Pipeline Torah Gem #910 2026-01-16: The Unsullied Organ
1 view
Skip to first unread message
Vaughn Seward
Jan 13, 2026, 1:37:07 PMJan 13
to Pipeline Torah Gem Archives
The Unsullied Organ
"Let my prayer stand as incense before You; the lifting of my hands as an afternoon offering." (Psalm 141:2) Tanchuma (Tezaveh 14, 15) elaborates on the significance of the incense-offering and concludes that incense is the most intimate and personal of offerings, for all other offerings are brought on the Outer Altar of stone, whereas incense is burnt on the inner Altar of gold, in the proximity of the Holy of Holies, where God's spirit dwells. Bnei Yisas'char (Chodesh Sivan 4:7) explains that God cherishes the sense of smell because it was the only one of the five senses that did not participate in Adam's sin. [Scripture recounts that Adam's ears heard God's command and disregarded it; Eve's eyes saw the fruit and coveted it; her hands plucked and handled it; and their mouths tasted and savored it.] God blew the original breath of life into Adam's nostrils, and the nose remains the most spiritual and unsullied organ of man. Adapted from Artscroll's "The Writings; Psalms" by Rabbi Nossom Scherman / Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz, 2018, page 643. Torah Gem Archives: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/torahtidbits
_________________
Yiddish Corner
Sholem aleykhem! Lit. Peace be unto you! Hello! Customary reply: Aleykhem Sholem! In Israel, the Hebrew word "shalom" is used for both greeting and parting. (Note the different spellings for the first word: Sholem, Sholom, Shalom—Yiddish, Ashkenazic, Biblical/modern Hebrew). Vos makht a yid? Lit. How's a Jew doing? A good-natured inquiry as to how things are going. Zay nit keyn fremder. Don't be a stranger. This is a parting word from a host; i.e. "Keep in touch." A makeh im! Lit. a boil (or sore) upron him! May a calamity befall him! [From The Taste of Yiddish by Lillian Mermin Feinsilver]
"Let my prayer stand as incense before You; the lifting of my hands as an afternoon offering." (Psalm 141:2) Tanchuma (Tezaveh 14, 15) elaborates on the significance of the incense-offering and concludes that incense is the most intimate and personal of offerings, for all other offerings are brought on the Outer Altar of stone, whereas incense is burnt on the inner Altar of gold, in the proximity of the Holy of Holies, where God's spirit dwells. Bnei Yisas'char (Chodesh Sivan 4:7) explains that God cherishes the sense of smell because it was the only one of the five senses that did not participate in Adam's sin. [Scripture recounts that Adam's ears heard God's command and disregarded it; Eve's eyes saw the fruit and coveted it; her hands plucked and handled it; and their mouths tasted and savored it.] God blew the original breath of life into Adam's nostrils, and the nose remains the most spiritual and unsullied organ of man. Adapted from Artscroll's "The Writings; Psalms" by Rabbi Nossom Scherman / Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz, 2018, page 643. Torah Gem Archives: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/torahtidbits
_________________
Yiddish Corner
Sholem aleykhem! Lit. Peace be unto you! Hello! Customary reply: Aleykhem Sholem! In Israel, the Hebrew word "shalom" is used for both greeting and parting. (Note the different spellings for the first word: Sholem, Sholom, Shalom—Yiddish, Ashkenazic, Biblical/modern Hebrew). Vos makht a yid? Lit. How's a Jew doing? A good-natured inquiry as to how things are going. Zay nit keyn fremder. Don't be a stranger. This is a parting word from a host; i.e. "Keep in touch." A makeh im! Lit. a boil (or sore) upron him! May a calamity befall him! [From The Taste of Yiddish by Lillian Mermin Feinsilver]
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages