In Tetzaveh, this week’s Torah portion, we are told that Aaron, the High Priest, and his children are commanded to wear very special garments in their sacred role. Read it and you’ll wonder, “How the heck can they wear all that stuff in the wilderness and why should they?” In the old days when rabbis wore clergy robes which weren’t always weather-appropriate in sanctuaries that usually weren’t air-conditioned, that was bad enough. But in the desert????

To distinguish themselves from those not in the priestly class, those who themselves bring offerings and not ritualize them, the only way to do so was through their clothing. Nowadays there’s far more informality among clergy. I used to wear robes (now only on the holydays as most rabbis do), but that was then, and this is now. Today I’d look weird in a “long black dress,” as one kid called it.

On Purim many children - and, yes, adults - wear weird clothing. We masquerade as did Esther and Mordecai who, among a people not their own, sought to hide their identity. Of course, the Purim garb is either the “look” of Esther and Mordecai, Haman and Ahaseurus, or action figures and other contemporary heroes. The point is we often don’t appreciate the subtleness of what we wear and the message of our clothing.

Our Reform forbears chose not to wear kipot* of any kind or talleisim,* prayer shawls, so that they wouldn’t look different from their Gentile neighbors in worship. We “Protestantized” our liturgy; we did the same with the garb of the synagogue. And by doing so we also distinguished ourselves from those affiliated with Conservative or Orthodox congregations.

We see that in all generations and among all people, clothing means more and has interesting histories than we might think.

(*FYI…Head coverings in our tradition are called yarmulkes by those of European background. They are usually “bowl” shaped; and while they come in so many colors today, they traditionally are black. Kipah/Kipot are the smaller versions and in most cases are made of a thicker material. Many will secure their place by a clip. The actual plural of the talit is talitot and not talleisim which is also a European error)