Costumes Considered
Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein
Parshat Tezaveh includes the description of the vestments of the Kohein Gadol that he will wear lechovod uletiforet/for glory and for splendor. How do the clothes one wears reflect glory and splendor, and how then do the disguises and costumes one wears (or observes) on Purim reflect a person and his mission? Further, while other holidays must reflect simcha/joy, it is only Purim that is so closely associated with overflowing joy. If costumes are an integral part of that joy, what should our mindset be when we wear or see people in costume on Purim?
Costumes have the ability both to conceal and to reveal. One of the mitzvoth of Purim is to give to the needy. In fact, we are instructed to give to anyone who stretches out his hand to ask for a donation without asking him any questions. In this respect, notes Rabbi Strickoff, the costume conceals the identity of the one asking for help, thereby saving him embarrassment.
Appearances play an important role in the Purim saga. The events begin unfolding with Queen Vashti refusing to appear before King Achashverosh, presumably, according to the Medrash, because she had been stricken with leprosy, transforming her beauty to the grotesque, writes Rabbi Eliyahu Cohen. The saga climaxes when Mordechai leaves the palace, having successfully rewritten the decrees against the Jews, dressed in royal robes reminiscent of the priestly garments. From earlier standing in the palace courtyard in sackcloth and ashes, his appearance was now transformed to majesty and splendor.
Secrecy, concealment and disguise play an integral role throughout the Purim narrative. Among those that Rabbi Strickoff lists, the most familiar is that Esther did not reveal who she was. But Mordechai also kept secrets. The Persians did not know that Mordechai, as the head of the Sanhedrin, understood seventy languages. That’s why Bigson and Seresh discussed their plan to assassinate Achashverosh in Mordechai’s presence. How about Haman’s daughter mistakenly thinking Haman was Mordechai, as Haman, dressed in servant’s clothing, led Mordechai around Shushan on the royal steed? Certainly, throughout these events God’s face and presence was concealed as He orchestrated events behind the scenes. As we try to emulate Hashem, we too conceal our identity behind masks and costumes.
The very name of the Megillah alludes to the concealed messages within. Esther is not only the name of our Jewish queen, but more importantly reflects the concealed hand of Hashem, as He warned us in the Torah about our transgressions and said, “Haster astir/I will certainly conceal My face from them.” But it is our job to reveal that hidden hand of Hashem in these seemingly random events of Purim just as we must recognize Hashem’s hand in everything.
Most in the heavenly spheres is also concealed from us, but on the night of Purim, teaches us Rabbi Gamliel Rabinowitz, during the reading of the Megillah, one of the highest heavenly gates is open and ready to receive our prayers.
An additional aspect of Purim is the custom of drinking until one loses the ability to discern between blessed is Mordechai and cursed is Haman, much as masks conceal identity. We find no other holiday associated with salvation, notes Rabbi Gladstein in Magid Horokiya where we are to curse the evil and bless the righteous, to curse Pharaoh and bless Moshe on Pesach for example. Drinking itself thus causes one’s usual manner of conduct to be concealed, writes Rabbi Gamliel Rabinowitz in Tiv Hamoadim.
When a miracle outside nature occurs, it is easy to recognize the hand of God. However, when everything happens within what seems to be the natural course of events, it is more difficult to recognize that God is choreographing the events that will lead to our salvation, both personal and national. That is why our acceptance of the Torah at Purim is so powerful. At Sinai we had come from a miraculous exodus from Egypt preceded by plagues that overturned nature. It was easy to see God and accept Him and His Torah as the guiding force in our lives. At Purim. God’s hand was hidden. With Mordechai’s help, we recognized God’s concealed hand in our redemption. As Rabbi Tatz explains so beautifully, when one is at a distance and doesn’t want to be recognized, one needs no mask; the distance itself prevents recognition. However, when someone is nearby and doesn’t want to be recognized, he dons a disguise and a mask. As Hashem masked His role in our Purim salvation behind the scenes, making all appear as royal intrigue, so do we don masks and costumes on Purim to remind us how close Hashem is to us even when we are unaware of His presence.
