(6) Next day the whole Israelite community railed against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You two have brought death upon the LORD’s people!” (7) But as the community gathered against them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the Tent of Meeting; the cloud had covered it and the Presence of the LORD appeared. (8) When Moses and Aaron reached the Tent of Meeting, (9) the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (10) “Get away from this congregation that I may finish them in a moment.” They fell on their faces. (11) Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take the fire pan, and put on it fire from the altar. Add incense and take it quickly to the community and make expiation for them. For wrath has gone forth from the LORD: the plague has begun!”
(א) אש מעל המזבח הזהירו שלא יטעה מתוך בהלה להקריב אש זרה כמו שעשו נדב ואביהוא ואלו.
(ב) ושים קטרת להודיעם שאתה כהן והקטרת הממיתה כשאינה ביד כהן היא נותנת חיים ביד כהנים.
(ג) וכפר עליהם עשן הקטרת חוצץ בפני המגפה.
(1) אש מעל המזבח, “fire taken from the altar;” Moses warned Aaron not to err and because of haste to use non consecrated fire as had done two of his sons who had paid with their lives for their error.
(2) ושים קטרת, “and lay incense;” in order to show them that you are a priest, and that the incense which they thought is the cause of death, is actually the cause of life if used by people authorized to do so, i.e. a priest.
(3) וכפר עליהם, “and make atonement for them;” the smoke of the incense will act as a barrier against the plague.
(12) Aaron took [the firepan], as Moses had ordered, and ran to the midst of the congregation, where the plague had begun among the people. He put on the incense and made expiation for the people; (13) he stood between the dead and the living until the plague was checked. (14) Those who died of the plague came to fourteen thousand and seven hundred, aside from those who died on account of Korah. (15) Aaron then returned to Moses at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, since the plague was checked.
(ג) וזה אחד משלשה דברים שישראל מתרעמין עליהם והיו אומרים מיני פורענות הן, ואלו הן: הקטורת והארון והמטה. אמרו: הקטורת הזו של פורענות היא, היא הרגה נדב ואביהוא, שנאמר: "ויקחו בני אהרן נדב ואביהוא" (ויקרא י א), לכך ידעו כל ישראל שהיא של כפרה, שנאמר: "ויתן את הקטרת ויכפר על העם" (במדבר יז יב).
(3) This is one of the three instances where Israel "murmured" against them (the L rd and Moses) and said: They (the following) are instruments of punishment, (but not of good): the incense, the ark, and the staff. They said: This incense is an instrument of punishment. It killed Nadav and Avihu, viz. (Leviticus 10:1) "And the sons of Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, took each of them his coal-pan, etc." Therefore, let all of Israel know that it can (also) effect atonement, viz. (Numbers 17:12) "and he put on the incense and he atoned for the people."
(ד) רְאֵה כַּמָּה חָבִיב הַקְּטֹרֶת, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַקְּטֹרֶת נֶעְצְרָה הַמַּגֵּפָה. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה לְאַהֲרֹן, קַח אֶת הַמַּחְתָּה וְתֶן עָלֶיהָ אֵשׁ מֵעַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְשִׂים קְטֹרֶת, וַיִּקַּח אַהֲרֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה וַיָּרֶץ אֶל תּוֹךְ הַקָּהָל וְהִנֵּה הֵחֵל הַנֶּגֶף בָּעָם (במדבר יז יא, יב). מַהוּ הֵחֵל? אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן, הָיָה הַמַּלְאָךְ נוֹטֵל עַל סֵדֶר מִרְקָחוֹת, וְלֹא הָיָה מַנִּיחַ לֹא מֵת בֵּין הַחַיִּים וְלֹא חַי בֵּין הַמֵּתִים, אֶלָּא עַל סֵדֶר, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הֵחֵל הַנֶּגֶף בָּעָם. וּכְמָה דְּאַתְּ אֲמַר: מֵהָחֵל חֶרְמֵשׁ בַּקָּמָה (דברים טז, ט),
(ה) כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַקּוֹצֵר קוֹצֵר עַל הַסֵּדֶר. מִיָּד וַיִּקַּח אַהֲרֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ'. מָצָא לַמַּלְאָךְ עוֹמֵד וּמְחַבֵּל, עָמַד אַהֲרֹן כְּנֶגְדּוֹ וְלֹא הָיָה מַנִּיחוֹ לְחַבֵּל, אֶלָּא וַיַּעֲמֹד בֵּין הַמֵּתִים (במדבר יז, יג). אָמַר לוֹ לְאַהֲרֹן: הַנִּיחֵנִי וְאֶעֱשֶׂה שְׁלִיחוּתִי. אָמַר לוֹ אַהֲרֹן: מֹשֶׁה שְׁלָחַנִי, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁלָחֲךָ, וַהֲרֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּמֹשֶׁה בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד נֵלֵךְ אֶצְלָם. לֹא הִשְׁגִּיחַ הַמַּלְאָךְ, עַד שֶׁעֲצָרוֹ אַהֲרֹן בְּמָתְנָיו וְהוֹלִיכוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיָּשָׁב אַהֲרֹן אֶל מֹשֶׁה אֶל פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהַמַּגֵּפָה נֶעֱצָרָה (במדבר יז, טו).
