Purpose and Placement of the Incense Altar/2

The Incense Altar – Placement and Purpose

Exegetical Approaches

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Exalted Status

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.

Sources:R. Avraham SabaTzeror HaMor Shemot 30:1About R. Avraham Saba (Tzeror HaMor)¹

First and last – R. Saba asserts that the discussion of the Mishkan is framed by its two most important vessels. It begins with the Ark and closes with the Incense Altar.

Function of the Incense Altar – 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 (Bemidbar 17:9-13). He further suggests that the statement "וְכִפֶּר אַהֲרֹן עַל קַרְנֹתָיו אַחַת בַּשָּׁנָה מִדַּם חַטַּאת הַכִּפֻּרִים" proves that the atonement of Yom HaKippurim is dependent upon it.²

Purpose of the Tabernacle – According to R. Saba the Tabernacle as a whole was built to atone for the Sin of the Golden Calf.³  As such, the Incense Altar, with its similar atoning function, is its second most central vessel.

Meaning of קטורת – 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.

Location in the sanctuary – The altar's placement in the Ohel Moed, facing the Ark, symbolizes that it is second in status only to it.

"קֹדֶשׁ קׇדָשִׁים הוּא לַי"י" – This approach might suggest that this phrase describes the altar itself. It, like the ark, has "holy of holy" status.

Morning and evening – R. Saba suggests that the incense was burned in both the morning and evening to ensure that that throughout the day the incense could counter any potential wrath of Hashem.

Comparison to the copper altar – As the sacrifices on the Copper Altar similarly serve an atoning function, one might question why the Incense Altar is considered so much more important.  R. Saba might respond that sacrificial offerings of the Copper Altar are never seen to actively stop plague in the manner of the incense.⁴

Secondary Status

Lowly Status

The placement of the Incense Altar after the main discussion of the Mishkan's vessels highlights its secondary status and the technical role it played.

Sources:Moreh Nevukhim3 45About Moreh Nevukhim, R. Meir Simcha of DvinskMeshekh Chokhmah Shemot 30:1About R. Meir Simcha of Dvinsk (Meshekh Chokhmah)

Last is least – This approach assumes that the vessels are listed in order of their significance. Thus, if an object found at the end of the list, this implies that it is less important.

Function of the Incense Altar – These sources disagree regarding the altar's function:

• Deodorizer – Rambam asserts that the Incense Altar functioned as a deodorizer for the Mishkan.  The odors of the animal slaughter and blood would have been overwhelming if they were not countered by the fragrance of the incense.⁵  He adds that it was necessary to ensure that there was a pleasant fragrance for, otherwise, the people would not properly honor the Mikdash.
• Container – The Meshekh Chokhmah points out that the incense is burned even without an altar,⁶ which teaches that the Golden Altar, as opposed to the other vessels, is not in itself significant.  It is simply a convenient way to bring the incense.⁷

Context – Discussion of the Incense Altar is followed by a description of the water basin (כיור), a secondary vessel which played no role in any cultic rite, and only served to clean and prepare the priests for service.  This context, thus, supports this approach's position that the Incense Altar also played merely a technical role.

Morning and evening – The incense was burned both in the morning and evening, around the time of the daily sacrificial offerings whose scent it was meant to counter.⁸

Placement of the Altar in the Tabernacle – If the incense was meant to clear the air from the burning flesh, why was it placed inside the sanctuary? Should it not have been placed outside, near the Copper Altar where the animals were being sacrificed?  Rambam might respond that it is specifically in the enclosed space of the Tabernacle that the odor would have been overwhelming. The altar was, thus, placed inside, but close to the outside curtain so as to most effectively accomplish its its goal.

Golden materials – If the altar was simply a deodorizer, it is not clear why it needed to be made of the most precious of metals, gold.  Rambam could reply that everything in the Tabernacle needed to be made of the highest quality materials both to honor God and to ensure that the people felt that the Tabernacle was worthy of glory.⁹

Can laws be utilitarian in nature? One might question whether it is possible that laws might be ordained for purely practical purposes, with no spiritual benefit. Rambam, though, is consistent in reading various laws as being utilitarian in nature. See, for example, his understanding of the laws of Shemittah and Kashrut.

