(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׃
(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 holy clothing for your brother Aaron, for dignity and beauty. (3) Next you shall instruct all who are skillful, whom I have endowed with the gift of skill,-a to make Aaron’s clothes, for making him holy to serve Me as priest.
Read the pesukim which describe the kohanim's clothing. Use these questions to guide you as you read:
- Why are the Kohanim commanded to wear special clothing when they serve God in the Mishkan
- Why are B'nai Yisrael commanded about the kohanim's clothing, if they're not the ones wearing the clothes?
- How do you understand pasuk 2: "Make holy clothing for your brother Aaron, for dignity and beauty"? Do clothes really create dignity and beauty?
- In Hebrew, the root בגד which means "clothing" is the same as the root for "betrayal" (to trick). After reading this chapter, what do you think the connection between clothing and betrayal might be?
(3) Next you shall instruct all who are skillful, whom I have endowed with the gift of skill,-a to make Aaron’s vestments, for consecrating him to serve Me as priest. (4) These are the vestments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a fringed tunic, a headdress, and a sash. 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) It shall have two shoulder-pieces attached; they shall be attached at its two ends. (8) And the decorated band that is upon it shall be made like it, of one piece with it: of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen. ...(13) Then make frames of gold (14) and two chains of pure gold; braid these like corded work, and fasten the corded chains to the frames. (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...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. (22) On the breastpiece make braided chains of corded work in pure gold. (23) Make two rings of gold on the breastpiece, and fasten the two rings at the two ends of the breastpiece, (24) attaching the two golden cords to the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece... Make two rings of gold and attach them to the two ends of the breastpiece, at its inner edge, which faces the ephod. (27) And make two other rings of gold and fasten them on the front of the ephod, low on the two shoulder-pieces, close to its seam above the decorated band. (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...(31) You shall make the robe of the ephod of pure blue. (32) The opening for the head shall be in the middle of it; the opening shall have a binding of woven work round about—it shall be like the opening of a coat of mail—so that it does not tear. (33) On its hem make pomegranates of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, all around the hem, with bells of gold between them all around: (34) a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe. (35) Aaron shall wear it while officiating, so that the sound of it is heard when he comes into the sanctuary before the LORD and when he goes out—that he may not die. (36) You shall make a frontlet of pure gold and engrave on it the seal inscription: “Holy to the LORD.” (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 the LORD. (39) You shall make the fringed tunic of fine linen.You shall make the headdress of fine linen. You shall make the sash of embroidered work. (40) And for Aaron’s sons also you shall make tunics, and make sashes for them, and make turbans for them, for dignity and adornment. (41) Put these on your brother Aaron and on his sons as well; anoint them, and ordain them and consecrate them to serve Me as priests. (42) You shall also make for them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; they shall extend from the hips to the thighs.
Ramban, Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman , Spain, 12th century
- ד"ה לכבוד ולתפארת: שיהיה נכבד ומפואר במלבושים נכבדים ומפוארים, כמו שאמר הכתוב כחתן יכהן פאר (ישעיה ס"א י'), כי אלה הבגדים לבושי מלכות הן, כדמותן ילבשו המלכים בזמן התורה...
- ועל דרך האמת, לכבוד ולתפארת, יאמר שיעשו בגדי קודש לאהרן לשרת בהם לכבוד ה השוכן בתוכם ולתפארת עוזם...שיהיה מקום המקדש מפואר בתפארת, ומקום רגליו, שהוא מקום בית המקדש, מכובד בכבוד ה. וכן ובישראל יתפאר (שם מ"ד כ"ג), שיהיה מראה ומיחד בהם תפארתו, וכן אמר למטה גם בבגדי הבנים כולם לכבוד ולתפארת (להלן פסוק מ'), ואמר בקרבנות יעלו על רצון מזבחי ובית תפארתי אפאר (ישעיה ס' ז'). והנה המזבח רצונו, והכבוד בית תפארתו.
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 the mitre (mitsnefet) is known also today for kings and great ministers...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 (tzitz) is a crown of kings - and it is written (Psalms 132:18), "his crown will shine (yatzitz)." 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 [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 dignity and for beauty is saying that they make holy clothes for Aharon to serve in, for the dignity (honor) of God that dwells among them and for the beauty(tiferet) of their strength, as it is written (Psalms 89:18), "As You are the splendor of their strength."
