Parashas Tetzaveh - We are what we wear

There are several types of costumes you can always bet you will see on Purim (in my neighborhood.) Little girls want to be Esther, a princess, a mommy with a snood and a baby, or a kallah – and little boys want to be Mordechai, a Kohen Gadol, or a daddy wearing tefillin. Every year, it's the same thing. Last year my daughter was a princess/kallah; can you guess what she is going to be this year? ...Yup! A princess/kallah! My son is dressing up in tefillin (yea, it's fake) and a tallis gadol.

It's a bit cliché, but very cute.

This is my tenth year in Israel and every year I see the most interesting costumes. Some are very creative and others are very denigrating. I have a theory regarding people who choose the costumes they wear. I could be wrong, however, I hold by it with at least 83% of people who dress up.

Theory: You can tell a lot about people based on the costumes they wear. People choose to wear the things they deep down inside want to dress up but wouldn't normally during the year (or at least wondered how it would feel like if they wore such clothing.) I know plenty of people who have admitted it.

Sadly, a lot has to do with the things we've been exposed to. For example, you wont find a little kid dressing up as a vampire in my neighborhood. Believe it or not, they don't even know who Elmo or Cookie Monster is! The reason is because they haven't been influenced by these characters. They grew up learning about spiritual things like; Mordechai in Megillas Esther or the Kohen Gadol in the Torah...

In this week's parasha, the bigdei Kehuna are explained in great detail. Hashem asks for the wise men to make Aharon's garments in order to sanctify Aharon, in order to serve Hashem. [1]

Wasn't Aharon able to sanctify Hashem without wearing the garments? Why did the garments have to be made in a specific way? Couldn't Aharon just wear a nice suit to serve Him?

It seems like a person is influenced by the clothing he wears. You don't see many business men, working in a well known corporation, wearing shorts and a t-shirt to work. Just like you don't see the Kohen Gadol wearing a suit to serve Hashem in the Beis Hamikdash. The things we wear effect our attitude. When someone wears only black, it's usually because they are sad or depressed.

It also says in this week's parasha: Aharon's sacred garments shall belong to his sons after him, to be uplifted through them. Rashi comments: To be put in high position by them... By means of the garment, he became invested in the high-priesthood. [2]*

Until my theory is disproved; We Are What We Wear (try saying that ten times fast.)

For Purim, let's not denigrate Hashem's Name by wearing a degrading costume. The story of Purim was a miracle Hashem did for the Jews. It would seem wrong to take advantage of Him by degrading the holiday and His name.

Good shabbos and Chag Sameach,
Nisso

[1] 28:3
[2] 29:29
*Translated from the Mesuda Chumash