Beaten Oil

Beaten oil (Hebrew shemen kathith) was the finest grade of olive oil, obtained by beating or crushing ripe olives in a mortar rather than pressing them in an olive press. This process yielded a pure, clear oil free of sediment. It was required for the perpetual lamp in the tabernacle (Exodus 27:20; Leviticus 24:2) and for the daily grain offering (Exodus 29:40; Numbers 28:5). Its superior purity made it the prescribed oil for the sanctuary's holiest uses.