 | When Judaism's most ancient ways no longer seem relevant, usually it's because modern life so fundamentally shifted that their language and symbolism simply don't resonate. If they don't make sense to our modern sensibilities, naturally we discount or dismiss their relevance. The rituals of installing the Kohein Gadol (High Priest of Israel) are a prime example. The Kohein Gadol's ancient functions no longer affect most moderns, so their symbols seem utterly foreign. But even a surface gaze into our ancient past reflects back images we might recognize – the head and heart of service, the ground on which we walk, even our very own selves. |
By Rabbi David Evan Markus
Parashat Tetzaveh 5784 (2024)
"Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes." The cute nursery rhyme song might well describe how ancient Jews installed their spiritual servants – and how spiritual servants today hold the trust and faith invested in us.
In this, I don't just mean clergy like me, though clergy might be the closest analog to the servants (Kohanim) of ancient days. I mean all of us – everyone who serves a synagogue as officer, trustee or committee member... everyone who serves community in any form and by any means. In a key sense, that means all of us.
As it happens, this weekend I'll have the great honor and joy to install a dear friend as rabbi into his new pulpit. At the same time, our own community is planning our own installation celebration for mid-May 2024. So this week's Torah portion about installing Moshe's brother Aharon as Kohein Gadol, High Priest of Israel, comes at a meaningful moment.
"Bring forward Aharon and his sons... to serve Me," God instructs Moshe (Exodus 28:1). Thus began the kahunah (priesthood), from the Hebrew kahein (to serve). It began with all kinds of odd clothes, including:
The installation ritual anointed the head with oil (Exodus 29:7), clothed Aharon in vestments, then placed a ritual drop of ram's blood on the right ear, hand and big toe (Exodus 29:20).
This ritual makes no literal sense anymore, but symbolically it's potent. The ritual reminds that service is an all-in kind of thing: head, ears, shoulders, heart, hands and feet. To me, here's some of what all-in is all about:
On my mind. Thoughts of Shir Ami and her people are always with me. There's a constant to-do list, and hopefully it's no surprise that our congregation's leaders can feel that way as well. We take on the community's welfare as our own: her troubles keep us up at night. And to congregants, sometimes clergy symbolize God (or the God they yearn for, the God who let them down, or the God they don't believe in)... or religion (or the religion they don't practice, or the religion that hurt them)... or ethics (or a behavioral standard whether achieved or not, whether achievable or not). In essence, whatever we wear, there's a billboard on our heads.
Parashat Tetzaveh 5784 (2024)
"Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes." The cute nursery rhyme song might well describe how ancient Jews installed their spiritual servants – and how spiritual servants today hold the trust and faith invested in us.
In this, I don't just mean clergy like me, though clergy might be the closest analog to the servants (Kohanim) of ancient days. I mean all of us – everyone who serves a synagogue as officer, trustee or committee member... everyone who serves community in any form and by any means. In a key sense, that means all of us.
As it happens, this weekend I'll have the great honor and joy to install a dear friend as rabbi into his new pulpit. At the same time, our own community is planning our own installation celebration for mid-May 2024. So this week's Torah portion about installing Moshe's brother Aharon as Kohein Gadol, High Priest of Israel, comes at a meaningful moment.
"Bring forward Aharon and his sons... to serve Me," God instructs Moshe (Exodus 28:1). Thus began the kahunah (priesthood), from the Hebrew kahein (to serve). It began with all kinds of odd clothes, including:
- Two lapis lazuli stones each engraved with six names of Israel's 12 tribes, affixed to the shoulder pieces (Exodus 28:9-12);
- A garment of 12 precious stones, worn over the heart, also engraved with the names of the tribes (Exodus 28:15-21); and
- A turban-style headdress with a gold banner reading "Holy to YHVH" (Exodus 28:36-37)
The installation ritual anointed the head with oil (Exodus 29:7), clothed Aharon in vestments, then placed a ritual drop of ram's blood on the right ear, hand and big toe (Exodus 29:20).
