Incense

Ritual Objects

Incense (Ketoret) was offered daily on the Golden Altar in the Mishkan and Temple, and its ingredients are dictated in the Torah. There are also mystical properties associated with it, as seen from its use in protecting Jews from God's wrath in the desert (Num. 17).

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A Perpetual Offering of Incense

TANAKH

The book of Exodus details the instructions given to Aaron regarding the burning of aromatic incense on the altar, specifying that it should be done every morning and at twilight.

On it Aaron shall burn aromatic incense: he shall burn it every morning when he tends the lamps, and Aaron shall burn it at twilight when he lights the lamps—a regular incense offering before יהוה throughout the ages.

Exodus 30:7-8

The Divine Remedy of Incense

TALMUD

The Talmud recounts how Moses received gifts from the angels, including the gift of incense from the Angel of Death.

Immediately, each and every one of the angels became an admirer of Moses and passed something to him, as it is stated: “You ascended on high, you took a captive, you took gifts on account of man, and even among the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell there” (Psalms 68:19). The meaning of the verse is: In reward for the fact that they called you man, you are not an angel and the Torah is applicable to you, you took gifts from the angels. And even the Angel of Death gave him something, as Moses told Aaron how to stop the plague…

Shabbat 89a:2

The Dual Nature of Incense

MIDRASH

The incense used in the Temple had the power to both punish and atone. The Midrash Tanchuma explores the dual nature of sacred objects, using the example of incense to illustrate their potential for both punishment and blessing.

This was one of three things that Israel complained against, saying they were instruments for punishment. These are: the incense, the ark, and the staff. The incense was an instrument of punishment, for it brought distress to Nadab and Abihu. That is why He informed them that incense was to be used for atonement, as is said: And he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people (Num. 17:12). They said that the ark was a tool for retribution, for He killed Uzzah and the men of Beth-shemesh there, as is said: And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah…

Midrash Tanchuma, Beshalach 21:2

The Strategic Use of Incense in Korach's Rebellion

COMMENTARY

Moses used incense strategically to remind the rebels of the deadly consequences of defying divine authority. In the biblical account of Korach's rebellion, Moses employs the memory of Nadav and Avihu's death to warn the rebels.

Immediately thereafter, he stood, composed. He told the rebels that God would deliver the verdict the next day. They should bring censers, fire, and incense, and God would show whose He favoured. This was a shrewd move. By deferring the test to the next day, he gave the rebels a chance to think again and back down. By choosing the test he did, he was warning the rebels of the risk they were taking. Whenever the Korah rebellion took place – either immediately after the inauguration of the Sanctuary or later…

Covenant and Conversation; Numbers; The Wilderness Years, Korach, Not Taking It Personally 5

The Symbolism of Galbanum in Incense

REFERENCE

The inclusion of galbanum, a spice with an unpleasant smell, in the incense symbolizes the inclusion of the wicked among the righteous in prayer. The Ketoret, or incense, used in the Temple in Jerusalem included galbanum to represent the idea that all Jews, even sinners, are part of communal prayer.

חֶלְבְּנָה f. (b. h.; cmp. חָלָב, חֵלֶב , v. חִילְתִּית) galbanum, a gum-resin used as an ingredient of frank-incense, smelling like asafoetida. Ker. 6ᵃ. Ib…

Jastrow, חֶלְבְּנָה

The Transformative Power of Community

JEWISH THOUGHT

Even seemingly negative elements, like frankincense in the incense, can have a positive and transformative effect when integrated into a community guided by Torah principles. Rabbi Nissim of Gerona’s 14th-century sermons, Derashot HaRan, explore the idea of communal influence and the potential for individual traits to contribute positively within a group.

And this is the idea alluded to in the inclusion of the frankincense among the spices of the incense. Though the odor of the frankincense is, in itself, unpleasant, it may possess the power to stir up and bring to the fore the properties of the other spices and to arouse their scent. Similarly, for example, if there be found in a certain group individuals possessing a defect in that their awakening faculty arouses them to unbridled revenge, their powers, though they be defective in isolation, will generate a positive arousal within the group whose members channel them along the paths of Torah…

Derashot HaRan 1:15

The Eleven Spices of the Incense

COMMENTARY

The detailed enumeration and explanation of the eleven specific spices used in the incense offer a fascinating glimpse into ancient Jewish worship practices. Rashi, the renowned 11th-century French biblical commentator, provides a comprehensive commentary on Exodus 30:34:5, detailing the ingredients of the incense used in the Tabernacle.

ולבנה זכה AND PURE FRANKINCENSE — From here our Rabbis learned that eleven spices were mentioned to Moses on Sinai (a technical term, like הלכה למשה מסיני) as the ingredients of the incense. For the least number implied by the plural סמים is two; balsam, onycha and galbanum are three, making together five. The word סמים that follows (without stating any number) is intended to add a similar number as these already prescribed, viz., five, making ten, and frankincense makes eleven. They are the following: balm, onycha, galbanum, frankincense, myrrh, cassia, spikenard and saffron…

Rashi on Exodus 30:34:5

The Spiritual Power of Daily Rituals

KABBALAH

There is a practice to regularly recite passages about the incense offering. The Zohar, a foundational Kabbalistic text, emphasizes the beloved nature of this ritual and its ability to cleanse impurity and to bring delight to the Divine.

