Tetzaveh Roundup

This week's parshah, Tetzaveh, tells us some more about the going-ons of the Mishkan. The first thing discussed is the olive oil used for the lighting of the menorah. Aaron and his sons must take pure olive oil and every evening light the menorah.

Next is discussed the special clothing that the kohanim would wear. The kohanim are the priests--the children and descendents of Aaron--who did the services in the Mishkan and then later in the Beit Hamikdah (the Temple) in Jerusalem. When they were in the Mishkan performing their services, such as bringing a sacrifice, or lighting the menorah, or taking the Mishkan down and putting it back up again (remember, it was a traveling building), they had to wear special clothing. These clothing were 1) the ketonet -- a long linen shirt; 2) michnasayim -- pants made of linen; 3) mitznefet or migba'at -- a hat or cap;  4) avnet -- a long sash (belt) wound above the waist. You can imagine how regal the kohanim looked when they were doing their holy work in the mishkan, wearing their special garments.

The Kohen Gadol--the "High Priest," the Kohen who did the most important work, the first one being Aaron--had to wear four extra garments: 5) the efod, a sort of very fancy apron, made of blue, purple and red-dyed wool, linen and gold thread; 6) the choshen, a very special garment which was worn on the chest, containing twelve precious stones inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel; 7) me'il -- a cloak of blue wool, with gold bells and pomegranates hanging from the bottom; 8) the tzitz -- a golden plate worn on the forehead like a sort of band, with the words "Holy to G-d" engraved on it.

G-d then tells Moses how to officially initiate Aaron and his sons as Kohanim. They have to stand outside of the mishkan with a bull that will be offered as a sacrifice. Moses will then put on Aaron his eight garments and pour some "anointing oil" on his head. Then Aaron's sons will put on their clothing. They will then officially be Kohanim and can begin their service in the Mishkan. From here on, all their children will be Kohanim forever. The last thing in the Parshah is instructions for how to build the golden altar.