This morning, I want to talk about what we wear, why we wear it, and how our external garments affect our inner being. And then I want to do some bibliodrama with you this morning, not as a mountain (as we did not long ago), but as some of the garments of the Kohen Gadol/High Priest.
The reason I want to focus on this topic is first, because this morning's Torah portion, more than any other, focuses on clothing and other garments, specifically, the garments and the clothing of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, and secondly, I have been interested in clothing in the Tanakh for a long time, who wears them, what they wear, and what their clothing and garments mean and what say about those who wear them, and how clothing can affect our hearts and minds as well.
First, I have read that there are five purposes for clothing. Let's identify them.
- modesty (keeps parts of me private, or exposes parts of me)
- protection (protects parts of me, or leaves parts of me vulnerable)
- identity (I am part of this group; I am not part of this group)
- adornment (I like how I look in these clothes, they like how I look in these clothes)
- status (my clothing shows me/others my status and/or role in this group)
ואפוד, a garment which is at one and the same time decorative and protective, covering the chest of a person, worn as an outer garment.
- uniforms/gear for sports (football, soccer, baseball, etc): protective; who is on which team, who is the team captain, the goalie, etc.
- tallit/tefillin/kippah: shows people that I am engaged in prayer; connects me to my Jewish identity; they also can be beautiful, like a kippah or tallit.
- marching band uniform: makes the band look...uniform and professional; looks spectacular; can also be an identifier and role indicator (I.e. the drum major).
- formal wear: indicates that a certain person is important or at an important or special event; can indicate social status or lack of it.
I propose that we add one more to this list of purposes for clothing, which might be implicit in some of them, namely that clothing can also affect one's inner state of being. It could be self-image or an attitude, etc. One could call this clothing's Spiritual Ergonomic function. The Malbim speaks to this role that clothing can play:
ועשית בגדי קדש, הנה הבגדים שצוה לעשות היה כפי הגלוי בגדים חיצונים, שיספר ענינם איך עשו אותם האומנים במלאכה, אבל באמת היו מורים על בגדים פנימים שיעשו כהני ה' להלביש בם את נפשותיהם בדעות ובמדות ובתכונות טובות שהם מלבושי הנפש, ומלבושים אלה לא עשו האומנים, וצוה ה' אל משה שהוא יעשה בגדי קדש אלה, היינו ללמדם תקון נפשותיהם ומדותיהם באופן שילבישו הוד והדר את נפשם הפנימית.
And you shall make sacred garments: Behold, the garments that God commanded to make were ostensibly outer garments, such that their makeup is discussed - how the craftsmen are to make them with their work. But they really indicate inner clothes that the priests of God should make - to clothe their souls with thoughts and traits and proper tendencies, which are the clothes of the soul; and the craftsmen did not make those garments.
But God commanded Moses that he should make these sacred garments - meaning to teach them how to refine their souls and traits, in such a way they will wear majesty and splendor upon their internal souls.
So what if clothing plays a similar role, but as the Malbim suggests, in an inward sense. How can clothing help a human function in the world? How might clothing help a human maintain a healthy relationship between themselves and what they are doing, for example, in their work?
One personal example. During COVID, when working, I would dress for the occasion(s). On top for the camera, a dress or polo shirt, a kippah, ready to look professional on Zoom, but off (or below) camera? Sweatpants, pajama bottoms or shorts. This is sometimes referred to as a "Zoom mullet." My clothing helped me focus on two competing needs of that time: staying focused and being present when working, and also because of the COVID lockdowns and related stress, self-care and staying comfortable. The clothing that I chose had both a practical function, and also spiritual ergonomic functions, in that it helped to shape my inner life at the same time as it had other purposes as well.
How might garments of the Kohen Gadol/High Priest help them perform and function well? How could they help maintain a healthy relationship between the person wearing them and their work/role/identity?
Each of these garments was made by craftspeople who were endowed with a divine creative spirit (Ruach Elohim), and with wisdom (Chochmah). I like to think that these craftspeople's creativity and wisdom were imbued into the garments themselves, and what if those garments could speak.
