In this week’s parashah, the bigdei kehunah, the clothes of the kohanim are discussed. The Gemara (Zevachim 88:) asks, "Why does the Torah juxtapose the korbanos with the clothes of the kohen gadol? To teach you that just as the korbanos atone, so do the clothes of the kohen gadol atone. The כתונת, tunic, atones for murder (see Bereishis 37:31). The מכנסים, pants, atones for adultery (see Shmos 28:42). The מצנפת, turban, atones for arrogance. (Why? Let something that’s worn high on the head atone for someone who feels high.) The אבנט, belt, atones for the heart's bad thoughts (because the אבנט was worn upon the heart).
The חשן, breastplate, atones for [the courts'] errors in judgment, as it states (28:15) חשן ועשית משפט. The אפוד atones for avodah zarah... The מעיל, robe, atones for lashon hara. Why? Let a garment that makes sounds (the מעיל had bells along its hem) atone for lashon hara. The ציץ (the gold band worn on the kohen gadol's forehead) atones for chutzpah..."
The Kli Yakar writes, "Perhaps this was the intention of the ger who would say, 'Convert me, but on the condition that I can be a kohen gadol, so I can wear the clothes of a kohen gadol' (see Shabbos 31.). Was this convert so foolish that he wanted to convert solely to put on the clothes of the kohen gadol? Certainly, he heard that the clothes of the kohen gadol atone for the aveiros mentioned above, and he wanted these atonements. As a goy, he committed all these aveiros, and he wanted a manner to attain atonement."
The Gemara (Megillah 12.) says that Achashveirosh wore the clothes of the kohen gadol when he made his party. The Kli Yakar explains that Achashveirosh made the same mistake, as mentioned above. He wanted the eight clothes of the kohen gadol to atone for the eight primary aveiros.
Achashveirosh used the holy utensils from the Beis HaMikdash at his seudah. The Gemara (Megillah 12) states, "At that time, a bas kol went out: 'Generations ago, people died because they used these utensils, and now you are using them?!’" The Gemara refers to Balshatzar, the king of Bavel, who died the night he used the vessels of the Beis HaMikdash. Also, this time, the sin caused Vashti's death.
The meforshim ask, why didn't Achashverosh die like Balshatzar died when he used these holy utensils? Why did Vashti die instead of Achashverosh?
It is repeated in the name of Reb Shlomo Kluger zt'l that at this feast, Achashverosh was mevater. He didn't demand that things be exactly as he wanted. We learn this from the pasuk (Esther 1:8) ואיש איש כרצון לעשות that at the meal, everyone's wishes were respected and fulfilled. The rule is that when one is mevater, it grants him life.
But Vashti wasn't mevater. She didn't let everyone do as they pleased. This is implied from the pasuk, בית נשים משתה עשתה המלכה ושתי גם המלכות, "Queen Vashti also made a feast for the woman in the royal house." She acted with royalty and power. She acted like a queen, and everyone had to do as she required. Therefore, she was punished, and not Achashveirosh.
The meforshim added another explanation as to why Achashveirosh didn't die at this meal, rather Vashti did. It is because shame and humiliation save from death. Achashveirosh was embarrassed at this meal. His wife Vashti sent a message to Achashveirosh (Megillah 12:) "Listen here, my father's stable hand (Achashveirosh used to work in Nevuchadnezzar's royal stables): My father could drink with a thousand people and didn't get drunk. And you drink a drop of wine and become drunk and insane." This shame saved Achashveirosh from death, and Vashti was killed instead. It says (Esther 1:7) מִכֵּלִים וְכ ֵלִים שׁוֹנִים, and מכלים can also be translated as shame. The shame saved Achashverosh.
Another hint is from the pasuk (Esther 1:18) וקצף בזיון וכדי, which Rebbe Yechezkel of Kozhmir zt'l translated as "The bizyonos and humiliation saved Achashveirosh from Hashem's anger."
The Jewish nation was also saved due to shame and humiliation. The Gemara (Megillah 15:) states, "Why did Esther invite Haman to her party? Reb Shimon ben Menasya says, 'Perhaps Hashem will take note and perform a miracle.'"
Rashi explains that Esther wanted "Hashem should see that I am forced to flatter this rasha and belittle my honor." She understood that her shame and humiliation would arouse Hashem's compassion and save the Jewish nation.
Reb Chaim Shmuelevitz zt'l said: Esther's fasts and tefillos didn't bring salvation, but her humiliation saved her and the entire Jewish nation.
Special Aspects of the Kohen Gadol's Clothing
Reb Zalman Sorotzkin (Oznayim l'Torah, Tetzaveh, 28:39) points out that most of the clothing of the kohen gadol had to fit the kohen gadol perfectly, as it states כמידתו, which means according to the kohen gadol's size. The Rambam (Kli HaMikdash 19:4) states that if the clothes weren't exactly the right size, they were pasul, and the korbanos brought while wearing such clothes become pasul.
There were two exceptions. The Rambam (Kli HaMikdash 8:19) states that the מצנפת, the hat the kohen gadol and the kohen hedyot wore, was 16 amos long. The אבנט, the belt, was 32 amos long. These two clothes were wrapped around the head or the body many times. These are the only two items of clothing that don't need to be exactly the size of the kohen. In fact, there had to be extra material to wrap around several times. Their size didn't fit the kohen perfectly, like the other clothes.
Oznayim l'Torah explains that the hat is near the eyes, the belt is near the heart, and the heart and the eyes need to be guarded very well. For them, regular protection won't suffice. One must add precautions to remain distant from an aveirah. Therefore, they were longer, to hint that one should add precautious to prevent himself from sinning, chalilah, with his eyes or heart.