You shall make bigdei kodesh, vestments of sanctity. Were they used for sanctity or did they become holy when Aharon wore them to perform the Priestly service, or did the artisans craft them with the intention of making them holy? Perhaps it was their designation for the Kohen Gadol who would perform the Divine Service in the Sanctuary that lent holiness to these vestments. Clothing on its own is not intrinsically holy. When it is worn by a saintly person in the course of his performing a holy function, however, it transforms from garment to holy vestment. Once the garments were designated to be worn by a holy man – only then – could they reflect kavod and tiferes. The holiness of the wearer gave meaning, honor and splendor to the vestment. Aharon dignified the bigdei kodesh. He made them; they did not make him.
Royal garb is not holy. Priestly vestments are holy. It is the wearer of the clothing that transforms the clothing. Throughout the generations, our gedolei Yisrael lived lives marked by simplicity. Material display had no purpose in their lives. In an iconic photograph, the Chafetz Chaim is wrapped in an oversized coat and a Polish hittel (hat worn by the common Jew) – hardly what one could call regal attire for the man who was the Torah leader of his generation. Nonetheless, when one looks at the picture, at the image of the short, elderly sage, he senses nobility, dignity and true regality. True, his clothing may have been simple, but the man who wore them was great.
To be sure, many Roshei Yeshivah and Rabbanim, leaders of distinguished communities, wore clothing that reflected the dignity of their position. Even in those cases, however, it was not the clothing which defined the person, but the person who gave significance to the clothing. Just as the Priestly vestments had to be kodesh before they reflected kavod and tiferes, holiness before glory, likewise, beauty means nothing unless it is an expression of its intrinsic sanctity.
In a world in which appearances are sadly overemphasized, and externals define what is beneath them, our Torah teaches a counter-message: It is the person who brings honor to the clothing – not the clothing that brings honor to the person.
Let me take this one step further. Our children and grandchildren do not look to us for the external polish, the façade that some of us may build around our lives, but for inner authenticity, genuineness, and a life focused on sincerity. Large palatial homes, exotic vacations, and a lifestyle oozing with materialism may leave an impression upon the world around us, but they do little to inspire our children. What truly captivates their hearts is not luxury, but sincerity. A hollow display of opulence will not inspire them in the same way as authenticity and earnestness will. Even the simplest home, when infused with quiet dignity and illuminated by commitment to refined middos, leaves a deeper and more enduring imprint than any display of material splendor. When we live a life of truth, we merit to see kavod and tiferes reflected in our homes.
