Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 4 Adar, 5785

Good morning! As we continue our journey of celebration! As we engage with our mazal (good fortune) this moon cycle, we can start to see more themes emerge. Today’s passage is about the priestly garments. What the priests wore connected to their approach to Hashem.

As we remember our inherent value – our inherent worth – which the world around us has communicated counter to, we come back to these concepts of Agency, Autonomy, Freedom, and Liberation.

If we are seeking validation from the world around us – we will likely USE our agency, autonomy, freedom, and liberation for the purposes of putting ourselves in a position to best receive that validation, right?

For some, they may work hard to try and convince people who don’t see them as worthy, and bend over backwards in sacrifice in order to try to convince them.

However, if we shift our beliefs about our worth? And we REMEMBER our worth instead of trying to earn it? We may make different decisions.

One might begin to set expectations for how they will be treated. I am worthy – and if you treat me in a way that treats me “less than worthy” then I need to be free to make other decisions.

This is predicated on the idea that if I believe I am worthy, I will ACT in a manner that is worthy.

And what is our worth? It’s a royal heritage. It is our soul’s worth.

Our soul. In our body. May have acted in the past in a way that we feel guilt and shame over. This guilt and shame is indicative of our inherent worth, no?

And, that is the past. We cannot go back in time and change it anywhere OTHER Than in our minds.

Our brilliance. As Humanity? Is that this moment is what is real. What we do with THESE 30 seconds. Do we act in a way grounded in our worth? Or do we reject our own worth and act in a way grounded in the desire to seek the validation of others?  What is driving our moment?

And. When we encounter our soul in other bodies around us? How do we treat ourselves?

This is the golden rule. Treat others how we want to be treated.

Imagine this from the perspective of being one soul spread into all of these bodies.

If I look in a mirror, and I am acting in a manner counter to my own worthiness? I would want to call it out.

If I look in a mirror, and I am acting in a manner inherent to my own worthiness? I would want to affirm that.

And If I do this within? I can do this for others.

Because there is no “other” merely parts of me (my soul; our soul) that exist in everyone who is alive in this moment on this planet.

We are fragmented. We are integrated.

And these priestly garments in today’s Torah Portion? They are our brilliance. They are our heritage. Because they point to our bodies. Our bodies are priestly garments.  Because we are priests bringing the fragmentation of humanity home.

We are free to choose this. Or not. To be free within these priestly bodies. Or to see our bodies as filthy vessels for our soul.

There is no you. There is no me. There is only us.

This is love. This is the season.

This is the story of Purim. We will get more into this. The story of Purim – which does not mention Hashem even once – it tells the story of Hashem – through us. Haman did not know what he was doing – because he was doing it to himself.

More to come.

What are your thoughts?

Here are my thoughts from last year:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 11 Adar 1, 5784
Parsha Tetzavveh: (Exodus 27:20 – 30:10)
Third Portion: Exodus 28:31 – 28:43

Good morning! This morning we are continuing the Parsha of Tetzaveh which means “you should command.” As I reflect on these priestly garments, I am reflecting on purpose – and this idea of agency and autonomy.  A lot of times we use these words interchangeably.  But there is a nuance to them. 

Agency is the capacity to act, make a change, make a difference

Autonomy is the right to make a choice regarding our own lives, free from external influences

As we build this relationship with Hashem, how do we maintain (or do we maintain) Agency and Autonomy with Hashem regarding our lives?

These concepts are a little different than the idea of “freedom” which probably connects to just how much autonomy we have.  You see, it’s not binary. We get to make choices, though sometimes these choices are limited.  We may always have autonomy, but we may not always have agency. And – we may feel completely the opposite. We may feel like we have no autonomy even if we do. Autonomy is about “a” choice. Freedom and liberation expands those choices we get to make. Something to chew on here as we dig into the priestly garments. Mainly because it feels like telling Aaron how to dress? Taking away some agency and autonomy. And. Aaron could have decided not to accept the high priest role, right? That was a choice.  Let’s dig in:

31And you shall make the robe of the ephod completely of blue wool.

32Its opening at the top shall be turned inward; its opening shall have a border around it, the work of a weaver. It shall have [an opening] like the opening of a coat of armor; it shall not be torn.

33And on its bottom hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and crimson wool, on its bottom hem all around, and golden bells in their midst all around.

34A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, on the bottom hem of the robe, all around.

35It shall be on Aaron when he performs the service, and its sound shall be heard when he enters the Holy before the Lord and when he leaves, so that he will not die.

Interesting here. The adornments on the bottom of the robe were for purpose. Sound. 

How would sound keep Aaron alive when entering and exiting the holy of holies?

The best answer I can come up with is mindfulness. I would imagine having a ton of distracting thoughts. Entering into the holy of holies, the bells would have kept Aaron’s mind focused.

36And you shall make a showplate of pure gold, and you shall engrave upon it like the engraving of a seal: Holy to the Lord.”

37And you shall place it upon a cord of blue wool and it shall go over the cap, and it shall be opposite the front side of the cap.

38It shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things that the children of Israel sanctify, for all their holy gifts. It shall be upon his forehead constantly to make them favorable before the Lord.

So we have the robe, and now we have the showplate on the forehead – that says “Holy to the Lord.”  Our minds are set apart for Hashem. Our ears need to hear. Our eyes need to see. That is critical here.

39You shall make the linen tunic of checker work, and you shall make a linen cap; and you shall make a sash of embroidery work.

And the tunic seems to indicate – our bodies need to feel as well.  We have our full senses.  Next we turn to garments for Aaron’s sons. He was the high priest. His sons were priests:

40For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics and make them sashes, and you shall make them high hats for honor and glory.

We now begin to see the purpose of these garments:

41With these you shall clothe Aaron, your brother, and his sons along with him, and you shall anoint them and invest them with full authority and sanctify them so that they may serve Me [as kohanim].

42And make for them linen pants to cover the flesh of [their] nakedness; they shall reach from the waist down to the thighs.

43They shall be worn by Aaron and by his sons when they enter the Tent of Meeting or when they approach the altar to serve in the Holy, so they will not bear iniquity and die. It shall be a perpetual statute for him and for his descendants after him.

The purpose of these garments – to invest in us so we may serve Hashem, so we will not bear iniquity and die.

These are protection.

And what is interesting to me? We discussed yesterday, these clothes were made in wisdom. Wisdom is feminine. The feminine energy is protecting the masculine body.  It seems like an example of the protective shell around the egg.  The egg was Aaron and his sons. They were naked men.  They needed clothes of wisdom to cover them for protection and service.  This seems to be the way of holiness.

Interesting process this morning! I am curious to your thoughts!