Transforming Bad Odors

"Don't hurry. Don't worry. You're only here for a short visit. So don't forget to stop and smell the roses."

Memories, imagination, old sentiments, and associations are more readily reached through the sense of smell than through any other channel.

Oliver Wendell Holmes

In the beis hamikdash there was ketores [incense] that contained eleven spices. They all smelled great - except for one - the chelbana. The chelbana smelled - you will excuse me - yichee!! BUT - when combined with all of the other spices it smelled very good.

Haman was a rotten guy. But in the end, he was almost a hero. I mean, he was the one who set up the salvation of the Jews. His evil decree brought the Jews to Teshuva, he set up the victorious march around town that Mordechai took on the king's horse with the king's clothing. He built the tree upon which he was hanged together with his sons. So alone he smelled terrible but together with other good smelling things like Mordechai and Esther [Mordechai is alluded to in the gemara with the words "mor dror" - in Aramaic "mari dachya" which is a sweet smelling oil and Esther is a sweet smelling myrtle branch "Hadassa"] he smelled super.

Maybe that is why chelbana is exactly the gematria of Haman [95]!!!

[Based on the Bnei Yisaschar]

In the end - everything ended up smelling like a sweet rose "SHOSHANAS Yaakov tzahala visameicha" - The Rose of Yaakov rejoiced.

Let us conclude with a line from Will: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." William Shakespeare