Komentarz do Wyjścia 30:23

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

MOR DROR’ (FLOWING MYRRH) FIVE HUNDRED SHEKELS. The commentators⁹⁵Ibn Ezra quoting Rabbeinu Saadia Gaon. — including Harav Rabbi Moshe [ben Maimon]⁹⁶Mishneh Torah, Hilchoth Klei Hamikdash, 1:3: “Mor is the blood gathered up [in the abdomen] of a certain animal in the land of India known to all, which is used in perfumery.” — have agreed that mor is that perfume which is called musk [an animal perfume].⁹⁷See Jastrow: muskin and mor. But Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra objected to this interpretation, since [musk] is not a spice [as are the sweet cinnamon and the sweet calamus mentioned here in the same verse], even though it has a pleasing odor. Perhaps this is why Scripture separated it from the spices.” And then [Ibn Ezra] asked: “But is it not written, I have gathered ‘mori’ (my myrrh),⁹⁸Song of Songs 5:1. which shows that mor is something gathered [like spices], while those who bring musk say that it is a substance gathered in a glandular sac under the skin of the neck of the deer?⁹⁹In other words, this proves that mor is not musk as Saadia Gaon said, for the verse speaks of mor being gathered while musk is not “gathered.” Moreover, the verse states, and my hands dropped with myrrh,¹⁰⁰Song of Songs 5:5. [and musk does not drop]. But perhaps it does do so, due to its moistness.” [Thus far are Ibn Ezra’s words].
It is possible that we say that Scripture states I have gathered ‘mori’⁹⁸Song of Songs 5:1. because mor is the blood gathered up in the abdomen of an animal of the hind species known in the land of India; when it walks between the shrubs on very hot days it scratches against the sac and the blood comes out in thickened mass, which is then gathered from the reed-grass. It states and my hands dropped ‘mor,’¹⁰⁰Song of Songs 5:5. because Scripture imagines its odor to be such that one’s hands drop globules of water because of it.
Others¹⁰¹Reference is to Rabbi Abraham ben David [Rabad] who commented on Rambam’s language (see Note 96): “My opinion does not accept this, that there should enter into sacred things the blood of any animal in the world, and all the more the blood of an unclean animal.” have argued: how could there be included in the incense¹⁰²Among the eleven components of the incense was ‘mor’ (myrrh, cassia, spikenard etc.) (Kerithoth 6 a). and the sacred oil the blood of an unclean animal? This too is no question, for that moisture gathered up in the animal because of its abundant blood, which drops from [the animal] whilst still alive, is not susceptible to uncleanness, nor is it repulsive.
The word dror they¹⁰³R’dak, in his Book of Roots, under the root of dror. have explained to be of the expression, and ye shall proclaim ‘dror’ (liberty),¹⁰⁴Leviticus 25:10. here meaning that it should be free from any imitation or adulteration. Perhaps we might say that Scripture requires it to be gathered when free, meaning that it should be taken from that deer whilst it is free, wandering between the beds of spices and enjoying itself at will, because once it is captured and held in the possession of man, it produces but little mor (musk) and it does not have such a pleasant odor. This is clear.
Yet despite all this [that we have written to justify the opinion of Rabbeinu Saadia Gaon and Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, that mor mentioned here is musk], it appears to me from the words of our Rabbis that mor is not musk, for they have said in Midrash Chazita:¹⁰⁵Shir Hashirim Rabbah 4:29. See Vol. I, p. 292, Note 73, for explanation of the name “Chazita.” “Mor¹⁰⁶Song of Songs 4:14. means inmirinon” [an unguent scented with Arabian myrtle], while musk is so called even in the language of the Sages, just as it is said in Tractate Berachoth:¹⁰⁷Berachoth 43a. [“Over all spices put on coals one recites the Benediction: ‘Blessed… Who createst diverse kinds of spices’], except over musk, because it is derived from an animal.” In the Yerushalmi there¹⁰⁸Yerushalmi Berachoth VI, 6. they likewise say, [with respect to this Benediction]: “excepting muskin,” and the author of the Aruch¹⁰⁹Rabbi Nathan ben Yechiel of Rome [flourished in the middle of the eleventh century] was a contemporary of Rashi. His work the “Aruch” is not only a complete dictionary of Talmudic and Midrashic language but is also a veritable storehouse of explanations of Rabbinic texts. It is thus both a dictionary and commentary. It has had a lasting influence on Jewish learning. — The particular reference here is to the Aruch, under the term: mushk. wrote that it is also so called in Greek. In Midrash Chazita it furthermore says:¹¹⁰Shir Hashirim Rabbah 1:58. “My beloved is unto me a bag of ‘hamor’¹¹¹Song of Songs 1:13. — this refers to Abraham. Just as the mor is the chief of all kinds of spices,¹¹²Ramban will further on explain that the intent thereof is, that in the verse before us where the spices [for the making of the Oil of Anointment] are listed, the myrrh heads the list, or it may mean that for aromatic purposes it is the best of all spices. so was Abraham the chief of all righteous people. Just as this mor exudes only through the fire, so Abraham’s deeds were not known until he was thrown in the fiery furnace.