Fine Fragrances And Torah Scholars

The Medrash Tana D'bei Eliyahu [6/11] expounds the pasuk [Shir Ha-shirim 1/3] לריח שמניך טובים שמן תורק שמך על כן עלמות אהבוך - Because of the fragrance of your fine oils, your name is flowing with aromatic oils, therefore the maidens love you, to mean that if a Torah Scholar learns Torah Neviim and Ksuvim, Medrashim, Halachos and Aggados and also "serves" [learns from] talmidei chachomim, he will be happy in Olam Haba, as it says עלמות which can be read על מות - above death. The Medrash does not explain how the earlier part of the pasuk לריח שמניך טובים should be expounded. Why are talmidei chachomim compared to a fine fragrance?

In Parshas Noach we read of the korban that Noach served to Hashem and that it gave a ריח ניחוח - a good smell. The gemara in Sotah [49a] implies that "smell" is the capacity to perceive spiritual depth and thus Rav Huna gave his son Rabba a date that Rabba had smelled becasue his ability to smell showed that he possessed intrinsic purity.

In Sanhedrin [70b] it says that wine and smell make one a פקח. We know that when wine enters ones system the secrets emerge, so too, when one smells properly he can perceive the secrets hidden beneath the surface.

At the end of days Moshaich will judge by his sense of smell. Two women will be arguing over who is the rightful owner of a valuable gem, the Moshiach will "take a whiff" and tell them who the correct owner is.

Now we can understand why the Medrash compares talmidei chachomom to fine smelling oils. True talmidei chachomim are blessed with the capacity to "smell" the spirituality that inheres all of creation.

[Tolna Rebbe Shlita Melave Malka Parshas Noach 5761]

לרפואת חי' גיטל פייגע בת ביילא בלומא