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ועשית בגדי קדש לאהרן אחיך לכבוד ולתפארת...והיו על אהרן ועל בניו בבאם אל אהל מועד...לשרת בקדש...חקת עולם לו ולזרעו אחריו

And make holy garments for your brother Aharon, for honor and distinction… They shall cover Aharon and his sons when they enter into the Ohel Moed… to serve in the Sanctuary…It shall be a statute forever for him and for his descendants after him. (28:2,43)

The idea of clothing making the man is a Madison Avenue stratagem. In truth, as we see from the Bigdei Kehunah, Priestly vestments, clothing is actually a reflection of the man. They do not make a person, but they do convey a message and allow us a window into the wearer’s personality and character. The Bigdei Kehunah were an essential part of the character of the Kehunah, Priesthood. Their significance is evident from the instructions concerning their construction. The validity of the sacrificial service is dependent upon the priestly garments. Indeed, they are a chukas olam, statute forever, such that,…

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ועשית בגדי קדש לאהרן אחיך לכבוד ולתפארת

And make holy garments for your brother, Aharon, for honor and distinction. (28:2)

Seeing the Kohanim resplendent in their Bigdei Kehunah, Priestly vestments, must have been a glorious sight. These garments were similar to those worn by monarchs. Indeed, in the Yom Kippur Musaf, a prayer describes the appearance of the Kohen Gadol. Emes mah nehedar hayah Kohen Gadol, “True! How majestic was the Kohen Gadol.” I have always wondered how it was that this wondrous sight did not impact all of Klal Yisrael. Some Jews, albeit a minority, did not buy into the program. After seeing such majesty and splendor, one should be enthusiastically filled with exceptional pride. Yet, we see that…

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ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך כתית למאור

They shall take for you pure, pressed olive oil for illumination. (27:20)

There were two forms of olive oil. First was the oil which was used for the Menorah. This was pure without sediments, derived from the first pressing. The olives were picked from the top of the tree, where they received the most sunshine. They were then pressed with a mortar – rather than ground in a mill. The second oil, which was the product of grinding and included within it tiny pieces of sediment, was appropriate only for the Menachos, Meal-offerings. Kassis la’ma’or, pressed for illumination; v’lo kassis la’Menachos, not pressed for the Menachos, say Chazal. The oil used for…

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ואתה תצוה את בני ישראל ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך כתית למאור להעלות נר תמיד

And you shall command Bnei Yisrael and they shall take pure olive oil, crushed, for illumination, to light the eternal light. (27:20)

Yirmiyahu HaNavi says: Zayis raanan yifei pri toar kara Hashem shemeich. “A flourishing olive tree, a beautiful and shapely fruit Hashem has called Your Name” (Yirmiyahu 11:16). What did Yirmiyahu see that catalyzed his comparison of our ancestors to an olive tree? All types of liquids mix with one another, but oil stands by itself. So, too, Klal Yisrael does not mix with the non-Jews. As it says, V’lo sischatein – “You shall not be married to them.” The Sfas Emes explains that oil’s nature prevents it from mixing with water. Hashem has made the unique nature of the Jewish…

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