Pt2 Anointing Priests and Kings: The Miraculous Anointing Oil (Horayot 11b-12a)

This the second and final part of a two-part series. Part 1 is here; the outline of the series is at Part 1.

Baraita - When the Ark was hidden, the anointing oil, jar of manna, Aaron’s staff, and the Philistine chest were hidden with it - 1 Sam 6:8

(See footnote.)¹

ומי הוה שמן המשחה?

והתניא:

משנגנז ארון,

נגנז

1. שמן המשחה

2. וצנצנת המן

3. ומקלו של אהרן שקדיה ופרחיה

4. וארגז ששלחו פלשתים דורון לישראל,

שנאמר:

״ואת כלי הזהב אשר השבתם לו אשם תשימו בארגז מצדו ושלחתם אתו והלך״.

The Talmud asks with regard to the fact that Jehoahaz was anointed: And was there anointing oil during the days of Jehoahaz?

But isn’t it taught in a baraita:

When the Ark of the Covenant was sequestered (נגנז),

were all sequestered with it,

1. the anointing oil,

2. and the jar of manna (see Exodus 16:33),

3. and Aaron’s staff with its almonds and blossoms (see Numbers 17:23),

4. and the chest that the Philistines sent as a gift (דורון) to Israel,

as it is stated:

“And you shall take the Ark of YHWH, and lay it upon the cart, and put the vessels of gold that you return Him as a guilt-offering in a chest by its side and send it away that it may go” (I Samuel 6:8).

Josiah foresaw exile - Deut 28:36

ומי גנזו?

יאשיהו מלך יהודה גנזו,

שראה שכתוב בתורה:

״יולך ה׳ אתך

ואת מלכך וגו׳״,

And who sequestered the Ark?

Josiah, king of Judea, sequestered it,

as he saw that it is written in the Torah in the portion of rebuke:

“YHWH will lead you,

and your king whom you shall establish over you, unto a nation that you have not known” (Deuteronomy 28:36).

... and hid them - 2 Chr 35:3

צוה וגנזום,

שנאמר:

״ויאמר ללוים

המבינים לכל ישראל

הקדושים לה׳

תנו את ארון הקדש בבית אשר בנה שלמה בן דוד מלך ישראל

אין לכם משא בכתף

עתה עבדו את ה׳ אלהיכם ואת עמו ישראל״.

He commanded and the people sequestered them,

as it is stated:

“And he said to the Levites

who taught all Israel,

and who were sacred unto YHWH:

Place the sacred Ark in the room that Solomon, son of David, king of Israel built;

there shall be no more burden upon your shoulders.

Now serve YHWH your God and His people Israel” (II Chronicles 35:3).

R’ Elazar - Gezerah shavah from “there” (שם), “keepsake” (משמרת), and “generations” (דורות) links Ark, manna, staff, and anointing oil (showing they were all hidden) - Exod 29:43; Exod 16:33; Num 17:25–26; Exod 30:31

ואמר רבי אלעזר:

1. אתיא

   1. ״שם״

   2. ״שם״,

2. אתיא

   1. ״משמרת״

   2. ״משמרת״,

3. אתיא

   1. ״דורות״

   2. ״דורות״

And R' Elazar says:

1. One derives a verbal analogy between the term:

   1. There, written with regard to the Ark (see Exodus 29:43),

   2. and the term: There, written with regard to the jar of manna (see Exodus 16:33);

2. and between the term:

   1. Keepsake, written with regard to the jar of manna (see Exodus 16:33),

   2. and the term: Keepsake, written with regard to Aaron’s staff (see Numbers 17:25–26);

3. and between the term:

   1. Generations, written with regard to the jar of manna (see Exodus 16:33),

   2. and the term: Generations, written with regard to the anointing oil (see Exodus 30:31).

By means of these verbal analogies it is derived that all of these items were sequestered.

אמר רב פפא:

באפרסמא דכיא.

Rav Pappa said:

They anointed Jehoahaz with pure balsam oil, not with anointing oil.

