Costume Jew-elry

Rabbi Wagensberg
Parshas Tetzaveh - Purim
Costume Jew-elry

The thematic idea of this week's portion deals with the commandment to make the Priestly Garb (Ex. 28:2) The Kohen Gadol (High Priest) wore eight different garments whereas the Kohen Hedyot (the "average" Priests) wore four garments. (Mishna Yoma, chap. 7, "Buh Lo Kohen Gadol", pg. 71b)

The four garments of the Kohen Hedyot were all white. The Kohen Gadol also wore those white garments but in addition to them he wore four other garments that had gold in them. (ibid)

These uniforms were known to atone for a variety of sins (see Zevachaim, chap. 9,"HaMizbeach Mikadesh", pg. 88b, the opinion of Rebbi Aynini Bar Sasson). Although today in our exile we have lost this attire with its benefits, nevertheless, by engaging in its study we can achieve atonement as well (see Menachos, chap. 13, "Harei Uhlai Isaron", pg. 110a, the opinion of Reish Lakish).

The Talmud (Sanhedrin, chap. 4, "Echad Dinei Mammanos", pg. 39a) shares a fascination dialog between a certain heretic and Rabbi Avahu. The heretic said to Rabbi Avahu that the Jewish God is a Kohen. Proof of this is the opening verse of Parshas Terumah which states that God commands the Jewish People to give HaShem a tithe (Ex.25:2). Since tithes are traditionally given to a Kohen, we can conclude that God must be a Kohen.

We also know, continued the heretic, that God himself buried Moshe (Deut. 34:6). Now, a dead body exudes impurity; however, a Kohen must maintain a high level of purity. So, what did God immerse Himself in to achieve that level of purity after burying Moshe?

Rabbi Avahu responded that God immersed Himself in fire. In support of this, Rabbi Avahu cited a verse that says "For behold, God will come in a fire" (Isa. 66:15).

The Tosafists (that begins with the word "Bimai") asks why the heretic was only bothered by the means with which God purified himself. There is by far a much greater question that he should have posed. Since God is a Kohen, how could He have made Himself impure to begin with?

The Tosafists answer that there was never a difficulty regarding HaShem's becoming impure to bury Moshe, since the Jewish people are considered to be God's children, (Deut. 14:1), and we know that a Kohen is allowed to become impure for his child.

Rebbi Shimon Meiastrapoli, (cited in the Shvilei Pinchas), is shocked by the Tosafist's answer. Rebbi Shimon points out that only a Kohen Hedyot is allowed to become impure for his child; however, a Kohen Gadol may not become impure even for his child.

Obviously, God would have the status of a Kohen Gadol. If so, how could He become impure even for Moshe, His precious child?

Rebbi Shimon says that a very deep secret lies beneath this passage. He cites the Zohar and Kabbalists in many places that say that God lowers Himself to the level of a Kohen Hedyot just out of the great love that He has for His children, Israel.

God does this in order to be able to descend to the places of impurity that His children have fallen to. It is in those very places that God purifies them.

The Arizal adds that in order to do this, God dons Himself, so to speak, only in the four white garments of a Kohen Hedyot.

Perhaps we could suggest that it is for this very reason that the Kohen Gadol only dresses himself in the four white garments of a Kohen Hedyot on Yom Kippur when he enters into the Holy of Holies.

After all, the job of a Kohen is to atone for his people. The one Kohen who carries this responsibility more than any other is the Kohen Gadol. Therefore, the Kohen Gadol must be prepared to stoop to the lowest of places in order to rescue those who have fallen to the bottom of spiritual filth.

The Kohen Gadol demonstrates the willingness to do whatever it takes to save his people by wearing just the white Priestly Garb on Yom Kippur. In other words, he is making a statement that he is prepared to get his hands dirty, as it were; just so that he can help others rise out of the mud.

We could add that it is for no small reason that this week's portion falls out right before the Holiday of Purim. The parallel might be that this is precisely what Mordechai and Esther did for their people.

The Jews had fallen to a very low spiritual place by partaking of Achashveirosh's filthy meal and by bowing down to Haman and the idol that was worn around his neck.

Like true leaders, Mordechai and Esther helped set their people straight. Esther called for the Jews to fast, (Esther 4:16), which would purge them from the food they ate at the filthy party. Mordechai was their role model by not bowing down to Haman, (Esther 3:2), thus, fixing the sin of idolatry, (See the Vilna Gaon's commentary on The Book of Esther).

Perhaps, this could be why, at the end of the story, when Mordechai exits the palace and stands before the Jewish people, it describes the clothing that he wore, (Book of Esther, 8:15). When you count the number of garments correctly, there are eight in all.

We could suggest that the eight pieces of attire that Mordechai wore corresponds to the eight garments worn by the high priest. This shows that Mordechai achieved what a high priest was meant to do; namely, to fix and mend the people by bringing them to atonement.

However, Mordechai wore the eight pieces of clothing only after he brought the Jews to repentance. We could infer from this that earlier in the story, Mordechai only wore four garments of white when he was involved in moving his people to Teshuvah, (See Book of Esther 4:1, where specifically four words are used to describe what Mordechai wore, hinting at the four garments).

This illustrates that Mordechai was willing to go the distance to save the Jewish people and do whatever it took to rescue them. Mordechai was willing to lower himself in order to help his fellow brothers and sisters.

Indeed, that it precisely what happened. The end of Megillas Esther reports that the Sanhedrin (The Jewish Supreme Court) put Mordechai on a lower level of stature than he had previously been on prior to the onset of the whole story, (10:3; See Tractate Megillah, chap. 1, "Megillah Nikreis", pg. 16b).

This piece of information has always been upsetting to me. It seems unfair. Here is a man, who was willing to sacrifice himself for his people, and what thanks does he get? He is put on a lower status by the Sanhedrin. It just doesn't seem right.

However, this year, I was thinking, that the lower status which was accorded to Mordechai, in and of itself, shows his greatness. The Sanhedrin actually praised Mordechai by putting him on a lower standing.

In other words, the Sanhedrin was saying, "Look at this man's greatness. He was willing to stoop to lower levels just to help his fellow people." In order to make it real, they had to demote Mordechai. This is something Mordechai himself wanted.

Mordechai and the Sanhedrin wanted to teach the Jewish people a powerful lesson, and that is; sometimes in life we have to be willing to take a hit just in order to help somebody else. This commitment is the stuff that great people are made of!

In today's day and age, we are surrounded by people in need, physically and spiritually. These situations are opportunities for our spiritual growth, especially when we lose out a little bit in the process of assisting others.

This could be why we have a custom to dress up in costumes on Purim. Sometimes, we even look foolish parading around in these get-ups. When we deliver gifts to the poor and to our friends in these outfits, the message is clear. We are declaring that we are willing to lower ourselves, even to appear silly in the world's eyes, if that is what it takes to reach out and help another person.

After all, the Ba'al Shem Tov used to say, "If we want to help a person get out of the mud, we have to be willing to get our hands dirty."

So, may we, "The Kingdom of Priests", (Ex. 19:6), be blessed to live up to our name and find the inner strength to sacrifice for others even when it hurts. In that merit, may we deserve to be rescued by The Ultimate Priest of Priests, The Holy One Blessed be He, Who will descend all the way down to us and wipe away all of our sins on this Yom HaPurim!