences the body, and through it, the soul. As Sefer HaChinuch states: “The heart is drawn after the actions.”

A Tragic Failure of Form Without Spirit

The connection to Parashat Yitro remains incomplete until we confront a disturbing Talmudic account (Yoma). Initially, the priest who performed the removal of ashes was the one who reached the altar first. This led to fierce competition. The Talmud recounts that two priests raced up the ramp; one stabbed the other in the heart to win the privilege. Rabbi Tzadok cried out in horror, and the people wept. Even more chilling, the wounded priest’s father remarked that his son was still alive, so the knife had not yet become ritually impure — illustrating a society more concerned with ritual purity than with human life.

Law, Architecture, and the Heart

This episode teaches that while architecture can shape behavior, it cannot guarantee moral integrity. Even the most modest ramp cannot prevent violence if the inner spirit is corrupted.

This returns us to our opening question: why do technical building instructions follow the Ten Commandments? These details teach us not only how to build an altar, but how to read and fulfill the commandments themselves. Observance devoid of humility, compassion, inner intention, and ethical awareness is like ascending the altar by forbidden steps — meticulous about ritual objects while disregarding the sanctity of life.

The “technical appendix” is, in truth, the Oral Torah evaluating the meaning and value of action. As Rabbi Kook wrote: “Every matter of Torah requires derech eretz to precede it.” The ramp teaches that the path matters, not only the destination; the means, not only the outcome; the heart, not only the deed.

As the prophet Micha summarizes — binding the revelation at Sinai with its architectural appendix: “He has told you, O human, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: only to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”

Dr. Roi Cohen holds a PhD in philosophy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is an attorney, mediator, producer, director, and content creator.