What it the basic meaning of "Ketores"?
Kerisos 6b: It means that when burnt, the pillar of smoke rises vertically.
Why does the Torah add the (otherwise superfluous) words "ve'ha'Ketores asher Ta'aseh"?
Kerisos, 8a: To teach us that, if one maanufactures the Ketores in halves (a hundred and eighty-four Manim at a time) it is Kasher - since it is possible to prepare it in halves - a P'ras (half a Manah) in the morning and a P'ras in the afternoon.
What is the meaning of the word "Memulach"?
Rashi, Ramban #1 (citing Targum Onkelos), Rashbam, Seforno, and Targum Yonasan: It means well-mixed. 1
Ramban #2: It means salted - with reference to the small measure of Sedomis salt 2 that they added to the mixture.
Oznayim la'Torah: It means, not specifically salted, but with added preservatives 3 which preserve and enhance its aroma. In fact, it is based on the word "Memulach" that the Chachamim added Boris Karshinah and Yein Kafrisin (which enhance the appearance of the Tziporen and make it more pungent) to the eleven ingredients and initially intended to add urine and honey. 4
Rashi: Sailors are called 'Malachim' - as in Yonah, 1:5 and in Yechezkel, 27:27, because they mix (stir) the water with their oars. See also Rashbam. The Ramban, citing Targum Onkelos, explains that the ingredients were so thoroughly ground and mixed that one could not discern any of the individual ingredients (as in Yeshayah, 51:6 and in Yirmiyah, 38:11). See also Ramban, who disagrees with Rashi's reason as to why sailors are called 'Malachim'.
As the Gemara states in Kerisus, 6a (Ramban).
See Oznayim la'Torah who cites proofs from Yechezkel, the Rambam and Kidushin, that the term is not confined to salt but rather to strong preservatives.
See 'Pitum ha'Ketores'.
