Let my prayer be as incense before You

Tetzaveh
Exodus 27:20-30:10

Précis: The parasha continues with a description of ritual items in the Tabernacle, including oil for the lamp, priestly clothing, the ephod, breastplate, robes, plate, and miter. Aaron and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar are designated as Priests and are consecrated with sacrifices and ceremony. The parasha concludes with a description of the daily sacrifices and incense to be offered at the Tabernacle.

Exodus 30:7 “And Aaron shall burn on the incense alter incense of sweet spices; every morning, when he dresses the lamps, he shall burn it.”

Incense had a significant part to play in the daily ritual of the mishkan, but, except for the use of spices at Havdalah, it has largely disappeared from Jewish ritual life.

Based on a phrase from Psalms 141:2 ("Let my prayer be as incense before You") rabbinic commentators viewed incense as a metaphor for prayer. Perhaps the physical rising of the smoke from burning incense was seen as representative of prayer rising to the heavens.

In any case, the connection between incense and prayer is quite clear in the commentaries. One midrash suggests that the four letters of the Hebrew word for incense (k'toret) stand for four qualities of true prayer: Kidushah (holiness), T'harah (purity), Rachamim (pity), and Tikvah (hope).

So while we no longer burn incense in our congregations, we read about the practice and can understand it as guide to how we can approach prayer with true kavanah (intention).

Cherubs are not only "cute"

T’rumah
Exodus 25:1-27:19


Précis: The parasha T’rumah begins the detailed instructions concerning the building of the Tabernacle and the manufacture of the various implements and vessels. God asks the Israelites to donate gifts (t’rumah) so that He may “dwell among them.” Specific instructions for the creation of the Ark and the menorah are included here, as are the beginning of instructions for the building of the portable Tabernacle itself.

Exodus 25:2 – “The cherubs will stretch forth their wings on high...and their faces will look at one another.”

It’s of interest to note that the instructions to create the Tabernacle and its implements come so soon after the incident of the Golden Calf. Some suggest that it’s no coincidence: the People demanded a Golden Calf because they needed some physical connection to God. This, in turn, was transformed into the building of a Tabernacle, so that God could “dwell among” the People. In this way, improper and base behaviors were transformed into holy actions.

Abravanel, a 15th century commentator from Spain, taught that every element of the Tabernacle and its implements had allegorical significance. Each vessel, tool, and architectural detail represents a quality that human beings are to emulate.

As he looked at this verse describing the cherubs (angelic figures) placed above the Ark of the Covenant, Abravanel suggests that we should emulate the cherubs. “Stretching forth their wings on high" is a command to continuously “stretch” for enlightenment and for a higher ethical life. Simultaneously, "their faces will look one to another” implies that as we seek to exist on a higher moral plane, we must look into the faces of our fellow human beings and continuously seek to help them.

The two aspects displayed by the cherubs – reaching for self-improvement and care for others - are the twin goals towards which we are encouraged to strive.


Shabbat Shalom!