The first half of our parsha details the bigdei kehuna, the priestly garments, distinguishing between those of the ordinary kohein, the kohein hedyot, and the High Priest, the kohein gadol. The commentaries illuminate these laws with a plethora of approaches highlighting various moral messages concerning which the details of these garments instruct us.[1] The Torah informs us that the garments were given to the kohanim, "l'chavod ul'sifares - for glory and splendor." In addition, as noted and explained by Rav Eliakim Koenigsberg in a previously posted article,[2] much emphasis is attached to the garments of both the villains and the heroes of Megillas Esther. What does levush or clothing represent on a deeper level, and why does our parsha devote so much time to them?
My revered Rebbe, Rav C. Y. Goldwicht zt"l, founding Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh, offers a profound elucidation of the inner meaning of clothing - and why it served such a crucial role in the mikdash - through a careful analysis of our Sages' treatment of the very first "tailor-made" clothing formed in the world, those formed by G-d himself for Adam and Chava after their sin. Here, we humbly attempt to summarize his presentation with some minor additions.[3]
"And Hashem Elokim fashioned for Adam and his wife כתנות עור (garments of skin) and clothed them." In the Torah of R. Meir we found (was written): "כתנות אור - garments of light." (Bereishis Rabba 20:12)
Adam Harishon was the firstborn of the world. When he brought his offering... he wore the clothing of the High Priest as it states: "And Hashem Elokim fashioned for Adam and his wife garments of עור (skin) and clothed them." They were Shabbos clothes,[4] and the firstborn would use them. (Bemidbar Rabba 4:8)
At first glance, these midrashim are not understandable. How could R. Meir, a notable sofer, have had a different version of such a basic word in his Torah? Concerning the second midrash we can ask, it was only after Adam and Eve sinned by partaking of forbidden fruit that G-d, in his mercy, helped them clothe their perceived nakedness, a phenomenon which became a source of shame only after their sin. What motivates the midrash to describe these garments, granted by Divine mercy, as nothing short of garments of the High Priest?
Rav Goldwicht explains that ultimately one question answers the other. The goal of the entire creation of the world was for the kavod, or glory, of Hashem. As Chazal teach (Avos 6:11):
All that the Holy One blessed be He created in His world, He only created for His glory as it states, "All that is called in my Name, and whom I created for My glory, I formed it and also made it" (Yeshayahu 43:7).
This statement also requires study. Does the "Mamlich melachim v'lo hamelucha - the One who bestows kingship upon kings but to Him alone is true majesty" need us to glorify Him?
My Rebbe answers these questions by first carefully defining the concept of kavod. Kavod is the outward manifestation of an inner, exalted quality. Hashem's revealed purpose for creating the world was to allow the Ultimate Good that is Hashem yisborach to be revealed in a world that initially conceals His Existence, His goodness, the sanctity with which He endowed it and the fact that all that exists is only a result of His constant Will. The very world olam is related to the word hel'eim or hiddenness.
The world then is an illusion within which Man is charged to seek beyond its facade and recognize its inner reality. The outer physical layer is compared to a levush or garment concealing the true inner dimension. When Man succeeds in uncovering the inner reality of the manifestation of G-d's creation, His constant providence and His will to elevate and have a relationship with mankind, the pinnacle of the world which he formed, he has converted the levush into a levush of kavod, bringing out the inner, exalted quality of the world. Thus, the existence of an outer layer concealing an inner one is referred to as a "levush" and seeing beyond it converts the garment into a "garment of glory."
An additional, central example of this concept, that which is truly represented by clothing, is the bigdei kehuna. The mikdash - with its multi-dimensional service spanning animal (korbanos), vegetable (menachos, bikkurim) and mineral (salt, water) and the various activities done there - demonstrates that all of human activity can be, and is designed to be, elevated in the discovery of and connection to the Hidden One of creation. It should come as no surprise then that the purpose of the garments is described as "l'chavod ul'sifares," highlighting the concept of kavod, seeking the inner, exalted dimension. Even outside the mikdash, we are meant to mimic this "avodas halevushim - clothing service" discovering Hashem's active presence and participation in every aspect of our lives, and through that to gain our eternity.
