Titzave 5765
In Parashat Titzave, perek 28, pasuk 41, the Torah writes ‘Clothe your brother Aharon with the garments, and clothe his sons along with him.’ The Torah tells us that Moshe was charged with dressing his brother Aharon and his children with the priestly garments. This should have been a task however, seemingly performed by someone like a servant. So why was Moshe charged with dressing his brother? Wasn’t it demeaning to Moshe’s honor to dress Aharon and sons? Why was Moshe given this task?
In order to understand this, Rabbi Feinstein tells us that a Kohen can not serve in the Bet HaMikdash or in the Mishkan unless he has the priestly garments on him. The priestly garments actually are a form of sanctification as they elevate the Kohanim to a higher level that now makes them fit to serve. So in normal situations, only the great Sanhedrin (council of 71 men) had the ability to imbue these garments on a Kohen. But in the time of the Exodus, only Moshe Rabenu was able to do this as he was equal to the entire Sanhedrin. This task was actually an honor, as opposed to being demeaning. You needed the holiest man to perform this act of sanctification in order that the Kohanim would have the ability to serve.
There’s another lesson to be learned here as well. We learn form here, that any thing that’s involved in a Mitzvah cannot be demeaning. Dressing the Kohen is a privilege and not an undignified task. So when we are commanded by Bore Olam to perform a task, that task no matter how trivial it may seem, nevertheless is holy and memorable. The lesson we learn here is to always strive to fulfill Mitzvot no matter how much the task seems unbefitting. Never argue that the action which brings about the Mitzvah is beneath your dignity. How could something that G-d commanded someone to do be beneath one’s dignity?
Some Rabbis in the days of the Talmud were very wealthy and had servants working for them. When an opportunity to fulfill a Mitzvah came upon them, they made sure to do it themselves. These wealthy Rabbis did not ask their servants. They did it in honor of the Mitzvah, which by extension is in the honor of G-d. Such devotion to Mitzvot no matter how inconsequential it may seem is considered the most noblest, and with the biggest Ksvod (honor.)
Bottom line, one should not forgo any action that leads to a Mitzvah, even if the action seems very petty and below one’s dignity.
