| Shabbat Shalom! |
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| I hope this finds you all well. |
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| I was told once at Rabbinical school that a large percentage of my sermons were going to be influenced by the classic film Fiddler on the Roof. Boy, they weren’t kidding. So with that in mind: |
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| There’s a scene in which Tevye and his family are preparing for Shabbat.[1] Tevye, the impoverished milkman, as he makes known time and time again, is perennially poor. “How poor is he? you ask. He’s so poor he sings about it (“If I were a rich man”). But despite this, when preparing for Shabbat, the Sabbath, the day of rest, he puts on his “Shabbos best”, as do his wife and daughters. It is a tangible sign, despite their destitute and fragile circumstances, of the deep kavod (respect) that they have for HaShem (God) and the chidur mitzvah (beautifying a mitzvah) that they have when it comes to celebrating and honoring the fourth commandment. |
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| There are some places and events, religious and non-religious alike, that are unique, special, and meant to be revered – corporate board rooms, court rooms, government legislatures, and houses of worship; baby namings, bar and bat mitzvahs, proms, high school and college graduations, weddings, and funerals. How we dress in these places and for these events demonstrates the regard, esteem, and courtesy that we have for these institutions and occasions, and for the other folks that are in attendance. If we dress casually or informally, it’s a visible, outward disclosure and tell-tale sign of how little regard we have for these often one-in-a-lifetime places, occasions, and people. |
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| This idea of “dressing up” is on full display (quite literally) in this week’s parsha of T’tzaveh (Exodus 27:20-30:10). In it we are given a very detailed description of the vestments that the priests are required to wear (Exodus 28:2-43). Consider this one of the first examples of a workplace dress code. In all seriousness, Aaron and his sons, as kohanim (priests), have been dedicated to avodat hakodesh (sacred work), and as such, their “uniform” needs to reflect that. Furthermore, it is an apparent sign that the mishkan(tabernacle) is makom kadosh (a sacred space) and should be treated accordingly. In the parsha we hear God’s instructions to Moses in designing the priestly dress: |
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| “Make sacral vestments for your brother Aaron, for dignity and adornment. Next you shall instruct all who are skillful, whom I have endowed with the gift of skill, to make Aaron’s vestments, for consecrating him to serve Me as priest…And for Aaron’s sons also you shall make tunics, and make sashes for them, and make turbans for them, for dignity and adornment. 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…They shall be worn by Aaron and his sons when they enter the Tent of Meeting or when they approach the altar to officiate in the sanctuary, so that they do not incur punishment and die. It shall be a law for all time for him and for his offspring to come.” (*Exodus 28:2-3,40-41, 43) |
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| This idea does not end with Torah. In Sefer Hasidim we read, “Have no spot on your clothes and shoes when you go to synagogue.” Rabbi Jose ben Hanina counseled, “Who does not respect clothes will not benefit from them.” Finally, Rabbi Yishmael advised, “Honor a festival with food, drink, and clean clothes.”[2] |
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| By dressing in a dignified manner, we show our reverence for the spaces we enter, the events that we attend, and the people whom we interact with. |
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| As we read Parashat T’tzaveh, decide on our costumes for Purim, and even go about our daily lives, let us all take the time to challenge ourselves to think about what it means to dress in a respectful and dignified manner. |
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| Wishing you a Good Shabbos, a great weekend, an easy fast, and a Chag Purim Sameach (Happy Purim). |
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| Bivrakha, |
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| Rabbi Aaron |
