Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Genesis 28:18/רמב"ן על בראשית כ״ח:י״ח
אוַיָּשֶׂם אוֹתָהּ מַצֵּבָה כְּבָר פֵּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (ע"ז נג) הַהֶפְרֵשׁ שֶׁבֵּין הַמַּצֵּבָה לַמִּזְבֵּחַ, שֶׁהַמַּצֵּבָה אֶבֶן אַחַת וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֲבָנִים הַרְבֵּה. וְנִרְאֶה עוֹד שֶׁהַמַּצֵּבָה תֵּעָשֶׂה לְנַסֵּךְ עָלֶיהָ נֶסֶךְ יַיִן וְלִיצוֹק עָלֶיהָ שֶׁמֶן, לֹא לְעוֹלָה וְלֹא לְזֶבַח, וְהַמִּזְבֵּחַ לְהַעֲלוֹת עָלָיו עוֹלוֹת וּשְׁלָמִים. וּבְבֹאָם לָאָרֶץ נֶאֶסְרָה עֲלֵיהֶם הַמַּצֵּבָה (דברים טז כב), מִפְּנֵי שֶׁשָּׂמוּ אוֹתָהּ הַכְּנַעֲנִים לָהֶם לְחֹק יוֹתֵר מִן הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּתוּב בָּהֶם (שמות לד יג) "אֶת מִזְבְּחוֹתָם תִּתֹּצוּן", אוֹ שֶׁלֹּא רָצָה לֶאֱסֹר הַכֹּל וְהִשְׁאִיר הַמִּזְבֵּחַ שֶׁרָאוּי לְנֶסֶךְ וּלְקָרְבָּנוֹת:
1AND HE SET IT UP FOR A PILLAR. Our Rabbis have explained52 the difference between a pillar and an altar by saying that a pillar consists of one stone while an altar is composed of many stones. It further appears that a pillar is made for pouring libations of wine upon it and for the pouring of oil upon it, but not for sacrifices and not for offerings, whereas an altar is for bringing Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings thereon. When Israel entered the Land, the pillar was prohibited to them53 because the Canaanites had established it as an ordinance of an idolatrous character to a greater extent than the altars. Even though it is written concerning the altars, Ye shall break down their altars,54 [since the altars were not as prevalent as pillars among the Canaanites, He did not prohibit the Israelites from making their own altars]. It may be that He did not want to prohibit all sacrifices, and so He retained the altar as fit for libations and sacrifices.