Holy Temple Incense
Ancient Aromatics. Living Traditions. The Fragrance of Prayer.
“Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” — Psalm 141:2, KJV
For thousands of years, incense has occupied a sacred place in the history of Israel. From the Tabernacle in the wilderness to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, precious aromatic resins, fragrant woods, roots, and spices formed part of an extraordinary tradition in which fragrance accompanied prayer, worship, consecration, and devotion to the Holy One.
At One New Man Culture, we draw inspiration from the ancient Pitum HaKetoret ("the preparation of the sacred incense") and the eleven traditional aromatic ingredients preserved in Jewish tradition. Yet our work extends beyond these ancient preparations, exploring the remarkable diversity of natural aromatics from Israel and around the world.
Our collection brings together a variety of original, individually handcrafted incense blends, created from carefully selected natural resins, precious woods, rare spices, fragrant flowers, roots, and exceptional aromatic botanicals. Each creation reflects our dedication to the ancient heritage of sacred fragrance, natural ingredients, and the artistry of traditional and modern botanical preparation.
For us, incense is more than fragrance.
It is atmosphere. Memory. Reverence. Prayer. Sacred space.
It is an invitation to rediscover the extraordinary aromatic world of ancient Israel and the enduring relationship between fragrance, worship, and spiritual devotion.
Our Ketoret. An Ancient Tradition.
Eleven Ancient Aromatics. Rare Botanical Treasures. Handcrafted in Israel.
At One New Man Culture, we take pride in creating our own distinctive, handcrafted Ketoret-inspired incense, bringing together the eleven aromatic ingredients preserved in the traditional Jewish account of the Pitum HaKetoret ("the preparation of the sacred incense").
At the heart of this ancient tradition are Tzori ("balsam"), Tziporen ("onycha"), Chelbenah ("galbanum"), Levonah ("frankincense"), Mor ("myrrh"), Ketzi'ah ("cassia"), Shibolet Nerd ("spikenard"), Karkom ("saffron"), Kosht ("costus"), Kilufah ("aromatic bark"), and Kinamon ("cinnamon").
But our work does not end with these eleven traditional aromatics.
Uriel Levite expands upon this extraordinary heritage, introducing rare resins, precious woods, exotic flowers, fragrant roots, exceptional spices, and carefully selected botanicals sourced from Israel and around the world. Each ingredient is chosen for its individual character, natural aromatic qualities, and contribution to the finished fragrance.
From precious frankincense and myrrh to Greek labdanum, storax, benzoin, mastic, saffron, fragrant woods, and rare botanical treasures, our collection explores the remarkable diversity of the natural aromatic world.
Each variety is prepared by hand, combining ancient apothecary knowledge with original botanical compositions and modern preparation techniques. Some creations draw directly upon the traditional ingredients of the Ketoret, while others explore entirely different combinations of natural aromatics, fragrances, and historical traditions.
Our incense is created from genuine natural aromatic materials, without synthetic fragrance oils or artificial aromatic substitutes. Every fragrance begins with the resin, flower, wood, spice, root, or plant itself.
A Sacred Commandment. A Fragrance Before the Holy One.
“And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.” — Exodus 30:7–8, KJV
The importance of the Ketoret begins with a divine commandment.
In the Book of Exodus, the Holy One instructs Moses to construct a golden altar specifically for the burning of incense. Aaron and the priests were commanded to offer fragrant incense every morning and again toward evening, establishing a daily sacred service within the Tabernacle and, later, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
The Ketoret was not an ordinary fragrance. It was a sacred preparation whose ingredients, composition, and purpose were governed by divine instruction.
In Exodus 30:34–38, the Holy One gives Moses instructions for preparing this incense, identifying its principal aromatic ingredients and declaring the prescribed composition holy. Scripture also expressly prohibits making the same formula for ordinary personal use.
The traditional Jewish account of the Pitum HaKetoret, preserved in rabbinic literature, provides further details of the incense preparation, including its eleven principal aromatic ingredients and the quantities associated with the Temple service.
For generations, these precious aromatic materials formed part of one of the most distinctive sacred traditions of ancient Israel, where fragrance was prepared not merely for enjoyment but for a specific act of worship before the Holy One.
The Incense That Stopped the Plague
Standing Between the Living and the Dead
“And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.” — Numbers 16:48, KJV
One of the most extraordinary accounts of sacred incense in Scripture appears in Numbers 16:46–50, when a devastating plague broke out among the children of Israel following the rebellion of Korah.
As the plague spread through the congregation, Moses commanded Aaron, the High Priest, to take his censer, place burning coals from the altar inside it, add sacred incense, and hurry into the midst of the people to make atonement for them.
Aaron obeyed.
Carrying the burning incense, he ran into the congregation, where the plague had already begun taking lives. He stood between those who had died and those who remained alive, offering incense and making atonement before the Holy One.
And the plague was stopped.
Scripture records that 14,700 people died before the plague was halted, in addition to those who had perished in the rebellion of Korah.
This extraordinary biblical account reveals the sacred significance of the Ketoret in ancient Israel. The incense was not merely a pleasant fragrance. It was part of a divinely instituted priestly service, and in this moment, Aaron's offering of incense and act of atonement accompanied the halting of a devastating plague.
The account does not describe incense as a medicinal cure. Rather, it presents a sacred act of priestly intercession performed in obedience to the command given through Moses.
For generations, this passage has remained part of the Jewish understanding of the spiritual significance of the Ketoret, its connection to atonement, and the importance of prayer and divine mercy.
At One New Man Culture, this extraordinary account forms part of the biblical heritage that inspires our exploration of sacred incense and the ancient aromatic traditions of Israel.
A Tradition Preserved in Daily Jewish Prayer
Although the Holy Temple no longer stands, the memory and importance of the Ketoret have never disappeared from Jewish religious life.
For generations, Jewish prayer books, known as Siddurim ("prayer books"), have preserved the Pitum HaKetoret, a passage describing the ingredients and preparation of the incense once offered in the Holy Temple.
In many Jewish communities, this passage is recited daily as part of the morning prayers, and in some traditions it is also recited in connection with the afternoon prayers. Its recitation preserves the memory of the ancient Temple service and the sacred aromatic traditions passed down through generations.
The traditional passage includes the eleven principal aromatic ingredients recorded in rabbinic literature, together with details concerning their preparation and use.
The importance of incense also finds expression in the Psalms:
“Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” — Psalm 141:2, KJV
Here, the rising fragrance of incense becomes an image of prayer ascending before the Holy One.
For those who follow Yeshua HaMashiach ("Yeshua the Messiah"), this imagery also appears in the Book of Revelation, where incense is associated with the prayers of the saints before the heavenly throne.
In Revelation 5:8, golden vessels filled with incense are associated with the prayers of the saints. In Revelation 8:3–4, an angel offers incense with the prayers of the saints upon the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke rises before God.
From the daily service of the ancient Temple to the prayers preserved in Jewish tradition and the imagery of heavenly worship, the relationship between incense and prayer extends across generations of biblical faith.
From Ancient Tradition to Our Own Apothecary
At One New Man Culture, we honor this extraordinary aromatic heritage while exploring new possibilities through our own botanical research, creativity, and craftsmanship.
Our original incense blends draw upon the eleven traditional aromatics of the Pitum HaKetoret, alongside additional rare and exceptional natural ingredients. Some blends take their inspiration directly from the traditional aromatic materials, while others introduce entirely different combinations of precious resins, woods, flowers, roots, and spices.
Every variety is individually prepared by hand, drawing upon ancient apothecary knowledge and modern preparation techniques. Each ingredient is selected according to its aromatic character and the distinctive qualities it brings to the finished composition.
Our collection is an expression of both the history of sacred incense and the continuing artistry of natural botanical perfumery.
Through photographs and videos shared on our social media channels, we invite visitors into the world of One New Man Culture, where they can witness our genuine botanical materials and the preparation of our handmade incense, from raw resins and rare spices to the creation of our finished aromatic blends.
We believe the beauty of sacred fragrance begins with the materials themselves: the extraordinary aromatic treasures provided by the natural world and the care, patience, and craftsmanship with which they are prepared.
From the ancient ingredients of the Pitum HaKetoret to the rare botanical treasures of our own apothecary, our work brings together centuries of aromatic tradition through ancient and modern preparation techniques.
Eleven ancient aromatics. Rare botanical treasures. Original handcrafted blends. The living heritage of sacred fragrance.