Prayer of Pitum HaKetores (The Incense Offering)

The Rabbis taught: How is the incense mixture compounded? Three hundred and sixty-eight maneh were in it. Three hundred and sixty-five corresponding to the days of the solar year, one maneh for each day, half in the morning and half in the afternoon. And three extra maneh, from which the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) would bring his handfuls into the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur. He would return them to the mortar on the eve of Yom Kippur and grind them very thoroughly so that it would be exceptionally fine. And eleven spices were in it. And these are they: (1) Tzari (balsam), (2) Tziporen (onycha), (3) Chelbenah (galbanum), and (4) Levonah (frankincense) - each weighing seventy maneh. (5) Mor (myrrh), (6) Ketziah (cassia), (7) Shiboles Nerd (spikenard), and (8) Karkom (saffron) - each weighing sixteen maneh. (9) Kosht (costus) - twelve. (10) Kilufah (aromatic bark) - three. (11) Kinnamon (cinnamon) - nine. Borith Karshina (Karshina lye) - nine kav. Yein Kafrisin (Cyprus wine) - three se'ah and three kav. And if he could not find Cyprus wine, he would bring old white wine. Melach Sedomis (Sodom salt) - a quarter of a kav. Ma'aleh Ashan (a smoke-raising herb) - a minute amount. Rabbi Nasan the Babylonian says: Also Kipas HaYarden (Jordan amber) - a minute amount. And if he put honey into it, he invalidated it. And if he omitted one of all its spices, he is liable to the death penalty. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: The Tzari is nothing other than the sap that drips from the balsam trees. Why is the Karshina lye brought? To beautify the onycha, so that it would be pleasing. Why is the Cyprus wine brought? To soak the onycha in it, so that it would be pungent. And are not mei raglayim (urine) good for it? However, mei raglayim are not brought into the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple) out of respect. It was taught in a Baraisa, Rabbi Nasan says: While he grinds, he says, 'Grind thoroughly, thoroughly grind,' because the sound is good for the spices. If he compounded it in half quantities, it is valid. For a third or a quarter, we have not heard. Rabbi Yehudah said: This is the general rule: If it is according to its proper proportions, it is valid in half quantities. But if he omitted one of all its spices, he is liable to the death penalty. It was taught in a Baraisa, Bar Kappara says: Once in sixty or seventy years, the accumulated leftovers would amount to half the required quantity. And Bar Kappara further taught: Had he put a kortov (a minute measure) of honey into it, no person could stand the scent of it. And why do they not mix honey into it? Because the Torah stated: 'For any leaven or any honey, you shall not burn from it a fire offering to Hashem.'

For the complete healing of Moshe ben Margalit, may Hashem protect and sustain him

B'Siyata Dishmaya (With the Help of Heaven)

Pitum HaKetores (The Incense Offering)