¹¹³See Vol. I, p. 160. And just as with this mor [we see that] whoever gathers it with his hands develops bad sores, so did Abraham cause himself to be distressed and afflicted with suffering” [for the sake of his love of G-d.] Now the musk exudes its odor [spontaneously], without being put upon the flame! Moreover, we have been taught [in a Mishnah]:¹¹⁴Mikvaoth 9:5. “These interpose in vessels:¹¹⁵When immersing an unclean vessel in an Immersion-pool to be cleansed, for the immersion to be valid there must be nothing interposing between the body’s surface and the water of the pool. pitch and mor etc. on a packsaddle. Rabban¹¹⁶The title “Rabban” [instead of “Rabbi”] signifies that he was the Nasi (Prince) of the Sanhedrin. Shimon ben Gamaliel says: [They interpose only] if they are as big as an Italian issar [a Roman coin].” And it further teaches there:¹¹⁷Mikvaoth 9:7. “This is the general principle: Anything about which a person is particular, interposes [and invalidates the immersion]; anything about which he is not particular that does not interpose.” Now musk is not something which sticks [to a vessel or to a garment] so that it should interpose [and invalidate the immersion, and so, if mor is musk, why does the Mishnah state that it does interpose]! And even if perhaps they fix it in such a way that it does attach to vessels, a person is not particular about it, so that it should interpose even on a packsaddle! Moreover, the verse ‘mor va’aholoth k’tzioth’ are all thy garments¹¹⁸Psalms 45:9. [Yonathan ben Uziel] translated: ‘mura,’ aloe-wood and cassia. [Thus it is clear that mor is not musk, for mura is myrrh.]
It is likely that mor is so called in Arabic as there are diverse kinds of it — mur achmar ve’abitz. It is used for incense, and when burned produces a sweet odor. Thus all languages — Hebrew, Aramaic, and also Arabic — are alike in the usage of this term. And in the language of the Agadah [quoted above]¹¹⁹See the text from the Midrash Chazita, at Note 105. — be it Persian or Greek¹²⁰In Kohut’s Aruch Hashalem [and in Jastrow’s Dictionary] inmirinon is explained as a word of Greek origin. — it is a similar expression: inmirinon. In Latin as well it is called myrrha. The consensus of the languages on this term would thus indicate that [the mor of the Torah] is indeed that substance [called myrrh or its equivalent in the above-mentioned languages — and not the musk mentioned by Saadia Gaon], and it is counted among the spices.
And as to that which the Rabbis said above,¹²¹See the text from Midrash Chazita mentioned above at Note 110. that “the mor is the chief of all kinds of spices,” they mean that [in the verse before us where the spices are listed] the Torah mentioned it first, or it may mean that for aromatic purposes it is the best of all spices. Possibly amongst its diverse kinds there may be a still more aromatic one, and that is called dror, and the one who gathers it [as the Midrash quoted above said], develops bad sores on his hands, because it is bitter as wormwood. And the Rabbis have taught in the Sifra:¹²²Sifra, Vayikra Chova 22:7. “Things which cannot be recognized, such as a mixture of water into wine, or of gum in myrrh,” for this is how they falsify the myrrh, by putting into it a certain gum which resembles it, called tzemeg in Arabic. This is why He said mor dror, meaning that it be clear of any of these usual adulterations. It is possible that the term dror always indicates “clean” (or “pure”). Similarly, and ye shall proclaim ‘dror’ throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof,¹⁰⁴Leviticus 25:10. means that all people of the land be “clean” from servitude, and from all subjection attaching to their persons or lands, similar to the expression, and the owner of the ox shall be quit.¹²³Above, 21:18. And as to that which Scripture says, And my hands dropped with ‘mor’, and my fingers with flowing ‘mor,’¹⁰⁰Song of Songs 5:5. it is possible that the meaning is as follows: “and my hands dropped with oil of myrrh,” for it is customary to apply it also to the hands in order to make them gentle and soft, as it is written, six months with oil of myrrh,¹²⁴Esther 2:12. which our Rabbis have explained to be: “the oil of olives that have not reached a third of their growth, because that makes the hair fall out and improves the complexion.” And the purport thereof is that that oil was prepared with myrrh and therefore it was so called [“oil of myrrh”]. This then is the meaning of ‘natphu’ (dropped with) ‘mor’,¹⁰⁰Song of Songs 5:5. [the dropping being not from the myrrh but from the oil put in it]. I hold this to be the inmirinon mentioned in the Midrash [quoted above,¹⁰⁵Shir Hashirim Rabbah 4:29. See Vol. I, p. 292, Note 73, for explanation of the name “Chazita.” namely that it is identical with the oil of myrrh mentioned in the Scroll of Esther], for similarly the Rabbis in the Yerushalmi¹²⁵Yerushalmi Demai I, 3. call “oil of v’rad” (roses): vardinun [and in the same way they called “the oil of mor” — inmirinon]. Such is the customary usage for names of oils in the various languages of the nations. [Finally,] it is also possible that they extract oil from the myrrh, as is done with gum mastic and other kinds of gums. Thus it is correct to call it “myrrh,” and “oil of myrrh.”

ואתה קח לך, "And as for you, take for yourself, etc." The plain meaning of the verse is that Moses was to pay for the anointing oil out of his own pocket. This is why the Torah prefaced the directive with the word ואתה. Moses was to perform this particular commandment personally, as opposed to the other commandments concerning which G'd had also addressed him in direct speech, commanding him to perform the respective directive. Even though the Torah included the oil and the various spices in the list of items to be donated by the general public (25,3), the Torah here revealed its intention that these items be contributed by Moses personally.