|
(ח) ובסוד ׳וירח השם את ריח הניחח׳, יחזר ההתפשטות ההוא (של החרון אף) אל מקורו. (8) And through the secret underlying the verse (Bereisheis 8:21): And HaShem smelled the pleasant aroma [of the offering made by Noach after exiting the Ark], this outspread [of Divine wrath] returns to its source.
The notion that the enticing scent of a roasting offering should appease the Almighty’s wrath seems extraordinary, to say the least! The Torah is obviously alluding to something deeper than a physical scent. How can we begin to understand this? To shed light on this enigmatic phenomenon, we refer to a relevant passage in the holy Zohar (Noach 70a):
"The verse regarding the incense offering states (Devarim 33:10): They (the ministering Kohanim) shall place incense in Your nose. For the fire (i.e., the pleasant-smelling smoke of an offering), returns to its place, that is, the “Divine Nostril.” The aroma is drawn through that breath into the inner recesses, to the point where all is unified and returns to its place, and the entirety is drawn into [the realm of] thought, and becomes a unified will. And this is similar to [the concept that HaShem finds the aroma of offerings] to be a “scent [that is] pleasant;” meaning, ‘Wrath was put to rest and became Pleasantness’’…And regarding this it is written: “HaShem smelled the pleasant aroma”: like one who smells a pleasant scent and inhales it in its entirety and brings it all inside, to its place."
The Ramak, in his Pardeis Rimonim (Ma’hus V’ha’Hanhaga 12) sheds light on this esoteric passage. He explains: “When a person smells a fragrance, it ascends to his brain, wherein the sense of smell is centered. It thus transpires that ‘that breath,’ which delivers the pleasant fragrance of the offering, returns to its source.”
In the previous passage, the Ramak revealed that the Divine Wrath was discharged — or “exhaled” — from Binah (Divine Enlightenment). By stating “the breath returns to its source,” the Ramak indicates that it was not inherently separated from its root in the pure goodness that is Binah (Divine Enlightenment); rather, it was drawn out from there and is now merely returning to its original, proper location. We can express this as follows: When Judgment awakens, the “breath” is “exhaled,” descending from Binah (Divine Enlightenment) and the Upper Realm and entering into the Lower Realm, where Judgment is operative. Thus is the Divine Wrath, i.e., “the fire” kindled. However, the pleasant aroma of the offering transmits the fiery breath back to its root. The fragrant smoke ascends to the “Divine Nostril” in Binah (Divine Enlightenment), where it converts back into a sweet fragrance.
In keeping with this, the verse states: “And HaShem smelled the pleasant aroma,” meaning, through the sweet fragrance of the offering, the bitter judgment converts to sweet forgiveness.
| 
