The Torah commands in Parashat Yitro (Shemot 20:23) not to ascend “Be’ma’alot Al mizbehi” – “upon My altar with stairs.” If a Kohen walks up stairs to reach the top of the altar, as the Torah explains, he will expose private parts of his body as he takes his strides, and this is therefore forbidden. For this reason, there was a ramp leading up to the top of the altar, instead of stairs. The Sefer Ha’hinuch observes that, quite obviously, the stones of the altar will not experience any humiliation of feel disrespected by the Kohen walking up stairs and exposing private parts of his body. Nevertheless, the Torah forbade this to reinforce our sense of reverence for the altar. When a person looks at the altar, and sees that there is a ramp, and not a staircase, he will reflect upon the reason behind this requirement, and recognize the great significance of the altar, that it is so important that we must show it great respect. If stairs were placed alongside the altar, and somebody walked in long strides up the stairs, he has violated this prohibition and is thus liable to Malkut. The Mechilta (here in Parashat Yitro) comments that even when ascending the ramp to the altar, the Kohanim were forbidden from taking large strides, and needed to walk in small steps, placing the toes of one foot near the heels of the one in front of it as they walked. The commentators raise the question of how to reconcile the Mechilta’s comment with the description in Masechet Yoma of how the Kohanim would race up the ramp to the altar. Every morning, a Kohen would perform Terumat Ha’deshen – cleaning the top of the altar – and the Kohanim would race up the ramp, each vying to reach the top first so he could have the privilege of performing this Misva. How were the Kohanim permitted to race up the altar, if, as the Mechilta states, one is required to ascend to the altar in small steps? One answer that has been given is that the prohibition applies only when walking up to the altar constitutes an Aboda – an actual ritual in the Bet Ha’mikdash. For example, after an animal is sacrificed, the Kohen must perform “Holacha” – bringing certain portions of the animal up to the top of the altar. The walking itself is an official stage of the service, and not merely a practical, prerequisite stage. It is only under such circumstances, some have suggested, that the Torah forbids the Kohanim from taking long strides as they make their way up to the top of the altar. In all other instances, however, this is allowed, and thus the Kohanim who ascended to the altar in the hopes of performing the Misva of Terumat Ha’deshen at the top were allowed to run. The Sefer Ha’hinuch, though, clearly did not accept this theory. He writes that even if a woman walks up stairs to the top of the altar, she has transgressed this prohibition – even though women do not perform the Aboda. Necessarily, then, the Sefer Ha’hinuch maintained that this prohibition applies anytime, and not only when the ascent to the altar constitutes an act of Aboda. A much simpler answer is that the Sages disputed this question. The account that appears in the Gemara follows the view that the Torah prohibition is limited to walking in long strides up stairs, whereas the Mechilta reflects a different opinion, extending this prohibition to include even taking long strides up a ramp to the top of the altar.