Nataf - A Blend From Within

ה' שבט ה'תשס"ז

Three substances in Torah allude to the entire 11-component blend of the Temple incense. They are nataf (storax, commonly known as benzoin), shechelet (onycha) and chelbenah (galbanum). Significantly, each one has a unique feature - making the Temple incense a blend of uniqueness, like my 3-name blend is unique to me. Nataf (נטף) flows from within [1]. Shechelet (שחלת) grows from the earth (malchut). Chelbenah (חלבנה) is seemingly evil (reflected in the 11 original components of tohu [2]), but in truth, is holy (reflected in the 16 rectified and elevated components of b'yad ramah).

Footnotes:

[1] Etymological Dictionary Of Biblical Hebrew, R' Matityahu Clark

[2] Inner Space, R' Aryeh Kaplan (p. 86)