Difference between revisions of "Purpose and Placement of the Incense Altar/2"
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<category>Exalted Status | <category>Exalted Status | ||
<p>The incense altar is mentioned at the end of the discussion of the Mishkan and its vessels to highlight its exalted status, being second only to the Ark in importance.</p> | <p>The incense altar is mentioned at the end of the discussion of the Mishkan and its vessels to highlight its exalted status, being second only to the Ark in importance.</p> | ||
| − | <mekorot><multilink><a href="TzerorHaMorShemot30-1" data-aht="source">R. Avraham Saba</a><a href="TzerorHaMorShemot30-1" data-aht="source">Tzeror HaMor Shemot 30:1</a><a href="R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)</a></multilink><fn>See also <multilink><a href="TanchumaTetzaveh15" data-aht="source">Tanchuma</a><a href="TanchumaTetzaveh15" data-aht="source">Tetzaveh 15</a><a href="Tanchuma" data-aht="parshan">About the Tanchuma</a></multilink> who | + | <mekorot><multilink><a href="TzerorHaMorShemot30-1" data-aht="source">R. Avraham Saba</a><a href="TzerorHaMorShemot30-1" data-aht="source">Tzeror HaMor Shemot 30:1</a><a href="R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)</a></multilink><fn>See also <multilink><a href="TanchumaTetzaveh15" data-aht="source">Tanchuma</a><a href="TanchumaTetzaveh15" data-aht="source">Tetzaveh 15</a><a href="Tanchuma" data-aht="parshan">About the Tanchuma</a></multilink> and<multilink><a href="IbnEzraShemotFirstCommentary30-10" data-aht="source"> Ibn Ezra </a><a href="IbnEzraShemotFirstCommentary30-10" data-aht="source">Shemot First Commentary 30:10</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>who similarly point to the beloved and exalted nature of the incense altar/ offering, but do not use this to explain the placement of the command.</fn></mekorot> |
| + | <point><b>Function of the Incense Altar</b> – R. Saba highlights the role played by the incense in attaining atonement and abating the wrath of Hashem.  As evidence, he points  to the incense brought by Aharon to stop the plague in the aftermath of Korach's rebellion (<a href="Bemidbar17-9-13" data-aht="source">Bemidbar 17:9-13</a>). He further suggests that statement "אַחַת בַּשָּׁנָה יְכַפֵּר עָלָיו לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם" proves that teh atonement of Yom HaKIppurim is dependent upon it.</point> | ||
| + | <point><b>Purpose of the Tabernacle</b> – R. Saba maintains that the Tabernacle as a whole was built to atone for the Sin of the Golden Calf.<fn>See <a href="Purpose of the Mishkan" data-aht="page">Purpose of the Mishkan</a></fn>  As such, the incense altar, with its similar atoning function, was the highest of vessels.</point> | ||
| + | <point><b>Meaning of קטורת</b> – R. Saba suggests that the root קטר means to tie, as it does in Aramaic. In its atoning role, the altar serves to tie together all the aspects of the Tabernacle.  It further connect and joins the nation to Hashem.</point> | ||
| + | <point><b>Placement in the Kodesh</b> – The altar's placement in the Ohel Moed, facing the Ark, symbolizes that it is second in status only to it.</point> | ||
| + | <point><b>"קֹדֶשׁ קׇדָשִׁים הוּא לַי"י"</b> – This approach might suggest that this phrase describes the altar itself. It, like the ark, has "holy of holy" status.</point> | ||
| + | <point><b>Morning and Evening</b> – R. Saba suggests that the incense was burned both in the morning and evening to ensure that that throughout the day the incense could counter Hashem's angry judgment that might otherwise punish the people.</point> | ||
| + | <point><b>Comparison to Copper Altar</b> – As the sacrifices on the copper altar similarly serve an atoning function, one might question why the gold altar is considered so much more important.  R. Saba might respond that one does not see them actively stopping plague in the manner of the incense.  In addition, not all sacrifices were brought as expiation for sin and so the copper altar was not limited to atonement as was the incense.</point> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
<category>Unique Function | <category>Unique Function | ||
Version as of 02:25, 13 February 2019
Fatal 41: Specification mandates value for attribute a
22: <mekorot><multilink><a href="RambanShemot30-1" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanShemot30-1" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:1</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban, Nachmanides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe b. Nachman</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="SefornoShemot30-1" data-aht="source">Seforno</a><a href="SefornoShemot30-1" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:1</a><a href="R. Ovadyah Seforno" data-aht="parshan">About R. Ovadyah Seforno</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="VilnaGaonGRAShemot30-1" data-aht="source">Vilna Gaon (GR"A)</a><a href="VilnaGaonGRAShemot30-1" data-aht="source">Shemot 30:1</a><a href="R. Eliyahu of Vilna (Vilna Gaon – GR" a)"="" data-aht="parshan">About R. Eliyahu of Vilna</a></multilink>, modern scholars</mekorot>