And you shall place the Gold Altar for the incense before the Ark of the Testimony (40:5)
On a straightforward level, the verse’s description of placing the mizbeach for the ketores “before the Aron” would seem to be relating purely to its positioning, i.e. that it be midway between the north and south walls of the Mishkan and thereby directly aligned with the Aron which resides in the center of the Kodesh Hakodashim. However, if this is the case, why does the Torah omit this detail when it subsequently describes Moshe placing the mizbeyach in the Mishkan, instead stating simply that it was placed “before the paroches”? Likewise, when the gold mizbeyach is originally discussed in Parshas Tetzaveh, it is also just commanded to be placed “before the paroches”! For this reason, the Meshech Chochmah understands that the words “before the Aron” in our verse are actually referring to the nature and purpose of the ketores itself.
The Rambam writes that the reason the Torah commands to offer ketores in the Mishkan is in order to offset the smell of the animals that are constantly being offered, including their slaughter, cleaning, and the burning of the sacrificial parts on the mizbeyach. However, later commentators vigorously challenge this explanation, raising numerous questions, for example:
- If this is the reason for the ketores, why is the Torah so particular regarding the exact amount each of its ingredients?
- Why is there such a severe prohibition against a person replicating the ketores for his own personal use?
The Meshech Chochmah adds that proof for the idea that ketores is not just to offset an unpleasant smell is that it was offered during the seven preparatory miluim days. On those days, the amount of korbanos offered was minimal, in addition to which the Mishkan was dismantled each day, so that the need to offset any odor from the meat would be negligible – and yet still the ketores was offered!
All of this seems to clearly indicate that there is more to the ketores than offsetting a negative odor. Rather, the ketores contains mystical secrets relating to the providing of an enhanced setting for the Divine Presence, as discussed in kabbalistic works. The Meshech Chochmah explains that this is the message of our verse, which states that the gold mizbeyach shall be placed “before the Aron.” With these words, the verse is indicating that the ketores which will be offered upon this mizbeyach relates directly to the Divine presence that resides upon the Aron, allowing for the full manifestation of Hashem’s glory there.
3 Verse 26.
4 Moreh Nevuchim 3:45.
5 See e.g. Rabbeinu Bachye to Shemos 30:1.
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6 A close reading of the Meshech Chochmah implies that he also wishes to explain why the Torah communicates the idea of “before the Aron” specifically in our verse. Since the definitive proof that the ketores is not just to offset an unpleasant smell comes from the fact that it was offered during the miluim days, it is in our verse, which contains the command for those days, that this idea is mentioned.
