The Beracha Me’en Shalosh which we recite after eating certain foods is essentially a condensed version of Birkat Ha’mazon, succinctly mentioning the themes of all four blessings of the Birkat Ha’mazon. There is, however, one element mentioned in Me’en Shalosh which appears nowhere in the Birkat Ha’mazon, namely, the Mizbe’ah (altar in the Bet Ha’mikdash). In Me’en Shalosh, we pray that G-d should have compassion "Al Mizbahacha" ("on Your altar"), something which is not mentioned anywhere in the text of Birkat Ha’mazon.
Rav Rahamim Shayo (contemporary), in his work Mehkereh Eretz, offers a possible answer (which he admits is not as good as the question). Hazal teach us that nowadays, when we do not offer sacrifices upon the altar for atonement, the tables in our homes serve as the "altars" which provide atonement. As the verse states, "Zeh Ha’shulhan Asher Lifneh Hashem" – our tables are considered like the altar which is before G-d in the Bet Ha’mikdash. (The Gaon of Vilna explained that this refers to the Mizbah Ha’ketoret, the altar inside the Temple upon which incense was offered. This is alluded to by the fact that of the eleven spices that comprised the Ketoret, only four are mentioned in the Torah – Nataf, Shehelet, Helbena, and Lebona – and the first letters of these words spell the word "Shulhan," table.) Our Sages teach that "Ha’ma’arich Al Shulhano," if one spends a good deal of time at his table, allowing for many guests and poor people to come and partake of his food and drink, he transforms his table into an altar by virtue of the kindness he performs with it. Therefore, when one eats a meal, he does not need to pray for the altar in Birkat Ha’mazon, because his table functions as an altar. It is only when one eats a snack, after which he recites Me’en Shalosh, that he must pray for the restoration of the Mizbe’ah so he can once again earn atonement through the offering of sacrifices.
This insight reminds us of the special stature of the table, and how it must be treated as a sacred article. If we would be asked to name the religious articles in our homes, we would likely mention the Shabbat candles, the Halla board, the Mezuzot and our Tefillin. In truth, however, it is likely our table which is the most sacred religious article, for when it is used properly, it rises to the stature of the Mizbe’ah in the Bet Ha’mikdash.
