Secret Recipe

After the deaths of Korach and his followers, the Torah tells us that there were still members of Klal Yisroel who were angry at Moshe and Aharon: “VaYilonu Kol Adas Bnei Yisroel Mimacharas Al Moshe V’Al Aharon.” These individuals did not focus on the arguments that Korach had made, however, but rather on the outcome of the Machlokes, and the deaths of Korach V’Adaso: “Atem Hamisem Es Am Hashem.”

Hashem was obviously angered by this secondary uprising, and for the second time He told Moshe Rabbeinu to separate himself from this “Eidah”, for they would shortly be destroyed. Immediately upon hearing this, Moshe gives Aharon a specific set of urgent insturctions: “Kach Es HaMachteh V’Sen Aleha Esh M’Al HaMizbeach V’Sim Ketores V’Holech Meheirah El Ha’Edah V’Chiper Alehem.” Althought the Torah does not tell us that the Magefah had begun, Moshe sensed that calamity was about to befall Klal Yisroel, and he told Aharon what had to be done to prevent it.

The Pessukim go on to relate that indeed Moshe’s plan was successful: Aharon brought the Ketores and stood between those who had fallen victim to the plague and those who hadn’t, and was able to stop the Magefa—which otherwise would have destroyed Klal Yisroel in totality.

On the face of it, this seems almost implausible: how did Moshe Rabbeinu know that this was the way to stop the plague. Just by reading the Pessukim it seems that his reaction was instinctive and immediate, yet this “Segulah” is not mentioned anywhere in the Torah. Rashi, based on a Gemarah in Shabbos, tells us that Moshe was positive that this would work, because the Malach HaMaves himself told him that it would. When Moshe Rabbienu was on Har Sinai to get the Luchos, he was challenged by the Malachim and he was successful, and as a result each Malach gave him a gift. The Malach HaMaves presented him with a secret: Ketores has an ability to stop Magefah. It was this “inside information” that Moshe was relying on in telling Aharon to use Ketores at that time.

There is another Chazal, however, that seems to indicate that there may have been another reason to use Ketores. Rashi, later in the Pessukim, brings the words of the Mechilta which says that Klal Yisroel were speaking badly about the Ketores itself, referring to it as “Sam HaMaves” because so much death had been brought about by Ketores: Nadav and Avihu were killed while bringing Ketores and the two hundred and fifty members of Adas Korach who brought Ketores were also killed. Therefore Moshe Rabbeinu ordered Aharon to use Ketores as the antidote for the Magefah, so to speak, to show that Ketores was in fact not a destructive force.

There are two main questions which must be answered in order to properly understand these Pessukim.

First, why in fact did Moshe tell Aharon to use Ketores? Was it because he knew that is what would work—as the Gemarah relates—or was he trying to prove a point about the power of Ketores, as the Mechilta notes? It seems from the Gemarah that Ketores was the only way to stop the Magefah, and even the knowledge that this would work was itself a gift—why did it matter that Klal Yisroel was speaking badly about the Ketores?

How can we understand the two Medrashim in light of each other? Secondly, it would seem that the thoughts and complaints of Bnei Yisroel, as related by the Mechilta have at least some merit: all these individuals did indeed perish as a result of bringing Ketores. Clearly, then, there is something almost dangerous about the Ketores. On the other hand, as we see here, Ketores has an unbelievable power to heal or prevent death. How can we understand the apparent dichotomy that exists within the role, and indeed the essence, of Ketores?

The truth is that this duality is itself discussed in the Medrash Rabbah earlier in Sefer Bamidbar.

Chazal tell us there that there are two things that people think are “Kasha”, which could mean difficult or harsh, and the Torah therefore tells us very positive things about them to prevent people from being “Motzei La’az.” One of those items is the Ketores. The Medrash notes that people think that Ketores is “Kashah” because Aharon’s sons and the Adas Korach perished, and Uziahu got Tzaras, following an interaction with Ketores. Therefore, concludes the Medrash, the Torah tells us that the Ketores saved Klal Yisroel when the Magefah came in this week’s Parsha.

Clearly, based on this Medrash, it would appear that the power and meaning of the Ketores are indeed misunderstood—the Torah felt it nessecary to reassure us of its healing power precisely because we otherwise may be afraid of it.

There are other aspects of Ketores that may also contribute to a general misunderstanding about its power and meaning.

On one hand, the Gemarah in Zevachim seems to say that Ketores is not on the level of a Korban, as it does not require a Mizbeach. At the same time, Chazal tell us that in the Bais Hamikdash, there would be a call each day for the “Chadashim L’Ketores”, those who have not yet done the Avodah of the Ketores, to come forward in order to be selected to perform that Avodah. So special, and powerful, is the Avodah of the Ketores that a Kohen would generally only perform it once in his lifetime. We also know that at the climax of the Avodas Yom Hakipurim the Kohen Gadol entered the Kodesh HaKodashim and brought Ketores: this non-Korban is in fact at the very center of the most important and elevated Avodah of the whole year.

Even the Halachos governing the Ketores, however, seem to belie a certain sensitivity. We are told that the mixture of spices and flavors that are used to make the Ketores, the recipe if you will, are determined to an exacting level by the Torah, and one is Chayav Missah if he changes it. Here too we see that the Ketores, with all its powers of healing and even enriching, can be lethal at the same time.

Perhaps, then, the best way to try to understand our Pessukim, and the attendant Divrei Chazal, we must better understand the true message of the Ketores.

There is a Medrash Tanchuma in Parshas Titzaveh that discusses the Ketores and tells us the following: “Amar HaKadosh Baruch Hu Mikol HaKorbanos SheAtem MaKrivin Ain Chaviv Alei KiKetores” Hashem tells us that the of all the Korbanos that are brought, none is as beloved to Him as the Ketores.

