בענין טוהר הלבוש
On the topic of purity of clothes
כְּתֹנֶת בַּד קֹדֶשׁ יִלְּבָּשׁ וּמִכְּנְּסֵי בַּד יִהְּיוּ עַּל בְּשָּרוֹ וּבְּאַּבְּנֵט בַּד יַּחְּגֹר וּבְּמִצְּנֶפֶת בַּד יִצְּנֹף בִגְּדֵי קֹדֶשׁ הֵם וְּרָּחַּץ בַּמַּיִם אֶת בְּשָּרוֹ וּלְּבֵשָּׁם: (טז :ד)
He shall don a sacred linen tunic, then pants shall be upon his flesh, he shall gird himself with a linen sash, and cover his head with a linen covering; they are sacred garments, he shall immerse his flesh in water and then don them. (16:4)
Rashi explains: ‘This tells us that he does not serve within in the eight garments in which he serves outside which have gold in them. For a prosecutor does not become a defense attorney. Rather, he serves in four garments like an ordinary Kohen, all of them are made of linen.’
When we consider these words of Rashi, the question arises, were it not for his words that the Kohen Gadol was prohibited from entering the Kodesh HaKadashim with the ‘golden garments’ because ‘the prosecutor does not become the defense attorney’, we would not have thought of this by ourselves, for why would we say that Aharon who was exemplary in his kedusha, and if he entered within in ‘golden garments’ he would change into a prosecutor? Why do we put a ‘flaw’ in the good nature of Aharon? HaKadosh Baruch Hu knows what a person thinks, and He knows the pure intent of Aharon and his avodah, so why would it not be accepted from him? What difference would it make with what he wore, even if it was the same material that was used for the Golden Calf?
Another question arises to anyone who thinks about it, if the ‘golden garments’ truly arouse the accuser, then why is the accuser not aroused with the ‘outside avodah’? Even this avodah needs acceptance, and here we see the opposite, not only are they permitted to do the avodah in the ‘golden garments’ but they are even obligated to do this. A Kohen who serves while lacking the garments is liable to death (see Shemos 28:43 and Rashi there), so why is the ‘Kodesh’ different from the ‘Kodesh HaKadashim’?
Also, why is the ‘prosecutor’ aroused specifically by the ‘golden garments’? Are there not in the Kodesh’ and in the ‘Kodesh HaKadashim’ golden items, for example, ‘the pure menorah’ which was made entirely from ‘beaten gold’, and the ‘table’, the ‘inner Mizbeach’, the ‘Aron’, the ‘Keruvim’ were all made of gold, and if gold arouses accusers, why are the accusers not aroused?
In truth we can say that it is not the actual gold that accuses, rather, it is the ‘value’ that we give it that prosecutes!
Let us explain: When the person dresses in ‘finery’, it is an honor and a glory for him, and this is the way we are accustomed to receive royalty and dignitaries. How much more so is this appropriate for the Kohen who stands and serves his Maker in the avodah of the karbanos, and it is right that he serves in ‘golden garments’.
In truth, all this is acceptable when they stand and serve in the Ezras Kohanim, the section of the Kohanim, for even though the ground is holy, it is still categorized as this world, and so we must conduct ourselves in the proper way to greet royalty relevant to this world.
Things are different when the Kohen Gadol enters within, since there kedusha hovers in the category of ‘keser’ – ‘crown’ which is the source of the Most High which has no attachment to the mundane world, this kedusha reveals that everything is nothing to the Creator Baruch Hu. Therefore, if the Kohen enters there with clothes that are glorified in this world he is classified as ‘mored b’Malchus Shamayim’ – ‘rebelling against the Kingdom of Heaven’, since this shows that he gives significance to things not relevant to Hashem Yisbarach, it is as if he says there is a world separated from Hashem Yisbarach chalilah. Therefore, there is something to arouse the type of gold that was in the sin of the Golden Calf, since this sin was mainly on their belief that there were other powers chalilah.
All this is even if the truth of the matter is that the Kohen Gadol did not intend to glorify himself, just the opposite, his intent was to honor his Creator with the golden garments, even then the prosecutor is aroused. Yet, with all this, all our questions at the outset are not answered, why do we describe this Kohen as a prosecutor? True, his actions arouse the accuser, but this description is only appropriate to the one who really intends to accuse, but the one who intends to do a mitzvah, and his avodah indicates that he is really a defense attorney, then why do we classify him as a ‘prosecutor’?
In truth, when we delve into the matter, it is clear that even if the Kohen really intended just for the honor of Heaven, this honor still comes about through items of this world, for where does the ‘honor’ come from if not the ‘nice clothes’? The result of this is that we value the gold of this world, and only through this do we understand that he wants to display honor, and so the Kohen Gadol wears ‘golden garments’ which automatically demonstrates that there is value to the gold. This is the flaw in the acceptable purpose of coming to the inner Kodesh.
What emerges from all that we have said is that clothes show the value of the person since the person wants to be honored by other people. Once he considers his value, it seems to him that others also make him significant. Therefore, he wants to wear those clothes which demonstrate his worth. As we have said, this is also the reason the person wants to wear fine clothes, since these signify the greatness and wealth to those who see him, and it is an honor to be honored by people as being wealthy.
Now, you can understand that virtue of one who wears the accepted clothes of Jews that has been accepted from generation to generation. This shows that he does not want to change from the ways of the fathers, just the opposite, he wants their ways, and he wants to honor them.
However, if you see someone who wants to follow the new, you should understand that standing before you is a person who is respected by people in the street, and it seems to him that he has worth. However, he should know the truth that is far from he is looking for, for whoever sees him knows his inside is empty, and it is self-understood that those who fear the word of Hashem are not close to him. Even those lower than him who he likes, look at him like he is crazy, for who knows the truth that he thinks too highly of himself.
Additionally, we should be concerned that he is a sinner like them, as told about a great tzaddik who met an acquaintance, and he saw that he was wearing modern clothes like the enlightened ones, and this bothered him. After leaving him, a student asked him why he was so bothered by the man, he has not sinned? The tzaddik answered him that although this itself was not a sin, however, since he dressed like those low people and simmers, he shows that he approves of them, and most likely he is following their ways, and that is the sin... therefore, it is better to distance from people like this.
