Dvar Tefilah
HaKetoret (The Incense)

Based on Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom #295

Reb Noson writes:

I heard in [Rebbe Nachman's] name the following bit of encouragement regarding tefilah (prayer).
No matter what a person's spiritual standing may be, he can strengthen himself and take heart to pray to God. A person should think to himself:

'I think I've sinned a lot. If I'm really as distant from God as I think, then there can be no perfect prayer without me! Don't our Sages teach that a prayer which does not include Jewish sinners is not a prayer (cf. Keritut 6b)? This is learned from the ketoret (incense offering) which included the foul-smelling chelbenah (galbanum; Exodus 30:34).
'If I consider myself a sinner, then I am an essential ingredient of every tefilah. No tefilah is perfect without me. Therefore, I must strengthen myself all the more to pray to God and trust that in His kindness He will accept my inferior prayer as well.

'It's just the opposite of what I thought–that my prayer is worthless and detrimental to the community. I am the perfection of prayer, the chelbenah in the incense! Just like the vile smelling chelbenah is an essential ingredient of the sweet-smelling ketoret, so my tainted prayer is vital to the tefilah of all Israel.Ó

Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom #295

I would like to extend this somewhat. A story:

Rebbe Elazar, son of Rebbe Shimon, once took a joy ride on his donkey. He was coming from Migal Gedor, where his rabbi's school was located. He was riding along the river bank. He was extremely happy and feeling quite good about himself because he had learned a lot of Torah. He came upon an extremely ugly man.

The man said, 'Shalom, Rabbi.Ó Instead of returning his greeting, Rebbe Elazar said, 'Ignoramus! Aren't you an ugly one? Are all the people of your city so ugly?Ó

The man responded, 'I don't know. But why don't you go tell the craftsman that made me, ÔThat's quite an ugly thing you made.'Ó

Realizing that he had sinned, Rebbe Elazar got off his donkey and fell at the man's feet. 'I insulted you. Please forgive me.Ó

'No. I won't forgive you until go tell the craftsman that made me, ÔThat's quite an ugly thing you made.'Ó

[The man–Eliyahu HaNavi (Elijah the Prophet) in disguise–finally forgave Rebbe Elazar on condition that he not think himself so wonderful (Maharsha). Eliyahu HaNavi came to teach Rebbe Elazar a lesson in manners (Rashi and Tosfot).]

Taanit 20a (bottom)

What's this have to do with ketoret? Rebbe Nachman teaches us that even if we view ourselves negatively, we have to realize that we have an important, if not crucial, role to play. This is how we must view a fellow Jew as well. Even if the other is spiritually 'uglyÓ–obnoxious, crude or rude, or an ignoramus and a sinner–he has an important role to play in the life of the Jewish people.

I hope this makes you more than just a little prepared to deal with some walking, talking chelbenah. For as you may recall, the ketoret contained 350 pounds (just over 159 kilograms) of chelbenah, 19% of its total weight! Too much for you to deal with? Go tell the Craftsman that made them, 'That's quite a lot of ugly things You made.Ó

'Love your fellow as you love yourselfÓ (Leviticus 19:18).