R. Hizkiah took for his text the verse: “Let my prayer be established like incense before thee, the lifting of my hands like the evening oblation” (Ps. 141, 2). He said: ‘It may be asked, why did David mention here the oblation of the evening rather than of the morning? The answer may be given as follows. The offering of incense betokens joy, as it is written, “oil and incense rejoice the heart” (Prov. 27, 9). Hence the high priest, when he lit the candlestick, used to offer incense morning and evening (Ex. 30, 7, 8); in the morning, because that is the natural season of joy, and in the evening to rejoice the left side, as befits. We see, then, that incense always betokened joy.
Further, the incense links and unites upper and lower, and so removes death and wrath and accusation from the world and prevents them from prevailing over it; it was through the incense that Aaron stayed the plague. Hence the incense symbolizes universal joy and universal union.
Now David offered the prayer we have quoted at the time of the afternoon oblation, when the world is under the aegis of justice, and he meant it to ascend and remove the wrath that was prevalent at that hour like the incense which removes wrath and accusation; hence he mentioned the “oblation of eventide”, the time when punishment descends on the world.
Observe that the Temple was burnt at the time of the evening oblation, as it is written: “Woe to us because the day hath declined and the shadows of evening stretch out” (Jer. 6, 3). The “shadows of evening” are the accusers and the punishments which are abroad at that hour. Hence we have learnt that a man should say the afternoon prayer with special devotion, even more than other prayers. Hence, too, it was that Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer, as we have already explained.’
פָּתַח רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְאָמַר, (תהילים קמ״א:ב׳) תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ מַשְׂאַת כַּפַּי מִנְחַת עָרֶב. אַמַּאי מִנְחַת עָרֶב וְלָא צְלוֹתָא דְצַפְרָא, דְּלָא כְּתִיב תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי בַּבֹּקֶר. אֶלָּא הָכִי אִתְּמָר, תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנְיךָ, קְטֹרֶת לָא אַתְיָא אֶלָּא עַל חֶדְוָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (משלי כ״ז:ט׳) שֶׁמֶן וּקְטֹרֶת יְשַׂמַּח לֵב. וְעַל דָּא כַּהֲנָא כַּד אַדְלִיק בּוֹצִינִין, הֲוָה מַקְרִיב קְטֹרֶת, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (שמות ל׳:ז׳-ח׳) בְּהֵטִיבוֹ אֶת הַנִּרוֹת יַקְטִירֶנָּה וּבְהַעֲלוֹת אַהֲרֹן אֶת הַנִּרוֹת בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם יַקְטִירֶנָּה. בְּצַפְרָא, עַל חֶדְוָה, דְּשַׁעְתָּא גָרִים. בְּרַמְשָׁא, לְמֶחדֵי סְטַר שְׂמָאלָא, וְהָכִי אִתְחֲזֵי. וּלְעָלַם לָא אָתֵי אֶלָּא עַל חֶדְוָה.
R. Hizkiah took for his text the verse: “Let my prayer be established like incense before thee, the lifting of my hands like the evening oblation” (Ps. 141, 2). He said: ‘It may be asked, why did David mention here the oblation of the evening rather than of the morning? The answer may be given as follows. The offering of incense betokens joy, as it is written, “oil and incense rejoice the heart” (Prov. 27, 9). Hence the high priest, when he lit the candlestick, used to offer incense morning and evening (Ex. 30, 7, 8); in the morning, because that is the natural season of joy, and in the evening to rejoice the left side, as befits. We see, then, that incense always betokened joy.
