The Eleven Spices of the Ketores Nullify the Eleven Chiefs of Eisav
I would now like to present to my royal audience an insight revealed to me by Hashem. What is so special about this chieftain "אלוף צפו"? Although he is not the first of the eleven chieftains of Eisav, nevertheless he specifically represents the klipah of Eisav and all the nations of the world that oppose Yisrael. So much so that in our parsha, parshas Nasso, there are 176 pesukim, equal to צפ"ו, aimed at quashing his klipah. Similarly, David HaMelech also composed Tehillim 119 with 176 pesukim to quash him.
Additionally, as explained, Maseches Bava Batra has 176 dafs for this same reason.
To address this question, we will introduce an important concept taught by the Arizal in Sefer HaLikutim (Vayishlach). The kohanim were instructed to burn the eleven spices of the “ketores” on the inner mizbeiach every day, in the morning and evening. This procedure exemplified the principle of (Koheles 7, 14): "זה לעומת זה עשה האלקים"—G-d created the world with corresponding equal and opposite forces—since the eleven spices of the “ketores” burnt with kedushah and taharah were designed to nullify the eleven evil forces of the eleven chieftains of Eisav.
Now, when we examine the order of the eleven chieftains of Eisav, we find that "אלוף צפו" is the third one listed in the passuk: "אלה אלופי בני עשו בני אליפז בכור עשו, אלוף תימן, אלוף אומר, אלוף צפו, אלוף קנז". After this passuk, the Torah goes on to list the rest of the eleven chieftains. Correspondingly, here is the order of the eleven spices of the “ketores,” as we mention them every morning in tefilas Shacharis (based on the Baraisa in Keritut 6a): "ואחד עשר סמנים היו בה ואלו הן, הצרי, והציפורן, והחלבנה, והלבונה... מור, וקציעה, ושבולת נרד, וכרכום... קושט... קלופה... קנמון".
This teaches us an amazing chiddush. There is an intimate connection between the third of the eleven spices—the “chelbinah”—and the third of the eleven chieftains of Eisav. The kedushah of the “chelbinah” burned by the kohen daily annulled the tumah of "אלוף צפו". N o w, it is incumbent upon us to clarify why it is the kedushah of the “chelbinah” specifically that quashes "אלוף צפו".
