For ‘mizbeach hazahav,’ more detail than expected

Tetzaveh, this week’s parsha, ends with a seemingly out of place description of the commandment for making the “mizbeach hazahav” (small altar), the golden, spice-burning mizbeach.

With the commandment for most of the Mishkan’s vessels and priestly garments completed, and the parsha’s second half focusing on the consecration of the kohanim, why the holdout for this vessel? It should have been listed alongside commandments for the ark, menorah, and table, its neighbors in the Mishkan.

In addition to its surprising placement, its function is also described in detail, while the function of every other vessel is limited to a passing verse in the midst of a focus on its construction. See, for example, 25:21: “You place into the ark the testimony that I will give you.” And 25:30: “It is on this table that showbread shall be placed before Me at all times.” For the menorah, nothing was mentioned in the commandment of its construction as to how it was to function (although calling it a lamp and describing its oil cups does make it obvious), and we do get a brief interlude about it at the beginning of Tetzaveh (27:20-21).

But all of this pales in comparison to this (30:7-10): “Aaron shall burn incense on [this altar] each morning when he cleans out the lamps. He shall [also] burn [incense] before evening when he lights the lamps. Thus, for all generations, there will be incense before God at all times. Do not burn any unauthorized incense on it. Furthermore, do not offer any animal sacrifice, meal offering, or libation on it. [Furthermore,] once each year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of [this altar]. For all generations, he shall make atonement with the blood of the atonement sacrifice once each year. [This altar] shall be a holy of holies to G-d.”