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Parshat Tetzaveh

By: Georgia Cohn

In this weeks parsha, Parshat Tetzaveh we discuss in depth and explore the finer details of the priestly garments, worn by the kohanim – the priests while they served in the sanctuary.
 
The Rambam explains that the Kohanim were given very vibrant, colourful and beautiful holy garments, garments of distinction so that the people would honour and revere the Beit Hamikdash, atypical to the reality of today’s day and age where a great tzaddik is envisioned dressed in black. Typically in a black suit, sometimes white but certainly never the vibrant colours the Kohanim are described to have worn.
 
Each intricate aspect and element are expounded on, down to the smallest detail. The garments, as the utensils of the Mishkan, served as an important function in fostering our relationship with Hashem. Each bigdei kehunah played a role in atoning for the Jewish people.
 
There are a few garments all kohanim wore including a full-length linen tunic (ketonet), linen breeches (michnasayim), a linen turban (mitznefet/migba’at) and a long sash wound above the waist (avnet).
 
Additionally, the high priest, the kohen gadol wore 4 additional garments. They wore a blue, purple and red-dyed wool and linen apron-like garment (the efod), a breastplate which contained twelve precious stones inscribed with the names of the 12 tribes (the choshen), a turquoise cloak with decorative pomegranates (the me’il) and a golden forehead plate (the tzitz).
 
The Bais Halevi points out that two of the vestments worn by the Kohen Gadol correspond to two key organisms in the body.
 
Firstly, the golden headplate, the tzitz being opposite to the brain, has a direct correlation to the choices we make – enabling the Kohen Gadol to exercise his intellect and rule on halachic issues such as kashrut. Further we examine that the tzitz has the words “Kodesh l’Hashem” engraved upon it. The pasuk stating, “it shall be on his forehead always” alluding to the way that halacha is at the forefront of the choices that we make, acting as a framework in our daily lives.
 
The breastplate, the choshen, being opposite to the heart shows that our personal moral compass is a driving factor in our daily lives.
 
There is another idea that the Kohen Gadol must illuminate the coloured stones of the twelve tribes.
 
Rashi suggests that the code to lighting up the stones on the choshen involves placing an inscribed piece of parchment with “Shem HaShem”, Hashem’s true, divine name on it in the inner pocket of the choshen, which is known as the Aurim Ketuvim.
 
The Rambam states that Hashem’s name does not need to appear in the Aurim Ketuvim, where rather the Aurim Ketuvim becomes a focus area for the Kohen to go into Nevuah. The Rambam proposes that one can do the morally correct thing, fill the Aurim Ketuvim with their own beliefs, ideals and attitudes without putting in Shem HaShem. One does not beed the ‘safety net’ of Hashem’s name. One’s confidence is purely derived in their passion and drive to find the right answers to life’s existential questions. 
 
Both Rashi and the Rambam’s approaches allow us to think about what we put in our own personal inner pockets, our Aurim Ketuvim, allowing us to understand what our driving force is. Is it our emunah, faith in Hashem that drives our passion for Torah study or is it our ability to physically see, feel and touch the land of our ancestors driving us to delve deeper into the history of our forefathers? Do we require an outside stimulus to justify our thoughts?
 
The way we illuminate our vest can show us the path in which we find our own, deep connection to Hashem. From this we can all learn that out passion comes from within us – it comes from that inner pocket, literally next to our hearts. We mustn’t wait for those outside influences to come our way.
 
Ultimately, we must be confident in our moral framework and our ability to choose the most just, life choices to maximize our potential. Your heart is the driver to your success.