Our Gemara on this daf discusses a dispute regarding if the sprinkling of the blood on the ramp of the altar counts as if it was sprinkled on the altar. The simplest explanation of this dispute is whether the ramp is a separate entity, or part of the altar itself.

What is the spiritual significance of this, and for that matter, what is the significance of the ramp itself? The verse states (Shemos 20:23):

“Do not ascend my altar by steps, that your nakedness may not be exposed upon it.”  

The simple peshat is that since in the olden days, most people wore robes and did not have underwear, if the cohen would walk up steps instead of a ramp, the width of his gait would reveal his underside. Even though the Cohen also wore a form of pants underneath, perhaps it still had the optics of showing nakedness, or still other parts of his leg would be more revealed if he took steps instead of small paces.

The Maharal (Nesivos Olam, Nesiv Hadin 1) discusses the ramp’s metaphoric significance. A ramp connotes a gradual process of transition instead of rapid change, represented by going up steps. The Gemara Sanhedrin (7b) states:

Bar Kappara taught, based on a homiletical interpretation of a verse: From where is this matter that the Sages stated derived: Be temperate in judgment (Avot 1:1)? As it is written: “Neither shall you go up by steps onto my altar” (Exodus 20:23), i.e., do not ascend hurriedly, and juxtaposed to it, it is written: “Now these are the ordinances that you shall set before them” (Exodus 21:1). 

Rabbi Eliezer says: From where is it derived that a judge may not step over the heads of the sacred nation, walking among those assembled for the lecture, who would sit upon the floor, in such a manner that he has the appearance of stepping on them? It is derived from that which is stated: “Neither shall you go up by steps,” and juxtaposed to it is an introduction to civil laws and courtroom regulations: “Now these are the ordinances.” This indicates that the prohibition against ascending upon steps applies to judges.

The common denominator is a sense of humility and movement that is gentle and not drastic. The nakedness is metaphoric for arrogance and lust. The judge and the cohen, must ascend spiritually or develop his arguments with patience and process, and not let his arrogance (nakedness) overtake him. 

If we consider the ramp as part of the altar, and the blood of the sacrifice achieves atonement on it, perhaps this is suggestive of repentance being accepted even at the most nascent part of the process. While the other position holds that, true God may accept your repentance, but you at least have to enter His space and reach the altar. I wonder if this dispute might be represented in variant texts of the famous saying: 

“God says, make an opening the size of the point of a needle, and I will make you an opening the size of the hallway into the Temple.” (Eitz Yosef Eicha Rabbah (5:20) and the Tashlich Liturgy.) 

A different form comes from Shir Hashirim Rabbah (5:2): 

“God says, make an opening of repentance the size of the point of a needle, and I will make you openings that wagons and carriages can pass through.”

In the latter version, the opening must be of repentance, but in the former version the opening is not labeled specifically as repentance (though implied.)

In the former version, perhaps one may only need to want to let God in but not even have started the actual repentance, which we can say is symbolized in the ramp before the altar. While in the latter, at least the person must make an opening of repentance, albeit a tiny one, symbolized by needing to at least touch the altar.