Incense on Yom HaKippurim – The Yom HaKippurim service mandates that the high priest light incense and bring it to the Holy of Holies.  It is difficult to say that this, too, was necessary merely to freshen the air^.10 Moreover, it suggests that the incense burning was not considered a lowly ritual, but one of the most exalted of offerings.¹¹

Incense in the story of Korach – One might further question this position's view of the incense from the story of Korach's rebellion.  If the incense played such an insignificant role in the Tabernacle, why was it chosen to test who merited the priestly position?

Unique Function

The command to build the Incense Altar appears separately from the other vessels because it does not share their purpose.  While the Tabernacle as a whole was meant to invite and house Hashem's presence, the Incense Altar had a different function, but not necessarily a less important one.

Sources:RambanShemot 30:1About R. Moshe b. Nachman, SefornoShemot 30:1About R. Ovadyah Seforno, Vilna Gaon, modern scholars

Function of the Incense Altar – These sources differ in how they view the incense:

• Honor - Seforno¹² suggest that the incense is brought not to invite Hashem's glory, but rather to honor it once it has already arrived.¹³
• Atonement - Ramban and the Gr"A, instead, suggests that the Incense Altar plays an atoning role, which was totally unconnected to ushering in the Divine Presence. It is, thus, found right before the discussion of the half shekel donations which were similarly "לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶֽם".
• Screen - R"M Leibtag, R"E Samet and R"Y Grossman all suggest that, in contrast to the other vessels which were meant to usher in the Divine presence, the cloud of  incense was meant to screen the revelation.¹⁴  The Mishkan created a paradox of sorts.  Man, craving closeness, invites Hashem to dwell, but Hashem's Holy presence means that man must keep a distance.  Thus, the cloud of incense served to create a barrier to protect the people and enable the encounter.¹⁵

Comparison to other vessels – According to these sources, the main function of the Mishkan, its vessels, and service was to invite and house Hashem's presence.¹⁶ Seforno suggests that the Ark, from which Hashem spoke to Moshe, served as Hashem's throne, while the outer sanctuary with the Table and Menorah were like a living room. The sacrificial service on the Copper Altar is man's active attempt to draw God's presence down into the Mishkan.  Thus, each vessel, with the notable exception of the Incense Altar, serves a key role in transforming the Mishkan into Hashem's Home. One, however, might question whether the Table and Menorah really played any more of a role in inviting the Divine Presence than did the Incense Altar. After all, it too can be considered "furniture".¹⁷

"וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" – Chapters 25-29 are sandwiched by the two statements "וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם" and "וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל", suggesting that everything that was commanded in between was intended to accomplish this goal.  The fact that the command regarding the incense altar comes only after this inclusio, supports this position's understanding that it, in contrast, was not meant to invite or house the Divine presence.

Context – The discussion of the altar is found together with a discussion of other aspects of the Mishkan, like the basin and half shekel coins, which similarly play no role in inviting the Divine presence.

Location in the sanctuary – The moderns scholars might suggest that the verse emphasizes that the altar faced the Ark "were I will meet with you" to highlight that the incense was meant to screen that revelation.

Morning and Evening – Each of these sources might explain the timing of the incense ritual in accord with their understanding of its function:

• Seforno suggests that the incense is brought specifically when the daily sacrifices are offered, so that when Hashem descends to accept them, the nation can greet Him with honor, ensuring that the offerings are accepted with favor. 
• The modern scholars might similarly explain that right as the sacrifices are to usher in Hashem's presence,  a screen is needed to protect the people.
• Ramban and the Gr"A who associate the incense with atonement might suggest that it is brought along with the scrifices which play a similar atoning role.