According to the Ramban, what are the 2 ways of understanding how the kohanim's clothing was for " for dignity and for beauty"? Whose dignity and beauty did the clothes reflect?
Malbim- Meir Leibush ben Yechiel Michel (1809-1979), Poland and Ukraine
ד"ה ועשית בגדי קדש: הנה הבגדים שציוה לעשות היו כפי הגלוי בגדים חיצוניים, שיספר עניינם, איך עשו אותם האומנים במלאכה, אבל באמת היו מורים על בגדים פנימיים שיעשו כהני ה' להלביש בם את נפשותיהם בדעות ובמידות ובתכונות טובות שהם מלבושי הנפש, ומלבושים אלה לא עשו האומנים, וציוה ה' אל משה שהוא יעשה בגדי קודש אלה, היינו ללמדם תיקון נפשותיהם ומידותיהם באופן שילבישו הוד והדר את נפשם הפנימית. ופירוש "ועשית בגדי קדש לכבוד" כי התבאר אצלנו בכל מקום שנפש האדם נקראת בשם "כבוד" בכתבי הקודש (כמו שנאמר תהלים ל' י"ג "למען יזמרך כבוד") תעשה בגדי קודש שבם יתלבש הכבוד שהיא הנפש.
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...
Questions for Reflection:
- According to the Malbim, does the "dignity and beauty" refer only to clothing? What is this mitzva really about?
- Who do you agree with more- Ramban's understanding of the dignity and beuaty of the kohanim's clothing, or the Malbim's? Why?
(ב) משרשי המצוה. היסוד הקבוע לנו כי האדם נפעל לפי פעלותיו ואחדי מחשבותיו וכונותיו, והשליח המכפר צריך להתפיס כל מחשבותיו וכונתו אל העבודה, על כן ראוי ללבוש בגדים מיחדים אליה. שכשיסתכל בכל מקום שבגופו מיד יהיה נזכר ומתעורר בלבו לפני מי הוא עובד. וזה כעין תפילין שנצטוו הכל להניח בקצת הגוף שיהיה לזכרון מחשבת הכשר. ואף על פי שגם הכהן היה מניח תפילין, לגדל ענינו היה צריך גם זה.
The root of this mitzva. A person becomes shaped by their actions, intentions, and thoughts. The messenger sent to get atonement must calm all of his thoughts and focus all of his attention on the avoda, the service of God in the Mishkan. Therefore, he (the kohen) wears clothes which are uniquely suited for the service in the Mishkan. He needs only glance at his clothes anywhere on his body, and he immediately remembers his job, and thinks about God before whom he serves. ( This is like Tefillin, which we are commanded to place on our bodies as a way to direct our thoughts. Even thought the Kohen also puts on Tefillin, he needed these special garments to catch our eyes.)
According to the Sefer HaChinuch, why do the Kohanim need to wear special clothing? Can you think of any other people who wear special clothing (uniforms) for the same reason he describes?
For further study- a Purim connection!!
The Megillah describes Achashverosh as showing Kavod and Tiferet too!:
(ד) בְּהַרְאֹת֗וֹ אֶת־עֹ֙שֶׁר֙ כְּב֣וֹד מַלְכוּת֔וֹ וְאֶ֨ת־יְקָ֔ר תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת גְּדוּלָּת֑וֹ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים שְׁמוֹנִ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת יֽוֹם׃
The Talmud assumes the Megillah MUST be talking about the same glory and dignity, Kavod and Tiferet, used in the Beit HaMikdash.
Other pesukim describe God as having Kavod and Tiferet, like this familiar pasuk:
(ו) הוֹד־וְהָדָ֥ר לְפָנָ֑יו עֹ֥ז וְ֝תִפְאֶ֗רֶת בְּמִקְדָּשֽׁוֹ׃ (ז) הָב֣וּ לַ֭ה' מִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת עַמִּ֑ים הָב֥וּ לַ֝ה' כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃
Propp, Anchor Bible
In the ancient Near East, kings wore impressive garments and were often said to possess a divine aura...even to be gods themselves...Was the Great Priest similarly godlike? ... By clothing Aaron in the same fabric that tents over the divine Presence, by dressing him in a golden Ephod [the Torah] created an implicit equation between priest and God. The vestments give him "glory" and "splendor."
In Jewish synagogue art, especially Torah coverings, the clothing of the priests has been represented in interesting ways: