King Achashverosh, the high priest?

Masechet Megillah's surprising comment on the King in Shushan.

In this week’s Torah portion, Tetzaveh, we read this instruction to Moses on the clothing Aaron, the high priest, will wear:

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

This verse seems relatively simple on its surface. Sforno explains further:

For dignity - to render honor and glory to the Almighty by wearing such resplendent garments when performing Temple service.

Adornment - also the Priest should inspire awe among the Israelites…

By wearing these garments, Aaron will show God and the people respect and inspiration. The garments are powerful, not just in their visual appearance but in what they represent.

Masechet Megillah is the Talmudic tractate loosely about Purim, which is coming up in a few days. During various parts of it, the Gemara goes line by line interpreting Megillat Esther.

Near the beginning, while interpreting the first few verses, we get a comment on this verse from the Megillah:

בְּהַרְאֹת֗וֹ אֶת־עֹ֙שֶׁר֙ כְּב֣וֹד מַלְכוּת֔וֹ וְאֶ֨ת־יְקָ֔ר תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת גְּדוּלָּת֑וֹ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים שְׁמוֹנִ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת יֽוֹם׃
For no fewer than a hundred and eighty days [Achashverosh] displayed the vast (kavod) riches of his kingdom and the splendid glory (tiferet) of his majesty.
(Esther 1:4)

This is what the Talmud says:

Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: This teaches that Ahasuerus wore the priestly vestments.

As it is written here: “The riches of his glorious [kevod] kingdom and the honor of his majestic [tiferet] greatness.”
And it is written there, with regard to the priestly garments: “For glory [kavod] and for majesty [tiferet]” (Exodus 28:2).

Rabbi Yosei Bar Hanina notes, with the close reading, we can all aspire, that the two words kavod and tiferet are used in both verses.

He interprets this to mean that Achashverosh wore the priestly garments.

This is a mind-bending interpretation that makes me profoundly uncomfortable. Why?

• If the garments are for holy purposes, this bumbling, lustful, and partying king behaves exactly the opposite.

• In no way does this king reflect the kind of person Aaron is.

• The king doesn’t act with kindness or godliness.

• The kind of feasting he was doing and the holy temple practices at the time are not remotely similar.

• He’s wearing our stuff.

I’m sure there are many other reasons we could collectively come up with. So why does Rabbi Yosei Bar Hanina share this with us?

There are many potential answers.

One, perhaps we learn of the important lessons of the separation of powers, that political leaders should not also be a part of religious leadership. Two, perhaps we are meant to be uncomfortable and see Achashverosh as even more of a bad guy.

Or, this is what I will go with: Rabbi Yosei Bar Hanina is teaching us that the garments don’t matter.

Let me be clear, in the context of the Tabernacle, Aaron, and the future temple, it is clear that the clothing does have importance. Not just ritually but symbolically.

But, at the same time, it is good to remember that appearances aren’t necessarily the truth of the thing. And this is one of the lessons of Purim more broadly.

Just because he is wearing these clothes does not mean that he is a high priest. Our internal, spiritual selves can and should lead who we are, not what we put on the outside.

Of course, what we put on the outside makes a difference too. Clothing can change the mindset. Wearing a suit and tie can make me feel professional and ready in a way that sweatpants and an old t-shirt cannot.

But wearing a suit and tie doesn’t make me professional. My behavior changes mark the difference.

King Achashverosh’s behavior determines how we see him, not what clothes he wears or what he says. So too, it is with us.

As we approach Purim, we live in this tension that our outsides do not reflect our insides. We expressly mark this. And for moments, this can be cathartic. It can provide us with opportunities to explore ourselves in new ways. It can invite us to think differently.

This is good for us, and having spiritual time to examine this has value.

But Purim is only one day. Ultimately, for the rest of our time on this earth, our actions and behaviors determine who we are in the world.