Ketoret–incense

Ketoret

קְטֹרֶת

Visible layers

Offerings brought on Yom Kippur

Hebrew

א אֵיזֶהוּ מְקוֹמָן1 שֶׁל זְבָחִים,
קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים2.
שְׁחִיטָתָן בַּצָּפוֹן. פַּר וְשָׂעִיר
שֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים שְׁחִיטָתָן
בַּצָּפוֹן, וְקִבּוּל דָּמָן בִּכְלִי
שָׁרֵת בַּצָּפוֹן, וְדָמָן טָעוּן הַזָּיָה
עַל בֵּין הַבַּדִּים, וְעַל הַפָּרֹכֶת,
וְעַל מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב. מַתָּנָה אַחַת
מֵהֶן מְעַכָּבֶת. שִׁיְרֵי הַדָּם הָיָה
שׁוֹפֵךְ עַל יְסוֹד מַעֲרָבִי שֶׁל
מִזְבַּח הַחִיצוֹן, אִם לֹא נָתַן לֹא
עִכֵּב:

Sephardi

A Eizehu mekoman1 shel zevachim,
kodshei kodashim2.
Shechitatan batzfon. Par v'sa'ir
shel Yom HaKippurim shechitatan
batzfon, vekibbul daman bichli
sharet batzfon, vedaman ta'un hazayah
al bein habadim, ve'al haparochet,
ve'al mizbach hazahav. Matanah achat
meihem me'akevet. Shiyrei hadam hayah
shofech al yesod ma'aravi shel
mizbach hachitzon, im lo natan lo
ikev:

English

אֵיזֶהוּ Where are the places1 in the Temple where the offerings are brought to God and eaten? The most holy2 of the offerings (including the sin-offering, burnt-offering, guilt-offering, and communal peace-offering) must be slaughtered on the north side of the Temple courtyard. The bull and male goat that are offered as a sin-offering on Yom Kippur are slaughtered on the north side of the courtyard. Their blood is collected on the north side of the courtyard in a bowl that is used especially for God's service in the Temple. Their blood must then be sprinkled between the two poles of the Ark in the Holy of Holies, on the curtain between the Holy of Holies and the Sanctuary, and on the golden altar in the Sanctuary. In all these places, the blood must be sprinkled a certain number of times. If even one of these sprinklings was not done, the service is prevented from being accepted; it must be repeated. The Kohen would then pour the leftover blood onto the western side of the base of the outer altar. If he didn't pour the blood, the service has not been prevented from being accepted; the Kohen does not have to do the service again.

Sin-offerings

Hebrew

ב פָּרִים הַנִּשְׂרָפִים וּשְׂעִירִים
הַנִּשְׂרָפִים שְׁחִיטָתָן
בַּצָּפוֹן, וְקִבּוּל דָּמָן בִּכְלִי
שָׁרֵת בַּצָּפוֹן, וְדָמָן טָעוּן הַזָּיָה

Sephardi

2 Parim hanisrafim us'irim
hanisrafim shechitatan
batzfon, vekibbul daman bichli
sharet batzfon, vedaman ta'un hazayah

English

פָּרִים The bulls and male goats—offered by a Jewish court of law or a High Priest if they make certain severe mistaken rulings—which are burned outside the Temple, are slaughtered on the north side of the Temple courtyard. Their blood is collected on the north side of the courtyard,

Hebrew

עַל הַפָּרֹכֶת, וְעַל מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב.
מַתָּנָה אַחַת מֵהֶן מְעַכָּבֶת.
שִׁיְרֵי הַדָּם הָיָה שׁוֹפֵךְ עַל
יְסוֹד מַעֲרָבִי שֶׁל מִזְבַּח
הַחִיצוֹן, אִם לֹא נָתַן לֹא עִכֵּב,
אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ נִשְׂרָפִין בְּבֵית הַדָּשֶׁן:

Sephardi

Al haparochet, ve'al mizbach hazahav.
Matanah achat meihem me'akevet.
Shiyrei hadam hayah shofech al
yesod ma'arovi shel mizbach
hachitzon, im lo natan lo ikev,
elu va'eilu nisrafim beveit hadeshen:

English

in a bowl that is used especially for God's service in the Temple, and their blood must be sprinkled on the curtain between the Holy of Holies and the Sanctuary, as well as on the golden altar. If even one of these sprinklings was not done, the service is prevented from being accepted; it must be repeated. The Kohen would then pour the leftover blood onto the western side of the base of the outer altar. If he didn't pour the blood, the service has not been prevented from being accepted; the Kohen does not have to do the service again. Both of the offerings mentioned above—the Yom Kippur sin-offering and the burnt-offerings of a Jewish court of law or a High Priest—are burned in the same place outside the Temple where the ashes from the outer altar were deposited.

