Difference between revisions of "Purpose and Placement of the Incense Altar/2"
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<point><b>Context</b> – <p>R"M Speigelman suggests that the half shekel coins discussed right after the incense altar were similarly instituted only after the sin.<fn>He points out that in the beginning of Parashat Terumah, we read of the initial requests for donations to the Mishkan, where there is no mention of the obligation for every individual to give a half shekel coin. The omission is due to the fact that at that point it was not yet necessary.</fn> Since the nation had donated so eagerly to make the calf, Hashem mandates that they now donate to the Mishkan as atonement,<fn>In so doing, they announced their allegiance to Hashem and not the calf.</fn> as the verse itself says, "‎לְכַפֵּר עַל נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם".‎<fn>According to this reading, the four verses which speak of the half shekel donations (13-16) are a one time command, meant only for the generation of the Wilderness. See the Gr"A and Hoil Moshe in <a href="Half Shekels – For Census or Tabernacle" data-aht="page">Half Shekels – For Census or Tabernacle</a>.</fn></p></point> | <point><b>Context</b> – <p>R"M Speigelman suggests that the half shekel coins discussed right after the incense altar were similarly instituted only after the sin.<fn>He points out that in the beginning of Parashat Terumah, we read of the initial requests for donations to the Mishkan, where there is no mention of the obligation for every individual to give a half shekel coin. The omission is due to the fact that at that point it was not yet necessary.</fn> Since the nation had donated so eagerly to make the calf, Hashem mandates that they now donate to the Mishkan as atonement,<fn>In so doing, they announced their allegiance to Hashem and not the calf.</fn> as the verse itself says, "‎לְכַפֵּר עַל נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם".‎<fn>According to this reading, the four verses which speak of the half shekel donations (13-16) are a one time command, meant only for the generation of the Wilderness. See the Gr"A and Hoil Moshe in <a href="Half Shekels – For Census or Tabernacle" data-aht="page">Half Shekels – For Census or Tabernacle</a>.</fn></p></point> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
− | <category>Paired with Olah | + | <category>Paired with the Olah |
− | <p>As the Incense Altar is intrinsically connected to the Copper Altar and the daily <i>Olah</i> sacrifice, it follows the description of | + | <p>As the Incense Altar is intrinsically connected to the Copper Altar and the daily <i>Olah</i> sacrifice, it follows the description of that offering.</p> |
<mekorot><multilink><a href="IbnEzraShemotSecondCommentary25-22" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraShemotSecondCommentary25-22" data-aht="source">Shemot Second Commentary 25:22</a><a href="IbnEzraShemotSecondCommentary27-8" data-aht="source">Shemot Second Commentary 27:8</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, Y. Rock</mekorot> | <mekorot><multilink><a href="IbnEzraShemotSecondCommentary25-22" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra</a><a href="IbnEzraShemotSecondCommentary25-22" data-aht="source">Shemot Second Commentary 25:22</a><a href="IbnEzraShemotSecondCommentary27-8" data-aht="source">Shemot Second Commentary 27:8</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink>, Y. Rock</mekorot> | ||
<point><b>Function of the Incense Altar</b> – Y. Rock suggests that the Incense Altar is supposed to serve as a representation of the Copper Alter inside the sanctuary.  He suggests that the proper place for the Copper Altar would have been inside with the rest of the vessels, as it, too, is meant to invite the Divine Presence though the sacrificial service. Yet, since this service needed to be open to the nation, and one cannot approach the Divine presence without being hurt, it had to take place outside, at a distance from Hashem's dwelling. The solution was to make a model of the Copper Altar inside, in the form of the Golden Altar.<fn>It was similar in name, form and function, as the incense too issued forth a cloud of smoke.</fn>  As the sacrifices were accepted outside, Hashem's presence descended inside.<fn>Thus, in contrast to the position above which suggests that the Incense Altar is the only one not to play a role in ushering in the Divine Presence, this position claims that this is central to the altar's purpose.</fn></point> | <point><b>Function of the Incense Altar</b> – Y. Rock suggests that the Incense Altar is supposed to serve as a representation of the Copper Alter inside the sanctuary.  He suggests that the proper place for the Copper Altar would have been inside with the rest of the vessels, as it, too, is meant to invite the Divine Presence though the sacrificial service. Yet, since this service needed to be open to the nation, and one cannot approach the Divine presence without being hurt, it had to take place outside, at a distance from Hashem's dwelling. The solution was to make a model of the Copper Altar inside, in the form of the Golden Altar.<fn>It was similar in name, form and function, as the incense too issued forth a cloud of smoke.</fn>  As the sacrifices were accepted outside, Hashem's presence descended inside.<fn>Thus, in contrast to the position above which suggests that the Incense Altar is the only one not to play a role in ushering in the Divine Presence, this position claims that this is central to the altar's purpose.</fn></point> | ||
− | <point><b>"מִזְבֵּחַ מִקְטַר קְטֹרֶת"</b> – The Radbaz questions why the Incense Altar is referred to as an altar if nothing is sacrificed upon it; it | + | <point><b>"מִזְבֵּחַ מִקְטַר קְטֹרֶת"</b> – The Radbaz questions why the Incense Altar is referred to as an altar if nothing is sacrificed upon it; it more accurately should have been termed a "מִקְטַר". R. Rock suggests that it is so called to recall the Bronze Altar, which it is meant to symbolize.</point> |
