The Spice of Life Makes Life Worth Living
The Torah ends our parsha with the commandment to make the golden Mizbach Ketoret, the Incense Altar. Many commentaries ask why this utensil’s instruction is deferred until the very end of Parshat Tetzaveh, long after all the other utensils had been specified in Parshat Terumah. It seems that the Incense Altar was not the same as the other utensils, which were integral to Temple service.
Rabbi Ovadiah Seforno suggests that all of the other Temple services and their respective utensils – the lighting of the Menorah, the offering of the sacrifices, the baking of the show-bread –were all necessary in order to create a repository for the Shechinah, allowing Hashem to rest His Divine presence within our people. But the Ketoret (incense) offering was not meant to bring the Shechinah. Rather, once the Shechinah was brought down by the other requisite Temple services, it was only fitting to offer incense as a show of respect to Hashem whose Presence was manifest in this holy place.
In the same vein, Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk demonstrates from the Talmud that the incense’s offering was not as reliant upon the specific altar utensil. For all other services, if the utensil was missing or deficient, the service could not be performed. For example, if the sacrificial altar was broken or missing a piece, all sacrifices could no longer be brought until the altar was repaired. But in the absence of an Incense Altar, incense could still be brought. This, too, indicates that there’s something different about the Ketoret service.
The menorah and incense
But this only begs the question: Why is the Menorah lighting, for example, so vital an ingredient to bringing Hashem’s presence among us, whereas the Ketoret offering was not? Why is it treated with less formality and strict protocol than the other services?
Furthermore, the Torah says (30:-7-8) that the incense of the Mishkan must be offered twice daily, once in the morning, and once in the evening. But the Torah makes this statement in an unusual context, pointing out that the incense must be offered in concert with the work done with the Menorah.
In the morning, the Kohen must offer the incense in the middle of his work in cleaning out the burnt out wicks of the Menorah. In the evening, the Kohen must offer the incense immediately before the lighting of the Menorah. Why does the Torah connect the burning of the incense with the lighting of the Menorah?
Although the entire Temple service is quite foreign to us, we can find deep meaning about the human condition in these arcane practices. The lighting of the Menorah represents and stimulates the sense of sight, whereas the burning of the Ketoret represents and stimulates the sense of smell. In this context, Maimonides suggests that the reason for burning incense in the Temple is to remove any offensive odor that one might encounter when entering the Mishkan with all of its freshly slaughtered animals on a hot day. The incense would alleviate the overpowering smell and would provide instead a positive olfactory experience.
The role of smell in our lives
Which sense is more impactful and necessary for human survival – the sense of smell or the sense of sight? One of the side-effects of the Covid virus was the temporary loss of smell and taste. Can you imagine if, instead of taking away one’s sense of smell, the virus took away one’s sight? There would have been absolute pandemonium and utter terror at the prospect of going blind, even temporarily. But lose your smell and taste for a few days? Not so terrible.
But we shouldn’t be quick to dispense with the importance of the Ketoret and the sense of smell. Note the role it plays in multiple stories in the Torah. It is the offering that Nadav and Avihu brought into the Holy of Holies, thinking that this would be most pleasing to Hashem (Lev. 10:1-2).
It is also the offering that Korach’s 250 elders brought in their censer pans, thinking that Hashem would choose them over Moshe, only to discover that their offering brought about their destruction (Num. 16:35). The Ketoret was also used by Aharon to stay a plague in Parshat Korach (17:11-13). What is this quality of the Ketoret that makes it attractive as an offering, and why does it have this ability to stay a plague?
A beneficial relationship or not?
Consider that it may very well be that the less vital role of the Ketoret – and its accompanying sense of smell –is the very thing that makes it so desirable and special. All of the korbanot that are offered to Hashem on the main altar – animal flesh, flour offerings, and libations – have nutritive qualities that represents the concept of “feeding” the Almighty His due, in the hopes that He will reciprocate and feed us that which is vital for our existence: parnassah, health, etc. (in the same way that the sense of sight is vital to our existence).
But the truly righteous person is inspired to serve G-d NOT because he or she wishes to garner some benefit from the Almighty. Rather, he or she wishes to show honor and homage to their Creator without the expectation of anything in return. The greatest gratification is not doing something which garners things in return, but rather knowing that you have made a difference in the larger scheme and that your Creator loves you because of it.
The Ketoret represents specifically that ingredient in life that is NOT vital to our survival, but nevertheless makes life worth living. This is what sweet-smelling fragrances achieve as well. We can certainly survive without fragrance, but what a bland and tasteless life it would be without our olfactory senses intact. This is why Nadav and Avihu felt that the Ketoret was the appropriate offering for an extemporaneous show of their love to Hashem. It wasn’t in order to curry favor for any of their needs, but rather to show their love and desire to achieve ultimate closeness as the inherent gratification for their offering.
Ketoret and a ‘higher’ place
This is also the key to the Ketoret’ ability to stay a plague. The fragrance of incense represents the higher sense of quality of life. One who takes time to smell the roses is not just surviving, but is living in the moment. It is that high sense of living that wards off the Angel of Death and allows a person to survive a plague. It is also the reason why, immediately after Shabbos when our “neshamah yeteirah” (added soul) leaves us, we revive ourselves with incense, demonstrating that despite Shabbos’ departure, we will still find life purpose in the days ahead.
We are all “surviving” in the midst of war, a war that is taking a great toll on so many. We look forward to a time when we no longer be in survival mode, but rather living with the added “fragrances” of life. Indeed, it is still possible to live in the moment even during difficult times. Our goal should be to find the daily pleasures of life even amidst the pain.
Finally, in describing the Messiah, Isaiah says that he will be imbued with the unique ability to see people for whom they really are. The navi thus says that instead of judging people with his eyes and ears as one would normally, the Messiah will (Is. 11:3) “וַהֲרִיח֖וֹ בְּיִרְאַ֣ת יְקֹוָ֑ק” – “smell out the fear of G-d” within people. The Ibn Ezra explains that the sense of smell is uncanny in its truthful detection: “Sometimes the sense of hearing errs in that it might hear something that’s not really there. The sense of sight might also mistake something stationary as moving.
Only the sense of smell never misperceives.” As we continue to rebuild our people from the ashes of tragedy, we will continue to regain our sense of smell. I encourage you to smell the roses and resume living your life to the fullest. Let’s imbibe the sweet fragrance of the Ketoret together in the days to come. Let’s see the Temple service once again, together in Yerhushalayim, bb”a.