If I were a rich man TB Yoma 26

The winner of the first lottery performed the mitzvah of te-rumat hadeshen, the removal of the handful of ashes from the altar. The winners of the second lottery offered up the morning tamid sacrifice. The first Mishna on today’s daf TB Yoma 26 discusses the winners of the third and fourth lottery. Not every kohen was eligible to participate in the third lottery. “Before the third lottery, the appointee declared: Let only those priests who are new to offering the incense come and participate in the lottery for the incense.” (Sefaria.org trandslation) The Gemara explains why offering up the incense (קְטֹרֶת) was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“GEMARA: A Sage taught in the Tosefta: No person ever performed the service of the incense twice, as a new priest was always found for this service. The Gemara asks: What is the reason that they were insistent that no priest should be assigned this task more than once in his life? Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is because it brings wealth to the one who performs it. Since bringing the incense was a blessing for wealth, it was decided that as many different priests as possible should have an opportunity to do this service.

"Rav Pappa said to Abaye: What is the reason for this assertion that the one who burns the incense becomes wealthy? If we say it is because it is written: “They shall put incense before You and whole burnt-offerings on Your altar” (Deuteronomy 33:10), and it is written immediately after that: “Bless, O Lord, his substance” (Deuteronomy 33:11), if so, we should also make the same assertion concerning those who perform the sacrifice of a burnt-offering, since it is written in that same verse: “And whole burnt-offerings on Your altar.” (Sefaria.org translation)

No wonder the priests completed for the honor of offering up the incense since itensured wealth ( at least that’s what the rabbis taught) based on a close reading of the verses in parashat Zot Habrakha. Why is tradition so sure that the service of the incense leads to wealth since the verse not only speaks about incense but also about an olah, a complete burnt offering. “They shall offer You incense to savor And whole-offerings on Your altar. (Dt. 33:10) Couldn’t verse 11 “Bless, O LORD, his substance, And favor his undertakings” modify the olah as well?! Wouldn’t offering up the tamid which is an olah ensure wealth as well? Abaye explains the difference between the tamid and the incense.

“Abaye said to him: There is a difference between the two: This, the sacrifice of a burnt-offering, is frequent, and that, the burning of incense, is infrequent.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Rashi explains Abaye differentiation between the incense and the tamid is based on pure logic. Any kohen may offer up the tamid and not all kohanim are rich; consequently, verse 11 must be modifying just the incense.

The Ritba explains that the olah sacrifice is offered up more often than the incense, finding enough new kohanim to fulfill this job would be impossible.

The Tosefot Yeshanim explains the difference between an olah and the incense as one of control. Obviously, the tamid isn’t the only olah sacrificed. A conniving kohen who wanted to enrich himself would offer up a personal olah as his path to riches. God doesn’t reward such connivers. On the other hand, the incense wasn’t under his control. The Torah limits the offering of the incense to twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.