− | <point><b>Morning and evening</b></point> | + | <point><b>Morning and evening</b> – The incense was brought in the morning and late afternoon, when the daily offering was brought, since the two are connected and one is meant to represent the other.</point> |
<point><b>Golden material</b> – If the altar was meant to mirror the Copper Altar, one might have thought that it, too, be made of copper.  This position might respond that all vessels found in the Sanctuary itself needed to be made of gold so as to honor Hashem and the Tabernacle.</point> | <point><b>Golden material</b> – If the altar was meant to mirror the Copper Altar, one might have thought that it, too, be made of copper.  This position might respond that all vessels found in the Sanctuary itself needed to be made of gold so as to honor Hashem and the Tabernacle.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>Location in the  sanctuary</b> – The Incense Altar was placed directly across | + | <point><b>Location in the  sanctuary</b> – The Incense Altar was placed directly across from the Ark,, because together they represented the presence of the Divine in the Mishkan.</point> |
− | <point><b> | + | <point><b>Context</b> – This approach connects the unit regarding the Incense Altar to what precedes it, the <i>olah</i>, rather than to what follows. The unit regarding the Olah ends with a discussion of  God's dwelling, which leads straight into the Incense Altar which was to represent that dwelling.<fn>However, it is noteworthy that in the middle of the segue verses (29:44) Hashem speaks about sanctifying the Ohel Moed as a whole, suggesting that these verses serve as a conclusion to the entire Mishkan unit (and not just to the section regarding the daily offering).  These, then sever the connection between the <i>Olah</i> and incense.</fn></point> |
+ | <point><b>Copper Altar</b> – This approach begs the question of why discussion of the incense altar did not simply follow the description of the Copper Altar. After all, it is the altar, not the offering, which the Incense Altar is supposed to represent.</point> | ||
+ | <point><b>Variation of this approach</b> – Ibn Ezra similarly suggests that the Incense altar needed to follow the command regarding the Olah, but for much more technical reasons. He claims that since Hashem wanted to warn that one not sacrifice an <i>olah offering</i> on the Incense Altar,<fn>See Shemot 30:9, "לֹא תַעֲלוּ עָלָיו קְטֹרֶת זָרָה וְעֹלָה וּמִנְחָה".</fn> the command could not appear until after discussing the daily Olah Offering (<a href="Shemot29-38-46" data-aht="source">Shemot 29:38-46</a>).<fn>This, though, is somewhat difficult since the nation was already acquainted with the concept of an olah offering (even if not with the daily offering) and should have easily been able to understand and apply the command even if given earlier.</fn> </point> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
</approaches> | </approaches> | ||
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Version as of 07:16, 14 February 2019
The Incense Altar – Placement and Purpose
Exegetical Approaches
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.
Distinct Function
The Incense Altar is discussed separately from the other vessels because it played a significantly different role than them. This position divides in its evaluation of that role:
Technical Role
The Incense Altar played only a technical role in the Mishkan, and had a much lower status than the other vessels in the Sanctuary.
- 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 and platform – 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 burn the incense.7
Complementary Role
The Incense Altar played an important role which was distinct from, but complemented the other service in the Mishkan.
- Honor - Seforno15 suggest that the incense is brought not to invite Hashem's glory, but rather to honor it once it has already arrived.16
- Atonement - Ramban and the Gr"A, instead, suggests that the Incense Altar plays an atoning role.17 This was not necessary to usher in the Divine Presence, but perhaps helped to ensure that it did not depart..
- Screen - R"M Leibtag, R"E Samet and R"Y Grossman all suggest that, in contrast to the other vessels which were meant to invite the Divine presence, the cloud of incense was meant to screen the revelation.18 The Mishkan created a paradox. 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.19
Change in Plan
The unique placement of the command regarding the incense indicates that it was not part of the original plans for the Mishkan, but introduced only after the Sin of the Golden Calf.
- Need for increased barriers - M. Speigelman suggests that until the sin, an incense cloud was only necessary if one was to enter the Holy of Holies, where God's presence was predominantly found. For this, a censer would have sufficed. However, after the sin, Aharon proved himself unworthy of entering even the outer sanctuary without further barriers. As such a daily incense, replete with an altar, was introduced.
- Yom HaKippurim instituted – Alternatively, the altar was mandated only with the the institution of Yom HaKiippurim, itself an innovation introduced in the aftermath of the sin.24 The day was instituted both in commemoration of Moshe's gaining atonement for the people,25 and as an annual means of atoning for future sins. The dual screening and protective function of the incense played a central role in the service of the day, mandating the altar's construction. Afterwards, this became part of the Mishkan's daily service as well.
R"M Speigelman suggests that the half shekel coins discussed right after the incense altar were similarly instituted only after the sin.27 Since the nation had donated so eagerly to make the calf, Hashem mandates that they now donate to the Mishkan as atonement,28 as the verse itself says, "לְכַפֵּר עַל נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם".29
Paired with the Olah
As the Incense Altar is intrinsically connected to the Copper Altar and the daily Olah sacrifice, it follows the description of that offering.