Midrash sa Mga Awit 119:126: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)

(Fol. 69) The priestly garments are not permitted to be worn in the country at large, but they may be worn in the Temple, whether during service or not, because it is permitted to derive benefit from priestly garments. And in the country at large, you say, their use is prohibited? Behold, we are taught in a Baraitha: The twenty-fifth of Tebeth is called the day of Mount Gerizzim, on which no eulogy is allowed, because on that day the Samaritans petitioned Alexander of Macedon to have our Temple destroyed, and he permitted them to do it. What did [the High-priest] Simon the Just do when he was informed of it? He dressed and wrapped himself with the priestly garments and, accompanied by the respectable men of Jerusalem, with torches in their hands, they kept walking, one party towards, and the other away from, Jerusalem, until dawn. At dawn, Alexander of Macedon perceived the Jews. He asked: "Who are these men?" And the Samaritans told him: "They are the Jews, who have rebelled against thee." As they reached the town Antipatris, the sun had risen, and they faced each other. As soon as Alexander saw R. Simon the Just, he descended from his chariot and bowed to Simon the Just. They said to him: "Such a great king as thou art dost bow thyself to that Jew?" "His image," he replied, "I saw aglistening before me, whenever I gained a victory." He asked the Jews: "Why did you come?" They replied: "Is it possible that the Temple wherein we pray for thee and for thy empire not to be destroyed, should, through misleading petitions, be allowed to be destroyed by these idolators?" "Who are those idolators," inquired the king. They replied: "These Samaritans who stand near thee." "I deliver them into your hands," was his reply; "treat them as you please." They were soon dragged as far as Mount Gerizzim, when the latter [mount] was destroyed in the same manner in which they had intended to destroy our Temple. This day was made a festival. Hence we see that Simeon the Just went outside the sanctuary in his priestly garments. If you wish, I should say, not the real priestly garments were meant, but they were fit to be priestly garments; and if you wish, I should say, this was in a case of urgency, as it is written (Ps. 119, 126) It is time to act for the Lord; they have violated Thy Law, i.e., when the time comes to act for the Lord, the Torah may [for the nonce] be violated [for His sake].