Scent has always been central in my life. As a teenager, I searched for truth, and from the age of 14-18, I covered, Born Again Christians, Buddhism, Hinduism, Neo-Sannyasins and more. As part of my search, I recall walking into a Hara Krishna Center in Amsterdam and in less than a minute deciding that this is definitely not for me because it didn’t smell right. I felt so strongly repulsed by the foul smell in the room that I had no further questions. Conversely, it is so awesome to live in Israel and walk among the beautiful spring flowers, inhaling their gentle, tantalizing fragrance! At this time, we can clearly smell redemption in the air. Without a doubt, applying and refining our sense of smell is part of the redemption process. The Mashiach will judge with his sense of smell! He will be able to smell who is guilty and who is innocent. (Yesha’yahu 11:3; Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 93b). Pure essential oils have become exceedingly popular in recent times, both in the general new-age world as well as in many Jewish religious circles. More and more women are using essential oils as perfume, in face creams and body lotions, household cleaners, and various diffusers that permeate a space with an uplifting fragrance. There are essential oils for relaxation, inner peace, immunity boost, energy, sweet dreams, stress relief, balance, abundance, sensuality, meditation, clarity, and more… Our sense of smell is being stimulated in multiple ways and many of us are developing our olfactory awareness. The Hebrew word for smell רֵיחַ/re’ach is etymologically related to the Hebrew word for spirit רוּחַ/ru’ach. This teaches us the shared ethereality between smell and spirit. They are both connected to the spiritual realm. It was the scent of fresh-baked Challah that eventually welcomed me back into the Torah world.
Why is Parashat Ki Tisa Always Read in Juxtaposition with Purim?
It is no coincidence that Parashat Ki Tisa which mentions both
the aromatics of the holy anointing oil and of the Temple incense is read in
proximity to the holiday of Purim. Fragrance is the central theme of Purim –
also known as the holiday of Myrrh and Myrtle. It is well known that Esther was
also called Hadassah (Megillat Esther 2:7), which means myrtle in Hebrew.
The Talmud associates Mordechai with the free-flowing myrrh of the anointing
oil as its Aramaic translation is “מִירָא דִּכְיָא/mira dechaya” (Babylonian Talmud, Chulin 139b), which is reminiscent of the
name Mordechai. What may be less well known is that the mitzvah to get drunk on
Purim is originally described in the Talmud as the mitzvah to become perfumed (Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 7b). Rather
than getting drunk in a way that lowers a person to the level of the animals,
the mitzvah on Purim is to raise a pleasant fragrance of nullifying the matters
of this world towards holiness – kedusha. Fragrance has the ability to expand
our consciousness and transform us to a higher realm, where this material world
is elevated to become spiritual. This explains why the holy anointing oil שֶׁמֶן המִשְׁחַה/shemen hamishchah, was
central in sanctifying the Kohanim, whose role was to connect the people to Hashem
through the sacrifices also called korbanot – meaning ‘bringing close.’ The
temple vessels utilized in the divine service were likewise anointed and
consecrated with the holy anointing oil (Shemot 30:26). Ever since the
time of King Shaul – the first king of Israel, every subsequent Mashiach – Divinely
ordained Jewish king – must be anointed with the holy anointing oil, in his
role of elevating the people. The title ‘Mashiach’ literally means ‘the
anointed.’
The Spiritual and Medicinal Power of Cinnamon, Myrrh and Cassia
The holy anointing oil
consisted of four aromatics steeped in olive oil (Shemot 30:23-25),
whereas the incense included eleven aromatics (Rashi, Shemot 30:34).
Each of the herbal mixtures sanctified us in diverse ways. The ketoret (incense)
consisted of ten sweet-smelling aromatics and one foul-smelling plant – the
galbanum. When united with the sweet-smelling herbs through the incense, the
foul-smelling galbanum became subordinated to the rest of the aromatics of the
incense. This symbolizes the ability of incense to nullify the independent
existence of evil. Therefore, it makes sense that the incense counteracted the
plague of death and caused it to cease (Bamidbar 17:12-13). According to Me’am Loez, incense was an enlightened remedy to purify people
from sin and cause instant repentance. Whoever smelled the fragrance of the Temple
incense when it was being burned on the altar would have thoughts of teshuva. It is as if the scent of the incense cleaned out our spiritual
smuts. Whereas the incense removed evil by inclusion, the anointing oil
elevated the physical realm and united it with the Divine realm.
The holy anointing oil
consisted of the following aromatics:
1.
Pure myrrh – 500 shekel
– about 6 kg (13 lbs.)
2.
Sweet cinnamon – 250
shekel – about 3 kg (6.6 lbs.)
4. Cassia – (Calamus also called Sweet Flag) – 500 shekel – about 6 kg (13 lbs.)
5. Olive oil one hin – about 6 liters (1.6 US gal)
Three of the aromatics: myrrh, cassia, and cinnamon were included in both the anointing oil and in the ketoret. I’m wondering what is so special about these three plants that they were selected to purify and elevate us through both herb mixtures?
