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Why do we Recite Blessings on Pleasant Scents?
As part of my weekly Herbal Workshop, we smell
herbs and learn about the various blessings to be recited over aromatic plants.
I’m surprised that the four different blessings for diverse pleasant-scented
items are so unfamiliar to most of my students, even to those who grew up in
Torah-observant homes. This may be another symptom of our long-winded exile, in
which we have become so alienated from nature. As part of my personal mission,
I enjoy teaching these important halachot, that help reconnect us to nature,
and bring about redemption – when once again our souls will be uplifted by the
sweet scent of the Temple Incense. As is known, the sense of smell is the most
spiritual of senses, since it was the only sense not employed and contaminated
by eating from the Tree. How do we know that we must recite a bracha (blessing)
on a fragrance? Because it states, “Let the entire neshama praise Hashem”
(Tehillim 150:6). What exists in the world that the soul enjoys,
but not the body? Only fragrance (Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 43b). This
teaches us that we must praise Hashem even for the enjoyment of the soul. What
is the enjoyment exclusively for the neshama? This is the sense of smell (Mishnah
Berurah, Orach Chaim 216). The reason the neshama gets enjoyment from
fragrance in this world is that it is the food of the neshama in the Garden of
Eden. The enjoyment of the neshama is greater than the enjoyment of the body,
for the enjoyment of the body is temporary but the enjoyment of the soul is
perpetual. Therefore, we don’t recite an after-bracha for fragrance. We also
don’t bless shecheyanu (blessing recited before enjoying a new fruit in its
season) on aromatics, since the soul is eternal. Therefore, a new herb of the
season is not considered new, as scent is imprinted eternally in the soul (Ben
Ish Chai, Hilachot Shana Rishona, Parashat VaEtchanan). There is
furthermore a connection between scent and spirit through the Hebrew word, רֵיחַ/rey’ach – ‘smell’ which is cognate with the word רוּחַ/ruach
– ‘spirit.’
Blessings on Various
Pleasant-Smelling Plants and Perfumes
Most people are aware of the general blessing for
various scents, …boreh minei b’samim – ‘Creator of different types of
aromatics,’ which we recite at the Havdalah ceremony. During this ritual, we
partake of a pleasant-smelling spice in order to strengthen the neshama, that
just experienced leaving the blessed realm of Shabbat, to face the routine of
the week. Since Havdalah is recited universally by Jews, who may not be so well
versed in plant botany, the Ashkenazi halacha requires reciting the general
blessing on fragrance for Havdalah, rather than the particular blessing for the
specific aromatic. This ensures that no one inadvertently recites the wrong
blessing.
The four specific blessings for pleasant scents
are:
1. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה
הָשֵׁם אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא עֲצֵי בְשָׂמִים/Baruch
Ata Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha’olam boreh atzei besamim – ‘Blessed are You
Hashem… Creator of fragrant trees.’
2. בּוֹרֵא עִשְּבֵּי
בְּשָֹמִים בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה הָשֵׁם אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ
הָעוֹלָם,/… boreh isvei besamim ‘…Creator of
fragrant herbs.’
3. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה
הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַנּוֹתֵן רֵיחַ טוֹב בַּפֵּרוֹת/…hanoten reyach tov baperot ‘… Who gives a good fragrance to
fruit.’
4. בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי
בְשָֹמִים בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה הָשֵׁם אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ
הָעוֹלָם,/… boreh minei besamim ‘…Creator of
various kinds of aromatics.’
Brief Explanation of the Parameters
for the Various Blessings on Fragrance
A tree (1) is distinguished from an herb (2) by
having a hard, woody stem that remains from year to year. Cloves and cinnamon
sticks derive from a tree and we therefore recite …boreh atzei besamim
(1) before enjoying their scent. However, if they are crushed or ground and are
primarily meant to spice foods, we recite boreh minei besamim (4) before
smelling them. (Halacha Berura, Chapter 216, Subsection 17). When
enjoying the fragrance of fruit such as oranges, lemons and etrog, we praise
Hashem for giving a good fragrance to fruit (3). We recite the general blessing
(4) over a pleasant scent which derives from an animal source. An example of
this is musk perfume, which is an animal-derivative (made from the blood or
other secretions of animals). On synthetic perfume most
Ashkenazi poskim hold that we don’t recite any blessing at all. Yet, for those
who enjoy that kind of scent, according to Rabbi Ovadia Yosef the
general blessing (4) is recited.