From a simple reading of the text of the Megillah, one would expect Haman’s animosity to be directed strictly at Mordechai who had refused to bow to him as second to the king. However, since his animosity was directed at all the Jews, that animosity most go deeper and precede the events of the Megillah. In fact, continues Rabbi Strickhoff this hatred goes back to the ancestors of Mordechai and Haman when a disguise was first used. Yaakov, our Patriarch dressed in goat skin and in Esau’s cloak to receive the blessing Yitzchak had intended for Esau, Haman’s ancestor. But, history validates that Yaakov was the appropriate recipient of the blessings, becoming the constant moral compass of the world. Nevertheless, Esau’s descendants want to regain the favorite son/nation status, adds Rabbi Gladstein in Magid Harakiya.
Rabbi Gladstein develops this idea further. The blessing that Yitzchak then gave Esau included that when Bnei Yisroel will veer off the right path, then Esau will be superior. Haman developed his plan to annihilate the Jews after the Jews had participated in the feasts of Achashverosh. Haman felt the time was appropriate, that Bnei Yisroel had indeed lost sight of their mission. The time for his ascendency had come.
The decree to kill the Jews was secretly sent out, but Mordechai knew of it. “Vayizak za’aka gedolah umarah/And he cried a loud and bitter cry,” literally echoing the cry of Esau to his father Yitzchak. In response, Yitzchak blessed Esau with the blessing that Haman now used against Bnei Yisroel. Rabbi Gladstein suggests that this cry was to Yitzchak, begging him to intervene on behalf of the Jews, to respond to us as he had responded to Esau so many generations earlier. When Mordechai is later dressed in the royal robes at Haman’s expense, those original blessings of Yitzchak were confirmed and validated, and Mordechai was recognized as “a lord to his kinsmen.”
Rabbi Gladstein traces these connections in the Torah through Rivkah Imenu back to the beginning of time to Adam Harishon. When Rivkah was pregnant with the twins, she sought out prophetic advice and was told that the two nations that would emerge from these twins would be in constant conflict. When one would be rising, the other would fall. Never would the two be on an equal status. Therefore, the terminology of falling is repeatedly invoked as the Megillah unfolds.
As the name of Esther is alluded to in the Torah, so do we also have an allusion to Haman. After Adam sinned, Hashem asks him, “Hamin ha’etz/Did you eat of the tree…?” That same confusion, doubt and evil that eating of the forbidden tree brought was the hallmark of Amalek, Haman’s nation. Hashem then cursed Man with ten curses, later countered by the ten blessings Yitzchak bestowed on Yaakov whose descendents would rectify Adam’s sin by accepting the Torah.
It is this battle between Yaakov and Esau that plays out in every generation, and therefore every year we declare that indeed Haman/Amalek is cursed and Mordechai/Israel is blessed. We put on different clothes to remind us of the original sin of Adam and its rectification through Yaakov. The curse of mankind was rectified using deceit similar to the deceit the serpent used against Chava. When we also use disguises, we must remind ourselves that our mission is to live up to the vision of Yitzchak Avinu when he gave the blessings to Yaakov.
Although Yaakov fled Esau’s wrath immediately after he received the blessings, he came face to face with that wrath again upon his return. Even before Yaakov met the physical Esau, Yaakov fought Esau’s guardian angel alone on the banks of the Yabok River, writes Rabbi Rothberg in Modia Labinah. Although Yaakov prevailed, Esau injured Yaakov’s leg, actualized only a short time later when all of Yaakov’s children bowed and bent their legs to Esau. But Binyamin had not yet been born and therefore did not bow. Therefore his descendent, Mordechai, refused to bow to Esau’s descendent, Haman. Mordechai, by refusing to capitulate to Esau, silenced forever Esau’s cry that the blessings were stolen from him. The teshua/salvation that Mordechai and Esther brought about would thereby be lanetzach/eternal. The era of Esther was the end of the battle of that night; she is ayelet Hashachar/the morning star.
The Bnei Yissaschar puts a unique twist into the custom of costumes. The Bnei Yissaschar notes that the threat of Purim was not a real threat, but only the appearance of a threat, for the Jews would not be exterminated. Why did Hashem impose this pseudo threat on Bnei Yisroel when it was not meant to be realized? The Bnei Yissaschar explains that this was Hashem’s response to Bnei Yisroel’s earlier bowing down to the idols of Nebuchadnezzar. Although they appeared to be worshiping these gods, the hearts of the people remained steadfastly with Hakodosh Boruch Hu, only bowing in fear of death. On Purim, too, Hashem only appeared to abandon Bnei Yisroel, but His “heart” was always with us.
