This week we continue the story of the building of the sanctuary/mishkan in the desert by focusing on the clothes of the priests/kohanim. Some commentators suggest that the special clothing sets the priests apart from “regular” people. Others suggest that the clothing helps to remind them that they are not masters but rather servants of the people. Ex. 28:9 tells us that the ephod/breastplate was inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes. In verse 12, it says: “Aaron shall bear their names before God upon his shoulders as a remembrance.” The priests enabled the animal sacrifices that people wished to offer. They also were ritual healers who enabled impure people to become ritually pure. They were to carry the people on their shoulders at all times.
