The Eleven Incense Spices

י"ז בניסן תשס"ז

In response to my friend's request for more information on the eleven Temple incense spices, an excerpt (pages 85-86) from R' Aryeh Kaplan's Inner Space:

All evil comes from the universe of Tohu (chaos), which existed before the creation of the Partzufim (archetypal personas). It was at this stage, while the Sefirot (10 primary emanations of the Divine) existed as simple points, that the shattering of the vessels occurred. The purpose of the shattering was to allow free will to exist. Without a realm of evil it would be impossible to choose between good and evil.

In discussing the death of the Kings of Edom (the 7 Malchuyot-Kingdoms of the 7 "immanent" Sefirot), we pointed out that the shattering of the vessels began with the quasi Sefirah Da'at (knowledge). The first 3 Sefirot, Keter (Crown), Chochmah (Wisdom) and Binah (Understanding), did not shatter because they fulfilled their primary function to a certain extent. Because they were able to cooperate with each other in bringing the lower Sefirot to a stage of independent existence, they were merely reduced. The eight Sefirot from Da'at to Malchut, however, did not fulfill their primary functions. As a result, they were overwhelmed and shattered.

It is significant to note that this is the only time that eleven Sefirot are mentioned as constituting one unit. It is only in the universe of Tohu that Keter-Crown and Da'at-Knowledge are both present simultaneously. As we have explained, this leads to the paradoxical situation where God's knowledge of the future (Da'at) constrains His free will (Keter).

In order to rectify this and allow for the possibility of free choice, God must constrict and withdraw His Da'at-Knowledge from creation. This is accomplished by shattering the vessels from Da'at to Malchut. As a result of their descent into Beriyah (the universe of Creation), the possibility of evil, and hence free choice, is brought into existence.

In elucidating this point, the Ari (an esteemed Jewish kabbalist of history) identifies these eleven Sefirot of Tohu with the eleven incense spices of the Torah (Bible, Exodus 30:34). The incense consisted of ten spices or perfumes with good fragrances, and an eleventh spice, galbanum (chelbaneh, in Hebrew) with a vile odor. These spices were each ground separately and then blended together to be used in the Temple. Since these eleven spices (used in the Temple incense) parallel the eleven Sefirot of the universe of Tohu, they are therefore said to represent the complete rectification of evil. This is indicated by the addition of the eleventh spice, galbanum, which alludes to the elevation of evil back into the realm of the Holy.

The Talmud teaches that Moses was taught the mystery of the incense by the Angel of Death. It is for this reason that when a plague broke out among the Israelites in the wilderness Moses ordered Aaron to walk through the camp with the incense. This is the concept that the eleven incense perfumes have the power to overcome death and evil.

Following the idea of the ten fragrant spices and the single unpleasant one, the Talmud states: "every fast that does not include sinners of Israel (likewise any religious or spiritual community, for that matter) is not a fast." This is derived from the fact that the incense included galbanum. Just as galbanum was necessary to give the other spices exactly the right fragrance, a congregation is not complete without someone who has also fallen and who must reelevate him/herself through teshuvah (repentence, return to Holiness). In particular, when a difficult punishment has been decreed against Israel (or any religious-spiritual congregation) because of some evil deed, this very evil must be taken and elevated. Thus, the idea of transforming evil by elevating it back to its source in Holiness is intimated by the incense. It is for this reason that a (congregational ritual) fast must include "the sinners of Israel" (and likewise for any other biblically-based religious-spiritual congregation).