Reading note: pronounce יהוה as “Adonai” once. Seasonal alternatives apply only in their proper season and are not recited together. Headings and directions are explanatory and are not part of the recited text.
Parts index
Offerings and the Incense Service
[The Daily Offering (Numbers 28:1-8)] And the Adonai Spoke to Moshe saying: Command the Children of Israel and say to them – My Offering – Bread for the Fire Offering is My pleasing aroma – Be careful to offer it in its [proper] time. And you shall say to them this is the fire-offering that you shall offer to the Adonai – perfect sheep of one year [old], two daily as a Regular Burnt Offering. One sheep you shall do in the morning and the second sheep you shall do in the afternoon. And a tenth of an Ephah (a measure) of fine flour for the gift offering mixed with pressed oil – one-fourth of a hin (a measure). A regular burnt- offering [like] that was done on Mount Sinai as a pleasing aroma – a Fire-Offering to the Adonai. And its libation – is a quarter of a hin (a measure) for one sheep in the Sanctuary – pour a libation of old wine for the Adonai. And the second sheep you shall do in the afternoon like the Meal-Offering of the morning and like its libation do as a fire-offering – a pleasant aroma to the Adonai.
Incense Offering
You are the Adonai, Our God, that our Forefathers burned before You the incense spices at the time that the Holy Temple stood – like You commanded them through Moshe, Your Prophet, like it is written in your Torah.
And the Adonai said to Moshe – Take for yourself spices- balsam sap / Nataf / & onycha / Sh-h'elet & galbanum / H'elbona, spices & pure frankincense / Levona – each shall be of equal weight. And you shall prepare it (the spices) as incense – a compound, the work of a spice mixer, blended (or salted) pure & holy. And you shall grind from it very well, and you shall take from it, before the [tent of] testimony – in the Tent of Meeting – that I shall meet with you there – holy, holy it shall be for you. And it says – and Aharon shall offer as incense, the incense spices each & every morning when he cleans the lamps he shall offer it. And when Aharon Ascends, he shall offer the incense – a regular incense offering before the Adonai – throughout your generations.
Our Rabbis Taught, The compound of the Incense, how was it done? Three-hundred & Sixty-eight Maneh (a measure) was in it – 365 [maneh] – like the count of the days of the solar year. One Maneh daily – half in the morning and half in the evening and the three extra maneh – where those of which the Chief Kohen entered [the holy of holies] and took from them a full palm-full on the Yom Kippur – he would return them to the grinder on the eve of Yom Kippur, in order to accomplish the mitzvah – in the finest of finest [way] and 11 spices were in it – and these are they:
1) Balsam, 2) onycha, 3) & galbanum 4) frankincense – the weight of 70 maneh each. 5) myrrh, 6) cassia & 7) spikenard & 8) saffron – [each] a weight of 16, 16 maneh. 9) costus – 12 maneh 10) aromatic bark – three [maneh] 11) cinnamon – 9 (maneh) [Added also were] Lye of Carsina – 9 Kavs (a measure), Wine of Cypres – 3 Seahs and 3 kavs- and if one did not find wine of Cypres – he brings old wine. Salt of Sodom – a quarter [of a kav.] An ascension of smoke – a small amount. Rabbi Nathan, the Babylonian, says – even the resin of the Jordan – a bit. If he put in it honey it is invalid and if he omitted one from all of its spices, he is liable for death [penalty].
Rabban Shimeon Son of Gamliel says : The Tzorit is sap, that flows from the Balsam tree. The Lye of Karsina, what does it come [to do]? – in order to rub the onycha in order for it to be beautiful. The wine of Cyprus, why is it brought? in order to soak in it the Onycha, in order for it to be sharp. But is not urine – better [to make it sharp] – rather we do not bring in urine into the Sanctuary out of respect.
We learned in [a Baraita] Rabbi Nathan Says – When he chops – he says “Hadek Heitev, Hetitev Hadek / Chop Well, Well Chop” because the voice is good for spices. The incense compound divided in half is Kosher. For a third or a-quarter we did not hear [the law]. Rabbi Yehuda said “This is the general rule – if it is in the same proportion – it is Kosher for half, & if it lacks one from all of the spices – he is liable for the death penalty.
Bar Kapara taught once every sixty or seventy years there were remains [of the spices] of half. And Bar Kapparah also taught , if one was to add a Kartov [a measure] of honey a person would not be able to stand because of the fragrance. And why do we not mix in it honey? Because the Torah says “For any leaven or any honey, do not offer incense from it – as a fire offering. Adonai of hosts, is with us. He is our refuge for us the God of Yaakov / Jacob forever. Adonai of hosts, happy is the man that has faith in You. Adonai save, the King will answer us on the day we call. And pleasant to the Adonai is the offering of Yehudah / Judah and Yerusalayim / Jerusalem – like the days of old.
Please [God] with the power of the greatness of Your right hand, free the captive [Israel from its Exile].
Accept the singing [prayer] of Your people. Strengthen us & purify us, Awesome One.
Please, Mighty One, those that seek Your unity – like the pupil of the eyes – guard them.
Bless them & purify them. The mercy of Your righteousness always bestow upon them.
Mighty & Holy One with the abundance of your good, lead Your congregation.
Single Exalted One, turn to Your people – those that remind of Your Holiness .
Accept our pleading & hear our wailing – [You] Who knows the hidden.
(And Say Silently) …
Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom forever more.
Master of the worlds, You commanded us to offer the daily offering at its appointed time, with the priests at their service, the Levites at their platform, and Israel at their station. Now, because of our sins, the Temple is destroyed and the offering has ceased. May it be Your will, Adonai our God and God of our ancestors, that the speech of our lips be regarded, accepted, and favored before You as though we had offered the daily offering at its appointed time and stood at its service.
