Dear Betty,
 
I hope that you don't mind me correcting a couple of things in your 7/30 post at http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/july2004/bettyw730.htm  by using Bible verses, but Peter wasn't in his skivies when he put his coat on and swam to shore to Jesus because John 21:7 tells us "he was naked" before putting his coat on.
 
I also used to think that the priest walked up steps to go up to the altar until I read Exodus 20:26 which says, "Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto my altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon."  The priest walked up a ramp to the altar. Below is a paragraph about the priest using a ramp to approach the altar which I copied from an article at http://www.everythingjewish.com/YomK/YK_origins.htm
 
"Then came the most important part of the ceremony. The High Priest walked up a special ramp (so temple priests could ascend with modesty in tact) to the altar, filled a gold pan with coals and a golden ladle with incense. Then, with everyone watching, he walked into the Kodesh K’dashim, the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctuary where G-d's spirit dwelled and where no one but the High Priest entered except on Yom Kippur. Once inside, he lit the incense, and if all went well, emerged unscathed from the inner chamber."
 
Here is also another article about it at http://www.gift-museum.com/LigtenbergTemple.html which states "The Priests would approach the altar and offer up the sacrifices on behalf of the people. This altar was made of copper. In this painting a fire can be seen burning on it. In fact there were two fires burning simultaneously, the fire from the sacrifices and a perpetual fire. Next to the altar two priests are pictured with their arms raised heavenwards. When offering the sacrifices on behalf of the people of Israel, the Priest walked up a ramp to the altar. A ramp was built rather than steps, to ensure that the highest standards of modesty were maintained and that no part of the priest's body was seen during this holy service. In the painting one can see a priest carrying a lamb in his hands to offer up as a burnt offering. The door to the "Kodesh" can be seen open. Two priests can be seen carrying incense, which they offered up daily on the Golden Altar in the "Kodesh". The "Kodesh Kodoshim" leads off from the "Kodesh" and is supported by pillars made of cedar wood with a gold overlay."
 
God bless,
Donna