Tafsiran Keluaran 30:23: Rashi, Chizkuni, Da'at Zekenim & Ramban

בשמים ראש PRINCIPAL SPICES — i. e. excellent ones.

בשמים ראש, “choice spices;” the expression ראש, usually translated as “head,” is linguistically related to חשבון, an account, itself related to חשוב, important, significant. It has been used at the beginning of our portion i.e. כי תשא את ראש בני ישראל, “when you count, i.e. elevate the sum total of the Children of Israel.” Each person counted individually, attains a higher social rank merely by his name being recorded. Seeing that previously the Torah had only summarised the oil for anointing in chapters 28 and 29 without informing us of the ingredients making up this oil, it now gives us the relevant details including the quantities to be used of each in the mixture.

בשמים ראש, “chief spices;” seeing that previously the Torah had written: בשמים לשמן המשחה, “spices for the oil of anointing,” (Exodus 25,6) without specifying those spices, now both the spices and their respective amounts are being spelled out. The word ראש occurs here as number, i.e. “first in rank,” just as it does in verse 12, כי תשא את ראש בני ישראל, “when you count the number, i.e. sum total, of the Children of Israel,” or in ראש חודש, “first of the month.” Compare also Amos 6,6: וראשית שמנים ימשחו, “and anoint themselves with the choicest oils.” Compare also Song of Songs 4,14: עם כל ראשי בשמים, “with all the choicest spices.”