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...
Putting a Liquid or Solid Food into a Keli Sheni on Shabbat
Is It Permissible to Put Baked Bread on a Blech to Make Toast?
Is It Permissible to Place Raw Food in a Keli Sheni on Shabbat?
Pouring Water on to Hot Food on Shabbat
Heating a Partially Cooked Food on Shabbat
Pouring Water Heated by the Sun on Foods on Shabbat
If One Turned On Hot Water on Shabbat
May a Non-Jewish Stockbroker Execute Transactions for a Jew on Shabbat or Yom Tob?
Instructing a Non-Jew to Perform a Melacha for the Sake of a Fulfilling a Misva After Shabbat
Instructing a Non-Jew to Prevent Major Financial Loss on Shabbat
Mukse-May a Jew Instruct a Non-Jew To Move A Lit Candle on Shabbat
Asking a Non-Jew to Open an Electronic Lock in a Hotel on Shabbat
Asking a Non-Jew on Shabbat: Buying and Selling
Amira L’Akum: Instructing a Non-Jew to Perform a Rabbinic Transgression
Amira L'Akum: Instructing a Non-Jew to Draw Hot Water
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found