Tetzaveh: Sharp Dressed Man

In a way, Parashat Tetzaveh explores the age-old question: do clothes make the man (or woman)?  Intricate instructions are provided for creating the priestly vestments, and then Aaron and his sons are told precisely how they should don them each time they begin their priestly duties.

I have been in professional situations in which a uniform or particular standard of dress was expected.  I've also been in settings in which employees were given great latitude in their attire.  In many cases, I think that a mandated dress code is preferable--in retail settings, it helps customers to readily identify workers if they have a question or a concern; in schools and synagogues I've found that being dressed a bit more formally helps others to take me seriously, which improves interactions with students and congregants.

But in the case of the Israelite priesthood, I don't think that the clothing was entirely for the benefit of the Israelite community.  Certainly, there were touches-- such as the bells on the hems of the priests' robes that helped to signal when they were approaching-- that were useful to the general public.  But more significantly, I think that going through the ritual of dressing for the priesthood helped Aaron and his descendants to embrace a proper mindset for their jobs.

For instance, the breastplate that the priests wore contained stones signifying each of the tribes of Israel.  And the headpiece they wore bore the inscription "Kodesh L'Adonai--Holy to God."  I'm not sure whether the priests would have had access to mirrors or other reflective surfaces in which to gaze upon themselves after being dressed, but at the very least, they would have seen these pieces as they put them on.  I imagine that it resonated strongly with them that they wore these outfits not only for their own benefit, but in service of the entire community.  The priest's garments carried message and meaning, in addition to making him a "Sharp Dressed Man."


Please note, I do not own-- nor do I claim to own-- these songs.  Copyrights are held by the various artists.  I include them here for illustrative purposes.
Sharp Dressed Man- (Tetzaveh, Exodus 27:20-30:10)

Music and lyrics by Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard; performed by ZZ Top. From the album "Eliminator" Warner Brothers, 1983.