In Parshat Tetzaveh, we continue to learn about the various vessels found in the Mishkan. Upon first glance it might be puzzling to learn about the very elaborate and ornate details of the priestly garments that the most spiritual leaders are instructed to wear. Certainly we would expect the kohanim - on their lofty, yet humble level - to perform their services in more modest garb. A deeper understanding of the function of the priestly garments - as more than accessories, but actual vessels in the work of the Mishkan - reveals that the message of the bigdei kehunah is truly one of modesty, humility, and propriety. The Torah tells us:
Va’asita bigdei kodesh l’Aharon achicha l’kavod ul’tiferet
You shall make holy garments for Aharon your brother for glory and beauty (Ex. 28:2)
In trying to relate the reason behind the bigdei kehunah, the Sefer Hachinuch (mitzvah 99) suggests there is a fundamental lesson to be learned: our exteriors and our actions inform our internal thoughts, feelings, and intentions. The priestly garments served to constantly remind the kohen that he serves a spiritual leader and should be an exemplar of how to serve Hashem.
With this we can understand why the clothing were so crucial to their service. In order to fulfill their divine duties to the best of their abilities, the kohanim had to feel sanctified and dignified - this was accomplished through the donning of the priestly apparel:
…and they shall make Aaron's garments to sanctify him, that he serve Me as a kohen (Ex. 28:3)
In Judaism, modesty is not at all about negation of self worth. Rather, the Torah calls upon us to recognize our inherent value and potential; our sense of modesty comes not from a place of worthlessness, but from the recognition that we have so much to live up to. The priestly garments reminded the kohanim of their honorable role and the responsibility that came along with it.
Though we instinctually think about modesty in terms of dress, the function of these pristine and priestly garments as vessels for serving Hashem forces us to understand the concept of modesty in broader terms. The priestly garments symbolize the need for us to constantly be reminded who we are and who we are striving to be. In essence, our external garb should remind us of our intrinsic value as well as the values we hope to live by. Indeed this is the definition of modesty we find in the Torah:
What does Hashem ask of you: only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk modestly with God (Micah 6:8)
The lesson of the priestly garments and the verse quoted above are one in the same: to live modestly is to walk with God. When the priests walked with their clothing, they walked with the awareness of their role as divine servants and with the intention of acting accordingly.In this way the priestly clothing to not challenge the Jewish value of modesty, but teaches us a deeper understanding of this most esteemed quality.
Our clothing constantly informs and inspires our mindset, which in turn, influences our actions. In this way, clothing creates continuity between thought and action - between internalized values and our external actions. Indeed, the word tiferet, used to describe the priestly garments, translates not simply as beauty, but harmony. This nuanced understanding of this word suggests that this harmony between the internal and the external is precisely the purpose of the priestly garments. The inherent value each Jew possesses and the need to constantly live in accordance with this inner-sanctity is highlighted in the opening of our parsha with the command to light the Menorah:
And you shall command the children of Israel, and they shall take to you pure olive oil, crushed for lighting, to kindle the lamps continually (Ex. 27:20)
Chazal explain that the light of the Menorah symbolizes wisdom and intellect. The Seforno, among others, notes that the lights of the Menorah faced inwards toward the middle light, suggesting that all wisdom and thought should be directed towards the central light. Like the priestly garments, the Menorah teaches us that all our intentions and actions should be enlightened by the wisdom and the word of Hashem – the Source of all light. The fact that the candle was aflame reminds us that we can never take a break from letting the Torah light guide us.
The lessons of the priestly garments, which are highlighted by the Menorah, hold true for us today. Our outerwear is at once a reflection of the internal values we know to be true, an expression of our own inner-value, and finally, a reminder to make choices in line with our value system. We know that the neir tamid, the eternal flame, symbolized the constant presence of Hashem in the Mishkan and amidst Klal Yisrael. The fact that we are innately and eternally connected to Hashem should be our greatest source of self-value and worth. May we all be able to feel the presence of Hashem within us and around us - in so doing, may we be moved to walk modestly with Him - by making choices and taking action in ways that are aligned with our inherent honor and sanctity.
Shabbat Shalom, Taly