When we are not sure whether a plant is considered an herb or a tree, we may
also recite this blessing – ‘Creator of different types of aromatics’ (4).
However, we should minimize resorting to this safety net, as it is our
responsibility to find out the nature of the various pleasures that we enjoy so
that we can make the highest rectification, by reciting its specific blessing.
Is There a Halachic Issue Involved in
Burning Incense Today?
Today, people mainly burn incense in their homes in
order to produce a pleasant fragrance. Why should this be a halachic concern?
In the time of the Mishna, fragrant spices were brought at the completion of
the meal, as a kind of olfactory desert called ‘mugmar’ (Mishna
Berachot 6:6). Yet, throughout time, certain people burned incense as an
offering to spirits and demons. To this day, this is practiced in occult,
voodoo and wiccan circles. By creating a potent fragrant aroma, they attract
malevolent entities that have power to extract the life-force energy from
fragrance. Incense can be burned for the pleasant fragrance, yet many types of
incense are manufactured for religious purposes and are intended to be offered
in the name of a certain god. This may actually be written on the package
itself (Rabbi Ariel Bar Tzaddok, Kosher Torah). For example, the incense
of www.darshanincense.com, is used
as an offering to avoda zara (idolatry), (as attested to by the owner of
the company). In The
Story Behind, they mention that
their incense is “considered to give a divine boost to invocation.” They also
have photos of buddhas and the like all over their website. However, their
actual incense is not necessarily sold for the purpose of idolatry. Therefore,
halachically, it is not forbidden to buy their products. Had the incense been
previously used for avoda zara, it would be forbidden to get any benefit
from it. In defense of burning incense, would we say that just because certain
idolatrous cultures use prayer shawls and head coverings similar to our tallit
and kippa, does this preclude orthodox Jewish men from wearing them? However,
regarding numerous questions associated with avoda zara, in particular when
technically it isn’t avoda zara, the poskim suggest that we nevertheless try to
distance ourselves from avoda zara as much as possible. Although, it is
permitted to buy incense such as darshan incense, it is not recommended. So, I
suggest buying your incense from a different company that is divested of any
trace of idol worship.
The Power of Incense to Engender
Teshuva
The holy aromatics appear in Parashat Ki Tisa in
two contexts. First, in the holy anointing oil (Shemot 30:23-25), and
then in the קְטֹרֶת/ketoret – ‘Temple Incense’ (Shemot 30:34-38). The root letters of the word קְטֹרֶת/ketoret – from the Aramaic term קטר/keter – has the same meaning as the Hebrew wordקֶשֶׁר /kesher – ‘bond.’ Thus, the incense offering establishes a bond
between G-d’s infinite dimensions and the spiritual Cosmos (Maggid Devarav
LeYaakov; Likkutei Torah). The Shelah Hakodesh likewise writes that
the ketoret had the special power to connect the Jewish people with their
Father in Heaven (Masechet Ta’anit Drush, Matot Masei). Each of
the aromatics connect together and are unified when they go up in a cloud of
smoke. We no longer recognize the individual plants, for
each has vanished into the greater whole. This causes a yichud shalem, (complete unity)
elevating the five parts of our soul: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya and
Yechida, which together comprise the gematria (numerical value) of the
words שֶׁמֶן/shemen and קְטֹרֶת/ketoret!
(1099) (Brit Kehunat Olam, Ner Mitzvah 6). The incense was an
enlightened remedy to purify people from sin. Anyone who smelled its fragrance,
when burned on the altar, would have thoughts of repentance. His heart would be
purified of negative thoughts and from the defilement of the negative impulse.
This would break the power of the Other Side so that it could not accuse
Israel. Therefore, the incense altar is referred to as a מִּזְבֵּחַ/mizbe’ach
– ‘altar.’ [The word miz-be’ach derives from the Hebrew זֶבַח/zevach, which denotes slaughter.] Even though no
sacrifice was slaughtered on the incense altar, it was called a mizbe’ach,
because it was a place where the Other Side was slaughtered (Yalkut Meam
Loez). The word, קְטֹרֶת/ketoret (709) together
with its four letters equals the gematria of תְּשׁוּבָה/teshuva
– ‘repentance’ (713) (Kohelet Ya’acov, ערך ק"ט). May
learning about the ketoret arouse the spiritual ketoret, which exists within
our soul as the power of teshuva. May it empower us to rectify everything
negative and undesirable, like the unifying incense that burned in the Holy
Temple!
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