If One Accidentally Skipped One of the Spices of the Ketoret

The Bet Yosef (commentary to the Tur by Maran Rav Yosef Karo, author of the Shulhan Aruch) cites Rav Yishak Abuhab (Spain, 1433-1493) as stating that when one recites the list of the eleven spices of Ketoret, he must do so carefully, from a written text, in order to ensure not to mistakenly omit any of the spices. As we say in the section from the Gemara recited in the Ketoret section, "Im Hisar Ahat Mi'kol Samaneha Hayab Mita" – leaving out even one of the eleven ingredients of the Ketoret constitutes a capital offense, punishable by death. Since we read the Ketoret section in lieu of the offering of the Ketoret in the Bet Ha'mikdash, one who mistakenly skips one of the ingredients would be in violation of this capital offense. The Bet Yosef speculates that this might be the reason why Ashkenazic communities do not recite the Ketoret section on weekday mornings – due to the concern that one might recite this section quickly, given the pressures of the workweek, and mistakenly omit one of the spices. Indeed, the Rama (Rav Moshe Isserles, Poland, 1530-1572) explains on this basis the Ashkenazic custom not to recite the Ketoret on weekdays. The Bet Yosef comments that if the Ashkenazim received a tradition to omit the Ketoret on weekdays, then he certainly will not argue with their tradition, but if this is done only due to the fear of skipping one of the spices, then this practice is not acceptable. He explains that when the Gemara speaks of the death penalty as the punishment for leaving out one of the spices of the Ketoret, this refers to the Kohen Gadol offering a deficient incense on Yom Kippur. The only time it was ever permissible to enter the Kodesh Ha'kodashim – the inner sanctum of the Bet Ha'mikdash – was when the Kohen Gadol went there to perform the special Yom Kippur service, and this required the offering of Ketoret. If the Ketoret was deficient and thus invalid, then the Kohen Gadol would be in violation of a capital offense when he entered the Kodesh Ha'kodashim on Yom Kippur. It goes without saying that this has no relevance at all to somebody who mistakenly omits one of the spices when reciting the section of the Ketoret and listing its ingredients. A different view is held by the Rambam, who maintained that a Kohen incurs the death penalty for offering a deficient Ketoret even on ordinary weekdays, and not only on Yom Kippur. However, even according to the Rambam, the punishment is incurred not for bringing a deficient Ketoret, but rather for entering the Bet Ha'mikdash for naught, since the offering brought was not valid. Clearly, this does not apply to one who mistakenly skips one of the spices while reciting the Ketoret. Moreover, even if one insists that offering a deficient Ketoret itself constitutes a capital offense, there is no basis for extending this to a person who omits one of the spices during the recitation of this section. Therefore, while of course one should always try to ensure to recite all the words of the entire prayer service properly, there is no reason to be especially "scared" when listing the ingredients of the Ketoret.