Parshat Tetzaveh - LJ Thought for the Week

One of the most memorable Bat Mitzvah gifts I received was my first tallit. My godmother took me to Golub’s, in the East End, and bought me a traditional white silk tallis with light-blue stripes and thin silky tsitsit. She also gave me a royal blue velvety silk-lined bag, with “tallit” embroidered on it in gold thread, within which to keep the tallit. I was the first woman in our synagogue to wear one during services, but not for long. The congregation was not yet ready for such a practice, and I was shamed into leaving it in its beautiful bag.

 

We don’t often talk about what Jews in the pews wear during services, but most communities have requirements for what should be worn on the bima by those who lead and who have mitzvot. This week’s portion Tetzaveh is very specific regarding the clothing of the priests. Moses is told to make bigdei kodesh for his brother Aaron, holy garments “for dignity and splendour.”[1] These garments are “a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a fringed tunic, a headdress and a sash”. [2] For 40 verses the Torah describes the materials used, their colours and the design of these clothes. It’s unlikely that the author of this text is an ancient Suzy Menkes, commenting on the fashion of the times, so why does our portion go into such detail?

 

The concept of hiddur mitzvah derives from Rabbi Ishmael’s comment on the verse “This is my God and I will glorify Them.”[3] He says:

 

“Is it possible for a human being to add glory to their Creator? What this really means is:  I shall glorify God in the way I perform mitzvot. I shall prepare before God a beautiful lulav, beautiful succah, beautiful tsitsit, and beautiful tefillin.”[4]

 

Adding to the beauty can add to the holiness of a ritual act. The beautiful Mishkan built from heartfelt offerings would be served by priests robed in stunning vestments, and this would enhance the glory of God.

 

The Temple is no more. But there are synagogues. There are no more priests making sacrifices on our behalf. But we are in the sanctuary praying. We expect those on the bima to be dressed appropriately, but what about the rest of us, down in the seats?

 

In the book of Numbers, God says:  “Speak to the Israelite people and instruct them to make tsitsit for themselves.”[5] This commandment was not for men, it was not for priests, it was not only for people on the bima. So when I was studying in Israel, my father came to visit, and took me to Gabrieli’s, in Jaffa, and bought me a large white woollen tallit with white stripes and thick woollen tsitsit. With a matching bag. And I began to wear it to services, alongside all the other people in the sanctuary.

 

Throughout history human beings have understood that what we wear influences our relationship with others and with ourselves. Our tendency, though, is to focus more on how we look rather than how we feel. Might we reconsider how ritual garments could help us feel more prayerful, and maybe find spiritual connection?

 

Nowadays I prepare young people for their Bat and Bar Mitzvah ceremonies. The first prayer that we study is for putting on a tallit. We wrap ourselves in the material, making a tent that marks a boundary between the world outside and the personal space within which we will explore our relationship with God while we pray. Then we lower the tallit gently onto our shoulders, so we may feel its embrace in the sanctuary, our sacred place of prayer. This is how the students will begin the worship service on that special day, and hopefully other prayer experiences throughout their lives.

 

We are all Children of Israel. There are no more priests, but there are still bigdei kodesh, holy garments. Let us come together, online or in person; and let us pray together, wrapped in our own beautiful, holy garments of worship.

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[1] Exodus 28:2

[2] Exodus 28:4 

[3] Exodus 15:2

[4] Midrash Mechilta, Shirata, chapter 3, ed. Lauterbach, p25

[5] Numbers 15:38