Cytowanie Komentarza do Psalmów 96:6

AND THOU SHALT MAKE HOLY GARMENTS FOR AARON THY BROTHER FOR SPLENDOR AND BEAUTY — this means that he be distinguished and glorified with garments of distinction and beauty, just as Scripture says, as a bridegroom putteth on a priestly diadem.²⁷Isaiah 61:10. For these garments [of the High Priest] correspond in their forms to garments of royalty, which monarchs wore at the time when the Torah was given. Thus we find with reference to the tunic, and he made him a tunic of ‘pasim’²⁸Genesis 37:3. — meaning, a cloth woven of variegated colors, this being the tunic of chequer work [mentioned here], just as [Ibn Ezra] explained, which clothed him as a son of ancient kings.²⁹Isaiah 19:11. The same applies to the robe and the tunic, as it is written, Now she [Tamar] had a garment of many colors upon her; for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled,³⁰II Samuel 13:18. which means that a garment of many colors was seen clearly upon her, for such was the custom that the virgin daughters of the king wore robes with which they wrapped themselves; thus the coat of many colors was upon her as an upper garment. It is for this reason that it says there, and she rent her garment of many colors that was on her.³¹Ibid., Verse 19. The mitre [mentioned here] is to this day known among kings and distinguished lords. Therefore Scripture says with reference to the fall of the kingdom [of Judah], The mitre shall be removed, and the crown taken off.³²Ezekiel 21:31. Similarly it is written, and a royal diadem.³³Isaiah 62:3. Scripture also calls them the ornamented high caps,³⁴Further, 39:28. and it is further written, They shall have linen ornamented [caps] upon their heads,³⁵Ezekiel 44:18. which are for the beauty and glory of those that are adorned with them. The ephod and the breastplate are also royal garments, just as it is written, and thou shalt have a chain of gold about thy neck.³⁶Daniel 5:16. The plate [around the forehead, which the High Priest wore], is like a king’s crown. Thus it is written, ‘yatzitz nizro’ (his crown will shine).³⁷Psalms 132:18. — Ramban thus associates the word tzitz (plate) with the expression yatzitz nizro (his crown will shine), thus suggesting that the tzitz of the High Priest is a sort of royal crown. Furthermore, [the High Priest’s garments] are made of gold, blue-purple, and red-purple³⁸Further, Verse 5. [which are all symbolic of royalty]. Thus it is written, All glorious is the king’s daughter within the palace; her raiment is of chequer work inwrought with gold,³⁹Psalms 45:14. and it is further written, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck.³⁶Daniel 5:16. As for the blue-purple, even to this day no man will lift up his hand⁴⁰Genesis 41:44. to wear it except a king of nations,⁴¹See Isaiah 14:9. and it is written, And Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a ‘tachrich’ (robe) of fine linen and purple⁴²Esther 8:15. — the tachrich being a robe in which the wearer wraps himself.
By way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala,] majesty is to kavod (glory) and to tiphereth (splendor),⁴³Cabalistic terms for certain Emanations. the verse thus stating that they should make holy garments for Aaron to minister in them to the Glory of G-d Who dwells in their midst, and to the Splendor of their strength, as it is written, For Thou art the Glory of their strength,⁴⁴Psalms 89:18. and it is further stated, Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised Thee,⁴⁵Isaiah 64:10. meaning [“the house of] our Holy One” which is the Glory, and “of our Splendor” which is the Splendor of Israel. And it is further stated, Strength and beauty are in His Sanctuary,⁴⁶Psalms 96:6. and similarly, To beautify the place of My Sanctuary, and I will make the place of My feet glorious⁴⁷Isaiah 60:13. — meaning, that the place of the Sanctuary will be glorified by the Splendor, and the place of His feet, which is the place of the Sanctuary, will be honored by the presence of the Glory of G-d. And in Israel will He glorify Himself⁴⁸Ibid., 44:23. also means that in Israel He will show and designate His Splendor. Likewise He says further with respect to the garments of all of Aaron’s sons, that they are for splendor and for beauty.⁴⁹Further, Verse 40. Of the sacrifices He also says, they will come up with ‘ratzon’ (‘will’ — acceptance) on Mine altar, and I will glorify My glorious house.⁵⁰Isaiah 60:7. Thus the altar is His Will and the house of His Glory is the Splendor.
The [priestly] garments had to be made with the intention to be used for that purpose. It is possible that in making them, intent of heart [for what they symbolize] was also needed on the part of their makers. It is for this reason that He said, And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom⁵¹Verse 3. — who will understand what they will do. And the Rabbis have already said [of Alexander the Great, that when asked by his generals why he descended from his chariot to bow before the High Priest Simon the Just, he answered]:⁵²Yoma 69a. The story told there is that when Alexander the Great conquered the Land of Israel the Samaritans petitioned him to destroy the Temple in Jerusalem. Thereupon a procession of notables went out from Jerusalem headed by Simon the Just, the High Priest, who was attired in the high priestly garments. They walked a whole night with torches in their hand until dawn. In the morning as soon as Alexander saw Simon the Just, he descended from his chariot and bowed down to him. When the Samaritans said to him, “Such a great king as thou art dost thou bow thyself to that Jew?” He replied, “His image etc.” “His image glistened before me whenever I had a victory.”

