After detailing the construction of the ephod (apron), choshen (breastplate) and me’il (cloak), three of the unique garments to be worn by the Kohen Gadol, the Torah warns that Aharon must wear these garments “so he shall not die.” Rashi elaborates: “...If he is wearing them, he will not be liable to death; but if he enters lacking one of these garments, he is liable to death by the hands of Heaven.”
At first glance, it would seem that this warning is superfluous. After all, later the Torah warns regarding all the priestly garments that are to be worn by any Kohen, “They shall be upon Aharon, and upon his sons... that they bear not iniquity, and die.” As Rashi comments there, “Thus you may learn that he who serves lacking the proper garments is liable to death [at the hands of G-d].”
A careful reading of Rashi, however, shows a difference between these two warnings. Whereas a Kohen who is missing one of his garments is liable to death only if he serves in the Temple, according to Rashi a Kohen Gadol who is not wearing the ephod, choshen or me’il is liable to death even if he merely enters the Sanctuary. As Rashi’s words indicate, this warning is unique to “these garments”—the three described by the Torah in the preceding verses, but not to the other garments of a Kohen or Kohen Gadol.
This distinction can be explained in light of the difference between the Torah’s description of the choshen, ephod and me’il, and its description of the other garments. After describing each of the first three, the Torah gives a specific outcome that is achieved when the Kohen Gadol comes before G-d wearing them. Concerning the ephod, “Aharon shall carry their names before G-d upon his two shoulders as a remembrance;” concerning the choshen, “Thus shall Aharon carry the names of Bnei Yisrael... as a remembrance before G-d at all times;” concerning the me’il, “It shall be upon Aharon... and its sound shall be heard when he enters the Holy before G-d.”
Regarding the other garments, however, after stating that wearing them initiates and sanctifies the Kohanim for the service, the Torah simply says that by wearing all the garments, a Kohen can serve in the Temple without dying: i.e., their collective purpose is to facilitate the Kohen’s service. Hence, Rashi concludes that aside from the choshen, ephod and me’il, a Kohen is liable to death only if he serves without one of the garments, but not if he merely enters the Sanctuary without it.
—Likkutei Sichos, vol. 21, pp. 181–187
