민수기 17:11의 인용 해설

AND THOU SHALT MAKE AN ALTAR TO BURN INCENSE UPON. Now the altar of incense being one of the articles in the inner part of the Sanctuary, it should have been mentioned with the table and the candelabrum together with which it was placed, as indeed they are mentioned at the actual construction in the section of Vayakheil.²³²Further, 37:25 — next to the making of the candelabrum. But the reason for mentioning it here after the Tabernacle and all its vessels and the sacrifices [for the seven days of consecration], is because of what He said at the completion of them all, and the Tent shall be sanctified by My Glory;²³³Above, 29:43. and I will dwell among the children of Israel.²³⁴Ibid., Verse 45. Therefore He now said that they will yet be obliged to make an altar for the burning of incense — to burn it for the glory of G-d. This was a secret which was transmitted to Moses our Teacher,²³⁵Shabbath 89a. that the incense checks the plague.²³⁶Numbers 17:11-13. For the incense is of the attribute of justice, as it is said, they shall put incense ‘b’apecha’,²³⁷Deuteronomy 33:10. It is generally translated: “before Thee,” but Ramban suggests that b’apecha is of the root aph (anger). which is of the root v’charah api (My wrath shall wax hot).²³⁸Above, 22:23. It is for this reason that He said of strange incense, and before all the people I will be glorified,²³⁹Leviticus 10:3. meaning that they will know My glory, for He will not pardon your transgression.²⁴⁰Above, 23:21. For this reason too He said here [of the altar of incense], And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the Testimony, before the ark-cover that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with thee.²⁴¹Verse 6. For why is it necessary to speak at length of all these matters, and why did He not say briefly, “and thou shalt put it before the ark of the Testimony in the Tent of Meeting,” as He said in the section of Vayakheil?²⁴²It is found in the section of Pekudei (further, 40:5). But the extended form of the verse here indicates the purport [of the altar of incense].

AND THERE CAME FORTH FIRE ‘MILIPHNEI’ (FROM BEFORE) THE ETERNAL. The meaning of “miliphnei the Eternal” is like: “from before the pnei (presence of) the Eternal.” The student learned [in the mystic lore of the Cabala] will understand, for I have already explained this.⁵³Exodus 30:1. The nature of the sin of Nadab and Abihu you may know from that which it says, and they offered ‘strange fire’ before the Eternal,⁵⁴Verse 1. and it does not say “and they offered before the Eternal ‘incense’ which He had not commanded them.” Thus they put incense upon the fire, similarly to that which Scripture says, they shall put incense ‘b’apecha’ (before Thee),⁵⁵Deuteronomy 33:10. See following note. and they directed their thoughts only to this,⁵⁶In quoting the language of Ramban, Menachem of Ricanti adds the following explanatory note: “Know that the incense is offered towards the attribute of justice, as it is said, they shall put incense ‘b’apecha’ (literally: ‘before Thy anger’). It is for this reason that the burning of incense stays the plague. (Numbers 17:11-15). However, the priest who offered it had to direct his mind to the perfect Unity of G-d. And since Nadab and Abihu directed it only to the attribute of justice (see Note 58), therefore they were punished.” See further, my Hebrew commentary p. 46. and thus it was not a fire-offering of a sweet savor.⁵⁷Above, 1:9, etc. This is the sense of the expression, and they laid ‘aleha’ (upon her) incense.⁵⁸Verse 1. The word aleha (upon her) is an allusion to the attribute of justice. and it does not say “and they laid upon them [i.e., the censers] incense,” as is said with reference to the company of Korah, and put fire therein, and put incense upon them,⁵⁹Numbers 16:7. and again it is said there, and put incense upon them.⁶⁰Ibid., Verse 17. But here it says upon her, to allude [to the fact] that they put the incense only on “the fire,” [and therefore it says], And there came forth fire from before the Eternal, and devoured them. It is possible that the verse which He said, Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon,⁶¹Exodus 30:9. alludes to this, meaning that he should not cause it [the fire] to be strange. It is in connection with this that Scripture states, when they [Nadab and Abihu] drew near before the Eternal, and died,⁶²Further, 16: 1. which means “when they offered l’phanav they died.”⁶³I.e., when they offered the incense l’phanav alone [to the attribute of justice alone, as explained above] they died.

ולא יהיה עוד קצף THAT THERE BE NO ANGER ANY MORE as there has been already, as it is said, (Numbers 17:11) “For there is anger gone [forth from the Lord]” (Sifrei Bamidbar 116:1).