Smoke and Fragrance and Incense

Synopsis

Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Shimon and the Faithful Shepherd discuss the smoke that emerged from the left nostril and the fragrance that was drawn into the right nostril, and we learn that these are Judgment and Mercy. Incense corrects the two and removes death from the world.

Relevance

We now offer our negative, self-destructive traits as a sacrifice through the verses that speak the mysteries of the burnt offerings and incense. This action has a profound effect upon our lives as revealed by the Zohar: "...nothing is as effective as incense for doing away with death in the world, for incense is the connecting of Judgment with Mercy with the sweet savor in the nostrils."

This passage lights the sticks of incense on our behalf in the following manner: Smoke, we are told, denotes judgment, which correlates to the left nostril. Our repentant reading of this passage repeals all judgments decreed against us and our neighbors. Fragrance correlates to the right nostril, bringing Mercy into the body instead of Judgment. Thus, here we arouse great Mercy in the world. Judgment and Mercy then combine together. Smoke and fragrance blend together to generate a sweet incense that slays the Angel of Death, forever banishing the force of death from our body and civilization.

Apples Fire Fragrance Incense Judgment Mercy Nose Offering Sacrifice Smoke

203. Another explanation: "Command the children of Yisrael, and say to them, My offerings, the provision of My sacrifices made by fire, of a sweet savor to Me" (Bemidbar 28:2). Rabbi Yehuda said: With an offering there is smoke and there is fragrance and there is a sweet savor. Smoke is from the side of Judgment, as it is said: "But then the anger (also: 'nose') of Hashem shall smoke" (Devarim 29:19), "There went up a smoke out of His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth devoured" (Tehilim 18:9). Sweet savor is Mercy, as it is said: "and the scent of your countenance (lit. 'nose') like apples" (Shir Hashirim 7:9).

203. ד"א, צַו אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם אֶת קָרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי לְאִשַּׁי רֵיחַ נִיחוֹחִי. ר' יְהוּדָה אָמַר, בְּקָרְבָּנָא אִית עָשָׁן, וְאִית רֵיחַ, וְאִית רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ, עָשָׁן אִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא, הה"ד, כִּי אָז יֶעְשַׁן אַף יְיָ.' עָלָה עָשָׁן בְּאַפּוֹ וְאֵשׁ מִפִּיו תֹּאכֵל. רֵיחַ נִיחֹחִי, רַחֲמֵי. וְרֵיחַ אַפֵּךְ כַּתַּפּוּחִים.

Apples Brain Fragrance Heart Judgment Levites Mercy North Nose Shepherd Smoke South Windows Wisdom Witnesses

204. The Faithful Shepherd said, Both of them, smoke and fragrance, are in the nose, and are called 'witnesses.' The former IS IN THE NOSE, AS IT IS WRITTEN: "There went up a smoke out of His nostrils," and the latter, AS IT IS SAID: "and the scent of your countenance (lit. 'nose') like apples." If that is so, then why is the former, smoke, called 'Judgment,' and the latter, FRAGRANCE, called 'Mercy?' HE ANSWERS THAT in the nose there are two windows, EACH OF WHICH IS A NOSTRIL. "There went up a smoke out of His nostrils" is said about the left-hand NOSTRIL, WHICH IS JUDGMENT. What is the meaning of "went up?" It is THAT THE SMOKE ROSE UP from the heart, which is on the left and is parallel to Gvurah. And from the right a breeze descends to cool it and quiet its anger from the side of Chesed, which is where the brain is; namely Chochmah, which is to the right, 'He who wishes to acquire wisdom, let him turn south.' And Binah, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH OF THE LEFT, is in the heart, opposite the left, 'and he who wishes to enrich let him turn north.' And this is why "There went up a smoke out of His nostrils," namely from Binah, WHICH IS ON THE LEFT, to Chochmah, which is on the right. And CHOCHMAH welcomes it with rejoicing to the accompaniment of the music of the Levites.