A kabbalistic approach: the words ארץ אשר ה' אלו-היך דורש are a reference to the Sanctuary in the celestial regions. Concerning this celestial Sanctuary the prophet Isaiah 66,1 already quoted G’d saying that whereas the heavens are “My throne, the earth is My footstool.” “Feet” symbolize a lower extremity. The reason Moses speaks here of two attributes, i.e. ה' אלו-היך, is because he wants to display the linkage between the terrestrial and the celestial Sanctuary, i.e. two extremities of the concept Sanctuary. The terrestrial Sanctuary is known as בית קדשנו ותפארתנו, “the house of our holiness and glory,” i.e. dedicated to the One Who is our Holy One and our glorious One. The word קדשנו refers to the attribute כבוד, and we find this reflected in Psalms 96,6 עז ותפארת במקדשו, “strength and glory are found in His Sanctuary.”

AND BE NO MORE STIFFNECKED — that you be not as your fathers,²⁵³Zechariah 1:4. a stubborn and rebellious generation,²⁵⁴Psalms 78:8. because they dwelled with the Egyptians and learned their works,²⁵⁵Ibid., 106:35. and were obdurate about discarding their ways as [shown by the fact] they made the [golden] calf, and He called them there it is a stiffnecked people,²⁵⁶Exodus 32:9. meaning that they will not disavow the mistake that had entered their hearts to think that there is some benefit in worshipping the angels or the host of heaven. But you are to know, to be wise and to believe For the Eternal your G-d, He is G-d of gods, and Lord of lords.²⁵⁷Verse 17. G-d of ‘gods’ is a reference to the angels above, and the Lord of ‘lords’ is an allusion to all the host of heaven to whom dominion over the lower creatures belongs, for He is the Lord Who established their authority on earth, and His is the greatness and the power,²⁵⁸I Chronicles 29:11. and He is to be feared in the beauty of His strength,²⁵⁹See Psalms 96:6. Who regarded not any one²⁵⁷Verse 17. of the angels or the lords to protect their worshippers, nor taketh bribery²⁵⁷Verse 17. from the hand of a person. Now on this matter of bribery [to G-d] they²⁶⁰This explanation is found in Rambam’s commentary to Aboth at the end of the fourth chapter. have explained its meaning to be that even if a perfectly pious person should commit a sin, He will not accept from him any of his meritious deeds, as a bribe in atonement for him. And Onkelos translated: “[He is the great G-d] before Whom there is no regard for persons, nor the acceptance of a bribe.” Onkelos thus meant to explain that the verse is in praise of negative attributes of the Creator, blessed be He.²⁶¹This coincides with one of the major theories of Rambam in his Moreh Nebuchim, that the essence of G-d and His attributes can be expressed only in negations. Thus we say that “He is incorporeal,” for the true essence of G-d in positive terms is infinitely above the capacity of man even to fathom, much less to describe. (See Guide of the Perplexed, I, Chapters 58-60). The verse is thus stating that G-d is not of the category [of beings] that regards persons, for men shall not see Him and live,²⁶²Exodus 33:20. and everything is as nothing before Him; they are accounted by Him as things of nought, and vanity;²⁶³Isaiah 40:17. nor is He of the category of beings that take a bribe or reward from man like kings and judges of a land.
The correct interpretation in my opinion is that he is stating that G-d is not partial to powerful persons in their quarrel with their inferiors, nor does He take a bribe from the rich when they strive with the poor, for He doth execute justice for the fatherless and widow²⁶⁴Verse 18. from the powerful, and despoileth life of those that despoil them.²⁶⁵Proverbs 22:23. And He loveth the stranger in giving him food and raiment,²⁶⁴Verse 18. these being all the essential needs of man. Thus He supports the poor who have no friend and companion.