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Incense & the Copper Overlay
By Rabbi Pesach Wolicki

In this week's parsha, Korach leads a rebellion of two hundred fifty men against God and Moshe. They question the legitimacy of Moshe's leadership by focusing on the choice of Aharon as the Kohen Gadol. To refute the claims of the rebels, Moshe tells all two hundred fifty and Aharon to take fire-pans and to bring incense to G-d. After bringing the incense, "A fire came forth from G-d and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were bringing the incense." (Number 16:35)

Following this, G-d gives Moshe an unusual instruction. "Speak to Elazar the son of Aharon the Kohen, and have him lift up the fire-pans from the inferno, and you scatter the fire yonder, for they were sanctified; the fire-pans of these sinners [who paid] with their lives, and make them into hammered sheets to overlay the altar, Elazar the Kohen took the copper fire-pans - those that the fire victims brought - and hammered them into a covering for the altar. [This was] a reminder for the People of Israel so that a commoner shall never approach - one who is not a descendant of Aharon - to burn incense before God; so as not to be like Korach and his congregation;" (17:2-5)

Moshe is told that the copper fire-pans that were used to for the incense of the 250 rebels shall be made into a copper overlay for the altar. This will serve as a permanent reminder that no non-Kohen is ever to bring an incense offering.

There were two altars in the Tabernacle. There was a smaller gold altar in the Sanctuary that was used for incense. This altar is known as either The Incense Altar or The Golden Altar. A second larger altar was in the courtyard, outside the Sanctuary. This is where portions of the sacrifices and the daily offerings were burnt. Rashi points out the important fact that the altar to be overlaid with copper is the second larger one, not the incense altar.

Why is this altar the appropriate venue for a reminder that no non-Kohen is not allowed to bring incense? To deal with this question we must first understand why the offering of incense was chosen as the appropriate test of the validity of the rebellious group.

In Vayikra 10 Aharon's two sons, Nadav and Avihu, were killed by G-d. Their sin was the following. "Nadav and Avihu, Aharon's sons, took, each of them his fire-pan, placed fire upon it and then placed incense upon it and they brought an alien fire which He had not commanded them." (Leviticus 10:1)

The offering of incense is the most intimate service to G-d. It is incense that is offered in the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur. They wanted to approach G-d in the most intimate way. They attempted intimacy with G-d that was not requested by G-d. Instead of the warmth of G-d's presence, they were consumed by the fire.

There are offerings that may be brought when one wishes to be close to G-d. These are called Shelamim - Peace Offerings. A person who desires closeness with G-d may bring one of these offerings at almost any time. Incense, unlike Shelamim, is more intimate. Intimacy must be invited. Uninvited intimacy is an ultimate violation.

The rebels in our parsha argued that Aharon and Moshe should not have special status. "They gathered against Moshe and Aharon and said to them: You have taken too much for yourselves, for the entire congregation are all holy and G-d is within them; why do you raise yourselves above the assembly of G-d?'" (Num. 17:3)

They claimed that it is not right that Aharon alone be allowed to serve G-d in the most intimate way. All of Israel ought to be allowed to approach God to serve him equally. Moshe's response was that G-d chose this arrangement and it is not for us to decide who serves G-d and in what way. Just because a particular person wants to serve G-d in a particular way does not suffice to permit the service to be done.

Moshe chose incense because of the earlier experience with the two sons of Aharon. "Here you have the service that is beloved over all others - the incense which is the beloved of all offerings - and it is poisonous, for with it Nadav and Avihu were burnt. Therefore, he warned them [saying], It shall be that the man that God shall choose is the holy one.'(Num 16:7)" (Bamidbar Rabbah 18:8)

The deadly lesson to be taught was that it is G-d and not us who sets the parameters of our relationship. We dare not violate G-d's boundaries when they appear unfair or when we fail to understand them.

The outer altar - the one that was to be overlaid with the copper from the fire-pans - stood in the courtyard. It was on this altar that all offerings are brought. While a non-Kohen was permitted to enter this courtyard to bring an offering, he was not allowed to ascend the altar. (This altar was very large and had a ramp up which were carried the offerings to be burnt.) A non-Kohen was not allowed to go beyond the courtyard in front of this altar. Beyond this altar was the Sanctuary which contained the Menorah, the Table, and the Incense Altar. Beyond the Sanctuary was the Holy of Holies which contained the Ark.

It follows that the Menorah, Table, Incense Altar, and Ark were almost never seen by a non-Kohen. The altar in the courtyard was the point beyond which the non-Kohen could not go. He was not even allowed to bring his own offering up the ramp to the top of the altar. For this reason the outer altar is the ideal place for a reminder of the rebellion of Korach.

Any time a non-Kohen would see this altar he would see the copper overlay. This overlay would remind him of the incident of the rebellion of Korach and the 250 men. He would thus be reminded, lest he question the rules and his place in the hierarchy, that it is G-d and G-d alone who sets the boundaries.

The copper overlay reminds us that it is on G-d terms - not our own - that we come close to Him