After learning about the special garments worn by the High Priest in the book of Exodus, we are now told that when Aaron – the first High priest – enters the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, he should wear the four white linen garments (the tunic, pants, sash and head turban), like those of an ordinary priest wears in the Temple.

Why should he dress like an ordinary priest on the holiest of days in the holiest of places? The medieval commentator, Rashi, wrote that the High Priest does not wear his four outer garments when he enters the Holy of Holies because they are made with gold which alludes to the sin of the golden calf.

On the other hand, Maimonides explained that the High Priest wears his own special white garments to perform the services unique to Yom Kippur because being white, they are appropriate for our holiest day of the year.

According to Likutei Sichot, a collection of talks written by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, when one is involved in bringing one’s fellow Jew closer to Judaism, he must remove his outer clothes and wear simpler clothes.

There is a story of the fourth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Shmuel, of righteous memory, who would perspire profusely while receiving visitors in private, and on occasion even excused himself in the middle of an interview to change his clothes. When asked for the reason he explained, “When I receive a visitor I am wearing my own ‘garments.’ But to truly feel his challenges, I must remove my garments and don his. At this point I must consider the problem from my own perspective and for that I must don my own garments. Having developed a suitable response I must dress my advice in words suitable to my visitor’s ears, and for that I must once again don his garments. Knowing this, are you surprised that I perspire?”

Likewise, when the High Priest is involved in the services of Yom Kippur, he is acting as our defense attorney before G‑d and so must dress appropriately in the purest of colors, white. In fact, Rashi explained that it is inappropriate for the High Priest to wear garments of gold because the gold itself cannot be both the prosecuting attorney and the defense attorney.

And when we do gather on Yom Kippur wearing our best white clothes, we must remember that we need to strive to be our purest inside as well.

Made of only white ingredients, meringue seemed to best exemplify Yom Kippur. Inside each meringue kiss, as they are known, I placed a few white chocolate chips to symbolize the purity of our souls on this holiest of days. Coincidentally, according to the Ohr HaChayim, the sons of Aaron died by “Divine kiss,” getting so close to G‑d that their souls left their bodies.

Ingredients:

  • 6 egg whites
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • White chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Beat egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks form (takes about 30 minutes with a standard mixer). Be patient!
  2. Fill a bag with the mixture and make a hole in the corner of the bag. Squeeze out the mixture to make the bottoms (makes about 24) and then put a few white chocolate chips inside.
  3. Then cover the chocolate chips and try to make it look like a stiff peak at the top (reaching upwards).
  4. Bake at 200˚ for about 40 minutes and then turn off the oven. If they are not hard yet, leave them in the warm oven until they are dry.

Have a good and sweet Shabbat!