This ritual makes no literal sense anymore, but symbolically it's potent. The ritual reminds that service is an all-in kind of thing: head, ears, shoulders, heart, hands and feet. To me, here's some of what all-in is all about:
On my mind. Thoughts of Shir Ami and her people are always with me. There's a constant to-do list, and hopefully it's no surprise that our congregation's leaders can feel that way as well. We take on the community's welfare as our own: her troubles keep us up at night. And to congregants, sometimes clergy symbolize God (or the God they yearn for, the God who let them down, or the God they don't believe in)... or religion (or the religion they don't practice, or the religion that hurt them)... or ethics (or a behavioral standard whether achieved or not, whether achievable or not). In essence, whatever we wear, there's a billboard on our heads.
 | I understand the Kohein Gadol's "Holy to YHVH" head banner in all of those ways – as a calling, a reminder and a standard – and in one more way. If clergy wear a "Holy to YHVH" banner on their heads, it's not clergy who sees it: everyone else sees it. So instead of a self-identifying nameplate what if it's a mirror, to remind everyone else that they are "Holy to YHVH"? that they are called to live lives of care, service and ethics befitting the holiness that is our collective Covenant? |
On the shoulders. The lapis lazuli stones engraved with the names of the 12 tribes made the Kohein Gadol a community symbol: everyone could see their own tribe literally on his body. Aharon might have been from the Tribe of Levi, but as High Priest he was of the Tribe of Everyone. It's much the same today: a key part of community vitality is on my shoulders, and on the shoulders of everyone who serves. Likewise, Shir Ami's leaders and I bear everyone's names, everyone's tribes, everyone's ways. It's important that everyone be able to see on me some part of themselves and also the whole. In this sense, spiritual community is both/and – each of us and all of us.
On the heart. Clergy and community leaders who don't care about the community are doing it wrong, no matter what they're doing! The Kohein Gadol's breastplate put the tribes' names literally over the heart. Like the e.e. cummings poem of this same name, "I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)."
In the ear. Service means deeply listening; so does community. Notice that there was no ritual for the mouth: listening is far more important than speaking. Despite all my words (and I have lots of words...), more important is that I listen. I humbly suggest that it's the same for us all. Maybe that's why our creed's cornerstone is Shema (listen) and not Daber (speak).
On the hand. The Hebrew word for hand (יד / yad) gives the word for agency (על–ידי / al-y'dei): it is by our hands that we cause things to happen. It's not about control: it's about results. What we do matters – what I do, and what each of us does.
On the feet. This one's the most enigmatic, as nothing else is said of the Kohein Gadol's feet. But it's impossible to place blood on clothed feet, we know the ground of the Sanctuary was holy, and we know that Moshe's first encounter with holy ground (at the burning bush) brought a command to shuck his sandals. Maybe that's why Aharon always is depicted barefoot... and why I intuitively remove my shoes especially during High Holy Day services. Or maybe it's about baring our feet to feel our connection to the ground, reminding that we are of the ground....
So join me in thanking Aharon and an ancient ritual for a first anatomy of spiritual service – all-in... mind, heart and body... what we hear and what we do... everyone "Holy to YHVH."
On the heart. Clergy and community leaders who don't care about the community are doing it wrong, no matter what they're doing! The Kohein Gadol's breastplate put the tribes' names literally over the heart. Like the e.e. cummings poem of this same name, "I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)."
In the ear. Service means deeply listening; so does community. Notice that there was no ritual for the mouth: listening is far more important than speaking. Despite all my words (and I have lots of words...), more important is that I listen. I humbly suggest that it's the same for us all. Maybe that's why our creed's cornerstone is Shema (listen) and not Daber (speak).
On the hand. The Hebrew word for hand (יד / yad) gives the word for agency (על–ידי / al-y'dei): it is by our hands that we cause things to happen. It's not about control: it's about results. What we do matters – what I do, and what each of us does.
On the feet. This one's the most enigmatic, as nothing else is said of the Kohein Gadol's feet. But it's impossible to place blood on clothed feet, we know the ground of the Sanctuary was holy, and we know that Moshe's first encounter with holy ground (at the burning bush) brought a command to shuck his sandals. Maybe that's why Aharon always is depicted barefoot... and why I intuitively remove my shoes especially during High Holy Day services. Or maybe it's about baring our feet to feel our connection to the ground, reminding that we are of the ground....
So join me in thanking Aharon and an ancient ritual for a first anatomy of spiritual service – all-in... mind, heart and body... what we hear and what we do... everyone "Holy to YHVH."
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