Holy anointing oil

The holy anointing oil (Biblical Hebrew: שמן המשחה, romanized: shemen ha-mishchah, lit. 'oil of anointing') formed an integral part of the ordination of the priesthood and the High Priest as well as in the consecration of the articles of the Tabernacle (Exodus 30:26)^[1] and subsequent temples in Jerusalem. The primary purpose of anointing with the holy anointing oil was to sanctify, to set the anointed person or object apart as qodesh, or "holy" (Exodus 30:29).^[2]

Originally, the oil was used exclusively for the priests and the Tabernacle articles, but its use was later extended to include kings (1 Samuel 10:1).^[3] It was forbidden to be used on an outsider (Exodus 30:33)^[4] or to be used on the body of any common person (Exodus 30:32a)^[5] and the Israelites were forbidden to duplicate any like it for themselves (Exodus 30:32b).^[6]

Some segments of Christianity have continued the practice of using holy anointing oil as a devotional practice, as well as in various liturgies.^[7] A variant form, known as oil of Abramelin, is used in Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica, the ecclesiastical arm of Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), an international fraternal initiatory organization devoted to promulgating the Law of Thelema.^[8]

A number of religious groups have traditions of continuity of the holy anointing oil, with part of the original oil prepared by Moses remaining to this day. These groups include rabbinical Judaism,^[9] the Armenian Church,^[10] the Assyrian Church of the East,^[11] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,^[12] the Coptic Church,^[13][14] the Saint Thomas Nazrani churches,^[15] and others.