Glory for the People - Parshat Tetzaveh

In imagining what the criteria were for the service in the temple, one would think of choosing special people to perform the spiritual  rituals and to ensure that the tools and utensils be able to fulfill the holy task. Whether or not it looks nice I would have thought to be of secondary importance at best.

In this week's po­rtion, Parshat Tetzaveh, we find that the Torah goes out of its way to assign importance to beauty and that it was such an important part of the temple that God Himself designated the specific person who was to work on the clothing of the priests. Above all, the Torah tells us that the clothing of the priests were for "honor and glory1". Just imagine that the people charged with bringing forth sacrifices were not just special people - they had to be able to create clothing aesthetically pleasing to the people. There are even more guidelines which the priest had to follow in order to make the experience aesthetically pleasing. It was important that the experience be pleasant, beautiful and uplifting.

Rabbi Berel Wein adds that as these religious leaders were raised up and honored through their clothing of honor and glory so, too, it impacted on the entire nation to feel that honor and glory2. During the holiest activities of the temple worship, God was concerned that the clothing should reflect honor and glory. And it is expected of us to appreciate it.

We have all heard the speeches and platitudes about "smelling the flowers". I will not repeat them here. I do, however, wish to be thankful that we are even able to smell the flowers. Moreover, that we are created to enjoy beauty and appreciate it. We are even commanded to make blessings over the beauty of nature…the smell of a flower…lightning in its glory…the taste of a new fruit…the proud Alps…the renewal of the moon…the first rain after a drought…the power of thunder…the first buds of spring.3

These are celebrations of life itself. To experience them with the understanding that we were created with the ability to not only see and smell, but to appreciate it as well, is a different kind of experience. We were granted the ability to notice the beauty of the colors and their interplay and to appreciate a beautiful sunset. We were granted as well the sense of smell that allows us to experience the smell of a rose, jasmine or fresh citrus and to appreciate it. This is 'meaning of the moment'4 in all its glory.

The clothes made for the kohen, the priest, were for honor and glory. How lucky we are that God has given us a world full of glory, the ability to enjoy it and the soul with which to appreciate it.

Notes 

1. Exodus 28:2

2. Rabbi Wein in a Hebrew article on Parshat Tetzaveh

3. Shulchan Aruch. Orach chaim. Par. 216-227

4. A logotherapeutic term

Have A Great Shabbat!laughing

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