Question.

In this Parsha we learn about the special clothing made for a regular kohen the Kohen Gadol (the High Priest). Altogether eight articles of clothing are described. What is the significance of these types of clothes and why are these details important.

Answer.

As we mentioned in the previous Parsha, the details described in these weekly portions are extremely important. The exact clothing of Kohanim was designed very carefully according to the Divine command and if any smallest detail was not kept it could not be used to perform the great rectifications in the Temple[1]. We will only describe briefly some of the general ideas.

A regular Kohen had four articles of clothing: a head covering (turban), a belt, a body covering (tunic) and pants[2]. These are referred to as four white clothes[3]. The High Priest wore four additional articles of clothes, referred to a four golden clothes. They were a golden plate on his head (Tzitz), a robe, a breast plate (Choshen Mishpat) with precious stones and letters of tribes engraved on them[4] and a long garment warn from the back like an apron primarily covering the legs (Ephod). As you can see, in a way, there is a correspondence between each article of golden clothing and white clothes.

White Clothes	Golden Clothes	Part of the body the garment was covering
Turban	Tzitz	head
Belt	Robe	body
Tunic	Choshen Mishpat	body
Pants	Ephod	legs

Indeed the Zohar (3:227a) explains the correspondence further. It states that the four white clothes correspond to the four letters of the Main Divine Name – Y-H-V-H[5] while the four golden clothes correspond to the four letters of A-D-N-Y – the name we pronounce in our prayers instead of the Main Name. It is known that the four letters of each name correspond to each other and to the four Partzufim (collections of Sefiros that are used in joint Hanhaga[6]).

The Talmud (Arachim 16a) says that these eight articles of clothing were used as atonement. Each one was atoning for a particular sin. The tunic atoned for bloodshed[7]. The pants atoned for the sin of forbidden relations[8]. The turban brought atonement for the sin of pride. The belt atoned for indecent and evil thoughts. The “Breastplate of Judgment” (Choshen Mishpat) atoned for judgment that was passed incorrectly. The Ephod atoned for idol worship. The robe atoned for speaking badly about others[9]. The forehead plate (Tzitz) was atoning for insolence and impudence.

The Shl”a Hakodesh[10] based on this Gemorah explains the correspondence of the eight clothes as follows:

Four white clothes and the Sefiros of Hanhagah:

Article of clothing	Letter in Divine Name	Corresponding Parztuf	Atoned for:
Turban	Yud	Chochma – Wisdom	pride
Belt	Hei	Binah – Understanding	bad thoughts
Tunic	Vav	Z”A – Sefiros from Chesed to Yesod	bloodshed
Pants	Hei	Malchus	adultery

Four golden clothes and the Sefiros in receiving the Hanhagah[11]:

Tzitz	Alef	Chochma – Wisdom	audacity
Robe	Dalet	Binah – Understanding	gossip
Choshen Mishpat	Nun	Z”A – Sefiros from Chesed to Yesod	wrong judgment
Ephod	Yud	Malchus	idolworship

For those who have some background in Kabala understanding some of these correspondences will be easier. We will not dwell on many details in our commentary, but in Parshas Pekudey we will discuss the relationship of Choshen Mishpat and the Ephod in detail. We are waiting for the day when the Temple service will be renewed and our nation will again be receiving the Great Good from Hashem!

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[1] Indeed this is the general law: when a kohen is not wearing appropriate clothing his service is invalid and he destroys in spiritual worlds instead of rectifying. For this reason, if he did it on purpose he incurs death at the hands of Heaven (see Talmud, Zevachim 17b; Rambam, Kley Hamikdash 10:4; see also Rashi, Shemos 28:25).

[2] No shoes are mentioned since the kohanim had to serve barefoot.

[3] Note that on Yom Kippur when the High Priest performed the most important service of coming to the Holy of Holies he wore only four white clothes. There is a general dispute in the Talmud if a common kohen wore the same belt as Kohen Gadol throughout the year or whether his belt was like the one Kohen Gadol wore on Yom Kippur (see Talmud, Yoma 12). There is also a dispute if the hat of Kohen Gadol was the same as that of a regular kohen or slightly different.

[4] See our commentary to Parshas Pekudey.

[5] See our words to Parshas Vaera.

[6] It would be difficult to explain this system to those who are not knowledgeable in Kabala. We will just mention, that Chochma and Binah each correspond to one partzuf – “Father” and “Mother”. In truth, wisdom “impregnates” understanding – i.e. understanding comes from thinking over and analyzing the information gained through wisdom. The Sefiros from Chesed till Yesod form their own group called Zer Anpin (Z”A) – this is the main Divine Hanhagah over the universe. Malchus forms the Partzuf called “Nukva” – feminine. This is because Malchus is the root of our nation and shows our readiness to receive Divine Good. We are thus compared to the “wife” of Hashem. The four Partzufum corresponding to the four letters of the Divine Name project to many other “fours”, see our words to Parshas Vayerah.

[7] Obviously it does not atone for the murderer himself. However our nation as a whole also needs collective atonement if someone got killed in our midst and that atonement was achieved through the High Priest wearing the tunic (Rashi, Arachim 16a).

[8] The atonement was for our nation, see the previous note.

[9] If that speech did not have any effects. However if the gossiper accomplished results, then he would be plagued by leprosy (Talmud, Arachim 16a).

[10] In Torah Ohr on this Parsha.

[11] The Name A-D-N-Y has to do with receiving Hashem’s good, this is why this Name comes from the word “Adon” Master. The Main Name has to do with Hashem Himself, while A-D-N-Y – is our acceptance of Him. The perfect correspondence of the two Names is the correspondence between the channels used for “giving” and for “receiving”.