d’var torah
Dressing for the Occasion
Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner
Parshat Tetzaveh
W hen did “clothes make the
man” come into our vocab-
ulary and/or belief system?
Popular explanations attribute the
expression to Samuel Langhorne
Clemens, the pen name of Mark Twain.

But that is unfortunately inaccurate.

Yes, Twain did become a fashion state-
ment when he began wearing white
suits head to toe late in his career. But
the words go back very far.

That maxim actually originated
more than 400 years earlier during
the Middle Ages, found in the works
of Erasmus, a Dutch philosopher and
Catholic theologian, who created an
annotated collection of 800 Greek
and Latin proverbs, and years later
an expanded version containing 4,251
essays — a proverbial encyclopedia of
proverbs. Recorded in Latin, Erasmus
wrote “vestis virum facit,” meaning
“clothes make the man.”
Quintilian’s work “Institutions” cites
his source as Homer, who wrote
his epics about 7 or 8 B.C. In “The
Odyssey,” the key lines are: “From
these things, you may be sure, men get
a good report,” meaning Ulysses made
his impact — a good impression — by
way of fi ne threads and bling.

Not to be one-upped by classical
writers, Shakespeare (who wore his
fi ne Elizabethan white ruff with great
pride and dignity) weighed in on the
matter through Polonius: “The apparel
oft proclaims the man” (“The Tragedy
of Hamlet,” written c. 1600).

Professor Baruch J. Schwartz
(Hebrew University) wrote that four of
these priestly garments were exclusive
for a High Priest, called
, “the holy garments.” [Moses fi rst places
them upon Aaron at the consecration
of the priests (Leviticus 8:7–9). Aaron
wears them until his death, transferring
them to his son and successor Eleazar
immediately before he dies (Numbers
20:25–28). All successive High Priests
are commanded to wear them as well
(Exodus 29:30; see Leviticus 21:10).]
Four elaborate garments worn by the
priests fi gure prominently in the Torah
portion Tetzaveh, fi lling the entirety of
Exodus 28. But it is the Kohen Gadol’s
robe that has fascinated me for years.

It is the fi rst “real bell-bottoms” in
fashion history. But, why “bells” on the
hem? There are multiple theories. The one
most often heard: to let everyone know
that the Kohen Gadol is alive hearing
the bells move. Other theories of the
original bell-bottoms include (1) signify-
ing the teaching of the law by the high
priest; (2) they were a musical praise
to God; (3) they symbolize royalty like
kings in neighboring cultures; (4) and
they call for priestly vigilance to all
ritual details.

As he wrote: “Whether verbally or
dramatically, to worship God appar-
ently involves making Him (!) accessi-
ble, imaginable, familiar — in ancient
times as in our own.”
However, I agree with Schwartz.

The robe has bells to alert the Divine
presence to Aaron’s approach as he
enters the sanctuary so “that he does
not die,” as the Torah records. Just
that: Those were the instructions and
the promise for Israel. ■
Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner is retired
and provides kosher supervision for
Traditional Kosher Supervision in the
Greater Philadelphia area, while teach-
ing hands-on craft skills to make and
use properly holiday ritual objects. The
Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia
is proud to provide diverse perspectives
on Torah commentary for the Jewish
Exponent. The opinions expressed in
this column are the author’s own and do
not necessarily refl ect the view of the
Board of Rabbis.

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calendar
MARCH 3–9
MO N DAY, M AR C H 6
S U N DAY, MARCH 5
W E D N E SDAY, M A RC H 8
The Weitzman National Museum of
American Jewish History welcomes
you to join us on Zoom at 2 p.m. to
recognize one year since Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine. Weitzman museum
CEO Misha Galperin will be joined by
journalist Vladislav Davidzon to discuss
the relationship between Jewish people
and Ukraine. For more information,
contact Isabella Orloff at programs@
theweitzman.org or 215-923-3811.

This series from Congregation Kol
Ami, starting at 10:30 a.m. for two
Wednesdays, is for anyone interested
in increasing their awareness of the
sacred. Our tool for discerning the
Divine will be a metaphor. Register
at kolaminj.shulcloud.com/event/
divinepresence. For more information,
contact AdultEd@kolaminj.org or call
856-489-0029. 1101 Springdale Road,
Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

FROM ODESSA WITH LOVE
MON DAY, MARCH 6
MAHJONG GAME
PURIM HOEDOWN
Join Adath Jeshurun at 5 p.m. for a Purim Hoedown featuring the band
Jacob’s Ladder, a pizza party and Megillah reading. For more information,
contact Rachel Palitto at rpalitto@adathjeshurun.info or 215-635-6611.

