Holy Anointing Oil - in Rabbinical Judaism

In Rabbinical Judaism

The symbolism of the components in the holy anointing oil are no longer completely known but, as the other articles in the Tabernacle had great meaning to the early Israelites, it is believed that the Ha'Mishchah has spiritual connections with the Ketoret (holy incense).

Early rabbis stressed the importance of the succession of classical semikhah (rabbinical ordination).

One Jewish tradition teaches that the ashes of the last red heifer sacrificed were always mixed with the ashes of each new red heifer The Temple Institute states, “Some opinions maintain that the newer ashes were always mixed together with a combination of the previous ashes. One way of understanding this, is to the view this mixture of old and new ashes as being yet another precautionary measure... Additionally, mixing in the newer ashes we have produced now with those from olden times is a way of connecting through time with the original heifer that was slaughtered and prepared by Moses. As such, in a sense, it is a way of connecting with the level of Moses himself.” Since the last succession of ashes of the red heifer were either hidden or lost after70 AD Vendyl Jones searched for the original ashes by following the map on the Copper Scroll that purports to tell the location, so that the old ashes can be added to the new, thus in his view continuing the "continuity factor."

There is a traditional Jewish mitzvah that when making challah one should separate and set aside part of the dough. Some Jewish people remove a small piece of the challah dough (the word "challah" means to remove) and give it away to someone else as a challah starter. In one Jewish custom a portion of the challah is set aside (refrigerated) until the making of new challah when the old is added to the new. It is recorded in Exodus 30:31 “And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations." (Exodus 30:31). Commenting on this verse Rashi quotes a teaching of the Sages that the original Shemen HaMishcha that Moses made, to anoint the priesthood and the tabernacle furnishings, would remain intact in its entirety into the distant future (l'asid lavoh). When the Temple was to be rebuilt they would then need that very same Holy Anointing Oil to anoint the priests prior to their service in the Third Temple as well as to anoint the furnishings of the mishkin. Vendyl Jones claimed that such a small quantity of oil (around a gallon) would not last that long. It is claimed that one juglet of oil lasted over 800 years. To explain this discrepancy it is claimed that one of two things occurred: Either the container of Holy Anointing Oil miraculously multiplied when supply became low (as did the cruise of oil mentioned in the story of Elijah and the widow woman or the oil that lasted for eight days without being consumed during the Jewish Chanukka) or, following new oil was added to the old, thus continuing the original oil for all time.