JHI Dvar Torah on Parshat Tetzaveh

PARSHAT TETZAVEH - REMINDERS


"And they shall make holy clothing for Aaron...and his sons” (Parshat Tetzaveh 28:4).


This verse teaches that a kohain (priest) performing the service in the temple was required to wear special priestly garments that were unique and unusual. These garments enveloped almost the entire body, and hence, they were constantly visible to the wearer. Why was this attire necessary?

The Sefer Hachinuch (literally, “The Book of Education” - published anonymously in 13th century Spain) explains the matter. While performing the 'avodah' (service in the temple) the kohain was bound by a special restric­tion. He was not permitted to forget, for even a moment, that he was executing the rite of Hashem (G-d). Since the kohain would always see and feel his distinctive priestly garments, they served as a constant reminder of this fact. This was the primary purpose for the garments. (An ancillary purpose was that they added to the grandeur of the temple which was itself a factor in impressing sinners to repent.)

It is difficult to understand why the special dress was necessary to enhance the kohain's focus on his tasks. There were numerous indicators, all plainly visible, that constantly called to mind the sanctity of the Temple. Too illustrate, Tracte­ate Avot (5:8) lists ten constant and plainly visible miracles that occurred in the second Temple. Among them:
1) All of the Jews would come to Jerusalem during the holidays. When the kohain blessed the people in the Temple during the services of the day, they would all fall to the ground prostrate. The Temple was very crowded. While standing, the press of people standing shoulder to shoulder was so intense that it would literally lift them off the ground. Nevertheless, when laying upon the ground, eveyone was surrounded by a free space of several feet so that they could confess their sins to Hashem without being embarrased by others hearing what was said.
2) Even a physically weak kohain could hoist and wave a huge animal when it was part of a sacrifice.
3) The smoke from the daily offering of incense would always rise directly to the heavens despite the blowing of the wind.

To carry this point further, those above-quoted miracles of the temple were found in the second temple. The holiness of the First Temple exceeded that of the Second Temple. The Mishkan (Tabernacle), built by Bezallel in the desert, was even more sacred and miraculous than the first temple (Commentary of Sforno, Pekudei 38-21).

Furthermore, the most preeminent kohain of all was the high priest Aharon (Aaron). Moshe (Moses) is described in the Torah as the greatest of people, and Ahron is referred to in the Midrash as the equal of Moshe.

Nevertheless, the Mitzvah of donning priestly garments not only applied to an ‘ordinary’ kohain serving in the Second Temple. Ahron needed this reminder as well, even when serving in the Mishkan. Evidently, he too could have neglected to fully focus on the holiness of the Mish­kan.

This requirement of priestly garments reveals a potential­ly negative characteristic of the human personality. That is an innate inclination to be desensitized to the commonplace, no matter how miraculous or vital. Facts and stimuli that are plainly visible but repetitious may simply not impact or be recognized with appropriate focus and intensity. Certainly the great mira­cles that cried out that “This is the House of Hashem” were noted by the kohain. But the very deluge and repetition of these wonders could have themselves caused him to overlook their meaning and their impli­cations upon his behavior.

However, an additional reinforcement may revitalize a person and inspire a refocus of attention. The an extra "tap on the shoulder" can spell the difference as to wheth­er a person will properly focus on a matter vital to his or her own well being.

This explains the significance of the priestly garments. The unique attire was an effective tool that might have helped the kohain at a moment when his focus on the holiness was about to lapse. Even when he might not have fully taken heed of the many mira­cles, one extra glance at his 'uniform' could shake him, thereby causing a rededication of focus.

The following question, however, might still be raised: If the many miracles did not drive this home, was this not indicative of the kohain’s unresponsiveness to reminders? Why then would the additional factor of special apparel make a dif­ference?

One might argue that the garments were more effective reminders because the kohain wore them physically. As such, he felt them and didn’t just see them. In truth, this is not a valid answer because a person can quickly become inattentive to a slight physical impediment. For example, after several days of having a large bandage on an arm, hours can pass without the person being aware that it even exists. A high priest that had already worn the garments daily for years could also mostly forget about their presence.

It must therefore be that the only significance of the priestly garments was the fact that they provided yet an additional though different reminder. This teaches that when it comes to attaining proper focus, there is always a need for an additional reminder. A person with four unnoticed or ignored reminders might respond to a fifth. When there are more reminders, there is a greater chance that the person will respond to at least one of them.

In sum: The words of the Sefer Hachinuch teach two different human insights:
1 - It is extremely easy to loose one’s focus on what is evident and most vital. Even while performing the priestly service in the Mishkan, Ahron was capable of somewhat forgetting that he working in the “House of The Almighty.
2 - Multiple reminders are a device that might spur a person to avoid loosing necessary focus.


The introduction to the classic work, Mesilat Yesharim begins with the following:
"The author says - I have written this work not to teach men what they do not know, but to remind them of what they already know and of what is evident to them. For you will find in most of my words only things which most people know and concerning which they entertain no doubts. But to the extent that they are well known and their truths revealed to all, so too is forgetfulness in relation to them extremely prevalent." A great book such as the Mesilat Yesharim was authored primarily to remind people of what they already compre­hend and have previously accepted.



This idea has wide daily application. Most people have several relationships with others that are vital. A person may be a child to a living parent, and/or a parent to a child, a spouse, and a close friend. Because these associations are so meaningful, people might automatically as­sume that they are fully in tune with each and every one of them and their inherent obligations. Can it be otherwise? Can, for example, the mother of a large family of small children not be aware of her situation? She is inundated with her family duties during her every waking minute!

The words of the Sefer Hachinuch and Mesilat Yesharim reveal that she could indeed loose sight of the situation she is in, despite the crush of her duties. She may begin performing many of her tasks by rote while hardly thinking about what she is doing and to whom her efforts are directed. This oversight might prove to be very harmful. It could result in a failure to notice developing problems that require parental attention and intervention. Strange as it may seem, the young women needs to constantly remind herself that she has small children and that she is their mother and caretaker. This reminder is necessary for her to perform her role with the appropriate focus, effectiveness, and zeal.


The following vignette sems like an appropriate ‘closer’ to this Dvar: Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin (1749-1821) was likely the most famous stu­dents of the Gaon of Vilna (1720-1797). In his small hometown of Volozhin, he founded a yeshiva that grew to become one of the world's foremost centers of Torah study. Volozhin became a mecca for many of the greatest minds of the Jewish people, and the students were known for their prodigious Torah scholarship as well as for their refinement of character and piety.

Reb Chaim (as he was known) was once asked why the 'baalei batim' (lay people) of Volozhin were mostly unaffected by the yeshiva in their midst. One might have assumed that the presence of the great Torah center would have inspired many of the local townspeople to forget all of their other concerns and totally dedicate themselves to Torah study. This, evidently, was not the case.

Reb Chaim replied that indeed, Volozhin was one of the world’s great centers of Torah. However, the very wealth of local Torah scholarship and ongoing Torah study had a contrary effect. It desensitized many of the townspeople to its majesty and holiness.




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