(6) Moreover, I have assigned to him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart-mind of all who are wise-hearted/minded, I have given wisdom, and they shall make everything that I have commanded you:
(א) וְאַתָּ֡ה הַקְרֵ֣ב אֵלֶ֩יךָ֩ אֶת־אַהֲרֹ֨ן אָחִ֜יךָ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֣יו אִתּ֗וֹ מִתּ֛וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְכַהֲנוֹ־לִ֑י אַהֲרֹ֕ן נָדָ֧ב וַאֲבִיה֛וּא אֶלְעָזָ֥ר וְאִיתָמָ֖ר בְּנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹֽן׃ (ב) וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ בִגְדֵי־קֹ֖דֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֑יךָ לְכָב֖וֹד וּלְתִפְאָֽרֶת׃ (ג) וְאַתָּ֗ה תְּדַבֵּר֙ אֶל־כׇּל־חַכְמֵי־לֵ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִלֵּאתִ֖יו ר֣וּחַ חׇכְמָ֑ה וְעָשׂ֞וּ אֶת־בִּגְדֵ֧י אַהֲרֹ֛ן לְקַדְּשׁ֖וֹ לְכַהֲנוֹ־לִֽי׃ (ד) וְאֵ֨לֶּה הַבְּגָדִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר יַעֲשׂ֗וּ
- חֹ֤שֶׁן
- וְאֵפוֹד֙
- וּמְעִ֔יל
- וּכְתֹ֥נֶת תַּשְׁבֵּ֖ץ
- מִצְנֶ֣פֶת וְאַבְנֵ֑ט
וְעָשׂ֨וּ בִגְדֵי־קֹ֜דֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹ֥ן אָחִ֛יךָ וּלְבָנָ֖יו לְכַהֲנוֹ־לִֽי׃ (ה) וְהֵם֙ יִקְח֣וּ אֶת־הַזָּהָ֔ב וְאֶת־הַתְּכֵ֖לֶת וְאֶת־הָֽאַרְגָּמָ֑ן וְאֶת־תּוֹלַ֥עַת הַשָּׁנִ֖י וְאֶת־הַשֵּֽׁשׁ׃ {פ}
(1) You shall bring forward your brother Aaron, with his sons, from among the Israelites, to serve Me as priests: Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron. (2) Make sacral vestments for your brother Aaron, for dignity and adornment...
(4) These are the vestments they are to make:
- a choshen / a breastpiece,
- an ephod / [same in Hebrew]
- a me'il / a robe
- a k'tonet tashbetz /a fringed tunic
- a mitznefet / a headdress
- and an avnet / sash.
[There is also a frontlet called a tzitz, which goes over the forehead.]
They shall make those sacral vestments for your brother Aaron and his sons, for priestly service to Me; (5) they, therefore, shall receive the gold, the blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and the fine linen.
(6) They shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen, worked into designs.
(7) [The ephod] shall have two shoulder-pieces attached; they shall be attached at its two ends...(9) Then take two lazuli stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel: (10) six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth. (11) On the two stones you shall make seal engravings—the work of a lapidary—of the names of the sons of Israel.
Having bordered them with frames of gold, (12) attach the two stones to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, as stones for remembrance of the Israelite people, whose names Aaron shall carry upon his two shoulder-pieces for remembrance before ה'.
Imagine that you are the two stones for the High Priests's shoulder pieces, each engraved with six of the names of the tribes of Israel. When the High Priest puts you on:
- What impact do you have on his physical body?
- What wisdom do you have to share with him?
- What would you like to whisper into his ear in the morning when he puts you on for the day?
- What do you want him to know that will help him with his tasks?
(טו) וְעָשִׂ֜יתָ חֹ֤שֶׁן מִשְׁפָּט֙ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה חֹשֵׁ֔ב כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה אֵפֹ֖ד תַּעֲשֶׂ֑נּוּ זָ֠הָ֠ב תְּכֵ֨לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָ֜ן וְתוֹלַ֧עַת שָׁנִ֛י וְשֵׁ֥שׁ מׇשְׁזָ֖ר תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה אֹתֽוֹ׃
(
טז) רָב֥וּעַ יִֽהְיֶ֖ה כָּפ֑וּל זֶ֥רֶת אׇרְכּ֖וֹ וְזֶ֥רֶת רׇחְבּֽוֹ׃ (יז) וּמִלֵּאתָ֥ בוֹ֙ מִלֻּ֣אַת אֶ֔בֶן אַרְבָּעָ֖ה טוּרִ֣ים אָ֑בֶן
ט֗וּר אֹ֤דֶם פִּטְדָה֙ וּבָרֶ֔קֶת הַטּ֖וּר הָאֶחָֽד׃ (יח) וְהַטּ֖וּר הַשֵּׁנִ֑י נֹ֥פֶךְ סַפִּ֖יר וְיָהֲלֹֽם׃
(יט) וְהַטּ֖וּר הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֑י לֶ֥שֶׁם שְׁב֖וֹ וְאַחְלָֽמָה׃
(כ) וְהַטּוּר֙ הָרְבִיעִ֔י תַּרְשִׁ֥ישׁ וְשֹׁ֖הַם וְיָשְׁפֵ֑ה