204. אָמַר רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא, וְהָא תַּרְוַויְיהוּ עָשָׁן וְרֵיחַ, אִינּוּן בְּאַף, וּקְרָאִין סַהֲדִין. חַד, עָלָה עָשָׁן בְּאַפּוֹ. וְתִנְיָינָא, וְרֵיחַ אַפֵּךְ כַּתַּפּוּחִים. וַאֲמַאי אִתְקְרֵי חַד עָשָׁן דִּינָא וְתִנְיָינָא רַחֲמֵי. אֶלָּא, בְּחוֹטָמָא אִית תְּרֵין חַלּוֹנִין, וְאִתְּמַר בִּשְׂמָאלָא, עָלָה עָשָׁן בְּאַפּוֹ, מַאי עָלָה. אֶלָּא מִלִבָּא דְּאִיהוּ בִּשְׂמָאלָא, לָקֳבֵל גִבּוֹר. מִימִינָא נָחִית רוּחָא לְגַבֵּיהּ, לְקַרְרָא לֵיהּ, וּלְשַׁכְּכָא רוּגְזֵיהּ, מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד, דְּתַמָּן מוֹחָא. חָכְמָה לִימִינָא, הָרוֹצֶה לְהַחְכִּים יַדְרִים. בִּינָה בְּלִבָּא, כְּלַפֵּי שְׂמָאלָא, הָרוֹצֶה לְהַעֲשִׁיר יַצְפִּין. ובג"ד עָלָה עָשָׁן בְּאַפּוֹ, מִן בִּינָה לְגַבֵּי חָכְמָה, דְּאִיהִי לִימִינָא, וּמְקַבֵּל לֵיהּ בְּחֶדְוָה, בְּנִגּוּנָא דְּלֵיוָאֵי.

Altar Fire Offering Precepts Smoke Torah

205. וְהַאי עָשָׁן לָא סָלִיק, אֶלָּא ע"י אֵשׁ, דְּאַדְלִיק בְּעֵצִים, דְּאִינּוּן אֵבָרִים מַלְיָין פִּקוּדִין, עֲצֵי עוֹלָה. מָארֵי תּוֹרָה, אוֹרַיְיתָא דְּאִיהִי אַדְלִיקָת בְּהוֹן, אֵשׁ בְּתּוּקְפָּא דִּגְבוּרָה, וְעָלָה עָשָׁן בְּהוֹן. בַּבִּינָה עָשָׁן הַמַעֲרָכָה.

Aramaic David Death Death and the Afterlife Incense Judgment Mercy Praise Prayer Sacrifice Smoke

206. And when the smoke has arisen to the nose, it is called "incense," as it is written: "They shall put incense in your nostrils." (Devarim 33:10). And nothing is as effective as incense for doing away with death in the world, for incense is the connecting of Judgment with Mercy with the sweet savor in the nostrils. For 'connect' is in Aramaic 'ktiru,' AND HENCE INCENSE (HEB. KTORET) MEANS CONNECTION. Rabbi Yehuda said, Happy is our portion that we have gained hidden matters and can understand them openly. The Holy Luminary added, Since prayer is like a sacrifice, anyone, therefore, who says the prayer 'Compounding of the Incense' after "A praise of David" (Tehilim 145:1) does away with death from the house.

206. וּמִדִּסְלִיקַת לְאַף, אִתְקְרֵי קְטֹרֶת, הה"ד, יָשִׂימוּ קְטוֹרָה בְּאַפֶּךָ. וְלֵית דְּבָטִיל מוֹתָנָא בְּעָלְמָא, כַּקְּטֹרֶת, דְּאִיהוּ קִשּׂוּרָא דְּדִינָא בְּרַחֲמֵי, עִם רֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ בְּאַף. תַּרְגּוּם דְּקֶשֶׁר קְטִירוּ. א"ר יְהוּדָה, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא דְּרַוַוחְנָא מִלִּין סְתִימִין בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא. עוֹד אָמַר בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּבָתַר דִּצְלוֹתָא אִיהִי כְּקָרְבְּנָא, מַאן דְּיֵימָּא פִּטּוּם הַקְּטֹרֶת, בָּתַר תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד, בָּטִיל מוֹתָנָא מִבֵּיתָא.