I once saw an ad for a brand of clothing geared toward youth. It consists of blue jeans and all the accessories designed to go with them. There is nothing novel about that. What got my attention, however, was the name of this clothing line. It is called “True Religion.” That caused me to stop and think. Why was that name chosen? Am I missing some deeper significance? What is the connection between a brand of jeans and true religion? What do they mean by it? My musings left me with questions for which I had no answers.
This week’s Torah portion, Tetzaveh, helps us understand what true religion really means. We read about the special clothing the kohanim, priests wore serving God in the Temple. Those vestments point us in the correct direction of “True Religion.” The commentary below the line in the Etz Hayyim Humash describes the purpose of each vestment.
“The Talmud understand the priestly vestments as designed to protect human beings against the sins to which they are prone. Thus the breastplate-called ‘the breastplate of judgment’ (mishpat) in28:15 –was meant to prevent miscarriages of justice. The jacket (m’il, similar to the word for betrayal, ma-al) would discourage gossip. The ephod (a coat also used to decorate idols, as in Hos. 3:40 would protect them against the danger of succumbing to idolatry. The fringed tunic (the same Hebrew phrase used for Joseph’s coat in Gen. 37) would protect against bloodshed (as the brothers nearly killed Joseph). The robe, covering the entire body, would protect them against sins of unchastely, and the headdress against prideful arrogant thoughts (BT Zev. 88b)” (page 505 below the line)
True religion is not a garment to be taken on and off. It is a lofty challenge about how we live a holy life before God and others.
You don’t advertise your religion by wearing a
label—you do it by living a life.
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