The section devoted to the Mishkan and its appurtenances closes with a discourse regarding three natural substances which are designated for use in the Mishkan. They are: water, reserved for washing and consecrating the Kohanim; choice spices, which were to be mixed with oil to anoint the Kohanim and various holy objects; and sweet spices, assigned to the offering of incense. Horav Eli Munk, z.l., conjectures that although no obvious thread connects these elements with sanctity, nonetheless, they, each have a distinguishing characteristic that makes them well-suited for holiness. Water’s clarity and simplicity are the traits that symbolize external purity. Choice spices are derived from exotic plants that grow in far-off countries. The sweet spices used for the ketores are a combination of spices which have both sweet and repugnant odors.
Horav Munk suggests that the Torah is teaching us a valuable lesson. Kedushah, holiness, is not limited to a given substance. It is neither conferred upon a specific person, nor bound to a single place. The most vile or tarnished substance — or even the one farthest removed from the Sanctuary — can still serve as a vehicle for sanctity, if the correct intention is manifest. No creature should be automatically rejected, no substance denigrated. All matter has a place in the realm of kedushah. Nothing is viewed as naturally distasteful or lacking the dignity to become an instrument of holiness. The Almighty created everything for one purpose — Kiddush Hashem.