The Rabbis taught: How is the incense mixture compounded? Three hundred and sixty-eight maneh were in it. Three hundred and sixty-five corresponding to the days of the solar year, one maneh for each day, half in the morning and half in the afternoon. And three extra maneh, from which the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) would bring his handfuls into the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur. He would return them to the mortar on the eve of Yom Kippur and grind them very thoroughly so that it would be exceptionally fine. And eleven spices were in it. And these are they: (1) Tzari (balsam), (2) Tziporen (onycha), (3) Chelbenah (galbanum), and (4) Levonah (frankincense) - each weighing seventy maneh. (5) Mor (myrrh), (6) Ketziah (cassia), (7) Shiboles Nerd (spikenard), and (8) Karkom (saffron) - each weighing sixteen maneh. (9) Kosht (costus) - twelve. (10) Kilufah (aromatic bark) - three. (11) Kinnamon (cinnamon) - nine. Borith Karshina (Karshina lye) - nine kav. Yein Kafrisin (Cyprus wine) - three se'ah and three kav. And if he could not find Cyprus wine, he would bring old white wine. Melach Sedomis (Sodom salt) - a quarter of a kav. Ma'aleh Ashan (a smoke-raising herb) - a minute amount. Rabbi Nasan the Babylonian says: Also Kipas HaYarden (Jordan amber) - a minute amount. And if he put honey into it, he invalidated it. And if he omitted one of all its spices, he is liable to the death penalty. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: The Tzari is nothing other than the sap that drips from the balsam trees. Why is the Karshina lye brought? To beautify the onycha, so that it would be pleasing. Why is the Cyprus wine brought? To soak the onycha in it, so that it would be pungent. And are not mei raglayim (urine) good for it? However, mei raglayim are not brought into the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple) out of respect. It was taught in a Baraisa, Rabbi Nasan says: While he grinds, he says, 'Grind thoroughly, thoroughly grind,' because the sound is good for the spices. If he compounded it in half quantities, it is valid. For a third or a quarter, we have not heard. Rabbi Yehudah said: This is the general rule: If it is according to its proper proportions, it is valid in half quantities. But if he omitted one of all its spices, he is liable to the death penalty. It was taught in a Baraisa, Bar Kappara says: Once in sixty or seventy years, the accumulated leftovers would amount to half the required quantity. And Bar Kappara further taught: Had he put a kortov (a minute measure) of honey into it, no person could stand the scent of it. And why do they not mix honey into it? Because the Torah stated: 'For any leaven or any honey, you shall not burn from it a fire offering to Hashem.'

For the complete healing of Moshe ben Margalit, may Hashem protect and sustain him

B'Siyata Dishmaya (With the Help of Heaven)

Pitum HaKetores (The Incense Offering)

The Rabbis taught: How is the incense mixture compounded? Three hundred and sixty-eight maneh were in it. Three hundred and sixty-five corresponding to the days of the solar year, one maneh for each day, half in the morning and half in the afternoon. And three extra maneh, from which the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) would bring his handfuls into the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur. He would return them to the mortar on the eve of Yom Kippur and grind them very thoroughly so that it would be exceptionally fine. And eleven spices were in it. And these are they: (1) Tzari (balsam), (2) Tziporen (onycha), (3) Chelbenah (galbanum), and (4) Levonah (frankincense) - each weighing seventy maneh. (5) Mor (myrrh), (6) Ketziah (cassia), (7) Shiboles Nerd (spikenard), and (8) Karkom (saffron) - each weighing sixteen maneh. (9) Kosht (costus) - twelve. (10) Kilufah (aromatic bark) - three. (11) Kinnamon (cinnamon) - nine. Borith Karshina (Karshina lye) - nine kav. Yein Kafrisin (Cyprus wine) - three se'ah and three kav. And if he could not find Cyprus wine, he would bring old white wine. Melach Sedomis (Sodom salt) - a quarter of a kav. Ma'aleh Ashan (a smoke-raising herb) - a minute amount. Rabbi Nasan the Babylonian says: Also Kipas HaYarden (Jordan amber) - a minute amount. And if he put honey into it, he invalidated it. And if he omitted one of all its spices, he is liable to the death penalty. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: The Tzari is nothing other than the sap that drips from the balsam trees. Why is the Karshina lye brought? To beautify the onycha, so that it would be pleasing. Why is the Cyprus wine brought? To soak the onycha in it, so that it would be pungent. And are not mei raglayim (urine) good for it? However, mei raglayim are not brought into the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple) out of respect. It was taught in a Baraisa, Rabbi Nasan says: While he grinds, he says, 'Grind thoroughly, thoroughly grind,' because the sound is good for the spices. If he compounded it in half quantities, it is valid. For a third or a quarter, we have not heard. Rabbi Yehudah said: This is the general rule: If it is according to its proper proportions, it is valid in half quantities. But if he omitted one of all its spices, he is liable to the death penalty. It was taught in a Baraisa, Bar Kappara says: Once in sixty or seventy years, the accumulated leftovers would amount to half the required quantity. And Bar Kappara further taught: Had he put a kortov (a minute measure) of honey into it, no person could stand the scent of it. And why do they not mix honey into it? Because the Torah stated: 'For any leaven or any honey, you shall not burn from it a fire offering to Hashem.'