Faith
Lighting Incense for Fragrance
Is There Any Concern in Lighting Incense for Fragrance?
Question
With Hashem’s help,
Greetings,
The rabbi was asked about lighting incense sold in various stores for spreading fragrance, and responded that there is no concern.
There is a custom among immigrants from India to light incense in the house of mourning from time to time during the shiva. Is there also no concern in that case?
My question arises because some of the community rabbis asked and said that this practice should be stopped out of concern for idolatry.
Does the rabbi have sources for his answer that there is no concern at all?
I am not, heaven forbid, seeking to dispute any rabbi from our community on this matter; I am asking in order to understand the practice more deeply and clarify it.
Thank you.
Answer
Greetings,
If the purpose is fragrance alone, it is obvious that there is no concern. If the custom is a custom whose purpose may be idolatry, then certainly one must distance oneself from it.
With blessings,
Binyamin Shmueli
