Drash on Parashat T’tzaveh (Shabbat Zachor) 2025

Rabbi Dr Esther Jilovsky

Progressive Judaism Victoria

One of my favourite Yiddish words is שבתדיק shabbosdik. It’s an adjective meaning ‘festive.’ As the etymology suggests, it also describes something that’s ‘Shabbat-ish’ or ‘for Shabbat.’ An example of how it’s used is the phrase שבתדיקע קליידער shabbosdike kleyder, meaning ‘Shabbat clothes’ or ‘clothes for Shabbat.’ In English, we might say something like ‘special clothes for Shabbat’ or ‘dressing up for Shabbat.’

One of the reasons I like this word so much is that it’s a beautiful example of how both the Hebrew and German origins of Yiddish function together to create meaning. The word שבת, pronounced shabbos in Yiddish, is Hebrew and comes from the Torah. But here in Yiddish, it gets a Germanic suffix. This means that an ending of Germanic origin, in this case -ik, is added to the original Hebrew base word. The ending transforms it from a noun into an adjective, which enables it to have a different function in a sentence. There’s not really an equivalent English word for shabbosdik! With just one word, Yiddish describes something that’s inherently Jewish, and that’s been part of Jewish life for millennia.

In last week’s Torah portion, we read in intricate detail the instructions for building the mishkan, the sanctuary in the desert where the Eternal’s presence shall dwell. This week, in Parashat Tetzaveh, the Torah describes the ordination of the kohenim, the priests who will carry out the sacred rituals in the mishkan. Moses’ brother Aaron and his sons are to be ordained as priests, and this role requires specific attire. In the Torah, God says to Moses:

וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ בִגְדֵי־קֹ֖דֶשׁ לְאַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִ֑יךָ לְכָב֖וֹד וּלְתִפְאָֽרֶת׃
‘Make sacral vestments for your brother Aaron, for dignity and adornment.’ (Exodus 28:2)

That is, make special garments for Aaron’s role as kohen, priest. Just as the previous parasha was focussed on creating a holy space, this week is focussed on creating the garments and fixtures to make the people, who will carry out the sacred rituals in that space, holy. The term בִגְדֵי־קֹ֖דֶשׁ bigdei kodesh, translated here as ‘sacral vestments,’ literally means something like ‘holy garments.’ Just as we wear certain designated clothing such as uniforms when required by school or work, the priests are required to wear holy outfits, specifically constructed for their role as facilitators of the sacred rituals. Like the mitzvah of wearing a tallit when called to the Torah, the requirement for the priests to wear special, holy garments sanctifies and elevates their deeds. It’s like שבתדיקע קליידער shabbosdike kleyder, just a few thousand years earlier and in a much warmer, drier location than Eastern Europe!

On this coming Shabbat Zachor, some congregations will read a Haftarah from the Megillat Esther, reminding us that Purim falls next week. At the turning point of the story, when Queen Esther is about to approach the King and reveal her Jewish identity to him, the last thing she does, after three days of preparation, is dress in a specific garment:

וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י וַתִּלְבַּ֤שׁ אֶסְתֵּר֙ מַלְכ֔וּת וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֞ד בַּחֲצַ֤ר בֵּית־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הַפְּנִימִ֔ית נֹ֖כַח בֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְ֠הַמֶּ֠לֶךְ יוֹשֵׁ֞ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֤א מַלְכוּתוֹ֙ בְּבֵ֣ית הַמַּלְכ֔וּת נֹ֖כַח פֶּ֥תַח הַבָּֽיִת׃
‘On the third day, Esther put on royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, facing the king’s palace, while the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room facing the entrance of the palace.’ (Esther 5:1)

The name of the garment is מַלְכ֔וּת malchut, literally meaning ‘kingdom’ or ‘reign.’ Yet in this verse, the context suggests a literal garment, meaning perhaps her ‘royal robes’ or ‘queenly attire.’ But I think a more compelling translation is that Queen Esther put on her ‘royal power.’

Before she went to face the King, and potentially put herself and her people in grave danger, she put on much more than a physical robe. She assumed her queenly stance. She carried herself with grace and dignity. She felt her power burning from within. Queen Esther puts on her ‘royalty.’ Her chutzpah. Her power. Her self-confidence. Before she enters the King’s inner court, she knows that she is powerful enough to make a difference.

In conclusion, these examples show that dressing with purpose can be a powerful source of inspiration and strength. The concept of בִגְדֵי־קֹ֖דֶשׁ bigdei kodesh ‘holy garments’ invites us to think about how we dress for holy moments, and how we might elevate the holiness of any given situation. The magnificent image of Esther’s מַלְכ֔וּת malchut as a metaphor for courage and confidence is an inspiration to anyone seeking guidance and direction. It reminds us that it’s never too late to speak up and make a difference.