Tetzave

We are just a few days away from Purim, the day when we have the opportunity to put on clothing that can transform ourselves into superheroes, villains, princes and princesses, or any other being that fulfills our fantasy. Costumes are fun, and we see the usual calm, well-behaved among us become wild beings that are unrecognizable. Who is that masked man??

We also know that in the world of sports, each sport is represented by a particular uniform. I could show you any particular uniform, and you could probably tell me the sport that it goes with. Certain jobs require uniforms that allow the worker to perform his/her job with ease. 

Clothing is a huge industry, and it is probably one of the first decisions we make each day besides what we will eat for breakfast.

In this week’s parasha, Tetzaveh, we read: “You shall make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for honor and glory. And you shall speak to all the wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, and they shall make Aaron's garments to sanctify him, [so] that he serve Me [as a kohen].” The text then goes into great detail about how to create the garments, from color to material, to adornments that will be a constant reminder to Aaron of his position among the people. Aaron is commanded to wear two jewel-encrusted bands on his shoulders, engraved with the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. Careful attention is paid to their purpose. They are to be worn “as stones for remembrance of the Israelite people, whose names Aaron shall carry…for remembrance before God.” Aaron carries the weight of leadership on his shoulders, symbolically and physically, as he puts on his uniform each day and goes to work. 

As modern Jews, we have the opportunity to put on a uniform each day as we prepare to live our Torah. I know that through my own evolution and growth as a more observant Jew, I have taken on more aspects of our Jewish uniform. The first part of the uniform I ever wore was a necklace with a magen david.  Wearing one of the symbols of our faith filled me with pride, even when it was not popular to be a Jew. I also had other necklaces with Jewish symbols, but none compared to my Jewish star. 

The second part of my Jewish uniform came in my college days, when I decided that I wanted to wear a tallit. Purchasing my first tallit was for me like purchasing a wedding gown. It had to be “just right,” with colors and designs finding their place in my soul. It was purchased with my dad at my side, visiting a Jewish gift shop in the area. That first tallit will always have a special place in my heart as a memory of his gift to me. Since that time I have purchased two others, and my “Miriam” tallit was given to me as a gift by a friend on our trip to Israel. I made a photo tallit with squares of fabric photos of grandparents, aunts & uncles, parents, and children, which I only wear on holidays. And now I am in the process of creating a tallit that I will wear for the first time at my rabbinical ordination in June. That one will have an atara with one of my favorite quotes: “Mah gadlu ma’asecha adonai – Halleluyah / How great are your works, Adonai. Halleluyah.” That one, in deep purple, will be a canopy under which I hope to serve my people for the rest of my life.

I have also had the experience of putting on tefillin, and when wearing them, my prayers feel elevated. And lastly, I have adopted the practice of wearing a kippah when engaged in Jewish activities (other than playing mahjong ☺). 

When we wear our “Jewish uniforms,” we have the possibility of feeling an extra layer of spirituality. Like Aaron, when I am in uniform, wearing the garb of my ancestors, I feel them surrounding me, while at the same time wearing the responsibility for those whom I serve. There is an awareness that rises within me that reminds me that I represent all of Judaism when I wear our national clothing. My kippah is my royal crown, reminding me of our Purim heroine Esther, who stood up to the regime and challenged the status quo. My tallit is the cloak of Mordechai, who sat at the city gates to hear of news about Haman’s plot and used his skills to inform Esther. And when I wear a Jewish-themed necklace, I can’t help but think of the Jews of Shushan, and so many others throughout history, whose identity could not be proudly worn with pride. How truly we are blessed to be able to surround ourselves from head to foot in our “uniform,” our “costume,” our holy garments, which like Aaron, elevate our status to one of holiness and partnership with God.

As we ready ourselves for Purim in the week ahead, may we find clothing that will transform us into beings ready to take on a broken world, enabling us to celebrate the freedom to express our Judaism in public, as a community, and as a world in which those who seek to destroy us find it in their hearts and souls to celebrate our diversity with acceptance and love.

Ken yehi ratzon – May it be God’s will