The Medrash goes on to explain why this is the case: every other Korban that is brought somehow benefits he who brings it, other than Ketores. A Chattas and Asham allow a person to gain Kapparah for his Aveiros, an Olah brings Kaparah for ones thoughts, and a Shelamim for his Mitzvos Asei—in each case, while there is aspect of “Korban LaHashem”, there is also an explicit benefit to the owener of the Korban, or the Tzibur as a whole in the case of a Korban Tzibur. Ketores, however, has no aspect of Kapparah, it is brought solely to create closeness to Hashem, and it is therefore the most favored in His eyes—the Ketores is truly Kulo LaHashem.

Now, we know that Hashem himself does not need our Korbanos, but rather created these opportunities for us to come closer to him and achive Kapparah for our Avieros. What then is the purpose of the Ketores—if indeed it does not heed any benefit on our behalf, why was it created in the first place?

Perhaps based on this Medrash we can understand that the Ketores represents our ability to be Kulo LaHashem. When we bring the Ketores, we are showing that we have not only the desire, but the ability, to connect to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for no other reason than to be connected. Yes, there are times that we seek out a closer relationship with Hashem because we realize we need Him—either because we face a difficulty, or perhaps because we seek material growth—but there are also times when we can, and should, yearn for that connection merely because we have the ability to.

I think that we can take this message even one step further, though.

We know that there are a number of items that make up the Ketores, and each one is sweet smelling and fragrant, except for one: the Chelbonah, which gives off a pungent and acrid odor. There are a number of ways to explain the presence of the Chelbonah in the Ketores—it seems counterintuitive to include a foul-smelling item if we wish to produce a Re’ach Nichoach—but I would like to focus on a thought brought in the Drashas HaRan.

The Ran explains that perhaps the Chelbonah was included in the Ketores because while on its own it produced an unpleasant smell, that odor actually enhanced the sweet fragrances of the other ingredients in the Ketores. He notes that this is often the case when you combine people or items—there strengths and weaknesses play off each other and the entire group is enhanced so that the sum is actually greater than the individual parts.

While we can use this idea in relation to Klal Yisroel as a whole, and the importance of each individual, I think that it can relate to each of us on our own as well.

We each have various Middos and characteristics, as well as our own set of personal strengths and weaknesses. Some face challenges in areas of life that others find easy, and some struggle to overcome inborn traits in the pursuit of perfection. In this sense, we are each really comprised of a variety of ingredients which make up our personalities and characters. Among these elements, some are quite fragrant, and some less so—we are each, in essence, a Ketores, complete with the Chelbonah.

As the Ran explains, however, we can use our various qualities to enhance each other. As we know, every Middah can be used for positive as well as negative uses—even the Chelbonah can create a delicious fragrance when properly mixed with other elements.

Taken together with the Medrash Tanchuma, we see that the way to achieve this, the way to ensure that our Ketores is indeed sweet-smelling and beloved, is by committing ourselves to the pursuit of a selfless relationship with Hakadosh Baruch Hu. When we choose Kirvah to Hashem for the sake of Kirvah, and not for any personal gain, we can elevate ourselves and even our negative qualities to the level of Chaiv MiKulam. This is also why Ketores, when used improperly, can be so dangerous: if the element of Kulo LaHashem is missing, the entire recipe is thrown off. Just as we may not alter the physical recipe of the Ketores, and remove the Chelbonah for example, we may also not leave out the most important quality of the Ketores—the selfless nature of it.

When the Adas Korach brought their Ketores, they were trying to gain Kavod for themselves and win an argument—hardly a selfless pursuit—and they were therefore killed as a result, because they left out that essential ingredient. Similarly, on their own level, Nadav and Avihu may have left out this element as well, leading to their tragic demise. We see then that Ketores is only dangerous when it is missing either a physical or spiritual element.

This may also be a way to understand the two Medrashim that explain why Moshe told Aharon to use Ketores in our Parsha: Of course Moshe knew that the only way to stop the Magefa was to use Ketores, but the reason that this is true was precisely the answer to the complaints of Klal Yisroel.

The Medrash tells us that when the Malach HaMaves is given Reshus to destroy, as in a Magefa, he does not distinguish between Tov and Rah, and just destroys all in his path—the secret that the Malach HaMaves told Moshe is that in such a case the Ketores can stop him. Why is that the case?

Based on the way we now understand the message of Ketores, perhaps we can explain that when presented with Ketores, which shows that nothing is inherently bad, but that everything can be used for good if done with the proper balance and intentions, even the Malach HaMaves must then cease his activities. Though he will not be Mavchin between good and evil, if he is shown that all can be potentially good, he is forced to abandon his destruction. Thus, we see that the complaints of Klal Yisroel—that the Ketores is what killed the two hundred and fifty men—were themselves disproven by the fact that the Ketores stopped the Magefah, for this showed the importance of intent when bringing the Ketores. As Rashi himself notes, the fact that the Ketores stopped the Magefa proved that “HaChet Hu HaMemis”, it was the Chet done while bringing the Ketores that caused them to be killed, not the Ketores itself.

The Pasuk in Tehillim says: “Tikon Tifilasi Ketores Lifanecha”, and the Medrash Sochar Tov explains that because we do not have a Bais HaMikdash, our Teffilos stand in place of the Ketores itself. When we Daven, and come before the Melech Malchei HaMelachim, we often have our own needs in mind and rightfully so. Perhaps on occasion we should treat our Teffios as Ketores, and use them as an opportunity to connect to Hashem just for the sake of Kirvah—if we do so we can elevate ourselves so that our own Chelbonah is disguised by, and perhaps even enhances, our positive traits, creating a true Re’ach Nichoach.