Torah Portion: Ki Sisa
Of it you shall make oil of sacred anointment (Shemos 30:25).
It is a positive commandment to prepare oil for anointing kings and high priests in the manner prescribed in the Torah, as it is written, Of it you shall make oil of sacred anointment (Shemos 30:25). This oil will then be ready for use to anoint any kohen gadol will be appointed, as the verse elsewhere says, The Kohen who is exalted above his brethren — upon whose head the anointment oil has been poured (Vayikra 21:10). It is also used to anoint some of the kings, and it was used to anoint the vessels of the Holy Temple.
Among the roots of the mitzvah is the aim that God, may He be blessed, willed that we should do some action that will affect our souls on the day that we are elevated to a new position of holy service, and that the stature and praise be visible upon us. This is the anointment of the oil, for anointment is something that is only done for kings or most high officials. Another idea at the core of the mitzvah is that this oil is to be always ready in the holy Temple for whenever it will be needed. This is for the honor of the place, for it is known — to take an analogy — that in high ranking homes anything that might be needed is available at all times so that no activity will have to be delayed while its prerequisites are prepared.
This commandment applies when the Holy Temple stands. It is a mitzvah incumbent on the community, like the construction of the Temple and its utensils.
