Are you a:: Youth; Parent & Family; Educator; Rabbi or Cantor; Jewish Community Professional; LGBTQ Jew; Visit our store

Wearing Our Hearts on Our Sleeves: Aaron haKohen, the Fashionista (Parashat Tetzaveh)

February 15, 2008 | By Marisa Elana James

Media Type(s): Torah Commentary

Textual Source: Exodus

Torah Portion: Tetzaveh

This resource is part of the Torah Queeries collection.

The author explains that Aaron wears the names of the 12 tribes on his “shoulder-pieces for remembrance” and on his “breastpiece of judgment,” detailing the makeup of this breastpiece. The author imagines that Aaron is meant to wear the collective memory of the Israelites on his sleeves. In this post-Temple period, the responsibilities of the priests in the Temple have been transformed into communal responsibilities.

Back to resources