In Parshat Tetzaveh, we learn about the garments Aharon Hakohen wore while performing his Avodat Hashem in the mishkan. The ephod, the garment worn over his tunic and robe, was adorned with remembrance stones on which were engraved the names of the sons of Yisrael, six on one shoulder and six on the other. (Shemot 28:9-12)
On Aharon’s breastplate (choshen mishpat) were mounted four rows of three stones each engraved with the name of one of the twelve shvatim. Above the name engraved on the first stone were the names of the avot, Avraham and Yitzchak v’Yaakov. Below the name on the last stone were the words, Shivtai Kah – the tribes of Hashem. When standing before Hashem in the mishkan bearing the names of Israel on his shoulders and on his heart, Aharon Hakohen thus carried all of Bnai Yisrael with him.
We, too, may wear reminders of loved ones or representations of influences in our lives to motivate, inspire, or center ourselves. Perhaps we may choose to wear particular items of clothing to embolden ourselves or communicate to others what we stand for – a superhero shirt worn by our four-year-old or an IDF sweatshirt signifying our solidarity with our chayalim. Some of us wear our own personal remembrance stones – a grandmother’s ring, a father’s watch, a great aunt’s necklace. When we wear treasured family pieces, we think of the item’s original owner and what that individual meant to us. Through these pieces, we invoke their memory and recall their guidance.
When our children were younger, my mother-in-law used to tell them when they were worried about a big event or a test coming up, they should always remember that she would be in their pocket. If they were feeling nervous and needed a boost of confidence, all they had to do was remember that Bubby believes in them and would be close by in their pocket whenever they need her.
We may not have a Bubby in our pocket, or an item from a loved one that we wear to remember them by and sometimes, sadly, those treasured items can become lost over time. However, what we do carry with us is something available to everyone and far more enduring.
Choshen Mishpat is not only the name of Aharon Hakohen’s breastplate, but it is also one of the four sections of the Shulchan Aruch. Torah – our values, our identity, our ethics, and the ways in which we conduct our lives – is the enduring treasure we possess through which we receive Hashem’s guidance and transmit our tradition to our children and grandchildren. The Torah reminds us of who we are and what we stand for.
It is an endless source of nachat and joy to watch our students learning Torah in our classrooms and Beit Midrash. It begins in the ECC where our students sing Torah, Torah, Torah and continues to build through the Elementary School where the foundations of reading Chumash and the mitzvot of bain adam v’chavero are established. Finally, the Middle School which is dedicated to advancing students’ textual skills, conceptual knowledge, halachic observance, and values clarification, deepens students’ ahavat Torah and identity formation. Every step of the way, our students are internalizing what it means to wear their Yiddishkeit with pride and to always remember that Torah is the source of kiddusha and strength that will be there to guide them throughout their lives.
May we, emulating the Kohen Gadol, merit the ability to represent ourselves and our people for the good through our learning, our tefilla, and our actions.
Shabbat shalom!