שמות, פרק ל׳, פסוק כ״ד

The creation of the sacred anointing oil is not merely a physical craft, but a deeply spiritual process. Blending rare spices into oil serves a greater purpose than simply producing a pleasant fragrance. It is meant to awaken a deep sense of awe, honor, and majesty toward the one being anointed, serving as a clear sign that God has chosen them for a divine role [רלב״ג, אברבנאל]. The base of oil was specifically selected because of its ability to last a long time without spoiling, representing the eternal nature of holiness and kingship. The spices added to it symbolize the spreading of a good reputation and worthy actions [אברבנאל].

Among these spices is a specific plant widely identified by tradition as an herb root [רש״י] or the bark of an Indian tree that shares the taste and scent of cinnamon [אבן עזרא, ביאור יש״ר, ביאור שטיינזלץ, קאסוטו]. This identification became deeply rooted among the people because of its familiar name, which was regularly recited in the daily readings of the incense offering [ברכת אשר]. However, an alternative view identifies this spice differently, associating it with the fragrant costus plant [רלב״ג, אברבנאל]. These dry spices were to be mixed with olive oil measured by an ancient liquid standard originating in Egypt [אבן עזרא הקצר], which amounts to twelve smaller units of volume [רש״י, תורה תמימה, רלב״ג, ביאור יש״ר].

The instructions present a significant practical challenge. The massive quantity of dry spices is vastly out of proportion to the small amount of oil. If the dry ingredients were mixed directly into the oil, they would absorb it completely, resulting in a thick paste rather than a fluid liquid that could be poured and used for anointing [ספורנו, קאסוטו]. Because of this, it is understood that the process relied on the expert techniques of professional perfumers. Instead of leaving the raw materials in the oil, the goal was to extract only their fragrance [אברבנאל, קאסוטו].

There are different perspectives on exactly how this extraction was achieved [ספורנו, רש״י]. One method suggests that the spice roots were boiled directly in the oil. However, the primary approach among commentators points out that the small volume of oil made direct boiling impossible. To solve this, the spices were first soaked in water so they became fully saturated and would not absorb the precious oil [רש״י, שפתי חכמים]. Afterward, the oil was poured to float on top of the water and spices. The entire mixture was then gently boiled over a fire until all the water evaporated. Once the process was complete, the perfumers carefully skimmed off the remaining oil, which had successfully absorbed all the rich fragrances, leaving the solid remnants behind [ספורנו, רש״י, שפתי חכמים, רלב״ג, אברבנאל].