This week we hosted a group of tourists from New York. All of them wanted the kosher Amazon experience and we got to work. Arranging the food, trips, and entertainment together with some community members was entertaining and educating. After the group left, one of our members commented that he could not understand how the group prayed so fast?
I told him, that he has a good point, but perhaps we could try to look at the situation a little differently.
The story
The Kohen Gadol had 8 special garments that he had to wear in the Temple. The kohen needed to be properly dressed for the service, and if he was missing one garment then he would be liable for death. Working in the Temple was no easy task and getting dressed properly was an essential part of being a kohen.
However, what is interesting is that the rules of Kohen dress up are repeated twice (within 8 verses from each other). According to Rashi the reason is to teach us two separate dress warnings 1) for the Kohen Gadol 2) For all kohanim.
The Kohen Gadol had to have all the 8 garments during service, but if he was not doing any service then he needed at least 5. It was not a tally chart 5/8 that would consider it passible or not. There were 3 specific garments that he had to have: Meil (Priestly robe), Ephod (apron), & Choshen (breastplate of stones).
These 3 garments served as a remembrance to Hashem of his people. So, the mere fact they were worn already served their purpose. The other garments were only necessary for the service, and therefore if no service were needed, they “could be” missing, without punishment. However, the other 3 had to always be worn.
Why?
The job of a Kohen is to represent the Jewish nation and make a link between the nation and Hashem. The kohen needs to represent all Jews: 1) those that follow Torah and Mitzvot openly 2) Those that do not. That is why he must always wear these garments.
Ephod & Choshen- Had the name of the tribes inscribed on stones that would shine so all could see. This represents the Jew that openly controls his heart desires to do what is right according to the Torah, or at the very least is in a constant internal battle to do so.
Meil- On the bottom of the robe were pomegranates, that only served to remind the Kohen that he represents all Jews. Even the Jews that seem to have no good deeds, they too are filled with good deeds, just like the seeds of a pomegranate. And even if they deny having any good deeds, they have a lofty soul and are always dear in the eyes of Hashem.
People like to separate themselves by saying I am liberal, traditional, or orthodox. And I ask them, does it really matter? The Jewish nation includes all types of people, and we should help and unite them all.
So, the next time you see a fellow Jew doing something “not so Jewish”, and you wish to belittle or criticize them, remind yourself, that he is very special. He is a Jew.