מְשֻׁבָּצִ֥ים זָהָ֛ב יִהְי֖וּ בְּמִלּוּאֹתָֽם׃ (כא) וְ֠הָאֲבָנִ֠ים תִּֽהְיֶ֜יןָ עַל־שְׁמֹ֧ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל שְׁתֵּ֥ים עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה עַל־שְׁמֹתָ֑ם פִּתּוּחֵ֤י חוֹתָם֙ אִ֣ישׁ עַל־שְׁמ֔וֹ תִּֽהְיֶ֕יןָ לִשְׁנֵ֥י עָשָׂ֖ר שָֽׁבֶט׃
...(כח) וְיִרְכְּס֣וּ אֶת־הַ֠חֹ֠שֶׁן מִֽטַּבְּעֹתָ֞ו אֶל־טַבְּעֹ֤ת הָאֵפוֹד֙ בִּפְתִ֣יל תְּכֵ֔לֶת לִֽהְי֖וֹת עַל־חֵ֣שֶׁב הָאֵפ֑וֹד וְלֹֽא־יִזַּ֣ח הַחֹ֔שֶׁן מֵעַ֖ל הָאֵפֽוֹד׃
(כט) וְנָשָׂ֣א אַ֠הֲרֹ֠ן אֶת־שְׁמ֨וֹת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל בְּחֹ֧שֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּ֛ט עַל־לִבּ֖וֹ בְּבֹא֣וֹ אֶל־הַקֹּ֑דֶשׁ לְזִכָּרֹ֥ן לִפְנֵֽי־ה' תָּמִֽיד׃
....(15) You shall make a breastpiece of decision worked into a design; make it in the style of the ephod: make it of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen.
(16) It shall be square and doubled, a span in length and a span in width. (17) Set in it mounted stones, in four rows of stones [The identity of several of the following twelve stones is uncertain]:
The first row shall be a row of carnelian, chrysolite, and emerald;
(18) the second row: a turquoise, a sapphire, and an amethyst;
(19) the third row: a jacinth, an agate, and a crystal;
(20) and the fourth row: a beryl, a lapis lazuli, and a jasper.
They shall be framed with gold in their mountings. (21) The stones shall correspond [in number] to the names of the sons of Israel: twelve, corresponding to their names. They shall be engraved like seals, each with its name, for the twelve tribes.
...(28) The breastpiece shall be held in place by a cord of blue from its rings to the rings of the ephod, so that the breastpiece rests on the decorated band and does not come loose from the ephod.
(29) Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel on the breastpiece of decision over his heart, when he enters the sanctuary, for remembrance before ה' at all times.
One should not be surprised at this, as every stone has a specific power placed in it by nature. Thus there is a stone that attracts iron. There is likewise a stone that stops bleeding. Another stone is repelled by vinegar. There is also a stone whose pieces always form a triangle when broken.
Now we come to the Choshen, the breastplate. For this piece, I invite who ever would like to, to come up and place one of the stones on the breastplate. It does not matter if you share something from the point of view of one of the craftsperson.
Image that you are one of the craftspeople making the High Priest's Choshen//Breastplate, where there will be 12 stones arranged in a grid. So as a craftsperson, who is gifted with divine creative ability and with wisdom:
- As you add one of the stones, what wisdom (for the High Priest) or power are you imbuing into that stone?
- What wisdom will that stone give him?
- How will it help him with his tasks?
- What impact might it have on his physical body?
[For each attribute, skill or ability that each person shares, reflect this back on the others in the room:
- Do we have this skill in our personal took kit already? What do we wear that gives us this wisdom?
- Is this a skill that we want or need for ourselves? What could we wear that gives us this wisdom?]
(לו) וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ צִּ֖יץ זָהָ֣ב טָה֑וֹר וּפִתַּחְתָּ֤ עָלָיו֙ פִּתּוּחֵ֣י חֹתָ֔ם קֹ֖דֶשׁ לַֽה'׃ (לז) וְשַׂמְתָּ֤ אֹתוֹ֙ עַל־פְּתִ֣יל תְּכֵ֔לֶת וְהָיָ֖ה עַל־הַמִּצְנָ֑פֶת אֶל־מ֥וּל פְּנֵֽי־הַמִּצְנֶ֖פֶת יִהְיֶֽה׃
(לח) וְהָיָה֮ עַל־מֵ֣צַח אַהֲרֹן֒ וְנָשָׂ֨א אַהֲרֹ֜ן אֶת־עֲוֺ֣ן הַקֳּדָשִׁ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַקְדִּ֙ישׁוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְכׇֽל־מַתְּנֹ֖ת קׇדְשֵׁיהֶ֑ם וְהָיָ֤ה עַל־מִצְחוֹ֙ תָּמִ֔יד לְרָצ֥וֹן לָהֶ֖ם לִפְנֵ֥י ה'׃
(36) You shall make a frontlet of pure gold and engrave on it the seal inscription: “Holy to the Eternal.” (37 Suspend it on a cord of blue, so that it may remain on the headdress; it shall remain on the front of the headdress.
