When we read about the criticism that the President of Ukraine received during his recent visit to the United States for his disregard for the dignified dress code used during official visits, we cannot help but be reminded of the description of the High Priest’s garments in our parasha, Parasha Tetzaveh. The High Priest’s garments were made of gold, azure, shani, shesh, and crimson, and were adorned with precious stones set in the breastplate and shoulder straps of the Ephod.
What significance are the priest’s garments serving in the sanctuary? Are gold, shesh, and crimson required for those who serve the public as spiritual servers? This question is heightened when we compare the nature of the priest’s garments to the work of building the Mishkan, as we read about in the previous parasha, Parasha Terumah.
The principle behind the construction of the Mishkan is that the heart of the Mishkan, the Ark and the tablets within it, are not visible to the eyes of the congregation gathered in the courtyard of the Mishkan. The observer from the outside sees only the simple sheets of dachshund skins that cover the tent, while the woven and embroidered curtains, woven with scarlet and blue threads, are internal, just as the golden or gold-plated vessels of the Mishkan were hidden from the eyes of the observer from the outside.
In the matter of the priestly garments, the opposite principle seems to apply: the more expensive, rare, and unique materials – the blue and scarlet gold and the fine stones – are found in prominent and visible places: on the chest of the High Priest, on his shoulders, and on his forehead, while the cheapest component – the simple cloth trousers – are hidden from view under the luxurious robe.
What can we learn from the priestly garments about issues in public office? Are they part of the people and must act simply and modestly as ‘one of the people’, or should they be elevated from the people, adopting royal manners in order to maintain distance and separation between themselves and the congregation they serve? The answer is probably both.
In contrast to the divine presence implied in the act of the tabernacle, an elusive and imperceptible presence that resides in the spaces created by the tabernacle more than it resides in the trees and stones, the priesthood, for its part, requires visibility and presence that are visible to the eye, such that one can be impressed by the power of closeness to the Holy One. Therefore, the clothing of the High Priest indeed separates and distinguishes him from the congregation of Israel and even from the other priests. As the Ramban writes in his commentary: “For these are the garments worn by people of the royalty, in their likeness kings shall wear.”
However, on the other hand, the Torah repeatedly reminds us that the garment was intended for Aaron the highest priest, only for the purpose of their office and not for his personal needs. Transparency and reflection also require simplicity and modesty from the High Priest, because someone who is filled with ego from within himself and worries only about his own glory cannot reflect their honor and power to the public.
Therefore, in order to ensure that the Priest does not become distracted by the splendor of his clothing and remembers his role as the public’s messenger, the parasha also mentions the linen trousers. The linen trousers are a simple but necessary item of clothing worn under the luxurious garments.
The High Priest is obligated to remember that beneath the luxurious garments he is a human being like any other, and at the end of his service in the sanctuary he will take off his priestly garments and put them back on – ‘in his own clothes’ so that the manners of royalty would be reduced to clothing and position and would not also be attached to his customs and lifestyle
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Refael Cohen