Special Clothing To Serve God Best

Parshat Tetzaveh 

by Rabbi Avi Billet

So much attention is given to the special clothing of the Kohanim, as they are described as being לכבוד ולתפארת, for honor and glory – on the one hand it is glorifying the Kohanim, putting them in a very clear position of honor, while on the other hand their uniform also glorifies God as it is a fulfillment of God’s instruction. The seeming white “simplicity” of their garments, as well as the beautifully ornate extra garments of the Kohen Gadol, stand as a testament to Whom the Kohanim are serving. 

The Sochatchover Rebbe asked what should be an obvious question. There is a whole other group that is present as well when it comes to serving in the Mishkan, namely the Leviim. And yet they do not have special garments! Why? 

The Rebbe suggested that there is a significant difference between the service of the Kohanim and that of the Leviim, a difference which speaks of how they literally must internalize their respective roles, which, by definition, are quite different from one another. 

 The service of the Kohanim is internal – inside the Mishkan, but also very much imposed upon their own internals – their hearts and minds in how they go about having the proper intentions and thoughts when performing their varied tasks. “Anything that is internal requires a cover,” the Rebbe would explain. To give a few examples, the soul needs a cover, and that cover is the body. If an angel is sent to this world on a mission, he wears the body of a human being or clothing in order to be able fulfill his mission from God. 

 Shabbos clothes are also special garments, because Shabbos is internal – the רזא דשבת – the spark of Shabbos, which is deep in the soul. 

 He brings Rus as an example. Naomi told her to “wash, anoint yourself, and wear your garments,” a series of actions described by the Midrash Rabba to be “wash – from the remnant of idolatry which is upon you; anoint yourself – with the mitzvos and forms of righteousness you have embraced; and wear your garments – these are your Shabbos finery.” All of this simply demonstrated that all she was doing was to prepare for something “internal,” private and personal, all of which needs to be covered, to remind the person what the task at hand is. 

 The Leviim, in contrast, have jobs that are very much out in the open. They might be manning doors and entrances, and otherwise they are engaged in the music of the Temple – singing and playing instruments. Their role does not need an internal check that would be monitored by special clothing, as they have no way to really mess up as they are always under scrutiny, and don’t require the same kind of internal check-and-balance that the Kohanim would need, which the Bigdei Kehuna provide in their constant reminder to have the proper intentions. 

It's a great question to ask, what keeps us on our toes when we are engaged in our own Avodas Hashem – serving God? Do we need special garments to raise the bar on our Tefillah? Do we need to have internal monitoring systems for our computers and phones? Are we able to set time limits on the things which suck away our productive time, such as our computers, phones and televisions? When we are in public and subject to the scrutiny of others, do we perform properly at all times? Does the Kippah do it for a man? Does a skirt do it for a woman? Does the way we dress or carry ourselves help us self-monitor to be a Kiddush Hashem? Is it sufficient for us, or do we need an even greater reminder? 

We might conduct ourselves one way in public and a different way in private. Is this proper? Sometimes we take davening very seriously, and sometimes, even in the presence of others, we engage in conversations. Or during the week in a perceived lull in the davening, some people are drawn to their phones, whether to answers text messages or emails, or to simply scroll through social media. A “cover” – whether simply turning it off or putting it in an inaccessible pocket or bag – will help a person maintain the level needed for at least a proper setting to fulfill one’s Avodas Hashem properly in that space. 

Like the Leviim, may our external efforts at serving God need no extra reminder, because we are in the zone, what we are doing is monitored and scrutinized, and we will easily stay on task. 

And we need that extra reminder, let our precautions be effective in helping us stay on task, so we may be blessed, like the Kohanim who had a lot of internal action going on which needed the reminder that only the Bigdei Kehuna could provide, to live up to our responsibilities in serving God properly, particularly when we are the only ones doing the monitoring of our activities.