Where are the Pants (and the Tzitz)?

Parshat Tetzaveh

by Rabbi Avi Billet

Prior to describing each of the garments of the priests, the Torah tells us “These are the vestments that they shall make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a knitted tunic, a turban, and a sash. Make them sacred vestments for Aaron and his sons so that they will be able to be priests to Me.” (28:4)

 Every Jew who went to day school or yeshiva, or who simply studies the parsha, knows that a regular Kohen wears 4 garments, and the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) wears 4 additional garments for a total of eight garments. And yet, this preview summary only mentions 6 garments, leaving out the pants and the “tzitz” (forehead plate).

 And so, the obvious question: why are the pants and tzitz left out? [Almost seems like a bad gag from the Lego Movie]

 One could suggest that the pants are obvious. How they are made is not described in this chapter, as the verse simply says “Also make linen pants to cover their nakedness, reaching from their waists to their thighs.” (28:42) Even in their placement in the instructions, they seem an afterthought after “Place these [vestments] on Aaron and his sons. Then anoint them, and install them, sanctifying them to be priests to Me.” (28:41) 

However, one can wonder about the simplicity of the tunic, turban and sash, which are included in the list of the magnificent-six even though their instructions are all in one verse! “Knit the tunic out of linen. [Also] make the turban out of linen and an embroidered sash.” (28:39) The instruction to make them precedes that seemingly final command for placing the vestments on the kohanim, which indicates they are not an afterthought. Clearly, leaving out the pants is not because of their simplicity in design and instruction.

The tzitz, on the other hand, has three verses dedicated to its instruction (28:36-38). It is certainly not an afterthought. And yet, why not mention in the magnificent-six verse?

Ibn Ezra notes simply that the pants are not mentioned because they are obvious, as everyone wears undergarments. The tzitz is left out of the garment list because even though it is part of the count of the Kohen Gadol’s vestments, it is not really a "garment."

More practically, Chizkuni suggests that the pants and the tzitz are included in the words “Make them sacred vestments” from 28:4, while he also notes that the pants don’t go in a “makom kavod,” in a place of honor/respect on the body. Baal haTurim combines these teachings of Ibn Ezra and Chizkuni, while Or haChaim says the six vestments listed are all of equal holiness, while the tzitz is higher than all, on account of it being made out of gold and having God’s name on it, while the pants, owing to their placement, is on a lower level than the other garments. (no pun intended)

In fact, Rabbenu Bachaye notes that the pants are the only garments for which the Kohen did not get assistance in putting on (28:41, 29:5) because the pants are a private matter, while the other garments are what the people are instructed to place on the kohanim.

The Talmud notes in Arachin 16a that each vestment of the priests helps bring atonement for sins related to either where it is placed on the body, or some other sin thematically related to it in the Bible.

Utilizing the direction set in motion by the Talmud, we’ll conclude with a teaching from Kli Yakar, to hopefully understand a little more clearly.

According to the Talmud, the Tzitz brings atonement for brazenness, while the pants provide atonement for sins of a sexual nature.

Kli Yakar argues that the Tzitz provides atonement for the sins of a sexual nature as well. The pants, which are private and not seen, atone for the private sins of individuals. The Tzitz, on the other hand, must bring atonement for the brazen nature of sexual sins done in public. He notes that the Talmud may be referring to a basic sin of brazenness, but he thinks the connection made between the pants and Tzitz is too much to be overlooked, and not appreciated for this deeper message.

Perhaps the lesson for the kohanim is also for the people. Of course, a Kohen who represents the people in their service of God is advised to remember the significance attached to his undergarments, as per the Talmudic message to him, as well is the Kohen Gadol to recall on an even higher level what his responsibility is - not only to his Kohen brethren but to all of the nation of Israel which he serves - to be exceedingly humble and cognizant of the role he plays as the messenger of the people.

But the pants and Tzitz being grouped together might also be a reminder of the message associated with the other “tzitz” of the Torah – the “tzitzit.” The Torah tells us in the paragraph of tzitzit, that seeing them will remind “You to not stray after your heart and eyes, which [in the past] have led you to immorality” (Bamidbar 15:39) Maybe, at least for men who wear tzitzit, the tzitzit, which are seen when put on, and are otherwise often tucked into the pants, can play that role of the tzitz and the pants of the kohanim, to help us overcome sins of brazenness and immorality, whether committed in public – through the things we see on the street, or committed in private – in whatever that means to people, as our hearts and eyes are trained to use the tzitzit as guides to proper service of God.

