But surely it is said, A thousand burntofferings did Solomon offer upon that altar, (1) while of the Eternal House (2) it is said, And Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peaceofferings, which he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, (3) and when you calculate the number of burnt-offerings and the number of cubits, the latter was larger than the former? (4) Rather, what does ‘was too little to receive’ mean? As one says to his neighbors. ‘So-and-so is a dwarf’, when he is unfit for [sacrificial] service. (5) But R. Jose says well to R. Judah? (6) — R. Judah is consistent with his view, for he maintained that the altar made by Moses was large. For it was taught: [And thou shalt make the altar of acacia wood.] five cubits long, and five cubits broad; [the altar shall be square]: (7) this is meant literally: these are the words of R. Jose. R. Judah said: ‘Square’ is stated here, and ‘square’ is stated elsewhere: (8) as there it was measured from the centre, so here it was measured from the centre. And how do we know [that it was so] there? — Because it is written, And the hearth (9) shall be twelve cubits long by twelve cubits broad, square. You might think that it was only twelve cubits square; when, however, it says, to (10) the four sides thereof, it teaches that the measurement was taken from the middle. (11) And R. Jose? (12) — The gezerah shawah refers to the height [of the altar]. For it was taught: And the height thereof shall be three cubits: (13) this is meant literally: these are the words of R. Judah. R. Jose said: ‘Square’ is stated here, and ‘square’ is stated elsewhere: (14) as there its height was twice its length, so here too [its height was] twice its length. (15) Said R. Judah to him: Is it possible that the priest stood on the altar, performing the service, whilst all the people saw him from without? (16) Said R. Jose to him: But surely it is stated, And the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar roundabout, (17) [which teaches that] as the tabernacle was ten cubits [high], so was the altar ten cubits [high]; and it says. The hangings for the one side were fifteen cubits. (18)

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(1). ↑ Ibid. III, 4. The altar referred to is the brazen one made in the days of Moses (cf. II Chron. I, 6).
(2). ↑ The Temple.
(3). ↑ Ibid. VIII, 63.
(4). ↑ Moses’ altar was five cubits square. From these a cubit must be deducted on all sides for the horns, and a further cubit on all sides for the terrace where the priests walked. This left only one cubit square for the actual burning. Whereas in Solomon's altar the actual place for burning was twenty cubits square, according to R. Jose, which means four hundred times as large. If then the smaller altar could cope with a thousand animals, this larger one was surely more than enough for the number offered that day. Hence ‘was too little to receive’, etc. cannot be meant literally.
(5). ↑ I.e., instead of saying directly that for some reason he is unfit, he uses a euphemism and calls him a dwarf. Similarly here, the altar had become unfit for service, and that is delicately stated by saying that it was too small.
(6). ↑ His argument is sound. How then does R. Judah rebut it?
(7). ↑ Ex. XXVII. 1.
(8). ↑ Ezek. XLIII, 16, q.v. It is quoted in the text.
(9). ↑ I.e., the actual portion of the altar for burning.
(10). ↑ Lit. translation, not in as E.V.
(11). ↑ Interpreting ‘to’ as intimating that from one particular point there were twelve cubits in all directions, hence from the centre. Accordingly, Moses’ altar was ten cubits square, not five, and when the two cubits on all sides are deducted (v. n. 11, p. 296) it was still six as against Solomon's twenty cubits square. The latter therefore would not be large enough for the extra work it had to do.
(12). ↑ How does he rebut this reasoning?
(13). ↑ Ex. ibid.
(14). ↑ In reference to the golden altar, Ex. XXX, 2: a cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; square shall it be; and two cubits shall be the height thereof.
(15). ↑ Hence, ten cubits.
(16). ↑ As would be the case if the altar were ten cubits high; this would not be seemly. — The text is emended in accordance with the Yalkut.
(17). ↑ Num. IV, 26.
(18). ↑ Ex. XXXVIII, 14. Rashi: it is now understood that they were fifteen cubits in height. Tosaf. objects that the whole context refers to the width, and accordingly emends: ‘and the hangings were fifteen cubits,’ omitting ‘and it says’ and ‘for one side’, this being a statement by R. Jose on their height, not a Biblical quotation.