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By Rabbi Daniela Szuster,
B´nei Israel Congregation, Costa Rica

Translated by Inés Baum - Proofreading by Tamara Baum

In this week’s parashah, the clothing used by the Cohen when fulfilling his daily tasks is described in detail. We are told how each garment was supposed to be made.

The question here is why so many details? Why such obsession on describing his garments? Why couldn’t the Cohen dress like any other person? Some sages say they had to dress in a special way because the people needed them to do so.

Sforno tells us that the beauty of the Cohen’s clothing produced awe upon the people who came to worship G-d. When they saw such special and different attire, they realized that they were not standing in an ordinary or mundane place. It was a place for respect, reverence and holiness. So, the garments helped create the conditions necessary for people to feel that they were experiencing a special dimension.

Even today, clothes let us know what type of situation we are in. As in theater plays, we have a special garment for each scene in our lives. How we should dress for each occasion is clearly stipulated.

You have to be a little crazy to wear a swimming suit to a gala dinner, or a dress suit and a ball gown to attend a picnic. Social conventions were established a long time ago, before we were even born. We live obeying those rules, trying to adapt to what is expected of us. Nevertheless, we should not forget that within any structured system, there is a certain margin for mobility. We enjoy a certain degree of freedom. That freedom presents us with a wide array of possibilities that allows us to deceive ourselves and others, or to act sincerely before our fellow men.

How do we want to show ourselves to others? Do our clothes attempt to conform to the social rules or are they a reflection of our souls, of our wishes, of our creative and original style of living?

On the other hand, how do we see others? Are we able to get to know people beyond what they wear? Can we value and admire someone who lacks the Cohen’s sophisticated clothing? Do we only appreciate those who dress with a suit and tie?

Some sages, such as Malbim, specify how important it is for our clothing to reflect our souls, the spark of spirituality we hold within. Actually, they explain the Cohanim’s clothing as a symbol of a pure, consecrated soul, which helped them to not move away from G-d and His commandments.

How often we wear costumes, and pretend to be what people expect us to be and not what we would really like to be! Tradition tells us that Rab Zuzia struggled all his life to be just like Moses. When he died and was judged by the celestial court, G-d did not ask him why he was not like Moses, but rather why he was not Zuzia; why he had wasted such an opportunity. The same happens when we try to disguise ourselves in front of others, instead of wearing our own clothes with pride and joy.

Shabbat Zachor, the Shabbat prior to the Purim festival, offers us the chance to reflect upon our everyday costumes, what we continuously try to hide, and how different our lives would be if we took off our masks to show ourselves with innovative garments that challenge us and make us honest, unequalled and outstanding people. We are forced to wear costumes throughout the year; perhaps in Purim we could wear our most precious garments.

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Forwarded by Rabbi Gustavo Kraselnik, from Kol Shearith Israel Congregation, Panama.
Translated by Inés Baum and proofread by Ellen Zindler, from B’nei Israel Congregation, Costa Rica.

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