Change in Plan

Technicalities

The placement of the unit discussing the Incense Altar says nothing about the function or intrinsic worth of the vessel.  It is simply the result of technical, literary concerns.

Sources:Ibn EzraShemot First Commentary 30:10Shemot Second Commentary 25:22Shemot Second Commentary 27:8About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, Y. Rock

¹ See also TanchumaTetzaveh 15About the Tanchuma and Ibn Ezra Shemot First Commentary 30:10About R. Avraham ibn Ezrawho 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.

² This, though, is not the simplest way to understand the phrase.  The verse appears to be saying only that on Yom HaKippurim blood was sprinkled on the altar as part of the general atonement of the Mikdash, not that the altar itself served to atone for the Mikdash. Nonetheless, as the Golden Altar is the only vessel besides the kaporet (the cover of the ark) on which blood is sprinkled, it is fair to say that it, more than the other vessels, played a role in the atonement of Yom HaKippurim. Moreover, as part of the Yom HaKippurim service entailed bringing incense into the Holy of Holies, it clearly plays some significant function in the atoning service.

³ See Purpose of the Mishkan.

⁴ At the same time, we do see that the plague that comes in the aftermath of David's counting of the nation in Shemuel II 24 is stopped after David builds an altar and offers sacrifices.

⁵ See also R"Y Bekhor ShorShemot 30:1About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor  who compares the incense to the "מוגמר" of a king, incense brought at the end of  a festive meal to fill the room with fragrance.

⁶ See Bavli ZevachimZevachim 59aAbout the Bavli, "והאמר רב גידל אמר רב מזבח שנעקר מקטירין קטרת במקומו. "

⁷ He does differ from the Rambam, though, in viewing the incense itself as being more significant.

⁸ It should be noted, however, that the verse does not make this association, instead connecting the timing of the incense burning with the lighting of the Menorah. (See verses 7-8: "בַּבֹּקֶר בְּהֵיטִיבוֹ אֶת הַנֵּרֹת יַקְטִירֶנָּה. וּבְהַעֲלֹת אַהֲרֹן אֶת הַנֵּרֹת בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם יַקְטִירֶנָּה").

⁹ This is a theme that Rambam stresses throughout his discussion of the Tabernacle and its service.  Many aspects of service in the Mishkan were mandated to ensure that the people felt the proper respect towards the building and, thus, towards the Divine.

¹⁰ This is especially true given the fact that the verse says that the consequences of not bringing the incense is death.

¹¹ Rambam might respond that it was only this one day a year where the incense functioned in this manner, while its normal usage was much more mundane.

¹² See also Ramban.

¹³ See also Ramban who points out that after building the Tabernacle, Hashem says, "וְנֹעַדְתִּי שָׁמָּה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנִקְדַּשׁ בִּכְבֹדִי", perhaps suggesting that after Hashem's presence descends to meet with the nation, they are meant to honor Him.

¹⁴ This is gleaned from the role played by the incense during the Yom HaKippurim service.  The high priest bring incense into the Holy of Holies, where Hashem's presence is most found, so that the cloud from the offering will cover the kaporet on the Ark, protecting the priest from death as he comes close.

¹⁵ One might compare the cloud of incense to the "thickness of the cloud" through which Hashem communicated to Moshe during the revelation a Sinai. In fact, R"E Samet points out that it seems that whenever Hashem initiates revelation, at Sinai, or in the Tent of Meeting, He appears in a cloud (see Shemot 19:16, 24:15, 33:9, 34:5 and 40:34).  When man initiates the encounter, he must make his own cloud.

¹⁶ See Ramban regarding Purpose of the Mishkan who is consistent in viewing the Mishkan as revolving around the Ark and viewing it as means of extending the revelation at Sinai.

¹⁷ See, for example, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorShemot 30:1About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, who makes the same analogy between the Mishkan and a king's palace, but suggests that the incense has a parallel as well.  It, too, was found in the homes of the elite who would burn incense at the end of festive meals.