"Let my prayer be set forth before You like incense"

Synopsis

Rabbi Chizkiyah discusses the title verse, explaining why incense is burned during the morning and evening services. We learn that incense is a token of gladness and creates bonds between the Sfirot, removing death, accusations, and anger, so they will have no power over the world. Rabbi Chizkiyah then explains to us the significance of the "evening oblation," mentioned in the title verse.

Relevance

The mystical power associated with the burning of incense is ignited in these verses, helping to remove from our midst the dark influences of the prosecuting Angel of Death.

Aaron Candles Hands Heart Incense Lamps Lights Morning Prayer Priests Sacrifice

419. Rabbi Chizkiyah opened the discussion with the verse, "Let my prayer be set forth before You like incense; and the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice" (Tehilim 141:2). HE ASKS, Why does it mention the "evening sacrifice" and not the morning service, for it does not say, 'Let my prayer be set in the morning?' HE ANSWERS, We have learned from the words, "Let my prayer be set forth before You like incense" that incense is a token of gladness, as it is written, "Oil and incense rejoice the heart" (Mishlei 27:9). Therefore, when he lit the candles, the priest used to offer incense, as it says, "When he dresses the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. And when Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn incense upon it" (Shemot 30:7-8). In the morning, HE BURNS INCENSE because of the joy brought by the season, AS MORNING IS A TIME OF JOY, and in the evening HE BURNS INCENSE to bring joy to the left side, as befits. Incense is ever a sign of joy.

419. פְּתַח רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וַאֲמַר, תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ מַשְׂאַת כַּפַּי מִנְחַת עָרֶב. אַמַּאי מִנְחַת עָרֶב וְלָא צְלוֹתָא דְצַפְרָא, דְּלָא כְתִיב תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי בַּבֹּקֶר. אֶלָּא הָכֵי אִתְּמָר, תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ, קְטֹרֶת לָא אַתְיָא אֶלָּא עַל חֶדְוָה, הה"ד שֶׁמֶן וּקְטֹרֶת יְשַׂמַּח לֵב. וְע"ד כַּהֲנָא כַּד אַדְלֵיק בּוֹצִינִין, הֲוָה מַקְרִיב קְטֹרֶת, כְּד"א בְּהֵטִיבוֹ אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת יַקְטִירֶנָּה וּבְהַעֲלוֹת אַהֲרֹן אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם יַקְטִירֶנָּה. בְּצַפְרָא: עַל חֶדְוָה, דְּשַׁעְתָּא גָרֵים. בְּרַמְשָׁא: לְמֶחֱדֵי סְטַר שְׂמָאלָא, וְהָכֵי אִתְחֲזֵי. וּלְעָלַם לָא אָתֵי אֶלָּא עַל חֶדְוָה.

Aaron Altar Atonement Death Death and the Afterlife Evil Fire Incense Moses Plagues

420. Come and see how incense ties bonds BETWEEN THE SFIROT. It is attached above and below and removes death, accusations, and anger so they will have no power over the world, as it says, "And Moses said to Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire in it from off the altar, and put on incense, and take it quickly...and run...and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed" (Bemidbar 17:11-13). For no evil aspect or accuser can exist before incense. Therefore, it brings gladness and connection among everything.

420. וְתָא חֲזֵי קְטֹרֶת מְקַשֵּׁר קִשְׁרִין, וְאָחֵיד לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא, וְדָא אַעֲבַר מוֹתָא וְקִטְרוּגָא וְרוֹגְזָא, דְּלָא יָכֵיל לְשַׁלְטָאָה בְּעַלְמָא, כְּמָה דִכְתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל אַהֲרֹן קַח אֶת הַמַּחְתָּה וְתֵן עָלֶיהָ אֵשׁ מֵעַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְשִׂים קְטֹרֶת וְהוֹלֵךְ מְהֵרָה וגו.' לְבָתַר דָּא כְּתִיב וַיָּרָץ וגו,' וַיְכַפֵּר עַל הָעָם, וּכְתִיב וַיַּעֲמֹד בֵּין הַמֵּתִים וּבֵין הַחַיִּים וַתֵּעָצַר הַמַּגֵּפָה. בְּגִין דְּלָא יָכְלִין כָּל סִטְרִין בִּישִׁין וְכָל מְקַטְרְגִין לְמֵיקַם קַמֵּי קְטֹרֶת, וְעַל דָּא אִיהוּ חֶדְוָה דְכֹלָּא וְקִשּׁוּרָא דְכֹלָּא.

David Incense Judgment Minchah Prayer Sacrifice

421. At the time of Minchah, when Judgment rests upon the world, David was intent upon that prayer OF THE INCENSE, as it is written, "Let my prayer be set forth before You like incense." This prayer which he offered removed the wrath of strict Judgment which now ruled IN THE EVENING through the power of incense which rejects and removes wrath and any accusation in the world. Hence it says "evening sacrifice," for IT IS IN THE TIME OF MINCHAH THAT Judgment has sway upon the world.

421. וּבְשַׁעְתָּא דְמִנְחָה, דְּדִינָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעַלְמָא, אִתְכַּוֵּון דָּוִד בְּהַהוּא צְלוֹתָא, דִּכְתִיב תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ וגו.' וְהַאי צְלוֹתָא דְסָלֵיק, יַעֲבֵר רוּגְזָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, דְּשַׁלִּיט הַשְׁתָּא בְּהַאי זִמְנָא, בְּהַהוּא קְטֹרֶת, דְּדָחֵי וְאַעֲבַר קַמֵּיהּ כָּל רוּגְזָא, וְכָל קִטְרוּגָא דְעַלְמָא, הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב מִנְחַת עָרֶב, דְּדִינָא תַּלְיָא בְּעַלְמָא.

Isaac Jeremiah Judgment Minchah Prayer Temple, The

422. Come and see, When the Temple was destroyed, it was burned at the time of Minchah. Therefore it is written, "Woe to us! for the day declines, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out" (Yirmeyah 6:4). The evening shadows are the accusers in the world and the wrath of Judgment that are in wait at the time. We have therefore learned that it behooves man to pray with great intention at all prayers, but at Minchah more than the rest, since Judgment then rests upon the world. This is why it was Isaac who instituted the prayer of Minchah, WHICH IS OF JUDGMENT AND THE LEFT, as we have already explained.

422. תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד אִתְחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְאִתּוֹקַד, זְמַן מִנְחָה הֲוָה, וְעַל דָּא כְתִיב, אוֹי לָנוּ כִּי פָנָה הַיּוֹם כִּי יִנָּטוּ צִלְלֵי עָרֶב. מַאן צִלְלֵי עָרֶב. אִינוּן מְקַטְרְגִין דְּעַלְמָא, וְרוֹגְזֵי דְּדִינִין, דִּזְמִינִין בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא. וְע"ד תָּנִינָן, דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְכַוְּונָא דַעְתֵּיהּ, בִּצְלוֹתָא דְמִנְחָה. בְּכֻלְּהוּ צְלוֹתָא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְכַוְּונָא דַעְתֵּיהּ, וּבְהַאי צְלוֹתָא יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ, בְּגִין דְּדִינָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעַלְמָא. וְע"ד זְמַן צְלוֹתָא דְמִנְחָה, יִצְחָק תַּקֵּין לֵיהּ, וְהָא אוֹקְמוּהָ.