וְתָא חֲזֵי קְטֹרֶת מְקַשֵּׁר קִשְׁרִין, וְאָחִיד לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא, וְדָא אַעֲבַר מוֹתָא וְקִטְרוּגָא וְרוּגְזָא, דְּלָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְטָאָה בְּעַלְמָא. כְּמָה דִכְתִיב, (במדבר י״ז:י״א) וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה אֶל אַהֲרֹן קַח אֶת הַמַּחְתָּה וְתֵן עָלֶיהָ אֵשׁ מֵעַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְשִׂים קְטֹרֶת וְהוֹלֵךְ מְהֵרָה וְגו'. לְבָתַר דָּא כְּתִיב, וַיָּרָץ (אהרן) וְגו', וַיְכַפֵּר עַל הָעָם, וּכְתִיב, וַיַּעֲמֹד בֵּין הַמֵּתִים וּבֵין הַחַיִּים וַתֵּעָצַר הַמַּגֵּפָה. בְּגִין דְּלָא יָכְלִין כָּל סִטְרִין בִּישִׁין וְכָל מְקַטְרְגִין לְמֵיקַם קַמֵּי קְטֹרֶת. וְעַל דָּא אִיהוּ רָזָא (ס"א חדוה) דְכֹלָּא וְקִשּׁוּרָא דְכֹלָּא.
Further, the incense links and unites upper and lower, and so removes death and wrath and accusation from the world and prevents them from prevailing over it; it was through the incense that Aaron stayed the plague. Hence the incense symbolizes universal joy and universal union.
וּבְשַׁעְתָּא דְמִנְחָה, דְּדִינָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעַלְמָא, אִתְכַּוֵּון דָּוִד בְּהַהוּא צְלוֹתָא. דִּכְתִיב, תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ וְגו'. וְהַאי צְלוֹתָא דְסָלִיק, יַעֲבֵר רוּגְזָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, דְּשַׁלִּיט הַשְׁתָּא בְּהַאי זִמְנָא, בְּהַהוּא קְטֹרֶת. דְּדָחֵי וְאַעֲבַר קַמֵּיהּ כָּל רוּגְזָא, (דסליק השתא בהאי שעתא בההוא קטרת דאעדי כל רוגזא) וְכָל קִטְרוּגָא דְעַלְמָא, (ס"א ל"ג היינו דכתיב) (ס"א מאי טעמא בגין דאיהי) מִנְחַת עָרֶב, דְּדִינָא תַּלְיָא בְּעַלְמָא.
Now David offered the prayer we have quoted at the time of the afternoon oblation, when the world is under the aegis of justice, and he meant it to ascend and remove the wrath that was prevalent at that hour like the incense which removes wrath and accusation; hence he mentioned the “oblation of eventide”, the time when punishment descends on the world.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד אִתְחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְאִתּוֹקַד, זְמַן מִנְחָה הֲוָה. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (ירמיהו ו׳:ד׳) אוֹי לָנוּ כִּי פָנָה הַיּוֹם כִּי יִנָּטוּ צִלְלֵי עָרֶב. מַאן צִלְלֵי עָרֶב. אִינוּן מְקַטְרְגִין דְּעַלְמָא, וְרוּגְזֵי דְּדִינִין, דִּזְמִינִין בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא. וְעַל דָּא תָּנִינָן, דְּבָעֵי (שמות ל"ו ע"ב) בַּר נָשׁ לְכַוְּונָא דַעְתֵּיהּ, בִּצְלוֹתָא דְמִנְחָה. בְּכֻלְּהוּ צְלוֹתָא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְכַוְּונָא דַעְתֵּיהּ, וּבְהַאי צְלוֹתָא יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ, בְּגִין דְּדִינָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעַלְמָא. וְעַל דָּא זְמַן צְלוֹתָא דְמִנְחָה, יִצְחָק תַּקִּין לֵיהּ, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ.
Observe that the Temple was burnt at the time of the evening oblation, as it is written: “Woe to us because the day hath declined and the shadows of evening stretch out” (Jer. 6, 3). The “shadows of evening” are the accusers and the punishments which are abroad at that hour. Hence we have learnt that a man should say the afternoon prayer with special devotion, even more than other prayers. Hence, too, it was that Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer, as we have already explained.’