Tetzaveh 5769

A phrase you don’t hear too often these days is “Clothes make the man.” Once upon a time you could tell a lot about a person by what kind of clothes he or she wore. In those days the elite dressed for dinner, no one wore jeans except for workmen, and a man never went out without a hat. One of the ways we can tell how society has changed is by looking around this sanctuary. A generation ago, people dressed up for the synagogue. These days, most of the people dressed up are people who have come directly from work. 

Casual clothes reflect a greater casualness in society as a whole. We call our leaders by their first names, or even their middle initials. Rick Warren, arguably the most successful clergyman in America, makes it a practice to come to Church Sunday wearing casual pants and a Hawaiian shirt. We show less respect to teachers, clergy, and parents. We show less respect to Gd. The trend is toward seeing Gd, not as an impossibly distant or grand figure, but as a friend, as a loving parent. 

Is it possible to re-establish the kind of respectful world we once had by changing our clothes? And if it were possible, is it desirable?

There are two reasons to look at the expression “clothes make the man” this Shabbat. First of all, our Torah portion is mostly about the clothes that are to be worn by the High Priest. The breastpiece, with a pouch for the Urim and Thummim, an ephod, which seems to have been some kind of vest, a robe with bells and pomegranates around it, a headpiece with the words קדש יי inscribed on it, and an embroidered sash. And the clothes made the man. Without the special garments, the High Priest was just an ordinary man, and if he approached the Holy of Holies without them, it was a crime punishable by death.

The second reason we might want to talk about clothing today is because of the upcoming holiday of Purim. In the book of Esther, there are constant examples of people changing both clothes and position. The eponymous Esther changes clothes and gets a whole year of spa treatment, following which she becomes queen. She changes clothes to work up her courage to go in and speak to the king, as well. Mordechai changes to sackcloth and ashes when he hears the decree about the Jews, and later puts on the king’s clothes as a reward for saving the king’s life. Mordechai wears royal robes again when he takes Haman’s place as the king’s advisor.

Purim, like Mardi Gras, is a time of masks and costumes. Yet unlike Mardi Gras, the purpose of the costume is not to hide who you are so you can misbehave for a day. Rather, the purpose is to reveal something about yourself that is usually hidden. Esther doesn’t just dress as a queen, she is a queen. Mordechai is a wise man who deserves to be the king’s advisor. It may seem like dress up, but their costumes lead them to who they really are.

Similarly, Aaron would not be the High Priest without the clothes, but Joe Jew from the tribe of Asher wouldn’t be the High Priest even if he was wearing all of the garb. Clothes make the man, but only if the man is there in the first place.

That brings us back to our question of what we should be wearing. Should we dress up for Shabbat? 

If we were to wear what our parents or grandparents wore when they went to Shul in the 50s, we would look and feel silly. That would be a costume. A bow tie, which then meant only that a man was dressed formally, makes a different statement today. It is just barely respectable. Times have changed, and we must change with them. Even if we were to wear modern versions of what they wore, suits and dresses, the synagogue is not the same place. We come to the synagogue today not to feel awe, but to feel a connection, to feel comfortable with those who are part of our Jewish family (whether they are Jewish or not!). It doesn’t make sense for us to wear uncomfortable clothes. 

I encourage everyone to wear comfortable clothes on Shabbat, not formal clothes, and certainly not a costume that makes you out to be someone you are not. Within those confines, we should all wear clothes that are nice, clothes that are לכבוד שבת, that give honor to Shabbat. I wear a suit during services, not because I have to, but because I am here in the synagogue all week, and it helps me to set Shabbat apart from the rest of the week. Informal, clean, neat clothing shows respect for Shabbat, but also helps us be our true selves. All of the costumes and silliness aside, that is what Purim is all about. Shabbat Shalom.