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Why does the mizbeach haketores appear at the end of Parshas Terumah and again in Parshas Tetzaveh, separated from the other Temple vessels? The Rambam (רמב"ם) in Moreh Nevuchim explains the incense removed both the slaughterhouse smell from the Beis Hamikdash and from the kohanim's garments. The Torah (תורה)'s arrangement reveals that the golden altar addresses two new elements introduced in Parshas Tetzaveh: animal slaughter and priestly vestments.
The shiur explores a fascinating approach by the Rambam (רמב"ם) in Moreh Nevuchim to explain both the function of the mizbeach haketores (golden incense altar) and why it appears where it does in the Torah (תורה)'s structure. The Rambam states that the purpose of the incense altar was to remove the smell from the Beis Hamikdash, which was essentially a slaughterhouse, and also to remove the smell from the clothing of those who worked there—the kohanim. Rabbi Zweig notes that while one might independently arrive at the idea that a slaughterhouse needs something to address its smell, the specific addition about removing smell from clothing seems to come from nowhere. Where did the Rambam derive this second purpose? The answer lies in understanding how the Rambam reads the pesukim and their arrangement.
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Parshas Tetzaveh, Parshas Terumah
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