Taking Clothes Out of Egypt

This appears here in the Jewish Star

Clothes for the road

Parshat Bo
Issue of January 22, 2010/ 7 Shvat 5770

Before the instruction of “Hachodesh hazeh lachem” established the calendar for the Israelite nation, G-d told Moshe, “Now speak to the people discreetly and let each man request from his friend gold and silver articles. Let every woman make [the same] request of her friends.” (11:2)

This instruction follows the assurance God made to Moshe at the burning bush (3:21-22), and the promise God made to Avraham in Bereishit 15:14.

From the text in our Torah portion, it does not seem that the Israelites acted upon these instructions until later, after the plague of the Death of the Firstborns had taken its toll.

In 12:29-32, the plague takes place, the quite-defeated Paroh locates Moshe to tell him to take all his people and animals and to go worship their God as they had been requesting.

In 12:33, the Egyptian people seem to chase the Israelites with an unspoken “good riddance,” with the hope that the source of their misery — the Israelite/Hebrew slaves and their God — might not return.

The following verses detail the last things they did before leaving: 34 “The people took their dough before it could rise. Their leftover dough was wrapped in their robes [and placed] on their shoulders.” 35 “The Israelites [also] did as Moses had said. They requested silver and gold articles and clothing from the Egyptians.” 36 “God made the Egyptians respect the people, and they granted their request. [The Israelites] thus drained Egypt of its wealth.”

If we look back at the quote from 11:2 (first paragraph above), we see they were not commanded to request clothing. God only mentioned gold and silver articles, so how could 12:35 suggest they did as Moshe had told them?

Toldot Yitzchak warns us not to bring proofs from 3:22 when God indicated they will be leaving with clothing as well, because that was more of a strategy God was aware of than a commandment, the people would ask for clothing to give them more of a chance to delay the Exodus until the morning, rather than be forced to leave at night.

When 12:35 says, “the Israelites did as Moshe had said,” Toldot Yitzchak explains, this refers not to their borrowing of items but to the more important command of not leaving their homes until the morning (12:22). Just because Paroh had come out to see Moshe does not mean the danger had passed and that people could come outside.

If their “fulfillment of Moshe’s instruction” consisted of staying indoors, where did they get the idea to request clothing? As far as we can tell, the people were never instructed to request anything other than silver and gold. [Interestingly, Targum Yonatan leaves out the request for clothing in his interpretation of the verse.]

Toldot Yitzchak says there were two groups — “ha’am” — the masses who were unaware of proper protocol and left their homes in the night time when the Egyptians forced them out (12:33), and the “Bnei Yisrael” proper, who knew the rules, and would not budge from their homes until morning came. But as they were being prodded, they began requesting that clothing be brought to them, insisting they could not leave without proper attire.

Thus, those who asked for clothes were not following specific instructions to load up their suitcases, but were using delay tactics to stall until the morning when all of the people would leave together.

How long does it take to decide which jewelry you want to borrow? Not very long. Most people think, “If it is expensive, I’ll take it.”

Clothing is a different matter. Many people will only take clothing that looks nice on them, no matter how nice the clothing may be. Clothing is more a matter of personal taste than is jewelry.

Now we are left to understand the nature of the requests for the items in question.

Commentaries differ, and provide an entire range of interpretations as to whether the Israelites were requesting or “borrowing,” seeking compensation or a severance package, taking booty from their defeated enemies, accepting a peace offering for the God who defeated Egypt, or even giving cause to be chased after for the final pounding in the Red Sea.

No matter the specific interpretation, it is hard to imagine the word “she’eilah,” meaning “borrow,” in this context. In many places in the Bible, a “she’eilah” is a flat out request with no intent to return anything. And in the context of freeing slaves (Bereishit 31, Devarim 15 and Devarim 23), rather than leaving empty-handed, a slave is supposed to be let free with compensation for years of labor or toil, minimally with the means to make good on his own in the short-term.

For slaves with meager possessions, wealth is certainly warranted. To provide a sense of dignity, proper clothing is essential. While I don’t know what happens in real life, I’ve seen films in which “rehabilitated” prisoners are released from prison with a cheap business suit to give them a sense of dignity, so they can begin to make a go of their new lives looking like a mentch. If the clothes really do “make the man” (or woman), then having and wearing nice clothing is an important step in achieving emancipation.

And when those same garments are flattering, yet modest (says Jewish tradition), they certainly help bring out the essence of the person wearing them.