Not to place frankincense on the sotah sacrifice: Not to place frankincense on the sotah sacrifice, as it is stated (Numbers 5:15), “and he shall not put frankincense on it.”
From the roots of the commandment is that which we have written about oil, as frankincense is a beautification of the sacrifice and a pleasant smell. And hence it is not fitting for a sinful woman to beautify her sacrifice. And they, may their memory be blessed, also said about this (Bamidbar Rabbah 9:13) that the proper and modest matriarchs were called frankincense, as it is stated (Song of Songs 4:6), “to the hill of frankincense” — and this one separated from their ways. And this commandment is also elucidated in the Scripture, and its matter is written in its “colleague” — there is no need to write at length about it.
שֶׁלֹּא לָשִׂים לְבוֹנָה בְּקָרְבַּן סוֹטָה – שֶׁלֹּא לָשִׁים לְבוֹנָה בְּקָרְבַּן סוֹטָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ה טו) וְלֹא יִתֵּן עָלָיו לְבֹנָה.
Not to place frankincense on the sotah sacrifice: Not to place frankincense on the sotah sacrifice, as it is stated (Numbers 5:15), “and he shall not put frankincense on it.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. כְּעִנְיָן מָה שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי בַּשֶּׁמֶן, כִּי הַלְּבוֹנָה הִדּוּר הַקָּרְבָּן וְרֵיחַ טוֹב, וְלָכֵן אֵין רָאוּי לָאִשָּׁה הַחוֹטֵאת לְהַדֵּר קָרְבָּנָהּ. וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה עַל זֶה (מדרש רבה נשא ט יג), שֶׁהָאִמָּהוֹת הַכְּשֵׁרוֹת וְהַצְּנוּעוֹת קְרוּיוֹת לְבוֹנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ד ו) וְאֶל גִּבְעַת הַלְּבוֹנָה. וְזוֹ פֵּרְשָׁה מִדַּרְכֵיהֶן. וּמִצְוָה זוֹ גַּם כֵּן מְבֹאֶרֶת בַּכָּתוּב, וְעִנְיָנָהּ כָּתוּב בַּחֲבֶרְתָּהּ, אֵין לְהַאֲרִיךְ בָּהּ.
From the roots of the commandment is that which we have written about oil, as frankincense is a beautification of the sacrifice and a pleasant smell. And hence it is not fitting for a sinful woman to beautify her sacrifice. And they, may their memory be blessed, also said about this (Bamidbar Rabbah 9:13) that the proper and modest matriarchs were called frankincense, as it is stated (Song of Songs 4:6), “to the hill of frankincense” — and this one separated from their ways. And this commandment is also elucidated in the Scripture, and its matter is written in its “colleague” — there is no need to write at length about it.