Altar versus Monolith

And Jacob rose up early in the morning and took the stone which he had placed as a pillow and set it up as a pillar (matzeiva) and poured oil on it.                                                           Genesis 28:18 “Matzeva” is a single stone, while “mizbeaḥ” (altar) is built of a number of stones. Upon the Israelites’ entry into the Land, the use of a matzeva was forbidden and the People were commanded to use an altar (mizbeaḥ).          Naḥmanides

          My father explained that mizbeaḥ is a symbol of the unity of the Tribes of Israel, so much so, that our Sages taught that when a Jewish couple is divorced, the mizbeaḥ weeps because part of the nation is disunited. The mizbeaḥ is composed of many stones, which when united, serve as the means of achieving closeness to the Almighty (based upon Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch’s understanding of “korbanot” (“sacrifices”).

          Matzeva is a single stone, a monolith, in which there is no unity. Rather, the entire stone is identical.

          Once Israel entered its Land, the use of matzeva in God’s service was replaced by the use of mizbeaḥ. This symbolizes the importance of maintaining ones individuality within the framework of unity. The ideal of Judaism is not to have a single mindset, but to have each member bring his/her own thoughts and qualities to the service of God.