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Why does the Ketores include chelbena, a bad-smelling ingredient representing sinners? The shiur develops the yesod that by including the Poshei Yisroel—allowing them to "freeload" on the community's merits—we model for Hashem (ה׳) how we want to be treated. When we give up our rights and let others benefit from us undeservedly, Hashem gives us what we don't deserve either.
Rabbi Zweig analyzes the Torah (תורה)'s inclusion of chelbena (galbanum), a bad-smelling ingredient in the Ketores incense, which Rashi (רש"י) explains represents the Poshei Yisroel—the sinners of Israel. The Torah teaches that we should include sinners on a fast day, joining them with the righteous community. The question is: why? Rabbeinu Bechaye suggests that since we're not in a good mood on fast days, we bring sinners along to make ourselves look good by comparison. Rabbi Zweig finds this approach problematic because it implies we're using them. Instead, he proposes a fundamentally different understanding.
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Ki Sisa - Ketores (Incense)
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