שמות פרק כח, ב וְעָּשִּיתָּ בִּגְדֵּי-קֹדֶש לְאַהֲרֹן אָּחִּיךָ לְכָּבוֹד וּלְתִּפְאָּרֶת:
Why the need for the special Mitzvah to honor the Cohanim with special clothing? It is natural for religious leaders to dress well.
Possibly, the clothing actually were a means of deliberate “disgrace”. Perhaps, the honored clothes revealed that they were not (or should at least consider themselves not) Talmid Chachamim. A true Talmid Chacham does not need extra beautiful clothes to express their honored position.
Another matter regarding the special clothing to be discussed is the matter of using silk for the clothing. Silk is derived from a non-kosher source (and seemingly should not be used).
We know by the Korbanos that honey is not used with the meat, since honey is from a non-kosher source (bees). Even though eating honey is permitted, nevertheless, for the holy purposes of the Mikdash, it is not permitted, due to the honor of HaShem. Thus, we do not permit something for the Mikdash that has its source from a tamei item.
Thus, even though silk is used to make expensive and beautiful clothing, we would think that we could not use silk since that product results from non-kosher worms. This cannot be compared to תולעת שני (crimson wool) since this is only a dye who’s color is similar to the eggs of a worm, and not from the worm. (Thus, the Chida states that חלזון (animal that provides the dye for tzitzis and items in the Mikdash) must be a kosher animal and not the common assumed non-kosher animal.)
Rabbi Epstein wonders about this question, and remains without an answer and does not know why more commentators are not bothered.
