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Ramban on Exodus 40:10/רמב"ן על שמות מ׳:י׳

אוְהָיָה הַמִּזְבֵּחַ קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁיַּקְרִיבוּ בּוֹ גַּם קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים אָמַר בּוֹ כֵן אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיָה בֶּחָצֵר. וְאָמַר גַּם בַּמִּשְׁכָּן (שמות מ':ט') "וְהָיָה קֹדֶשׁ", כִּי לֹא נִקְרָא קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים רַק מְקוֹם מִשְׁכַּן הָאָרוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ"ו:ל"ג) "וְהִבְדִּילָה הַפָּרֹכֶת לָכֶם בֵּין הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּבֵין קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים". וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁאָמַר בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ "קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים" בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁיְּקַדֵּשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר "וְהָיָה הַמִּזְבֵּחַ קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים כָּל הַנֹּגֵעַ בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ יִקְדָּשׁ" (שמות כ"ט:ל"ז):

1AND THE ALTAR SHALL BE MOST HOLY. Since they would also sacrifice on it the most holy offerings, Scripture describes the altar as “most holy,” even though it stood in the court of the Tabernacle. Of the Tabernacle, however, Scripture says, and it shall be holy,⁸¹ because the term “most holy” is used usually only with reference to the place where the ark rests, just as it is said, and the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.⁸² It is possible that He said of the altar “most holy,” because it sanctifies other things, just as He said, whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.⁸³, 29:37. See also Ramban above in Seder Ki Thisa 34:25, towards the end, for the specific explanation of how the altar sanctifies whatever touches it.