Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day

As the Radbaz states, the Rambam does not consider the preparation of the incense offering as a separate mitzvah. Indeed, in his Sefer HaMitzvos, General Principle 10, he explains that preparing the incense offering should not be considered as a separate mitzvah, for until it is actually offered it is an incomplete act. The mitzvah of bringing the incense offering is mentioned in Hilchot Temidim UMusafim 3:1.

The Rambam defines the terms mentioned here in Halachah 4.

I.e., through the principles of Biblical exegesis, our Sages (Keritot 8b) derived that the incense offering contained this number of spices.

Although a measure of volume was mentioned for Salt of Sodom (see the following halachah), a measure of weight was not.

Amber is the fossilized resin from ancient forests. The resin becomes buried and fossilized through a natural polymerization of the original organic compounds. Heating amber will soften it and eventually it will burn, producing a pleasant fragrance. Others identify kipat hayardein with roses. Living Torah refers to it as cycla men, an attractive flower that grows in the Mediterranean region.

A dinar is 76.8 grams (81.6 grams according to a more stringent view) in modern measure.

A measure of volume equal to 1376 cc according to Shiurei Torah, 2400 cc according to Chazon Ish.

Half a maneh in the morning and half in the afternoon.

In the Holy of Holies. See Hilchot Avodat Yom HaKippurim 4:1.

365 portions of incense were prepared although an ordinary lunar year has 353, 354, or 355 days. Hence, at the end of the year, there was a certain amount left over. In Hilchot Shekalim 4:12, the Rambam writes that on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the remainder of the incense was redeemed and then given to the craftsmen who prepared it. Afterwards, it was repurchased from them. Thus when a leap year was declared, there was enough incense.

Balsam is an evergreen tree whose sap has a very pleasant fragrance.

The claw or nail of the strombus or wing-shell, a shell-fish common in the Red Sea. When burned, they emit a strong fragrance.

These terms refer to balsam, onycha, and storax.

Frankincense is the gum resin of a tree found growing in tropical regions, a member of the Burseraceae family. This resin exudes as a milky liquid and hardens into yellowish droplets, known as frankincense tears. It gives off a warm, slightly citrine perfume.

Musk, see Chapter 1, Halachah 3.

In his Commentary to the Mishnah (Keritot 1:1), the Rambam states that this is an herb that he cannot identify. Some have identified it with cassia, an aromatic bark, similar to cinnamon, but differing in strength and quality.

Spikenard is obtained from an Indian plant, found in the Himalaya mountains, the Nardostachys jatamansi.

Costus, see Chapter 1, Halachah 3.

Cinnamon.

Ceylonese cinnamon.

Jordanian amber.

This cleanses it thoroughly and improves its appearance.

Alternatively, wine from Cyprus.

For the chanting improves the spices (Keritot 6b).

Keritot 6b derives this concept from the description of the anointment oil in Exodus 30:32: "It is holy; it shall be holy for you." The repetition of the term "holy" implies that all of the activity to prepare it must be performed with entities that are consecrated. An equation is established between that oil and the incense offering.

To grind it again, lest it have solidified.

Although this would greatly improve its fragrance, there is an explicit Biblical prohibition (Leviticus 2:11; Hilchot Issurei Mizbeiach 5:2) against burning any such incense.

Sefer HaMitzvot (negative commandment 85) and Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 110) consider the prohibition against preparing incense for its fragrance as one of the Torah's 613 commandments.

This is speaking about a person who smells the fragrance of the communal incense offering. A person who smells the incense of a private individual who copied the formula of the incense offering is not liable.

See Hilchot Meilah 1:2 for the details of one's liability. See also ibid. 5:16 which states that this applies only when the column of smoke from the incense is rising. Once it has already risen, the prohibition no longer applies.

But not to the community as a whole.

The Radbaz quotes Rashi (Keritot 6a) which states that one is liable for death at the hand of heaven for bringing such an incense offering. (The death of Aaron's sons, Nadav and Avihu, are cited as proof for this thesis.)

The blood of certain sacrifices is, however, sprinkled on it, as stated in Hilchot Ma'aseh HaKorbanot 5:13; Hilchot Avodat Yom HaKippurim 4:2.

Sefer HaMitzvot (negative commandment 82) and Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 104) consider the prohibition against making such offerings on this altar as one of the Torah's 613 commandments.

Sefer HaMitzvot (positive commandment 34) and Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 379) consider this mitzvah as one of the Torah's 613 commandments.

The prooftext cited by the Rambam refers to the ark being carried by the Levites, the descendants of the family of Kehot. In Sefer HaMitzvot, however, the Rambam writes that the mitzvah for all time was to have the ark carried by the priests and not the Levites. Indeed, the narrative of the ark being carried in Joshua 3:6 and II Samuel 15:25 corroborates this thesis. (The Ramban explains that this does not contradict the Biblical command, because the priests are also descendants of Kehot.) The reason the mitzvah was fulfilled by the Levites while the Jews journeyed through the desert is because there were not enough priests to carry the ark at that time.

As the Bible relates, II Samuel, ch. 6, God vented His anger for the transgression on Uzzah, causing his death.

Thus those in the front will be walking backwards. This is necessary so that they will not be turning their backs to the ark (Bamidbar Rabbah, ch. 5).

Although the prooftext quoted by the Rambam speaks of the staves, using the plural term, he understands the prohibition as applying even to one of them. See the Minchat Chinuch (mitzvah 96) which discusses this issue.

Sefer HaMitzvot (negative commandment 86) and Sefer HaChinuch (mitzvah 96) consider the prohibition against removing the staves as one of the Torah's 613 commandments.