Baraita - Kings are anointed in a crown-shape; priests in a shape like the Greek letter chi

תנו רבנן:

1. כיצד מושחין את המלכים?

   1. כמין נזר.

2. ואת הכהנים?

   1. כמין כי.

§ A baraita states:

1. How does one anoint the kings?

   1. One smears the oil in a manner that is similar to the form of a crown (נזר) around his head.

2. And how does one anoint the priests?

   1. One smears the oil in a shape like the Greek letter chi²

Rav Menashya bar Gadda - Greek letter chi = ’kaf’

מאי ״כמין כי״?

אמר רב מנשיא בר גדא:

כמין כף יוני.

The Talmud asks: What is the meaning of: Like the Greek letter chi?

Rav Menashya bar Gadda said:

Like the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew letter kaf.³

Tannaitic Dispute re order when anointing: pour on head first vs anoint between the eyes first

• תני חדא:

  • בתחלה מוצקין שמן על ראשו,

  • ואחר כך נותנין לו שמן בין ריסי עיניו.

• ותניא אחריתי:

  • בתחלה נותנין לו שמן בין ריסי עיניו,

  • ואחר כך מוצקים לו שמן על ראשו

[...]

• It is taught in one baraita:

  • Initially, they pour (מוצקין) oil on the priest’s head,

  • and thereafter, they place oil for him between the lashes (ריסי) of his eyes.

• And it is taught in a different baraita:

  • Initially, they place oil for him between the lashes of his eyes,

  • and thereafter, they pour oil on his head.

[...]

Baraita - Two drop-pearls of oil hung from Aaron’s beard - Ps 133:2–3

תנו רבנן:

״כשמן הטוב [וגו׳] ירד על הזקן

זקן אהרן וגו׳״ –

כמין שני טפי מרגליות היו תלויות לאהרן בזקנו.

A baraita states:

“It is like the precious oil upon the head coming down upon the beard,

Aaron’s beard, that comes down upon the collar of his garments” (Psalms 133:2).

Two drops of anointing oil, shaped like pearls, were suspended for Aaron from his beard.

Rav Pappa - those drops would miraculously rise and settle on the roots of Aaron’s beard (so that they wouldn’t fall)

אמר רב פפא,

תנא:

כשהוא מספר,

עולות ויושבות לו בעיקר זקנו,

Rav Pappa said that

it is taught:

When Aaron would speak and his beard would move,

those drops would miraculously rise and settle on the roots of his beard so that they would not fall.

Bat kol assures Moses there was no me’ila in the oil on Aaron’s beard - Ps 133:2–3

ועל דבר זה היה משה דואג,

אמר: שמא חס ושלום מעלתי בשמן המשחה?!

יצתה בת קול ואמרה:

״כשמן הטוב וגו׳

כטל חרמון״,

• מה טל חרמון

  • אין בו מעילה,

• אף שמן המשחה שבזקן אהרן

  • אין בו מעילה.

Moses was concerned about this matter.

He said: Perhaps, Heaven forfend, I misused the consecrated anointing oil and poured more than necessary, as two additional drops remain?

A bat kol emerged and said:

“It is like the precious oil upon the head coming down upon the beard, Aaron’s beard, that comes down upon the collar of his garments.

Like the dew of Hermon” (Psalms 133:2–3).

This analogy teaches:

• Just as the dew of Hermon, which is not consecrated,

  • there is no misuse

• so too, with regard to the anointing oil that is on Aaron’s beard,

  • there is no misuse of consecrated property.

Additional Bat kol assures Aaron he too did not commit me’ila; unity of brothers - Ps 133:1

ועדיין היה אהרן דואג,

אמר:

שמא משה לא מעל,

אבל אני מעלתי!

יצתה בת קול ואמרה לו:

״הנה

מה טוב ומה נעים שבת אחים גם יחד״,

• מה משה

  • לא מעל,

• אף אתה

  • לא מעלת.

And still Aaron was concerned.

