DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 664 KB)
Daily Reading of the Ketoret To Bring The End To A Plague

Towards the end of our daily prayer service, we recite "Kaveh," which includes the "Ein K'Elokeinu" prayer as well as "Pitum Ha'ketoret," which discusses the incense offering that was brought in the Beit Ha'mikdash.

The Abudarham (commentary to the Siddur by Rabbi David Abudarham, Spain, 14th century) offered a pneumonic to help remember the sequence of verses in "Ein K'Elokeinu": "Amen-Baruch-Ata." The letters of "Amen" (Alef, Mem, Nun) represent the first three verses: "Ain K'Elokeinu," "Mi K'Elokeinu" and "Nodeh L'Elokeinu," which are followed by "Baruch Elokeinu" and "Ata Hu Elokeinu." Thus, the pneumonic "Amen-Baruch-Ata" is a convenient method of remembering this prayer.

Rabbi Chayim Palachi (in siman 17:16-18) elaborates on the importance and value of reciting "Pitum Ha'ketoret" (listen to audio for precise citation). He writes that this recitation has the power to ensure that one's prayer will ascends directly to the Almighty unharmed by the Mekatregim (prosecuting angels). And in earlier generations, communities would read "Pitum Ha'ketoret" when a plague struck, as this recitation has the capacity to bring an end to even the deadliest plagues. Rabbi Palachi emphasizes the importance of reciting this section slowly and from a Siddur; a person who recites "Pitum Ha'ketoret" rapidly forfeits the immense spiritual benefits of this prayer. In addition, he cites from the work "Me'il Tzedaka" that one should try to obtain a piece of parchment with the "Pitum Ha'ketoret" written on it in the script of a Sefer Torah. Reading this section from such a parchment has the power to earn a person wealth and to guarantee a consistent and comfortable livelihood. Finally, the Zohar comments that if we were truly aware of the greatness of the Ketoret, we would put a crown over each and every word of this section, in order to demonstrate the immense value of its recitation.

Summary: One must ensure to read the "Pitum Ha'ketoret" section slowly and from a Siddur; one who reads it quickly and carelessly forfeits its immense benefits. Preferably, one should obtain a special parchment with this section written on it in the script of the Sefer Torah and read the "Pitum Ha'ketoret" from this parchment every day.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Pesah – Must One Drink Four Cups of Wine If Wine Makes Him Sick?
Pesah – Do We Recite “Boreh Peri Ha’gefen” Before Each of the Four Cups?
May One Use Measuring Devices on Yom Tob?
Insight Into Pesah – Eliminating the “Hametz” Within Us
Pesah – May Grape Juice be Used For the Four Cups of Wine at the Seder?
Pesah – The Beracha Before Bedikat Hametz
Pesah – Searching for Hametz
Pesah-Kitniyot-Beans and Legumes
Pesah – Delivering Hametz For a Non-Jew During Pesach
Laws and Customs of the Month of Nissan
Pesah: Consuming Hames on Mosa’eh Hag
Passover- Eruv Tavshilin
Pesah – If a Non-Jew Comes to One’s House During Pesah with Hames
Halachot of Hol Ha’mo’ed
When the First Night of Pesah is Friday Night
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found