The Midrash Tanchuma states that the incense offering K'TORET, was the most exalted Service in the Mikdash. The incense offering was composed of 11 ingredients and one of them had a bad odor. The inclusion of a foul-smelling spice in the Incense, symbolizes the idea that all Jews must unite together in prayer, the righteous and the sinner alike (Keritot 6). We should not discriminate against any Jew.

The root of K'TORET is KETER, the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew KESHER, a binding knot. When Jews cease to be divided, then we will be bound together by a love knot, which will link us to G-D.

King David states, "Let my prayer be prepared as incense before You" (Tehillim 141). Why is prayer compared to Incense? The Midrash explains that the letters of K'TORET are an ACRONYM of the letters that embody the loftiest Jewish values: The KUF is for KEDUSHA-Sanctity, TET is for TAHARA-Purity, RESH is for RACHAMIM-Compassionate Love, and TAF is for TIKVA-Hope. These ideas are the purpose and goal of Judaism.

Thus, Incense is a metaphor for Prayer, a beautiful summary of prayer's spiritual results and effect.

My great great grandfather, the Bnei Yissachar, explains that G-D cherishes the sense of smell because it was the only one of the 5 senses which did not participate in Adam's sin. The Torah states that Adam's ears heard G-D's command and disregarded it, his eyes saw the Forbidden Fruit and coveted it, his hands plucked it, and his mouth tasted it.

G-D blew the original breath of Himself into Adam's nostrils, and thus the nose remains the most spiritual organ of a human being. Therefore, the word RUACH – Soul  and the word RE'ACH-Smell  have the same Hebrew root.