All this was only necessary when Hashem's presence was indeed hidden, a direct result of the sin of eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Had Adam and Eve not strayed, G-d's presence would have been directly manifested through the original light of creation which illuminated the whole world with Hashem's presence. After Man's failure, "garments" were necessary. In other words, Man had to now seek G-d out, piercing beneath the perceived outer layer of seeming reality to see the exalted inner quality of true Reality. Thus, the garments of עור fashioned by Hashem for his creations, were meant to teach Man to rediscover the אור beneath the surface, or, in the words of Rambam, the original "garments of light" of total clarity of the presence of Hashem which Adam and Chava originally possessed. This is the meaning of the midrash about R. Meir's sefer Torah; it contained the same actual text as ours, but R. Meir was teaching what the purpose of the "service of garments" ultimately is. This is also why the midrash identifies the clothing of Adam and Chava with the clothing of the Kohein Gadol which also symbolize this lofty goal of Divine discovery.
Since Purim is a holiday of, as Chassidim say, מגילת אסתר or being מגלה ההסתר, revealing the hidden, providential Hand of G-d in history, it is understandable why the Megilla is filled with allusions to garments and that the common custom is that many dress in costumes indicating the fact that not all is the way its outer layer appears.
II
This past year and a half has been an "eis tzara l'Ya'akov." Even the current joyful release of a significant number of hostages is marred by the release of so many terrorists with blood on their hands. May Hashem protect us from their evil designs! A significant number remain in captivity, their fate hanging in the balance. Many families have lost relatives fighting in the war or as victims of terror. So many have been adversely affected by their family members being away from home in Tzahal for so long. Thousands have been wounded and uprooted from their homes.
With our limited vision and without prophecy, we cannot, with certainty, know the Divine reasons for these tragedies. Even here, although we are not privy to the ultimate goodness hidden within perceived evil, it behooves us to attempt, to some extent, to engage in "avodas halevushim - garment service" to reveal the inner, exalted dimension within. To quote Rav Goldwicht concerning Man's central mission of Divine discovery, "From the darkness, light will emerge." To focus on one of many positive aspects: After undergoing unspeakable horrors, many of the hostages and their families rediscovered faith in the One Above. Freed hostage Keith Siegel, previously not observant, recited Shema and blessings every day in captivity telling his family when he returned, "We had 500 days to reflect on ourselves. ... My thoughts led me to G-d and to the realization that I am Jewish. From now on, I want all of us to sit together and learn about our own Judaism." Omer Shem Tov insisted that his captors bring him wine for kiddush. Amazingly, they brought him a bottle on which, on a drop each week, he recited the blessing every Friday night for the duration of his captivity. Agam Berger strengthened the Jewish people with her now famous expression, paraphrasing the sweet singer of Israel's words, "The path of faith I have chosen, and with the path of faith, I have returned!" She continues to encourage all Jews to adopt mitzvos which they can perform. Recently Sasha Tropanov, along with his formerly freed mother and grandmother, all independently returned to shemiras hamitzvos. This recent majestic manifestation demonstrated by these heroes of seeing beneath the surface, finding sanctity and G-d Himself even in a purgatory in this world, is nothing short of remarkable and awe-inspiring. Let us hope that in an era of social media, that many of the previously unaffiliated will follow their lead and that those already observant will be inspired to more intensely serve our Father in Heaven. May the day come soon that once again, in the fullest sense, ונהפוך הוא אשר ישלטו היהודים המה בשונאיהם, ליהודים היתה אור ושמחה וששון ויקר!
[1] See Shmiras Halashon al Parshiyos Hatorah (2:15), Rav S. R. Hirsch and Kli Yakar among others. Also see Sartorial Splendor for the Soul in which Malbim's approach is presented.
[2] See Do Clothes Really Make the Man?
[3] Asufas Ma'arachos, Parshas Bereishis - "Kosnos Or" and Parshas Tetzaveh - "Kavod HaTorah".
[4] See above for Rav Goldwicht's explanation of the allusion to "Shabbos clothes."