You are Adonoy, our God,

before Whom our fathers burned

the incense of spices

when the Holy Temple was standing,

as You commanded them

by the hand of Moses Your prophet,

as it is written in Your Torah:

And Adonoy said to Moses,

“Take for yourself spices—

stacte, onycha, and galbanum—

spices, and pure frankincense,

[they] shall be in equal weights.

You will make it into incense,

a compound mixed by a compounder,

salted, undefiled, and holy.

You will pulverize some of it very fine,

and place it before the [Ark of] Testimony

in the Tent of Meeting,

where I will meet with you;

it will be to you holy of holies.”

It is also written:

And Aaron shall burn upon it [the Altar]

incense of spices every morning;

when he cleans the lamps

he will burn it.

And when Aaron lights the lamps

in the afternoon,

he will burn it;

a constant incense-offering before Adonoy

throughout your generations.

The Rabbis taught:

How was the incense compounded?

Three hundred and sixty-eight

manim were comprised therein,

three hundred and sixty-five

corresponding to

the number of days in the solar year,

one maneh for each day—

half in the morning

and half in the afternoon.

From the three remaining manim

the Kohein Gadol brought

two handfuls [into the Holy of Holies]

on Yom Kippur;

[for which purpose] they were put back

into the mortar

on the eve of Yom Kippur,

and ground [again] very thoroughly,

in order to make them very fine.

Eleven kinds of spices were used for it.

They were:

1. balm, 2) onycha,

3. galbanum, 4) frankincense—

by weight, seventy maneh of each;

5. myrrh, 6) cassia,

7. spikenard and 8) saffron—

in weight

sixteen maneh of each;

9. twelve maneh of costus,

10. three of aromatic bark,

and 11) nine of cinnamon.

[Also used in the incense compound were:] Nine kabin of Carshina lye,

Cyprus wine [measuring]

three s'in and three kabin—

if he had no Cyprus wine,

he could use strong white wine—

a fourth of a kab of Sodom salt,

and a minute quantity of maaleh ashan.

Rabbi Nosson of Babylonia says,

“Jordan amber was added

of a minute quantity,

and if one added honey,

it (the incense) became unfit;

and if one omitted any of its spices

he was liable to the death penalty.”

Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel

says:

“The balm is nothing but sap

which drips from the balsam tree.

the lye of Carshina was used

for rubbing the onycha

in order to refine its appearance.

The Cyprus wine was used

to soak the onycha

to give it a pungent odor.

Though the water of Raglayim

was well suited for that purpose,

they did not bring

the water of Raglayim into the Temple

because it would be disrespectful.

It was taught in a Boraysa:

Rabbi Nosson says,

“While [the Kohein] ground [the incense]

he would say,

‘Hodeik heiteiv, heiteiv hodeik,'

because the sound is good for the spices.

If half the quantity of incense was prepared

it was acceptable,

but if only a third

or a fourth [of it was prepared]

we have not heard [whether it was acceptable.”]

Rabbi Yehuda said,

“This is the general rule:

If [it was prepared with all its ingredients]

in the correct proportion,

it is acceptable

even if only half was prepared;

but if he left out any of its spices,

he was liable for the death penalty.

It was taught in a Boraysa:

Bar Kappara says,

“Once in sixty or seventy years

the accumulated surplus was sufficient

to provide half [the yearly quantity of incense.”]

Bar Kappara also taught,

“If he would have put into it

a minute quantity of honey,

no one could have withstood [resisted]the scent.

Why was no honey mixed with it?

Because the Torah says, (Leviticus 2:11)

For any leaven or honey,

do not burn from them,

[as] a fire-offering to Adonoy.”

Adonoy of Hosts is with us,

a stronghold for us is the God of Jacob,

Selah!

Adonoy of Hosts,

fortunate is the man who trusts in You.

Adonoy, deliver [us]!

The King will answer us on the day we call.

You are my shelter;

from distress You preserve me;

with glad song of rescue, You envelop me,

Selah!

Let Adonoy be pleased

with the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem,

as in the days of old and in earlier years.

Please, by the force of Your great right hand,

release the bound one.

Accept the prayer of Your people;

strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One!

Please! Mighty One,

those who seek Your Unity,

preserve them like the pupil [of Your eye].

Bless them, purify them;

the compassion of

Your benevolent righteousness

[may You] always bestow upon them.

Mighty, Holy One,

in Your abundant goodness,

lead Your community.

Unique One, Exalted, turn to Your people

who are mindful of Your holiness.

Accept our prayer and hear our cry,

[You] Who knows hidden thoughts.

Blessed [is His] Name,

Whose glorious kingdom

is forever and ever.