Hebrew

ג חַטָּאוֹת הַצִּבּוּר וְהַיָּחִיד,
אֵלּוּ הֵן חַטָּאוֹת
הַצִּבּוּר: שְׂעִירֵי רָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים
וְשֶׁל מוֹעֲדוֹת, שְׁחִיטָתָן
בַּצָּפוֹן, וְקִבּוּל דָּמָן בִּכְלִי
שָׁרֵת בַּצָּפוֹן, וְדָמָן טָעוּן
אַרְבַּע מַתָּנוֹת עַל אַרְבַּע
קְרָנוֹת, כֵּיצַד: עָלָה בַכֶּבֶשׁ3
וּפָנָה לַסּוֹבֵב,4 וּבָא לוֹ לְקֶרֶן
דְּרוֹמִית מִזְרָחִית,5 מִזְרָחִית
צְפוֹנִית, צְפוֹנִית מַעֲרָבִית,

Sephardi

3 Chata'ot hatzibbur vehayachid,
elu hen chata'ot
hatzibbur: Se'irei rashei chodashim
v'shel mo'adot, shechitatan
batzfon, vekibbul daman bichli
sharet batzfon, vedaman ta'un
arba matanot al arba
karnut, keitzad: Alah bakevesh3
ufanah lasovev,4 uva lo lekeren
dromit mizrachit,5 mizrachit
tzefonit, tzefonit ma'aravit,

English

חַטָּאוֹת Sin-offerings can be brought either by the entire Jewish community or just one person. These are sin-offerings that are brought by the community: The male goats that are offered on Rosh Chodesh and on the festivals. They are slaughtered on the north side of the Temple courtyard. Their blood is collected on the north side of the courtyard, in a bowl that is used especially for God's service in the Temple, and their blood must be sprinkled four times; once on each of the four corners at the top of the altar. How was this done? The Kohen went up the ramp3 of the altar, and he turned onto the ledge that surrounded4 the altar. He sprinkled some of the blood on the first corner of the altar at which he arrived, which was the southeastern corner.5

Commentary

1 One of the main factors that led to the destruction of the Temple was disunity among the Jewish Nation. The Sages instituted the recital of this chapter of Mishnah following the destruction of the Second Temple because (in addition to describing the order of all the sacrifices that took place there) it does not contain any differences of opinion among the Sages.

2 The Temple offerings were divided into two categories: the "most holy" offerings, which were slaughtered on the northern side of the Temple courtyard, and the offerings "of lesser holiness" (described below), which could be slaughtered anywhere in the courtyard. On a personal level, the slaughter of the Temple offerings symbolizes the slaughter of the evil inclination, the "animal" within each of us. Righteous people, symbolized by the most holy offerings, must slaughter their evil inclination in the "north." The Hebrew word for "north" (צָפוֹן) can also mean "hidden." Because the evil inclination knows that it won't be able to convince a righteous person to commit a blatant sin, it attempts to hide the sin under the guise of righteousness. The righteous person must be aware of this trick and slaughter the evil inclination in the "north"—while it is operating in this sly fashion. Regular people, however, who are symbolized by the offerings of "lesser holiness," are at risk of being influenced by their evil inclination both directly and through deceit. They must therefore be prepared to confront it and slaughter it in any given situation—"anywhere in the Temple courtyard."

3 The Kohen's path to the altar was via a ramp—a smooth and steady ascension—teaching us that our own Divine service and self-improvement need not necessarily require a sudden transformation, but rather steady and consistent progress.

4 An alternative translation: "And he would face the surroundings." After we ascend our personal "ramp"—by elevating and improving ourselves through Divine service—we must take a moment to survey our surroundings and see what more must be done.

5 After the Kohen ascended the ramp of the altar he would circle it from "the southeastern corner." South symbolizes warmth of climate, and east symbolizes light (the rising sun). This teaches us that when we ascend our personal altar—when we elevate and improve ourselves by doing good deeds—we merit receiving God's warmth and light as a reward. Our work is not yet complete, however; the next destination is "the northeastern corner." North symbolizes the evil inclination. (The Hebrew word for north (צָפוֹן) can also mean "hidden," and the evil inclination is described by the Talmud as being hidden within one's heart.) Upon conquering our evil inclination, we finally reach the western corners of the altar, which symbolize sweetness. (The Hebrew word for west, מַעֲרָב, shares its root with the word עָרֵב, "sweet.") By following this path in our service of God we bring Him sweet delight.