Madelyn Klein
This week’s Torah portion is Tetzaveh: Exodus 27:20 — 30:10
This week’s Torah portion is Tetzaveh. In Tetzaveh we read about the specific clothing that the high priest wore. The high priest had to wear an ephod, which is a piece of clothing that looks a little like an apron. The ephod was gold and blue and made out of crimson yarns and fine twisted linen. Next, he had to wear a breastplate with 12 different stones on it. Each stone represented one of the 12 tribes.
The Sifrei Torah that we use today have a metal breastplate that reminds us of the breastplate that the high priest wore. Connected to the high priest’s breastplate were two more stones which went by the high priest’s shoulders. These stones were called the Urim v’Thummim and were also engraved with the names of the 12 tribes. There had to be six names on one stone and six on the other. The stones also had a border with frames of gold.
Learning all this, I began to wonder, why were there so many rules about what the high priests had to wear?
Professor Baruch Schwartz from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem explains that the clothing had to be so specific because each piece of clothing had a purpose. The stones on the ephod and the breastplate reminded God of the people of Israel, because they had the names of the 12 tribes written on them. The stones were also used to recieve guidance from God. Priests would ask questions to God and God’s response would light up the letters on the stones. As it says in Exodus 28:30:
“Inside the breastpiece of decision you shall place the Urim and Thummim, so that they are over Aaron’s heart when he comes before God.”
When the high priest wore all the special clothing it hid his personal identity and turned him into a messenger from the people to God. Because the high priests had to wear all these specific pieces of clothing, they could not show any individuality. This meant that while serving in the Mishkan or Temple, the high priest wouldn’t have to focus on his personal life and he wouldn’t have to decide what to do on his own. This would allow the high priest to focus on his job.
What I learn from this parsha is that sometimes we need to act as individuals and sometimes, like the high priest, we need to take on a role. On Monday night, we will be celebrating Purim. In the Purim story, Esther hides her personal identity. At the time, this was the right thing to do because by doing so, she became queen. Then she realizes that she needs to tell the king that she is Jewish or all the Jews will be killed. Now is the right time to share her identity. So Esther is someone who chooses when to show her identity and when not to. In our lives, sometimes we also need to choose when we should show our personal identity and when to take on a role. For example, even if a child loves to play sports, when they are in school they have to take on the role of being a student and can’t just kick a ball around in class.
Both of these examples, the high priests and Esther, represent that sometimes people need to take on their given role and sometimes people need to act as an individual. My message to you is to always know when to take the lead and when to stand back and listen.
Madelyn Klein is a seventh-grade student at Krieger Schechter Day School.