7763 Old York Road, Elkins Park.

FRIDAY, M A R C H 3
HAMANTASCHEN FOR
HUMANITY Our hearts are heavy for people around
the world who have had their lives
uprooted by humanitarian, climate and
community crises. During March, Night
Kitchen Bakery will bake its hamantaschen
(chocolate, cherry, poppy seed and prune).

Ten percent of sales will be donated
to World Central Kitchen. 7723-25
Germantown Ave., Philadelphia.

‘SERIOUSLY’ EXHIBIT
The Temple Judea Museum will exhibit
a unique trio of artists: Marlene Adler,
Diane Pieri and Dan Soslowsky. What
joins this disparate group together?
Find out at this exhibit, running through
March 15 and open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

For more information, contact Rita
Poley at tjmuseum@kenesethisrael.

org or 215-887-8700. 8339 Old York
Road, Elkins Park.

PARSHA FOR LIFE
Join Rabbi Alexander Coleman,
a Jewish educator and psychotherapist
at the Institute for Jewish Ethics, at 9
a.m. for a journey through the Torah
portion of the week with eternal lessons
on personal growth and spirituality.

Go to ijethics.org/weekly-torah-
portion.html to receive the Zoom link
and password.

MUSICAL KABBALAT SHABBAT
Join Beth Sholom Congregation’s
Rabbi David Glanzberg-Krainin, Cantor
Jacob Agar and the band at 6 p.m.

for a musical Kabbalat Shabbat. The
community is welcome to attend.

Call 215-887-1342 for information.

8231 Old York Road, Elkins Park.

KOL ZIMRAH
“Kol Zimrah” means “the sound of
singing.” This musical service, offered
online at 6 p.m., is led by Germantown
Jewish Centre Rabbi Adam Zeff and
Executive Director Nina Peskin and
features original melodies and
kavanot (short spiritual reflections).

venue.streamspot.com/a79c0def. Melrose B’nai Israel Emanu-El
Sisterhood invites the community to
join our weekly mahjong game at 7
p.m. Cost is $36 per year or free with
MBIEE Sisterhood membership. For
more information, call 215-635-1505
or email office@mbiee.org.

8339 Old York Road, Elkins Park.

MAMMA MIA MEGILLAH
The Reform Congregation Keneseth
Israel spiel is back! This year, we
present the “Mamma Mia Megillah” at
7 p.m., retelling the story of Purim
through the music of ABBA.

Hamantaschen to follow. Contact Brian
Rissinger at contact@kenesethisrael.

org or 215-887-8700. 8339 Old York
Road, Elkins Park.

METAPHORS OF THE DIVINE
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
SCREENING Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media
presents a screening at the Weitzman
of “Valeria is Getting Married,” about
a Ukrainian woman arranging for
her younger sister to marry an Israeli
man, at 7 p.m. as part of International
Women’s Day. For more information,
contact Matthew Bussy at mbussy@
phillyjfm.org or 215-446-3012. 101 S.

Independence Mall East, Philadelphia.

TH U RSDAY, M A RC H 9
CANASTA GAME
Ohev Shalom of Bucks County
Sisterhood invites the community to
a weekly canasta game from 1-3 p.m.

Open play is $4. Call 215-968-6755 for
more information. 944 Second Street
Pike, Richboro. ■
social announcements
BIRTH MIA JULIETTE SETZMAN
Jenna Leibowitz and Rob Setzman of
Gladwyne announce the birth of their
daughter Mia Juliette on Oct. 3.

Sharing in their happiness are sister
Emery Dorothy, grandmother Lynn
Setzman of Richboro, and grandpar-
ents Karen Brodsky and Don Leibowitz
of West Windsor, New Jersey. Also
celebrating Mia’s birth are aunt Jocelyn
and uncle Scott Setzman and cousins
Sydney and Payge, and aunt Mara and
uncle Michael Fox and cousins Ethan
Photo by Jessica Catherine Photography
and Lylah.

Mia Juliette is named in loving memory of her paternal grandfather Michael
Jack Setzman.

JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 29