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Re: Vendyl Jones incense
Dear Judith,
i'm sure you are quite aware of the facts but others are obviously not,
so I will just make one comment about the dangers of incense.
The incense itself was not inherently dangerous. But since it (the
qetoret hassamim) was most holy and its aroma to be enjoyed only by YHWH
it's profane use was prohibited under the threat of being "cut off" (=
death by divine hand, or excommunication depending on whom you believe)
It's all there in Exodus 30:34-38. The only people who got into trouble
with incense were Nadav and Avihu, Qorah, and Uzziah, all of whom seem to
have been encroachers on the privileges of the Aaronide priests.
IF we are looing for something lethal it was touching the 'aron. That was
not dangerous unto itself, but anyone who did so was under danger of
setting off a spontaneous outburst of divine wrath called Qesef. We all
remember the incident reported in II Samuel 6 (and Raiders of the Lost Arc!)
SO that's it in a nutshell.
Avigdor Hurowitz