(38) It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may take away any sin arising from the holy things that the Israelites consecrate, from any of their sacred donations; it shall be on his forehead at all times, to win acceptance for them before ה'.
Image that you are the frontlet for the High Priest, engraved with the phrase Kodesh Ladonai/ Holy - Sacred to the Eternal. When the High Priest puts you on:
- What impact do you have on his physical body?
- What wisdom do you have to share with him?
- What do you want him to know that will help him with his tasks?
To make him holy, to appoint him as priest to Me - to sanctify him, i. e. to install him into the priesthood by means of the garments, so that he may become priest unto Me. The expression of כהונה denotes service — serventrie in old French
For honor and splendor. This is only said about the garments of the high priest. Aharon was required to act with special piety and to set himself apart from the people, which was liable to bring upon him an accusation of haughtiness. Therefore it was necessary that he be distinguished in his dress so that all would know that God had chosen him to be the “Throne” of the Shechinah. Likewise is with all high priests.
Whereas with the garments of the ordinary priests, only the turbans were for honor and glory, as I have written further on verse 40. However the high priest was fit to be differentiated in all of his ways.
For a memorial — so that the Holy One, blessed be He, will see the names of the tribes written before Him and He will remember their righteousness (cf. Exodus Rabbah 38:8).
וחכם גדול ספרדי אמר כי יהלום הוא הנקרא אלמם שהוא שובר כל האבנים ונוקב הבדולח. מגזרת הולם פעם. והיו"ד נוסף כיו"ד יצהר גם אחלמה אל חלמה. והוא אבן שכל מי שהאבן ההוא באצבעו לעולם יראה חלומות.
ואין לתמוה על זה כי כח ימצא בתולדת כל אבן ואבן. כי יש אבן המושכת את הברזל. והמעמדת את הדם. והבורחת מהחומץ. והנשברת לעולם על משולש:
A great Sephardic scholar said that yahalom (emerald) is a diamond. This stone has the ability to break up all other stones and to bore through bdellium...Also achlamah (amethyst) is to be identified with the dream stone. This is a stone that always induces dreams in the person who wears it.
One should not be surprised at this, as every stone has a specific power placed in it by nature. Thus there is a stone that attracts iron. There is likewise a stone that stops bleeding. Another stone is repelled by vinegar. There is also a stone whose pieces always form a triangle when broken.
על שתי כתפיו לזכרון, in order to attract the attribute of Mercy to be invoked by their merit. (the merit of wearing the shoulder pads)
And Aaron shall bear/carry the iniquity of the holy items... — The word נשא is an expression of forgiveness, but nevertheless it does not lose its ordinary meaning of “bearing”: Aaron bears the load of iniquity so that it follows that the iniquity is lifted off the holy things.
והיה על מצחו תמיד — It is not possible to say that this means that it should be on his forehead continually because, as a matter of fact, it was on it only at the time of the sacrificial service. But the word תמיד is to be connected with the words that follow: “continually to make atonement for them”, even if it be not then upon his forehead, i. e. when the High Priest was not officiating, and therefore was not wearing the Plate, at that time when the unclean animal was being sacrificed by an ordinary priest.
But according to the opinion (if we adopt the opinion) of him (Rabbi Judah) who says that only whilst it was on his forehead did it atone and effect pardon, and that if it was not on his forehead, it did not effect pardon, the following inference must be derived from the phrase על מצחו תמיד: it informs us that he must constantly touch it while it is on his forehead, so that he should not divert his attention from it (Yoma 7b).
ודע כי בשנים הנקבים שהם במוח על המצח שם יתחבר כח החמש הרגשות. ושם כח הדמות. ושם תחל המחשבה. ע"כ כתוב על הציץ לשאת את עון הקדשים. אולי לא היה מחשב' המקדשים כהוגן.
[About the location of the Tzitiz] Note that the five senses come together in the two cavities which are in that part of the brain which is behind the forehead. This is where the imaginative power is located. Furthermore, all thoughts begin there. It is for this reason that Scripture writes, regarding the plate, that Aaron shall bear the iniquity committed in the holy things (v. 38). It is possible that those who hallowed holy things unto the Eternal did so while thinking improper thoughts.