Midrash su Esodo 30:34
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֜ה קַח־לְךָ֣ סַמִּ֗ים נָטָ֤ף ׀ וּשְׁחֵ֙לֶת֙ וְחֶלְבְּנָ֔ה סַמִּ֖ים וּלְבֹנָ֣ה זַכָּ֑ה בַּ֥ד בְּבַ֖ד יִהְיֶֽה׃
Ed il Signore disse a Mosè: Prenditi droghe: balsamo, unghia odorata, e galbano, (ed altre) droghe, ed olibano diafano: siano a dosi uguali.
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
Rabbi Yoḥanan interpreted the verse: “Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, and with all the powders of the merchant” regarding the incense of the house of Avtinas,58The incense in the Temple was prepared by the priestly house of Avtinas; see, e.g., Mishna Shekalim 5:1; Yoma 3:11. and this is one of the eleven spices that they would place in it.59The reference is to myrrh, although frankincense, which is also mentioned in the verse here, was also an ingredient in the incense. Rav Huna interpreted it: “The Lord said to Moses: Take spices for you” (Exodus 30:34), that is two;60The word spices is plural, indicating at least two spices. “stacte, onycha, and galbanum” (Exodus 30:34), that is five; “spices” (Exodus 30:34), if you say that this is two, but did it not already say “spices”? “Each part shall be equal” (Exodus 30:34), these are five corresponding to the five, that is ten.61Based on the phrase “each part shall be equal,” the midrash interprets the second mention of “spices” to refer to an additional five types of spices. “And pure frankincense” (Exodus 30:34), these are eleven spices. From here the Sages examined and found that only these eleven spices are ideal for incense.
It is taught: The house of Avtinas were experts in the preparation of the incense, in the blending of the incense, and it would generate a column of smoke, but they were unwilling to teach it.62They were unwilling to teach others how to prepare the incense such that it would rise in a straight column of smoke. The Sages sent and brought craftsmen from Alexandria who were expert in the preparation of the incense, but were not expert in generating a column of smoke. That of the house of Avtinas would rise and ascend like a cluster until the rafters, and would then spread and descend like a rod.63The text should be reversed to read: It rose like a rod to the rafters and would then spread and descended like a cluster (Etz Yosef). That of [the craftsmen from] Alexandria would spread and descend downward immediately. When the matter became known to the Sages, they said: ‘Everything that the Holy One blessed be He created, He created only for His glory, as it is stated: “Everything that is called by My name, for My glory I created it”’ (Isaiah 43:7),64It was not befitting the glory of God for the smoke of the incense to spread out rather than rising straight up. and they restored the house of Avtinas to its position.
They sent for them, but they did not want to come until they doubled their wages. They had been receiving twelve maneh each day and they then received twenty-four maneh, in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yuda says: They had been receiving twenty-four maneh each day and they then received forty-eight maneh.65Some interpret this passage to mean that the sums mentioned were paid per year, on behalf of their preparation of the incense to be offered each day (Rashash, Yoma 38a).
They said to them: ‘Why did you see fit not to teach?’ They said: ‘We have a tradition from our ancestors that the Temple is destined to be destroyed, and we did not wish to teach so that they would not become accustomed to offering it before their idols in the manner that we do so before the Holy One blessed be He.’ Regarding this matter, they are commended; moreover, no woman from among them or child from among them ever went out perfumed. And when they would marry a woman from another place they would make an agreement with her that she would never perfume herself, so that Israel would not say that they were perfuming themselves from the blending of the incense, to fulfill what is stated: “You shall be vindicated before God and before Israel” (Numbers 32:22), and it says: “you will find grace and good favor in the eyes of God and man” (Proverbs 3:4).
Rabbi Akiva said: Shimon ben Loga related to me: I and a child from the descendants of the house of Avtinas were gathering herbs in the field, and I saw that he cried and laughed. I said to him: ‘My son, why did you cry?’ He said to me: ‘Due to the honor of my patrilineal home that has been diminished.’ ‘Why did you laugh?’ He said to me: ‘Because it is preserved and designated for the righteous, and ultimately, the Holy One blessed be He is destined to bring joy to His children in the near future.’ What did you see?’66What did you see that reminded you of the incense that your family would prepare in the days of the Temple? He said to me: ‘Is this not a substance that generates a column of smoke before me?’ I said to him: ‘Show me.’ He said to me: ‘We have a tradition to never show it to any person.’ They said: Not many days elapsed in the world until that child died.67This was a punishment for having divulged the little that he divulged.
Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Nuri said: One time I was walking along the way and I found a certain elder of the house of Avtinas who had in his hand a scroll [containing a list] of spices. I said to him: ‘What is that in your hand?’ He said to me: ‘When they were discreet, the members of my patrilineal house would pass the scrolls one to another, but now, here it is for you, but be careful with it, as it is a scroll of spices.’ When I came and related the matters before Rabbi Akiva, his tears flowed. He said to me: ‘From now on, we are no longer permitted to denounce them.’68Since the elder did not find anyone in his family worthy of these secrets, he had passed them on to Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Nuri. This made it clear that all along they had acted for the sake of heaven (Etz Yosef).
It is taught: The house of Avtinas were experts in the preparation of the incense, in the blending of the incense, and it would generate a column of smoke, but they were unwilling to teach it.62They were unwilling to teach others how to prepare the incense such that it would rise in a straight column of smoke. The Sages sent and brought craftsmen from Alexandria who were expert in the preparation of the incense, but were not expert in generating a column of smoke. That of the house of Avtinas would rise and ascend like a cluster until the rafters, and would then spread and descend like a rod.63The text should be reversed to read: It rose like a rod to the rafters and would then spread and descended like a cluster (Etz Yosef). That of [the craftsmen from] Alexandria would spread and descend downward immediately. When the matter became known to the Sages, they said: ‘Everything that the Holy One blessed be He created, He created only for His glory, as it is stated: “Everything that is called by My name, for My glory I created it”’ (Isaiah 43:7),64It was not befitting the glory of God for the smoke of the incense to spread out rather than rising straight up. and they restored the house of Avtinas to its position.
They sent for them, but they did not want to come until they doubled their wages. They had been receiving twelve maneh each day and they then received twenty-four maneh, in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yuda says: They had been receiving twenty-four maneh each day and they then received forty-eight maneh.65Some interpret this passage to mean that the sums mentioned were paid per year, on behalf of their preparation of the incense to be offered each day (Rashash, Yoma 38a).
They said to them: ‘Why did you see fit not to teach?’ They said: ‘We have a tradition from our ancestors that the Temple is destined to be destroyed, and we did not wish to teach so that they would not become accustomed to offering it before their idols in the manner that we do so before the Holy One blessed be He.’ Regarding this matter, they are commended; moreover, no woman from among them or child from among them ever went out perfumed. And when they would marry a woman from another place they would make an agreement with her that she would never perfume herself, so that Israel would not say that they were perfuming themselves from the blending of the incense, to fulfill what is stated: “You shall be vindicated before God and before Israel” (Numbers 32:22), and it says: “you will find grace and good favor in the eyes of God and man” (Proverbs 3:4).
Rabbi Akiva said: Shimon ben Loga related to me: I and a child from the descendants of the house of Avtinas were gathering herbs in the field, and I saw that he cried and laughed. I said to him: ‘My son, why did you cry?’ He said to me: ‘Due to the honor of my patrilineal home that has been diminished.’ ‘Why did you laugh?’ He said to me: ‘Because it is preserved and designated for the righteous, and ultimately, the Holy One blessed be He is destined to bring joy to His children in the near future.’ What did you see?’66What did you see that reminded you of the incense that your family would prepare in the days of the Temple? He said to me: ‘Is this not a substance that generates a column of smoke before me?’ I said to him: ‘Show me.’ He said to me: ‘We have a tradition to never show it to any person.’ They said: Not many days elapsed in the world until that child died.67This was a punishment for having divulged the little that he divulged.
Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Nuri said: One time I was walking along the way and I found a certain elder of the house of Avtinas who had in his hand a scroll [containing a list] of spices. I said to him: ‘What is that in your hand?’ He said to me: ‘When they were discreet, the members of my patrilineal house would pass the scrolls one to another, but now, here it is for you, but be careful with it, as it is a scroll of spices.’ When I came and related the matters before Rabbi Akiva, his tears flowed. He said to me: ‘From now on, we are no longer permitted to denounce them.’68Since the elder did not find anyone in his family worthy of these secrets, he had passed them on to Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Nuri. This made it clear that all along they had acted for the sake of heaven (Etz Yosef).
