The Power of Incense and Your Inner Essence
Tetzaveh
Parshas Tetzaveh concludes with the directive to build the Mizbeach Haketores, the incense altar for the Mishkan.
The commentaries question why it is described here and not back in Parshas Terumah together with the design of the Mishkan and the other Keilim.
The answer lies in the words we say in Lecha Dodi each Friday night; סוף מעשה במחשבה תחילה, that which comes last in action, arose first in thought.
The command to build the Mishkan was for a very specific purpose - ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם. Hashem wanted His presence to be manifest within the world and more specifically within the heart of each Jew. This was the initial ‘thought’. This initial thought would be actualised in the last detail of the Mishkan to be described - the Mizbeach Haketores.
The Midrash Tanchuma describes the inauguration of the Mishkan. The Mishkan was erected and all of the Keilim were set in their positions. They offered the Korbanos, set the Lechem Hapanim on the Shulchan and kindled the Menorah. But the Divine presence did not enter the Mishkan until they offered the Ketores.
What is the power of Ketores? Why does the incense altar have a a greater power than any other aspect of the Mishkan to draw down the Divine presence?
The Sefer Tzror Hamor writes the Mizbeach Haketores unites all of the aspects of the Mishkan. It unites the Elyonim (that which is Above) and the Tachtonim (that which is below) and the Tachtonim with the Elyonim. He connects the word Ketores itself to the word Kesher (meaning a knot) that binds things together to become one.
The Zohar compares Tefillah (which replaces the Korbanos) and the Ketores: None of the Korbanos compared to the level of the Ketores. Tefillah corrects that which needs correcting. But Ketores corrects, ties knots and creates a greater light than anything else, so that everything is perfected, illuminated and ties together as one.
There were two altars in the Beis Hamikdash. The Mizbeach Hachitzon, the outer altar used for the sacrifices, stood in the courtyard. Inside the Heichal was the Mizbeach Hapenimi, the inner altar which was used for offering Ketores.
The Midrash teaches that the outer sacrificial altar corresponds to the body. Like the body, this altar would “eat” and “drink” from the sacrifices and wine Nesachim. The inner altar parallels the soul since fragrance, being of a spiritual quality, is something that only the Neshama derives pleasure from.
Chassidus takes this deeper, explaining that the two altars reflect two dimensions of the Neshama itself.
The Alter Rebbe identifies two levels of emotional connection, two experiences of fiery love for Hashem that the Neshama can experience. These two dimensions are represented by the two altars.
The outer altar represents the emotions of the conscious soul, referred to as חיצוניות הלב, the external heart. These are the feelings of love for Hashem that are developed through meditation on Hashem’s greatness.
The inner heart (פנימיות הלב), represented by the inner altar, is the essential desire which comes from the essence of the soul. This desire transcends reason and understanding. It is the implicit, powerful desire for Hashem alone, that every Jew possesses.
The correlation reflects itself in the Avodah of each of the two altars.
Korban (sacrifice) comes from the word Karov, drawing close. The fire generated by meditation draws us close to Hashem. But we still remain separate, and the experience dissipates.
Ketores (incense) is related to the Aramaic term for a knot. A knot binds two things together so that they become one. This is the supra-rational love and desire that comes from the Yechidah, the essence of the soul which is one with Hashem. Once revealed, this love never passes.
More than a building in which to be manifest, Hashem wants to reside and be revealed within our hearts and souls.
The most powerful actualization of this desire is when we reveal our essential oneness with Hashem - our inner altar and inner heart.
The commentaries question why it is described here and not back in Parshas Terumah together with the design of the Mishkan and the other Keilim.
The answer lies in the words we say in Lecha Dodi each Friday night; סוף מעשה במחשבה תחילה, that which comes last in action, arose first in thought.
The command to build the Mishkan was for a very specific purpose - ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם. Hashem wanted His presence to be manifest within the world and more specifically within the heart of each Jew. This was the initial ‘thought’. This initial thought would be actualised in the last detail of the Mishkan to be described - the Mizbeach Haketores.
The Midrash Tanchuma describes the inauguration of the Mishkan. The Mishkan was erected and all of the Keilim were set in their positions. They offered the Korbanos, set the Lechem Hapanim on the Shulchan and kindled the Menorah. But the Divine presence did not enter the Mishkan until they offered the Ketores.
What is the power of Ketores? Why does the incense altar have a a greater power than any other aspect of the Mishkan to draw down the Divine presence?
The Sefer Tzror Hamor writes the Mizbeach Haketores unites all of the aspects of the Mishkan. It unites the Elyonim (that which is Above) and the Tachtonim (that which is below) and the Tachtonim with the Elyonim. He connects the word Ketores itself to the word Kesher (meaning a knot) that binds things together to become one.
The Zohar compares Tefillah (which replaces the Korbanos) and the Ketores: None of the Korbanos compared to the level of the Ketores. Tefillah corrects that which needs correcting. But Ketores corrects, ties knots and creates a greater light than anything else, so that everything is perfected, illuminated and ties together as one.
There were two altars in the Beis Hamikdash. The Mizbeach Hachitzon, the outer altar used for the sacrifices, stood in the courtyard. Inside the Heichal was the Mizbeach Hapenimi, the inner altar which was used for offering Ketores.
The Midrash teaches that the outer sacrificial altar corresponds to the body. Like the body, this altar would “eat” and “drink” from the sacrifices and wine Nesachim. The inner altar parallels the soul since fragrance, being of a spiritual quality, is something that only the Neshama derives pleasure from.
Chassidus takes this deeper, explaining that the two altars reflect two dimensions of the Neshama itself.
The Alter Rebbe identifies two levels of emotional connection, two experiences of fiery love for Hashem that the Neshama can experience. These two dimensions are represented by the two altars.
The outer altar represents the emotions of the conscious soul, referred to as חיצוניות הלב, the external heart. These are the feelings of love for Hashem that are developed through meditation on Hashem’s greatness.
The inner heart (פנימיות הלב), represented by the inner altar, is the essential desire which comes from the essence of the soul. This desire transcends reason and understanding. It is the implicit, powerful desire for Hashem alone, that every Jew possesses.
The correlation reflects itself in the Avodah of each of the two altars.
Korban (sacrifice) comes from the word Karov, drawing close. The fire generated by meditation draws us close to Hashem. But we still remain separate, and the experience dissipates.
Ketores (incense) is related to the Aramaic term for a knot. A knot binds two things together so that they become one. This is the supra-rational love and desire that comes from the Yechidah, the essence of the soul which is one with Hashem. Once revealed, this love never passes.
More than a building in which to be manifest, Hashem wants to reside and be revealed within our hearts and souls.
The most powerful actualization of this desire is when we reveal our essential oneness with Hashem - our inner altar and inner heart.