This week we continue with plans for the Mishkan, including the oil for the lamps, the garments of the high priest, and the incense. There are also instructions on how to give a sacrifice on the altar. Just after Shabbat this week is the holiday of Purim where we read the book of Esther.
We will read in the Torah:
31 You shall make the robe of the ephod of pure blue. 32 The opening for the head shall be in the middle of it; the opening shall have a binding of woven work round about — it shall be like the opening of a coat of mail — so that it does not tear. 33 On its hem make pomegranates of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, all around the hem, with bells of gold between them all around: 34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe. 35 Aaron shall wear it while officiating, so that the sound of it is heard when he comes into the sanctuary before the Lord and when he goes out — that he may not die.[Exodus 28:31-35]
And for Purim we will read:
13Then the young women came to the king. All that she would ask for would be given to her to come with her from the house of the women to the house of the king. 14In the evening, she came, and in the morning, she returned to the second house of the women to the authority of Shaashgaz, eunuch of the king guardian of the concubines. She would not again come to the king, unless the king desired her she would be called by name 15When Esther’s turn arrived, the daughter of Abihayl uncle of Mordechai who took her as his daughter, to go to the king she did not ask for a thing unless Hagai the eunuch of the king, guardian of the women said so. Now Esther was carrying grace in the eyes of all who saw her. 16Esther was taken to the king Xerxes to the house of his realm in the tenth month. This is the month of Tevet, in the seventh year of his reign. 17The king loved Esther more than all the (other) women, and she carried grace and kindness before him more than the other virgins and he set the crown of the kingdom on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti [Esther 2:13-17]
These two passages intrigue me. In this weeks Torah passage, we read that the High Priest had all these elaborate articles of clothing. Mishnah Yoma tells us there were eight things the high priest wore, compared to the four of a regular priest. It seems ostentation is to be praised there, yet Esther appears to be a minimalist. While other women took lots of stuff when they met the king, Ester took only what was needed or recommended. As I once wrote in an Esther commentary, Esther won the contest in the Little Black Dress, not the ostentation of a pound of makeup and a ton of jewelry. Minimalism in what women wear appears to be more effective, and maximum clothing for the Priest appears to be more effective, Clothes make the man, but not the woman. Is this true?
The role of the clothing may have something to do with why Aaron and Esther had different clothing requirements. In regard to the High Priest’s garments, Aaron and his descendants are given an explicit reason why these clothing items are so important So that he may not die.[Exodus 28:35] This clothing was not just ceremonial, it provided a protective function to the wearer.
Midrash Rabbah comments on Esther’s appearance before her first visit to the king:
R. Judah said: She was like a statue which a thousand persons look upon and all equally admire. R. Nehemiah said: They put Median women on one side of her and Persian women on the other, and she was more beautiful than all of them. The Rabbis, however, explain and Esther found favor in the sight of all them that looked upon her to mean, in the sight of heavenly beings and in the sight of earthly beings, as we read, So shall you find grace and good favor in the sight of God and man [Prov. III, 4]
The rabbis describe Esther’s appearance in terms of a quote from Proverbs. Yet, when such a quote shows up it is always important to understand where it is in context. The rabbis had the Biblical text memorized so a quote was just the tip of the iceberg of what they meant. In context we read:
1. My son, forget not my Torah;
But let your heart keep my commandments;
2. For length of days, and long life,
And peace, shall they add to you.
3. Let not grace and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart;
4. So shall you find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and Man.
5. Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
And lean not on your own understanding.
6. In all your ways acknowledge him,
And he shall direct your paths.[Proverbs 3:1-6]
When Esther later returns to the king unbidden, Esther 5:1 tells us she dressed. So, like the paparazzi at the Oscars, the obvious question is what did she wear? There are many answers to this question, but the Talmud (Megilah 14b) states she was she was clothed in the Holy Spirit, and does not specify more. I have thought in the flip-flop world of the book of Esther this was one of those reversals which pervade the text. While Vashti refused to come naked before the king when ordered, Esther came dressed only in the Holy Spirit unbidden. But thinking about the above quote from Proverbs, I think there is more to that story. Esther’s biggest accessory, also mentioned directly in Esther Rabbah XI: 1 is a smile, or more literally a shining face.
Such shining faces are mentioned elsewhere a few times, particularly in Psalms. In Psalm 104 it is mentioned in terms of people. In several cases including three times in Psalm 80, shining faces are an anthropomorphism of God. Of course, there is Numbers 6:25 May the Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. In all of these it’s about attitude, it’s about smiling. In the Cohanic blessing, the smile is associated with being gracious, and we learn in Esther, that everyone who saw her saw a gracious woman. Because her attitude was so smiling and gracious, she was beautiful no matter what she wore. Thus the rabbis saw that the only important part of her wardrobe was the Holy Spirit – It enchanted everyone.
Where do we get such a holy spirit? Proverbs tells us when we give ourselves to Torah, when we choose to do the mitzvot. In doing the mitzvot and studying the texts we make ourselves holy and powerfully charismatic. We convey grace and truth as though it is a garment. Truth and Graciousness are metaphorically comparable to the ephod and breastplate of the high priest worn around our necks and over our hearts.
The high priest was the only one who would be in close proximity to the Holy Ark, and thus the only one who would be in a more literal presence of the Divine Presence. Such a job was hazardous as we are told that to gaze on God would be certain death. Aaron’s sons learn the fatal lesson that is even true for a small change of procedure. Clothes do not just make the man, but keep him alive from the Divine smiling face. All of the items of clothing protect from that raw power. Ironically, the man who is protected from that power, blesses the people to have that power directed towards them. Yet, in the world without a Temple, Esther reminds us that power is available to us as well, not just a blessing from the Kohen Gadol, but from following the mitzvot with a smile.
Which brings a new meaning to service with a smile.
No comments:
Post a Comment