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Shir HaShirim Rabbah
Rabbi Yoḥanan interpreted the verse regarding the incense of the house of Avtinas.284The house of Avtinas was a priestly family that would prepare the incense to be used in the Temple. See, e.g., Mishna Shekalim 5:1. “A bundle of myrrh,” this is one of the eleven spices that one places in it. Rabbi Huna said in its regard: “The Lord said to Moses: Take spices for you [stacte and onycha and galbanum; spices and pure frankincense; each part shall be equal]” (Exodus 30:34). [Take spices for you], these are two.285The word spices is plural. “Stacte and onycha and galbanum,” these make five. “Spices,” if you say that these are two, “spices” was already stated. “Each part shall be equal,” give five corresponding to five, these are ten. “And pure frankincense,” these are eleven. From here, the Sages examined and found that these eleven spices alone are optimal for incense.
“Lying between my breasts,” as it was confined between the two staves of the Ark.286The cloud created by the burning of incense in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur was confined to the area between the two staves of the Ark (Matnot Kehuna). “A cluster of henna [eshkol hakofer],” as it atones [mekhaper] for the iniquities of Israel. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Cluster, as it would rise in a column until the rafters and then spread and descend like a cluster. Hakofer, as it atones [mekhaper] for the iniquities of Israel.
And Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is written: “The incense cloud will cover” (Leviticus 16:13). We did not know what this covering was until David came and explained it: “You forgave the iniquity of Your people; You covered [all of their sins]” (Psalms 85:3). “In the vineyards of Ein Gedi,” due to the conditions that I stipulated to Abraham your patriarch between the pieces, as it is stated: “On that day, the Lord established a covenant with Abram, saying…” (Genesis 15:18).287The covenant was based on the animals that would be sacrificed by Abraham’s descendants, including the kid [gedi].
The verse is speaking of Abraham, as it is stated: “After these matters, the word of the Lord was to Abram in a vision” (Genesis 15:1). Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama: There were ruminations that took place there.288This was after Abraham’s victory over the four kings (see Genesis chapter 14). Who ruminated? Abraham ruminated, and said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, You made a covenant with Noah that You would not eliminate his descendants from the world, and I arose and amassed good deeds before You, and the covenant with me overrode the covenant with him.289Abraham had just eliminated a significant number of his descendants. Perhaps another man will arise and amass more mitzvot and good deeds than me, and the covenant with him will override the covenant with me.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘“Fear not, [Abram,] I am your shield” (Genesis 15:1). From Noah I did not produce protectors and righteous people, but from you I will produce protectors and righteous people. Moreover, when your descendants perform transgressions and evil deeds, I will see who the great man among them is, who is able to say to the attribute of justice: Enough, and I will take him as collateral on their behalf, as it is stated: Eshkol, a man in whom there is everything [ish shehakol bo], Bible, Mishna, Talmud, Tosefta, and aggadot. Hakofer, who atones for the sins of Israel. “In the vineyards of Ein Gedi,”290The Hebrew can also be translated “for the sake of the vineyard…” and it is understood here as a reference to Israel, which is referred to as God’s vineyard (see Isaiah 5:7) (Matnot Kehuna). I take them as collateral on their behalf.’
Another matter, eshkol—ben Gezira said: This is the Holy One blessed be He, a Man in whom there is everything. Hakofer, who renounced the nations of the world and acknowledged Israel. When did He renounce the nations of the world? Say it was during the war of Yehoshafat; that is what is written: “It was thereafter that the children of Moav and the children of Amon, and with them some Amonites, came against Yehoshafat to war” (II Chronicles 20:1). You find Israel coming by virtue of Abraham, and Amon and Moav coming by virtue of Lot. These waged war with those and these fell into the hands of those. Yehoshafat, his God aided him and he prevailed. That is [what is stated] that He renounced the nations of the world. If a person will say to you that the verse is not speaking of Yehoshafat, say to him: “Ein Gedi” is stated here, and it is stated below: “In Hatzetzon Tamar, which is Ein Gedi” (II Chronicles 20:2). Just as Ein Gedi, that is stated below, the verse is speaking of the war of Yehoshafat, here, too, the verse is speaking of the war of Yehoshafat. Rabbi Levi bar Zekharya said: If, in this world, where it is written regarding the Holy One blessed be He: “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a zealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24), He renounced the nations of the world and acknowledged Israel, in the future, where He is likened to dew, as it is stated: “I will be like dew for Israel” (Hosea 14:6), all the more so.