He said:

Perhaps Moses did not misuse consecrated property;

but perhaps I misused consecrated property, as the additional oil is on my beard and I enjoy it.

A bat kol emerged and said:

“Behold,

how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity” (Psalms 133:1).

• Just as your brother Moses

  • did not misuse consecrated property,

• so too, you

  • did not misuse consecrated property.

Appendix - Omens (Horayot 12a)

Baraita - Kings are anointed at a spring for a good omen of lasting rule

תנו רבנן:

אין מושחים את המלכים אלא על המעיין,

כדי שתמשך מלכותם,

A baraita states:

One anoints the kings only upon a spring (מעיין),

as an omen, so that their kingdom will continue like a spring,

Prooftext - Solomon was anointed at Gihon - 1 Kgs 1:33–34

שנאמר:

״ויאמר המלך להם:

קחו עמכם את עבדי אדניכם [וגו׳]

והורדתם אתו אל גחון״.

as it is stated with regard to the coronation of Solomon before the death of David:

“And the king said unto them:

Take with you the servants of your lord, and let Solomon my son ride upon my own mule,

and bring him down to Gihon.

And let Tzadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel and sound the shofar and say: Long live King Solomon” (I Kings 1:33–34).

R’ Ami - Omen for life: light a lamp during 10 days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur in a windless house; if it stays lit, he will survive the year

אמר רבי אמי:

האי מאן דבעי לידע אי מסיק שתיה אי לא,

ניתלי שרגא בעשרה יומי דבין ראש השנה ליום הכפורים

בביתא דלא נשיב זיקא.

אי משיך נהוריה –

נידע דמסיק שתיה.

§ Apropos good omens, the Talmud cites a statement that R' Ami said:

This person who seeks to know if he will complete his year or if he will not, i.e., whether or not he will remain alive in the coming year,

let him light a lamp, during the ten days that are between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur,

in a house in which wind (זיקא) does not blow.

If its light continues to burn --

he knows that he will complete his year.⁴

Omen for business success: raise a rooster; if it thrives, success is implied

ומאן דבעי למיעבד בעיסקא,

ובעי למידע אי מצלח אי לא מצלח,

לירבי תרנגולא.

אי שמין ושפר --

מצלח.

And one who seeks to conduct a business venture

and wishes to know if he will succeed or if he will not succeed,

let him raise a rooster.

If the rooster grows fat and healthy --

he will succeed.

Journey omen via “shadow of a shadow” - To check whether he will safely return home from a journey: go into a dark house, if he sees “shadow of a shadow”, he will definitely return and come home safely

האי מאן דבעי למיפק [לאורחא]

ובעי למידע אי (חזר) [הדר] ואתי לביתא, אי לא –

ניקום בביתא דחברא,

אי חזי בבואה דבבואה --

לידע דהדר ואתי לביתא.

[...]

One who seeks to embark on a journey

and wishes to know if he will return and come to his home or if he will not,

let him go to a dark [da-ḥavara] house.

If he sees the shadow⁵ of a shadow --

he shall know that he will return and come home.

[...]

Abaye - one should have vegetables as simanim on Rosh HaShana: qara (squash), rubya (fenugreek), karti (leeks), silka (chard), tamrei (dates)

אמר אביי:

השתא דאמרת סימנא מילתא היא,

[לעולם] יהא רגיל למיחזי בריש שתא:

1. קרא

2. ורוביא,

3. כרתי

4. וסילקא

5. ותמרי.

Abaye said:

Now that you said that an omen⁶ is a significant matter,

a person should always be accustomed to seeing these on Rosh HaShana:

1. Squash,

2. and fenugreek,

3. leeks,

4. and chard,

5. and dates,

as each of these grows quickly and serves as a positive omen for one’s actions during the coming year.

Rav Mesharshiyya - Study advice: review baraita before class; watch your teacher’s mouth; study by a river; prefer Mata Meḥasya’s hardships to Pumbedita’s comforts - Isa 30:20

אמר להו רב משרשיא לבריה:

1. כי בעיתו מיעל ומיגמרי קמי רבייכו --

   1. גרסו מתניתא, ועלו לקמי רבייכו.

