Accounts/ô÷åãé G-d's Spring Line
Trying to make sence of it all, I open several books (web-sites). It’s a short portion, one usually read with last weeks. Both Parshiyot talk about the Mishkan (tabernacle) how to build, what to fill , and who may serve. The biggest distinction between the two: Vayakhel (last week) tells of man’s duty, Pekudei (present week) speaks of G-d’s.
Work your ass off boy’s, in the end it is G-d who must fill our shoes, fix the roof over our heads and put food on our plates. Simple. But there has got to be more to a Parsha that fashions our Priest and tells of his couture clothing. Eight garments designed by the Devine, must be a lesson lurking behind the closet door.
Ruby, chrysolithe, beryl… turquoise, sapphire, diamond… ligure, agate, jasper…. emerald, shoham, jade (28:17-20)
The color of the stones that adorned the Cohen’s breastplate, 12 in all- corresponding to the 12 sons of Israel. As a member of an unknown tribe, I speculate what this bizarre golden chest ornament must have looked like. Illustrators, cartoonists and phsycodelic fiens alike could have a field day picturing a talking vest with four rows of the brightest lights adorned with all 22 letters of the Holy tongue.
Normal huh? This accessory was not to be out done. So, G-d’s name was inscribed within the folds of the breastplate. When the leaders of the community would come to ask questions, this inscription would cause the stones to light up- displaying G-d’s answer. Called The Urim and Tumim (“illuminator and verifier”), the ultimate ATM.
What is the balance in your dresser? My clothing doesn’t light up. {I remember my first NCSY event, this cool Kirk Cameron looking teen was lighting his shirt on fire before some girls} But it does speak. In my blood there is much too much awareness of what threads are in or out. What looks best on whom, and what should be left by the door for a girl you’re bro can not take home. Alas, this is not my turn at fashion critique but rather a tip for my fellow Jewish hipsters living amongst the hippy flower beds and sleeping on 5th Ave. Less is not more unless your showing it. You may not care if the world sees your navel, and you might not provide shade to your scalp- but you should. Walking as a prince, strutting as a princess means being conscientious of what your wardrobe says. I am a Jew. My Kippah announces my love affair with G-d, and my sisters covered skin lets you know it’s reserved for her love.
G-d sketched every detail of Her Mishkan Line. He is the only critic we need to impress. Modesty is in. It never went out. Whether you enjoy not caring too much about whose name your wearing, or you think twice before you zipper your skirt and slide on your slides- a Jew is a class act. She knows she is catching people’s eyes, he knows they might be staring. Care not for looking different but care about looking your part… A precious stone on the chest of the Priest, a link in the golden chain of a people working towards their deliverance.
{have yourselves a very joyous and healthy new month}
*ùáòéà ôðéà ìúåøä seventy flavors of Torah – for the d’var Torah of your choice
i appreciate the passion of this interpretation, but it’s mistaken on a couple of points, since it depends on a certain idea of how other people interpret religious dress. especially for women. i think most secular people don’t see covered women and think “she has respect for herself,” but rather “she’s been coerced by her fundamentalist community.” so if what you do in this case actually does change based on the message you think it conveys, that might be a reason to do something different. or to interpret the dress code so it doesn’t depend on what others think.
it’s like the vagina monologues says: “my short skirt is NOT an invitation.”
To call a jewish woman or man who follows the code of ethics laid out by the Torah as “coerced by her fundamentalist community” is not only hurtful, it is wrong on many levels.
Perhaps in your community peeps are coerced to dress with the times (btw check Vouge- layers/covered is ‘in’), all the kids I know are self respecting enough to make desctions on their own.
Thank you Moses,
A very nice Dvar Torah. Good Shabbos.
Its all very well for an observant man or woman to declare the reasons and intentions of their dressing habits.
But to tell other people that do not follow your interpretations, is to be intolerant towards them.
Just like you don’t want people to tell you, you are just obeying a dress code out of coercion….
others don’t like to be told that they are not walking like princess, because they are wearing a sleeveless top and shorts on a hot summery day…
as in both cases the tone is intolerant and condescending…
Furthermore on different note, your diatribe misses the point of the parsha entirely. Its about clothes for specific formal occasions – not strictures on how to dress on a day-to-day basis.
–ilAn
ilAn, This Dvar Torah doesn’t prove anything. Many of them are just something nice on the parsha showing either something that we already know or trying to teach some lesson. I don’t think Moses intended to say that the simple meaning of the Parsha meant it and you are right nothing is proven from here.
As far as condescendation (if that’s a word) anytime someone suggests that people act in certain way that others are not acting it can be interpreted as condescending. There is often not much that can be done about. That’s the nature.
OK.
But then that’s just using the parsha as a free association device. I suppose that Rabbi does that in Shul too.
Why not use the Day Yomi then, its got loads of free association material. What about that Rabbie that does not have to lie on his side when he says the Shma cause he is too fat?
Or that other one who thought (following the House of Shammai) that he should lie down on the side of the road in the evening to say the Shma. Did that, and got robbed by some oportunist bandits.
Later….
🙂 You are right alot of Rabbis do that. Sometimes things are used as free association devices (interesting terminology) and sometimes it is really what is being said in the text. We can only tell by the context.
I have returned from a school camping trip to find words of Mishnah mixed with words of intolerance.
The Talmud you quote Ilan- I have just finished teaching to my 4th graders. The argument is whether one must lye down to say the Shema of the evening. One claims you must, the other says but when traveling you open yourself up to danger by lying down in middle of the way where armed robbers can attack you (as opposed to riding on and saying it)
Free association advice? Either things connect or they do not. As the Baal Shem Tov taught and R. Y.Y. Schneersohn elaborated— everything that we see (encounter) can/should teach us something about our service to G-d.
I saw within last weeks portion a lesson on the importance of clothing. Is that free-association? Or is it personal-association? Call it a stretch… say I stretched out too far to pull a lesson, perhaps I did.
People may dress how they like, how they think others will like etc.. They will still be welcomed to my table and I hope yours. By pointing out the way something ought to be (tzniut) we are not criticizing others or condemning them. Rather, I highlight the right path and open it up in a loving way hoping that people join sooner along the proper way. We all do things inappropriate; I would be the last to say she and he are wrong. But that doesn’t mean I can’t point out what right is.
peace- i like your site (the lil i had time to read)
Shalom. (And have a very happy Adar!)