פרשת תצוה תשי"א - בגדי כהונה

For honor and for splendor: That he should be honored and glorious with honorable and glorious clothing, as the verse states (Isaiah 61:10), "as a groom who ministers in glory" - as these clothes were the clothes of royalty. Their likeness was worn by kings during the time of the Torah, as we found with the tunic (ketonet), "and he made for him a tunic of stripes" (Genesis 37:3), the explanation of which is that it is embroidered with stripes - and it is a checkerboard tunic, as I have explained (Ramban on Exodus 25:7) - and he clothed him 'like the son of ancient kings.' And this is [also] the way with the robe (maeil) and the tunic - and it is written (II Samuel 13:18), "And upon her was a tunic of stripes, as so would the virgin daughters of the king wear robes"; and its explanation is that on her was a tunic of stripes apparent and revealed, since the custom of the virgin daughters of the king was to wear robes in which they would wrap themselves, and it would come out that the tunic of stripes would be an outer garment. And therefore, it states (II Samuel 13:19), "and she tore the tunic of stripes that was upon her." And the mitre (mitsnefet) is known also today for kings and great ministers. And therefore the verse states (Ezekiel 21:31) about the fall of the kingdom, "Remove the mitre and lift off the crown"; and it is also written (Isaiah 62:3), "and a mitre (tsnif) of royalty. And so does the verse (Exodus 39:28) call them, "the glory of hats"; and it is written (Ezekiel 44:18), "And glorious linens will be on their heads" - as they are glorious and distinctive for those that crown themselves with them. And the apron (ephod) and the breastplate (choshen) are [also] clothes of royalty, as the matter that is written (Daniel 8:16), "and a gold chain upon your neck." And the frontlet (tsits) is a crown of kings - and it is written (Psalms 132:18), "his crown will shine (yatsits)." And [the garments of the High Priest] are gold and purple and turquoise - and it is written (Pslams 45:14), "All honorable is the daughter of the king inside, from checkerboards of gold is her clothing"; and it is written (Daniel 5:16), "you will wear purple and a gold chain upon your neck." And [concerning] turquoise even today 'no man lifts his hand' to wear it except for a king of nations. And it is written (Esther 8:15), "And Mordechai went out from in front of the king with regal clothes of turquoise and white, and a crown of gold and a wrap of linen and purple" - and the wrap is the robe (maeil) in which he wraps himself. And according to the true path, for honor and for splendor is saying that they make holy clothes for Aharon to serve in, for the honor of God that dwells among them and for the splendor (tiferet) of their might, as it is written (Psalms 89:18), "As You are the splendor of their strength." And it is written (Isaiah 64:10), "The house of our holiness and our splendor where our ancestors praised You" - our holiness is the Honor, and our splendor is the Splendor of Israel. And it is also stated (Psalms 96:6), "Might and splendor are in His Temple," and so [too] (Isaiah 60:13), "To glorify the place of My Temple, and I will honor the place of My feet" - that the place of the Temple be glorious in splendor and the place of His feet, which is the place of the Temple, honored with the honor of God. And so [too] (Isaiah 44:23), "And in Israel will He be splendorous," [means] that He will show and designate His splendor in them. And so it states below (Exodus 28:40), also with clothing of the children - all of them - "for honor and for splendor." And it states about the sacrifices (Isaiah 60:7), "they will go up willingly on My altar - the House of My splendor will I make splendorous" - and behold the altar is His will and the honor is the House of His splendor. And the clothing would need to be made for its sake (lishma); and it is likely that [those that made them] required [particular] intention. And therefore, it states (Exodus 28:3), And you shall speak to all the ones of wise heart, who has been filled with a spirit of wisdom" - that they understand what they should do. And we have already learned (Yoma 69a), "The appearance of his likeness (of the High Priest) is making victory in front of me in my wars."

And you shall make sacred garments: Behold, the garments that He 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. And the explanation of "And you shall make sacred garments for glory," is that it is understood by us that every place that the soul of a man is called glory (as in Psalms 30:13, "In order that my glory sings"), you shall make sacred garments for the glory - meaning the soul - to wear...

And you shall speak: However, the outer garments which hint to the inner garments - make this with craftsmen expert in their craft. Nevertheless, even these craftsmen must be wise-hearted. For I have already clarified in [my] commentary on Proverbs1 that wise-hearted is a very high level. As a wise one is one who acts according to the laws of wisdom; yet he still has an inner war with his impulse. But one who is wise-hearted is one whose wisdom is acquired by his soul and fills all the chambers of his soul. And about this it states, "that I have filled him with a spirit of wisdom': It is an explanation of "to the wise-hearted" - one who has a spirit of wisdom that fills all of his heart, and there is no place found in his heart that is empty for desire, [an evil] impulse and thoughts that are counter to wisdom. And [it is] these wise-hearted ones that shall make Aaron's clothes to sanctify him; as they will understand to what these garments hint...

And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron’s garments to sanctify him, that he may minister unto Me in the priest’s office.

And you shall speak: However, the outer garments which hint to the inner garments - make this with craftsmen expert in their craft. Nevertheless, even these craftsmen must be wise-hearted. For I have already clarified in [my] commentary on Proverbs1 that wise-hearted is a very high level. As a wise one is one who acts according to the laws of wisdom; yet he still has an inner war with his impulse. But one who is wise-hearted is one whose wisdom is acquired by his soul and fills all the chambers of his soul. And about this it states, "that I have filled him with a spirit of wisdom': It is an explanation of "to the wise-hearted" - one who has a spirit of wisdom that fills all of his heart, and there is no place found in his heart that is empty for desire, [an evil] impulse and thoughts that are counter to wisdom. And [it is] these wise-hearted ones that shall make Aaron's clothes to sanctify him; as they will understand to what these garments hint...

He couched, he lay down as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Blessed be every one that blesseth thee, And cursed be every one that curseth thee.

When thou goest forth to battle against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God delivereth them into thy hands, and thou carriest them away captive,

And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the LORD; and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.