2. וכי יתביתו קמיה --

   1. חזו לפומיה,

   2. דכתיב: ״והיו עיניך ראות את מוריך״.

3. וכי גרסיתו --

   1. גרסו על נהרא דמיא,

   2. דכי היכי דמשכן מיא, משכן שמעתתייכו.

4. ותיבו אקילקלי דמתא מחסיא,

   1. ולא תיבו אפדני דפומבדיתא –

   2. טב גלדנא סריא [דמתא מחסיא למיכל], מכותחא דרמי כיפי.

Apropos good omens, Rav Mesharshiyya said to his son:

1. When you seek to enter and study before your teacher --

   1. study the baraita (מתניתא) first, and only then enter before your teacher.

2. And when you are sitting before him --

   1. look to his mouth,

   2. as it is written: “And your eyes shall see your teacher” (Isaiah 30:20).

3. And when you study (גרסיתו) --

   1. study adjacent to a river of water;

   2. just as the water flows, your studies will flow unimpeded.

4. He added: And it is preferable for you to sit on the rubbish heaps [kilkelei] of Mata Meḥasya,

   1. and do not sit in the palaces [padnei] of Pumbedita.

   2. Better to eat the rotten fish [gildana] of Mata Meḥasya than to eat kutḥa, which displaces rocks, a metaphor for how potent it is.

Hannah’s line interpreted - “My horn is exalted”—horn anointing is a good omen: David & Solomon (horn) endured; Saul & Jehu (jug) did not - 1 Sam 2:1

״רמה קרני באלהי״,

״רמה קרני״

ולא רמה פכי,

• דוד ושלמה

  • שנמשחו בקרן –

    • נמשכה מלכותן,

• שאול ויהוא

  • שנמשחו בפך –

    • לא נמשכה מלכותן.

Apropos good omens for anointing, it is stated in the prayer of Hannah, Samuel’s mother: “My horn is exalted in my God” (I Samuel 2:1).

The Talmud infers: “My horn is exalted”,

and my jug is not exalted.

• David and Solomon

  • were anointed with oil from a horn.

    • This was a good omen for them and their reign endured.

• Saul and Jehu

  • were anointed with oil from a jug

    • and their reign did not endure.

1. This passage appears elsewhere in the Talmud as well; I cite a parallel passage here, “Appendix 3 - The Concealing of the Ark and Other Temple Items (Yoma 52b)“.

2. כי.

Meaning, in an ‘X’ shape. Compare Wikipedia, “Chiasmus“:

[…] chiasmus […] (Latin term from Greek χίασμα chiásma, "crossing", from the Greek χιάζω, chiázō, "to shape like the letter Χ") […]

3. כף.

Indeed, the symbol of the Greek chi (‘X’) stems from that of the Phoenician letter kaph (𐤊).

4. Likely based on the idea of “life as a flame”.

5. בבואה.

See Jastrow (modernized):

בָּבוּאָה (in Babylonian Talmud),

בּוּבְיָא, בּוּבְיָה (in Yerushalmi)

feminine

[…]

reflected image in metal, water etc.; image, shadow.

• Nedarim 9b ונסתכלתי בבבואה שלי (Aruch with two ב, corrected accordingly) "and I was looking at my image (in the water)"

• Tosefta Nazir 4:7 (Variant reading בוביא)

• Yerushalmi Nedarim 1, 36d bottom בובייה

• Numbers Rabbah section 10 בוביא

• Yevamot 122a בבואה דבבואה "a shadow of a shadow"

• Avodah Zarah 47a לבבואה קא סגיד "he worships the image (in the water)"

• Genesis Rabbah section 4 בבואה גדולה "magnified image"

• Treatise Soferim 3:8 בבואה שלו "the outlines of an effaced letter"

6. סימנא - from Greek, meaning, “sign”.