"And you shall make an altar for the burning of incense"

471. He opened and said "And you shall make an altar for the burning of incense" (Shemot 30:1). We should look carefully into this verse. For there are two altars, of fragrant spice burnt incense and of burnt offering, the former an inner and the latter an outer one. Why is it called an altar if no animals are sacrificed upon it, to give it the name of altar?

472. Since some evil beings were neutralized and bound, and the Other Side is bound, it cannot rule nor denounce. Therefore it is called an altar (Heb. mizbeach), FOR THE OTHER SIDE IS BOUND AND TIED TO IT LIKE A SACRIFICED ANIMAL (HEB. ZEVACH). And when the Other Side saw the smoke of incense rising, he surrendered and fled, and could not approach the tabernacle, so it was purified. And no one delighted in that high joy but the Holy One, blessed be He, alone. Since He is very fond of it, the altar stands inside, for there are blessings in such an altar, and therefore it is not exposed, THAT IS, IT STANDS INSIDE.

473. It is written about Aaron, "And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stayed" (Bemidbar 17:13). For he bound the Angel of Death, so he could not have power at all, nor carry out punishment. A sign was given to us, that wherever the section of the incense is said with intention and a willing heart, death has no sway over that place, nor can it harm. Also other nations have no power over that place.

474. Come and look at the verse, "an altar for the burning of incense" (Shemot 30:1). HE ASKS: Why is it called an altar, if it is meant for burning incense? HE ANSWERS: this is because FIRE is taken from that place to burn incense, like Aaron did, AS IS WRITTEN: "TAKE A CENSER, AND PUT FIRE IN IT FROM OFF THE ALTAR" (BEMIDBAR 17:11). Moreover, since it is an altar, it must be sanctified by that incense, therefore it is for the burning of incense. ANOTHER SENSE is that 'the burning of incense' literally means that incense must be burnt only in a censer.

475. Come and see, whoever is pursued by Judgment, is in need of incense and must repent before his Master. For INCENSE helps Judgment to disappear from him. And assuredly Judgment leaves him, if he is wont to say twice a day, morning and evening, the passage of the incense, as is written: "sweet incense every morning... at evening, he shall burn incense upon it" (Shemot 30:7-8). Upon this the world perpetually exists, as is said, "a perpetual incense before Hashem throughout your generations" (Ibid. 8). Assuredly, this world is sustained by it and so is the World to Come.

476. Wherever the section of incense formulation is not daily mentioned, WHEN NOT RECITED, judgment and many plagues hover above this place, and it is ruled by other nations. Therefore it is written: "a perpetual incense before Hashem." It stands always before Hashem, more than other devotions. The section of the incense is more precious and delightful to the Holy One, blessed be He, than all worship and petitions. And though prayer is most valuable, the section of the incense formulation is MORE highly regarded and precious to the Holy One, blessed be He.

477. Come and see the difference between prayer and the section of incense. Prayer was composed instead of the sacrifices offered by Yisrael. But all those sacrifices are not as valuable as the incense. Also, the difference between them is that prayer perfects whatever needs perfection. Incense, on the other hand, does more by both perfecting and binding, THAT IS, CREATING UNITY, and brings more light than anything else, which removes filth and cleanses the tabernacle. And everything is shining, perfected and joined together.

478. Therefore the section of incense is recited before the prayer every day, to remove filth from the world; for it perfects everything on that day, like a desired sacrifice with which the Holy One, blessed be He, is pleased.

479. It is written of Moses, "And Hashem said to Moses, take to you sweet spices, balm..." (Shemot 30:34). This was already explained. Nevertheless, why is it written here: "take to you" (Ibid.) that was not said elsewhere?" HE ANSWERS: "Take to you" MEANS for your pleasure and benefit. For it is as a purified wife bringing pleasure to her husband. FOR INCENSE PURIFIED THE TABERNACLE, WHICH IS MALCHUT, THE BRIDE OF MOSES, WHO WAS A CHARIOT OF ZEIR ANPIN. This is the inner meaning of "take to you sweet spices," to remove the filth, so that the wife, MALCHUT, is sanctified by her husband, ZEIR ANPIN. Blessed is the portion of Moses.

480. In the same manner, it is written of Aaron, "take you a young calf" (Vayikra 9:2). THIS ALSO MEANS FOR YOUR PLEASURE AND BENEFIT, NAMELY, to atone for his sin of the golden calf that he brought upon Yisrael. Therefore it is written of Moses, "'take to you," NAMELY, for your pleasure and benefit.

481. The incense joins things together, TO WIT, IT UNIFIES, brings light and removes filth. The Dalet becomes Hei, FOR BEFORE UNITING WITH ZEIR ANPIN, MALCHUT IS DALET, FOR WITHOUT CHASSADIM SHE DOES NOT SHINE AND IS POOR (HEB. DALA). BUT WHEN ZEIR ANPIN UNITES WITH HER, CHOCHMAH IN HER IS CLOTHED BY CHASSADIM AND SHE SHINES WITH ALL PERFECTION AND BECOMES HEI. THE INCENSE UNIFIES ZEIR ANPIN WITH MALCHUT, CAUSING THE DALET TO BECOME HEI. BY THIS the Hei is united with Vav, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, and the Vav rises to be adorned by THE FIRST Hei, WHICH IS BINAH, AND SO RECEIVES PLENTY FOR MALCHUT. That Hei, BINAH, is glittering from the Yud, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, IN ORDER TO BESTOW ON ZEIR ANPIN. And their will rises to the Endless Light, and all of them, NAMELY, CHOCHMAH, BINAH, ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, THAT ARE YUD HEI VAV HEI become one, bound together in the one high secret, which is the loftiest bond. AND ALL THIS IS DONE BY THE INCENSE.

482. From now onward, since everything was thus knotted together, it is all adorned according to the secret of the Endless Light, and the secret of the Holy Name shines and adorns itself on all sides, all the worlds rejoice, candles burn brightly, and there is sustenance and blessings for all the worlds. Everything was BROUGHT by the secret of incense. For if the filth had not been removed BY THE INCENSE, this would not have taken place, for everything depend on it.

483. Come and see, the incense always comes first and precedes everything. For this reason the section of the incense comes before prayer, hymns and praises. For nothing rises, is perfected or connected, before filth is removed BY INCENSE. It is written: "and he shall make atonement for the holy place" first, and then "because of their transgressions in all their sins" (Vayikra 16:16). Therefore, one should atone for the holy place, and remove filth, and purify the holiness BY USE OF INCENSE, and then sing hymns and pray, as we already said.

484. Happy are Yisrael in this world and in the World to Come, for they know how to perfect above and below, as this perfection is ought to be done, from below upward, until everything is bound together into one supernal knot, THAT IS, THE INCENSE. It is done when improvement is necessary by perfecting the engraved letters which constitute the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, THAT IS, YUD HEI VAV HEI.