וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ מִזְבֵּ֖חַ מִקְטַ֣ר קְטֹ֑רֶת עֲצֵ֥י שִׁטִּ֖ים תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֹתֽוֹ׃
E farás um altar para queimar incenso; de madeira de acácia o farás.
Vayikra Rabbah
“And the fire of the altar shall be kept burning in it” Leviticus 6:2. Rabbi Pinḥas said: It is not written here: “And the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it,” but rather, “shall be kept burning in it” – the fire was aflame from it.22The altar itself was on fire, but miraculously was not damaged.
It is taught in the name of Rabbi Neḥemya: For almost one hundred and sixteen years the fire was aflame from it, [yet] its wood did not burn and its bronze did not melt. If you say that it was thick, it was taught in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya: It had the thickness of a Gordian dinar.
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The same is true of the incense altar, as it is stated: “You shall craft an altar to burn incense [miktar ketoret]” (Exodus 30:1). It is not written here mitkater baketoret,23That would mean “upon which incense is burned.” but rather, miktar ketoret, the altar would burn the incense.
Rav said: “And in the cattle’s implements the flesh was cooked [nitbashel habasar]” is not written here, but rather, “with the cattle’s implements bishlam habasar” (I Kings 19:21); the flesh was heating the implements.24Although the simple reading of the verse indicates that the ploughshare was used to fuel the fire to cook the cow’s flesh, the midrash interprets the verse to mean that the cow’s flesh actually fueled the fire to heat the ploughshare.
It is taught in the name of Rabbi Neḥemya: For almost one hundred and sixteen years the fire was aflame from it, [yet] its wood did not burn and its bronze did not melt. If you say that it was thick, it was taught in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya: It had the thickness of a Gordian dinar.
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The same is true of the incense altar, as it is stated: “You shall craft an altar to burn incense [miktar ketoret]” (Exodus 30:1). It is not written here mitkater baketoret,23That would mean “upon which incense is burned.” but rather, miktar ketoret, the altar would burn the incense.
Rav said: “And in the cattle’s implements the flesh was cooked [nitbashel habasar]” is not written here, but rather, “with the cattle’s implements bishlam habasar” (I Kings 19:21); the flesh was heating the implements.24Although the simple reading of the verse indicates that the ploughshare was used to fuel the fire to cook the cow’s flesh, the midrash interprets the verse to mean that the cow’s flesh actually fueled the fire to heat the ploughshare.
Midrash Tanchuma
And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense (Exod. 30:1). What do the letters in the word ketoret (“incense”) stand for? The kuf stands for kedushah (“sanctification”), tet for taharah (“purity”), resh for rahamim (“mercy”), and ta for tikvah (“hope”). A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; and two cubits shall be the height thereof (ibid.). What was the purpose of this altar? After they committed the act of erecting the golden calf, the Holy One, blessed be He, complied with his (Moses’) request, as is said: And the Lord repented of the evil (ibid., v. 14). Whereupon Moses said: Master of the Universe, You have already agreed with me (to forgive them), but who will make known to those who come unto the world that You are reconciled with Israel? He replied: Let them make Me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8), and let them offer sacrifices within it, and I will accept their lamb.
Midrash Tanchuma
And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon (Exod. 30:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart (Prov. 27:9). This verse refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, and to Israel. How is that? When the high priest was officiating on the Day of Atonement, he would place the incense in a pan and bring it into the innermost part of the Holy of Holies, as it is written: And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar. What else is written there? Ye shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the ark cover (Lev. 16:12–13). What is the meaning of may cover? It is an expression that indicates forgiveness, as in the verse Thou hast covered up all their sins (Ps. 85:3). Whenever the cloud of incense ascended and spiraled upward, like a cluster of grapes, on the Day of Atonement, he knew that Israel’s sins were forgiven, as it is said: My beloved is unto me as a cluster of henna in the vineyards of En-gedi (Song 1:14). If the smoke of the incense resembled a cluster and rose straight upward, he knew that Israel was forgiven and his service was acceptable, but if the smoke of the incense did not cover the ark-cover he knew that he would die, as it is said: That the cloud of the incense may cover the ark-cover that is upon the testimony, that he die not (Lev. 16:13). Consequently, the high priest and all Israel trembled from the moment the high priest entered the innermost Sanctuary until he withdrew in peace. When he departed from the Sanctuary a great rejoicing took place among the Israelites, since it meant that it (the offering) had been received favorably, as it is said: Ointment and incense rejoice the heart (Prov. 27:9).