Drash Cards for Tetzaveh (5773)

by Marc Mangel

• Last week we learned that it took about 35 verses to create the world but about 450 to describe the Mishkan.  This week there are 42 verses about the clothing for Aaron and his sons.   What are we to learn from this?

• Clothes make the man — and you heard it first in the Torah.

• But then, in Ch 29, v 4-7 Moshe washes (Rashi says total immersion) and anoints them, which seems a bit subservient for the greatest prophet ever. From this we learn that Chesed sometimes involves menial tasks.

• That is, the lowliest job can have holiness if it is done with the right intention — Moshe considered it a great honor to dress his old brother/the Cohen Gadol.

• Happiness itself consists of seeing life in its entirety as meaningful and worthwhile and we can find that everywhere  — our way to a meaningful life is to seek opportunities to bring holiness to the world through acts of Chesed.

• And that is the meaning of Aaron’s clothing.