Cassia -Acorus Calamus earned its nickname ‘Singer’s Root’ for its ability to numb the vocal cords so that tired voices can carry on. It is a flowering plant with psychoactive chemicals. Calamus is calming but not a sedative. It makes you feel chilled out and relaxed rather than drugged up. At the same time, it simultaneously boosts vitality and vigor – leaving you feeling very centered, clear, perceptive, focused, and alert. Calamus is grounding while also increasing a sense of greater awareness. Native American Indians use it for stamina on long journeys. Modern herbalists have used it to treat PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
Myrrh derives from the gummy resin of the small, thorny myrrh tree and has been used throughout history as a perfume, incense, and medicine. It has powerful antimicrobial and anti-viral properties, and is especially potent for oral health, preventing and treating gum infections. Myrrh means bitter and corresponds to gevurah (judgment). Yet it has the power to transform the bitter to sweet i.e., judgment to chesed (loving-kindness). In this capacity, it is called free-flowing myrrh (flowing from gevurah to chesed). No wonder myrrh is used to heal personal sorrow. Myrrh balances emotions and opens the spiritual channels leading to rich and rewarding meditation (especially introspection).
Cinnamon supports metabolic function and helps maintain a healthy immune system, fighting infections and viruses. It also protects brain function and lowers blood sugar. As one of the ingredients of the charoset, cinnamon is part of the Pesach Seder table celebrating the redemption of Pesach and the eternal covenant between Hashem and Israel. Today cinnamon grows mainly in Sri Lanka and India, yet during temple times, cinnamon trees were so abundant in Israel and especially in Jerusalem that it was burnt as firewood. The trees of Yerushalayim were of cinnamon. When they burned, their fragrance would permeate the entire Land of Israel. Yet, once Jerusalem was destroyed, they did not remain but were hidden away (Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 63a). Cinnamon is the spice that represents the finest fragrance of the highest spiritual achievement. This explains why although the righteous in general are compared to sweet-smelling spices, Avraham at the time of his circumcision was specifically likened to the fragrant cinnamon tree (Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 46:2).
The renaissance of the conscious expanding herbs will be completed with the coming of Mashiach, who will be anointed with the holy anointing oil containing cinnamon, myrrh, and cassia.
EmunaHealing Exercise for Refining your Sense of Smell
Prepare from 3-8 fragrant herbs and place on a bowl or plate in front of
you
1. Take a deep breath and allow it to enter your head and invigorate it
with fresh air. Repeat this twice while focusing on your diaphragm and pelvic
area respectively.
2. Breathe in and out of your nose mindfully, and as you inhale, notice
any fragrance or smell in the air around you. Perhaps you sense the aromas of
baked goods from an oven nearby, or from a steaming chicken soup on a stove?
There may be less pleasant smells from building materials or hopefully not from
the sewage. Do you notice the smell of synthetic cleaning materials which may
irritate your nostrils?
3. Discern the various smells that you inhale, some strong and others
more subtle. Notice them and let them pass through you. Be mindful of which
scents are pleasant and attract you, and which smells are repulsive to you.
4. Are you able to now choose which scents you let into your being and
which you reject?
We can train ourselves to become sensitive and smell-selective. Recite
within your mind: “I welcome beautiful fragrances to strengthen my spirit and
prevent any foul smells from entering my brain/blood barrier.”
5. Now look at the herbs on the plate you have prepared, identify each
herb, as you hold it up to your nose and inhale its fragrance. Make sure to
first recite the appropriate blessing. For perennial herbs with a hard woody
stem בּוֹרֵא עֲצֵי בְּשָֹמִים/bore atzei besamim …Creator of fragrant trees, for
annual soft-stemmed herbs בּוֹרֵא עִשְּבֵּי
בְּשָֹמִים/bore Isvei besamim
…Creator of fragrant herbs). You may pronounce the name of each of the herbs as
you inhale their fragrance.
6. Now, with your eyes completely closed, reach for the plate with the
various fragrant herbs, and position it so one of the herbs is right under your
nostrils. Inhale its scent and identify the herb only through your sense of
smell, without seeing, touching, or tasting it.
7. Move your plate slightly to allow a different herb to be positioned
right under your nostrils and repeat the same procedure of identifying the
herb, based only on your sense of smell. Repeat this with all the herbs that
you have prepared.
8. Test yourself by inhaling the scents of the various herbs with open
eyes. Did you get all the herbs right when using only your sense of smell? If
not, you can repeat smelling the various herbs with closed eyes and without
touching them.
9. Now hold all the herbs in a bundle in one hand while you bury your
nose in them and inhale their combined fragrance deeply. Do you smell how each
herb enhances the unified fragrance of them all?
10. As you open your eyes, and complete this spiritual healing exercise,
take with you a heightened awareness and sensitivity to fragrances to keep
throughout your daily day. Don’t forget to stop and smell the flowers!
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