(ו) מַהוּ וְהַמַּגֵּפָה נֶעֱצָרָה? אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, שֶׁנָּטַל לַמַּלְאָךְ וַעֲצָרוֹ. לְפִיכָךְ כְּשֶׁבָּא מֹשֶׁה לִפָּטֵר מִן הָעוֹלָם, אָמַר: בָּרֵךְ יי חֵילוֹ וּפֹעַל יָדָיו תִּרְצֶה מְחַץ מָתְנַיִם (דברים לג, יא). בָּרֵךְ יי חֵילוֹ, יְהֵא בָּרִיךְ יָתֵהּ חֵילָא. וּפֹעַל יָדָיו תִּרְצֶה, בַּקְּטֹרֶת שֶׁהָיָה בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁכִּפֵּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּתֵּן אֶת הַקְּטֹרֶת וַיְכַפֵּר (במדבר יז, יב). מְחַץ מָתְנַיִם קָמָיו, שֶׁגִּפֵּף אֶת הַמַּלְאָךְ וַעֲצָרוֹ.
(ז) אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, כְּשֶׁרָאָה אַהֲרֹן לַמַּלְאָךְ מַתְרִיס כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, נָתַן מַחְתָּה עַל פָּנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יָשִׂימוּ קְטוֹרָה בְּאַפֶּךָ וְכָלִיל עַל מִזְבְּחֶךָ (דברים לג, י). לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ כַּמָה קְטֹרֶת חֲבִיבָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר: תֵּדַע לְךָ, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְכָל כֵּלָיו וְשָׁחַט אֶת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת וְהִקְרִיב וְעָרַךְ עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְסִדֵּר אֶת הַשֻּׁלְחָן וְאֶת הַמְּנוֹרָה וְאֶת הַכֹּל, וְלֹא יָרְדָה שְׁכִינָה עַד שֶׁהִקְרִיבוּ אֶת הַקְּטֹרֶת. מִנַּיִן? דִּכְתִיב: עוּרִי צָפוֹן וּבוֹאִי תֵימָן הָפִיחִי גַנִּי יִזְּלוּ בְשָׂמָיו (שה״ש ד, טז). אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה עַל יְדֵי קְטֹרֶת הֱיִיתֶם מִתְכַּפְּרִים. וְאַף לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא כֵּן, עֹלוֹת מֵחִים אַעֲלֶה לָּךְ עִם קְטֹרֶת אֵילִים אֶעֱשֶׂה בָקָר עִם עַתּוּדִים סֶלָה (תהלים סו, טו).
(4) A proof of the importance of incense is indicated in the fact the plague was halted by incense, as Moses said to Aaron: Take thy fire-pan, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon…. And Aaron took as Moses spoke and ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague was begun among the people (Num. 17:11–12). What is meant by the plague was begun? R. Judah the son of Simon stated: The angel administered the poison in sequence, neglecting neither the dead among the living nor the living among the dead. That is, he administered it in rotation. As it is said in the verse: The plague was begun among the people, and it is written elsewhere in the verse: From the time the sickle is first put to the standing corn thou shalt begin (Deut. 16:9).
(5) Just as one reaps row by row, so the plague acted upon the people (in rotation). Thereupon Aaron took as Moses spoke and ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague was begun (Num. 7:12). He found the angel standing among them and afflicting them. Aaron confronted him and would not permit him to continue. He forced him to stand idly among the dead. He said to Aaron: “Let me go that I may complete my task.” Aaron replied: “Moses sent me, and the Holy One, blessed be He, sent you, and both Moses and the Holy One, blessed be He, are in the Tent of Testimony; let us go to them.” The angel refused to go, and so Aaron seized him by his loins and dragged him in, as it is said: And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the Tent of Meeting, and the plague was stayed (Num. 17:15).
(6) What is meant by the plague was stayed? R. Isaac declared that this means that he grasped the angel and restrained him. Therefore, when Moses was about to depart from this world, he said: Bless, Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands; smite through the loins of them that rise up (Deut. 33:11). Bless, Lord, his substance, that is, may his strength be blessed. Accept the work of his hands alludes to the incense through which he atoned, as it is said: And he put on the incense, and made atonement (Num. 17:12). Smite through the loins of them that rise up indicates that he smote the angel and restrained him.
(7) R. Abahu said in the name of R. Simeon the son of Lakish: When Aaron saw that the angel was about to overpower him, he placed the censer before his countenance, as it is said: They shall put incense before Thee, and whole burnt-offering upon Thine altar (Deut. 33:10). This reveals how beloved incense is. R. Isaac the son of Eliezer declared: You know that after he constructed the Tabernacle and all its implements, he slaughtered the sacrifices, and arranged them on the altar, he set the table, made the menorah, and did everything that had to be done, but the Shekhinah still had not descended. Only when the incense was offered did it descend. You know this for it is written: Awake, O north wind, and come, thou south; blow upon my garden that the spice thereof may flow out (Song 4:16). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: You shall be forgiven in this world because of the incense, but in the world-to-come, I will offer unto Thee burnt-offerings of fatlings, with the smoke of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah (Ps. 66:15).
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: When Moses ascended on High to receive the Torah, the ministering angels said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, what is one born of a woman doing here among us? He said to them: He came to receive the Torah. The angels said before Him: The Torah is a hidden treasure that was concealed by you 974 generations before the creation of the world, and you seek to give it to flesh and blood? “What is man that You are mindful of him and the son of man that You think of him?” (Psalms 8:5). “God our Lord, how glorious is Your name in all the earth that Your majesty [i.e., Torah] is placed above the heavens” (Psalms 8:2).
Immediately, each and every one of the angels became an admirer of Moses and passed something to him, as it is stated: “You ascended on high, you took a captive, you took gifts on account of man” (Psalms 68:19). In reward for the fact that they called you man, you took gifts from the angels. And even the Angel of Death gave him something, as it is stated: “And he placed the incense, and he atoned for the people” (Numbers 17:12). And the verse says: “And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped” (Numbers 17:13). If it were not that the Angel of Death told him this remedy, would he have known it?