“Lying between my breasts,” as it was confined between the two staves of the Ark.286The cloud created by the burning of incense in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur was confined to the area between the two staves of the Ark (Matnot Kehuna). “A cluster of henna [eshkol hakofer],” as it atones [mekhaper] for the iniquities of Israel. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Cluster, as it would rise in a column until the rafters and then spread and descend like a cluster. Hakofer, as it atones [mekhaper] for the iniquities of Israel.
And Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is written: “The incense cloud will cover” (Leviticus 16:13). We did not know what this covering was until David came and explained it: “You forgave the iniquity of Your people; You covered [all of their sins]” (Psalms 85:3). “In the vineyards of Ein Gedi,” due to the conditions that I stipulated to Abraham your patriarch between the pieces, as it is stated: “On that day, the Lord established a covenant with Abram, saying…” (Genesis 15:18).287The covenant was based on the animals that would be sacrificed by Abraham’s descendants, including the kid [gedi].
The verse is speaking of Abraham, as it is stated: “After these matters, the word of the Lord was to Abram in a vision” (Genesis 15:1). Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama: There were ruminations that took place there.288This was after Abraham’s victory over the four kings (see Genesis chapter 14). Who ruminated? Abraham ruminated, and said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, You made a covenant with Noah that You would not eliminate his descendants from the world, and I arose and amassed good deeds before You, and the covenant with me overrode the covenant with him.289Abraham had just eliminated a significant number of his descendants. Perhaps another man will arise and amass more mitzvot and good deeds than me, and the covenant with him will override the covenant with me.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘“Fear not, [Abram,] I am your shield” (Genesis 15:1). From Noah I did not produce protectors and righteous people, but from you I will produce protectors and righteous people. Moreover, when your descendants perform transgressions and evil deeds, I will see who the great man among them is, who is able to say to the attribute of justice: Enough, and I will take him as collateral on their behalf, as it is stated: Eshkol, a man in whom there is everything [ish shehakol bo], Bible, Mishna, Talmud, Tosefta, and aggadot. Hakofer, who atones for the sins of Israel. “In the vineyards of Ein Gedi,”290The Hebrew can also be translated “for the sake of the vineyard…” and it is understood here as a reference to Israel, which is referred to as God’s vineyard (see Isaiah 5:7) (Matnot Kehuna). I take them as collateral on their behalf.’
Another matter, eshkol—ben Gezira said: This is the Holy One blessed be He, a Man in whom there is everything. Hakofer, who renounced the nations of the world and acknowledged Israel. When did He renounce the nations of the world? Say it was during the war of Yehoshafat; that is what is written: “It was thereafter that the children of Moav and the children of Amon, and with them some Amonites, came against Yehoshafat to war” (II Chronicles 20:1). You find Israel coming by virtue of Abraham, and Amon and Moav coming by virtue of Lot. These waged war with those and these fell into the hands of those. Yehoshafat, his God aided him and he prevailed. That is [what is stated] that He renounced the nations of the world. If a person will say to you that the verse is not speaking of Yehoshafat, say to him: “Ein Gedi” is stated here, and it is stated below: “In Hatzetzon Tamar, which is Ein Gedi” (II Chronicles 20:2). Just as Ein Gedi, that is stated below, the verse is speaking of the war of Yehoshafat, here, too, the verse is speaking of the war of Yehoshafat. Rabbi Levi bar Zekharya said: If, in this world, where it is written regarding the Holy One blessed be He: “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a zealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24), He renounced the nations of the world and acknowledged Israel, in the future, where He is likened to dew, as it is stated: “I will be like dew for Israel” (Hosea 14:6), all the more so.
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