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The daily offering was a lamb offered by the priests every morning and evening on the outer altar. It was the most important of the sacrifices. Offered in the name of the entire nation, it connected all created beings to their Source.
The cycle of life involves birth, growth, and ultimately death. People die every day, as do animal and plants. The burning question is: “What is the meaning of all this?” The daily offering imbued the cycle of life with meaning. Every living being aspires to perfect itself, partly through growth and development. When a being’s world narrows to the point where continued growth is no longer possible, the spirit separates from the body. The soul then ascends – like a sacrifice – and returns to its Source. The daily offering served as a reminder that the end of life is associated with a return to God.
Incense was also offered daily, morning and evening. But while the daily offering expressed the obvious relationship of the Jews and God (and therefore offered on the outer altar), the incense with its lovely aroma expressed the inner dimension of that relationship (and therefore offered on the inner altar).
The incense was composed of eleven spices and herbs. Of these, ten had a pleasant aroma. These ten corresponded to the ten levels of holiness used in creating the world. The eleventh essential component of the incense, the galbanum, had an unpleasant smell. Nevertheless, the incense (which mixed it with the other spices and herbs) smelled good. This teaches us that if sinners (who are problematic as individuals) are connected to the community, they are part of its sanctity. This is transformative and improves everyone. The incense gave symbolic expression to Jewish unity.
This unity is also reflected in the prayers the Sages composed. Almost all the prayers are formulated in the plural and recited on behalf of the entire community. At the same time, each individual can use them as a jumping-off point, following them up with personalized petitions, such as asking to be blessed and to be able to do his or her part to help improve the world.