Both the night that Yitzchak bestowed the blessings and the night that sleep evaded the King/king were nights of the Pesach Seder. Both Esau and Haman had their downfall on Pesach, writes the Sharvit Hazahov, Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shcehter. Yes, on that first night Yaakov wore a disguise to appear externally to be Esau, but his voice remained true to Yaakov. On this basis, some people choose to dress up as reshaim/evil people while proclaiming their true identities as God fearing Jews. When we take off these garments, we reveal our true essence.
But sometimes clothes instead of camouflage are helpful in informing us of another’s identity. Rabbi Goldwicht points out in Asufat Maarachot that only people, not animals, wear clothes. Human beings are both physical and spiritual. Without clothes, one remains in his purely physical realm, like an animal. When one dons clothing, one is highlighting his unique identity as a person, whether it is his role and mission, as a uniform, her unique personality via her style, or special occasion wear. The outer clothing helps express the divine essence within the physical body.
When Mordechai left from before the king, he was dressed in royal robes, signifying his new status. Rabbi Strickoff, citing the Bnei Yissaschar, suggests a deeper meaning to these garments. Both Mordechai and Esther donned the royalty of the Shecinah, of God’s Presence descending upon them, providing them with a source of strength. At Sinai, when the Jews accepted the Torah, they too were enveloped in royalty as the Shechinah enveloped them. When we reaccepted the Torah on Purim, it was only fitting that we be again enveloped in the Shechinah. To commemorate this reacceptance of Torah, we too “dress up.”
It is with this idea that modes of dress is included as one of the three things Bnei Yisroel did not change while in Egypt and through which they merited redemption. Their modest clothing maintained their spiritual essence and connection to Hashem throughout their enslavement.
In a similar vein, we change our clothes for different purposes and different roles in our lives. The priestly garments reflect his role in God’s service. This sentiment is reflected in the special clothes we designate as our Shabbat clothing symbolizing the spiritual dimension we enter on Shabbat, just as the priest enters a new dimension when he wore the garments of his service.
Let us return to Adam and the first garment. After Adam and Chava sinned, they realized they were naked and became ashamed. Hashem returned their dignity to them by clothing them in kotnot ohr/garment of [animal]skin. Chazal tell us that to restore our true dignity as the image of God, we must transform the garments of ohr/leather [spelled with an ayin] to garments of ohr/light [spelled with an aleph]. When we reaccepted the Torah on Purim, we indeed brought back into our lives ohrah/light and simchah/joy...” When we wear these clothes, they are clothes of revelation, like costumes of tzadidkim. When we change our clothes on Purim, we are trying to elevate all aspects of our selves.
Mordechai understood the sanctity of the day. He understood that our fate had been sealed. Therefore he chose to reenact the Sinai experience and bring the children completely into the process. He gathered together all the children with the parents as guarantors of the continuation of Torah. Together all the children prayed and, as children do, aroused the love of their Father. Just as the children were at Sinai, so were they present here. Every year when Purim comes we again have a revelation of God as our Father, wanting to give to us. And so we too give to whoever extends his hand on this day and asks.
The Netivot Shalom reminds us that Yom Kippurim can be translated to mean A Day like Purim, in the sense that on both days Hashem wants to forgive us. But atonement is achieved on Yom Kippur through a slow process of removing one brick at a time from the wall that separates us from Hakodosh Boruch Hu when we itemize our sins and repent through the recitation of al chet. In contrast, on Purim we can achieve immediate atonement with the wall crashing down as with TNT, even if we are undeserving. All we need do is ask.
Perhaps the purpose of our costumes is to deceive the Satan, suggests the Netivot Shalom. We want him to believe there is nothing of value inside us worth his effort, so we dress in costumes that camouflage our true worth, just as one would transport the crown jewels in simple containers that would not attract the gaze of thieves. Within us lies the extraordinary power of prayer on this day for ourselves and for others, with the gates of heaven wide open. Our inner essence needs no costume to appear before Hakodosh Boruch Hu and connect our sanctity to its Source. On Purim, it is all revealed.