Where the daily recital of the incense-burning does not take place, there heavenly judgements impend, many people die there, and other nations obtain dominion. Thus Scripture says, “a perpetual incense before the Lord” (Ibid.), indicating that it abides in the presence of the Lord, more than all other modes of worship, it being the most precious and beloved to the Holy One, blessed be He. Prayer, indeed, is the highest service of all, yet is incense-burning dear and acceptable to the Almighty. Observe the difference between prayer and incense-offering…

Zohar, Vayakhel 41:476-478

The Unique Incense Service of Yom Kippur

GUIDES

The Yom Kippur incense service involves unique and intricate rituals that are performed only on this holiest day of the Jewish calendar. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz provides a detailed account of the special preparations and methods used in the Yom Kippur incense service, including the distinct way of scooping coals and the finer grinding of the incense.

The burning of the incense in the Holy of Holies was the high point of the Yom Kippur service. As such, there were many unique parts of the service and preparations for it that were performed only on Yom Kippur. For example, the coals were scooped in a way that was different from the normal manner, a special arrangement of wood was made to provide the coals with which to burn the incense, and the incense was ground much more finely that it normally was. The Gemara considered these and many other distinctions between how the service was performed on Yom Kippur and how it was performed during…

Introductions to the Babylonian Talmud, Yoma, Summary of Perek IV 4

The Mystery of the Incense Spices

COMMENTARY

The Torah lists fewer spices for the incense than the traditional count of eleven spices mentioned in daily prayers. Rabbi Ovadiah Sforno, a 16th-century Italian commentator, explores the detailed enumeration and blending of specific spices to achieve the desired fragrance balance for the incense.

קח לך סמים, the ones already mentioned in connection with the oil of anointing in verse 23-24 plus the three mentioned in this verse, i.e. נטף, שחלה, חלבנה, and in addition to these some other spices known to act as improving the mixture of those already listed. According to our sages in Keritut 6 Shibbolet, Nerd, Karkom and Kosht were such spices which when blended in with the ones listed in the Torah already would provide the balance of fragrance the Torah wanted to achieve. [The problem facing commentators is the fact that even when we add all the spices or oils mentioned in this chapter…

Sforno on Exodus 30:34:1

The High Priest's Unique Duties on Yom Kippur

MISHNAH

The procedures and tools used by the High Priest on Yom Kippur are distinct from those used throughout the rest of the year, emphasizing the day's unique sanctity. The Mishnah Yoma, a second-century legal text, outlines the special rituals and adjustments made for the High Priest's service on Yom Kippur.

The mishna comments on some of the contrasts between the service and protocols followed on Yom Kippur and those followed throughout the rest of the year: On every other day, a priest would scoop up the coals with a coal pan made of silver and pour the coals from there into a coal pan of gold. But on this day, on Yom Kippur, the High Priest scoops up with a coal pan of gold, and with that coal pan he would bring the coals into the Holy of Holies…

Mishnah Yoma 4:4

The Sanctity of Sacred Incense

MUSAR

The Torah prohibits replicating the sacred incense mixture for private use, emphasizing its sanctity and exclusivity. Rabbi Isaiah HaLevi Horowitz, in his 17th-century work Shenei Luchot HaBerit, discusses the importance of maintaining the sanctity of Temple rituals by prohibiting the private replication of the incense mixture.

Commandment 111 forbids the making up of the mixture of spices for the incense offering by using the same ingredients or the same quantities as those prescribed in the Torah. Such a mixture must not be used for private purposes. The very intention to use such a mixture, even if one is only making it for oneself, is already culpable.

Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Torah Shebikhtav, Ki Tisa, Ner Mitzvah 5

The Power of Incense

HALAKHAH

The liturgically recited passage describing the incense offering is called "Pitum HaKetoret." Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, in his contemporary halakhic work, lists different opinions about this practice.

In the Zohar (part 2, 212:2), Chazal greatly praise the recital of Pitum HaKetoret, asserting that we are saved, through its virtue, from many calamities. There are those who say that one must be very careful not to omit mentioning even one spice from the incense, therefore, it was not recited on weekdays, in fear that a person rushing to get to work would skip over one of the spices (Rama 132:2). In practice, it is the opinion of the majority of poskim that there is no need to be very meticulous regarding this…

Peninei Halakhah, Prayer 23:5:3

The Sacred Incense Preparation

LITURGY

The preparation of the incense in the Temple was a meticulous process, with specific procedures and incantations that held deep spiritual significance. The Korbanot section of the weekday Shacharit prayers includes the recitation of the Ketoret, which details the incense offering in the Temple.

It was taught in a Boraysa: Rabbi Nosson says, While [the Kohein] ground [the incense] he would say, ‘Hodeik heiteiv, heiteiv hodeik,’ because the sound is good for the spices. If half the quantity of incense was prepared, it was acceptable; but we have not heard if only a third or a fourth [of it was prepared] [whether it was acceptable].”

Siddur Ashkenaz, Weekday, Shacharit, Preparatory Prayers, Korbanot, Ketoret 6

The Balance of Incense

SECOND TEMPLE

Philo of Alexandria, a first-century Jewish philosopher, describes the composition of the incense as reflecting his Hellenistic notions about the perfect composition of the world.

[196] We have also a splendid example of equality in the composition of the frankincense offering. For we read “take to thyself sweet spices, oil drop of cinnamon, cloves and galbanum of sweetening and clear gum of frankincense, each in equal parts and they shall make of it incense, a perfume work of the perfumer of pure composition, a holy work” (Ex. 30:34, 35). Each of the parts, we see from his words, must be brought in equal measure, to make the combination of the whole. [197] Now these four, of which the incense is composed, are, I hold, a symbol of the elements…

Who is the Heir of Divine Things 41:2-5

New Year Greeting Card with the writing: "Take my prayer as an offering of incense." (Psalms 141:2), The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, UC Berkeley.

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