FOR TETZAVEH
STRENGTH OF THE GARMENTS
Earlier this week, one of the news outlets featured an extremely powerful story. Briefly, around six years ago, Matt Swatzell had completed a 24-hour shift at his firefighting job. Due to lack of sleep, he plowed into a car driven by June Fitzgerald, who was pregnant. Only her 19-month-old daughter, Faith, survived.
Realizing that Matt was not a criminal and that this was a tragic accident, June’s widower husband, Erik, reached out to Matt and his family. They forged a strong, religious, friendship, which continues to this day, even after Erik married again.
They say how they cannot imagine life any other way. Please see here:
http://www.today.com/news/man-crash-killed-woman-forges-friendship-her-widower-2D12044681
In a related story, the trial for the surviving criminal of the Boston Marathon bombing last April appeared in the news earlier this week. While twisted and demented individuals perpetuated this crime, the story that circulated earlier this week had little connection to that.
It is about victim James Costello. He was burned all over his legs, and metal nails had to be removed from his abdomen. Krista D’Agostino, a physical therapist, was working a temporary shift where he had been rehabilitating. They became engaged a few weeks ago. Costello insists that he is “glad he was blown up,” else he would not have met his future wife. She, in turn, does not like to hear those words, since her fiancée, and many others, had been severely hurt. Others were murdered by these bombings. In his mind, though, his good fortune was rooted in this brutality; it was the best thing that could have happened to him. Please see here:http://www.today.com/news/boston-bombing-victim-engaged-nurse-tragedy-brought-love-life-2D11783299
Finally, in the recent ridiculous fiasco of the city of Atlanta and its snow-related foibles – as discussed in last week’s Good Shabbos Email – many locals brought food and drink to hungry and thirsty stranded travelers. Some even took up to ten strangers into their homes. While the streets remained a crazy mess, the beautiful people of Atlanta became heroes and providers.
The common denominator between the above three stories is not merely about overcoming challenges. It is about finding the good, the positive, in difficulty, in tragedy, and even in depravity.
Not knowing any of the above people personally, I cannot know their character traits. They could be every-day people. What is clear, without a doubt, is that these people found a spring of constructive encouragement from stories that have broken many strong human beings. It takes colossal strength to transform a calamity into beauty.
In other words, while the foundation of these stories could be seen to possess incredible injustice, and even evil, the victims, on the other hand, elevated themselves as a result of these very ruthless situations.
In truth, anyone can reach such levels, as evidenced from a beautiful lesson taken from this week’s Torah portion, “Tetzaveh.” The portion details the fashioning of the special garments to be worn during services in the holy Temple by the Kohanim, the priests, as well as the unique garments worn by the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest.
All of the men functioning as Kohen workers were required to wear the following: a pair of pants, a tunic, a sash, and a turban-like head covering. The High Priest had to wear four additional garments: an apron, a breast plate, a cloak, and a forehead plate. Regarding the first three, the Torah instructs: “It should be on Aaron when he performs the service, and its sound should be heard when he enters the Holy Place before G-d, and when he leaves, so that he will not die.” (Sh’mos (Exodus) 28:38.) While this verse is in the context of the cloak, the other two – the apron and breastplate – are also included, as explained by the commentaries.
Yet, the mandate is specifically presented regarding the cloak. And the mandate is clear: The High Priest was not to enter the Temple without these three garments, under the threat of death! [the forehead plate also had to be worn, but this is learned from a different verse].
The reason for this mandate is as follows: The breastplate contained twelve stones, upon which were written the names of the tribal families of the Jewish people. This garment was worn over the heart of the High Priest. As the Torah states, “Aaron should carry the names of the sons of Israel… over his heart when he enters into the Holy Place, as a remembrance before G-d at all times.” (28:29.) On the apron’s shoulder straps, sat two large precious stones, upon each of which were engraved six of the names of the tribes. (28:9-12.). Attached to the hem of cloak, were wool balls in the shape of pomegranates and golden bells. In the words of the Torah, “A golden bell (should be followed by) a pomegranate, followed by a golden bell, and (then another) pomegranate, on the bottom edge of the cloak, all around.” (28:34.)
The significance of these unique garments of the High Priest was the types of people they represented. The breastplate, worn openly and proudly as he entered into the Temple, represented the righteous of the people. The stones on the apron’s shoulder straps, towards the posterior side of the High Priest, represented those who struggle with their challenges, and are successful some of the time. The bells and pomegranates, hanging on the very bottom of the cloak, represent the lower extremes of people, those who are mostly unsuccessful in controlling themselves.
The High Priest, the representative of the entire people, is warned in the strongest terms, that he must never favor any type of people over the other. All the people, every single individual, “good” and “bad”, must be remembered “before G-d at all times.”
The essence of every individual, and of every story that happens, is good. It may be extremely difficult to see that. It may take yeoman, even superhuman effort, to bring that out. It may also be even impossible for humans on this earth to see it. “Before G-d,” however, the Ultimate Goodness, every individual, and every individual story, is good.
It is for this reason that the above instruction to the High Priest appears specifically by the cloak: those “fringe element” people, represented by the trappings hanging on the edge of the cloak, are the easiest to discard. It is there, however, where the clear directive appears: Do not leave anyone out!
SUMMARY: People with incredible strength find the goodness inherent even in dreadful situations. The same can be said regarding people whose external side may not be visibly good; there is more underneath the surface.