Summary

This portion is a continuation of the last parasha (Terumah). In this portion we learn more about what happens in the Tabernacle, Israel’s first House of Worship.

Moses tells the people that they need to bring olive oil to light the lamps in the Tabernacle. These lamps are to be kept burning continually, in front of the Holy of Holies, which contained the Ark, where the Ten Commandments were kept. Moses’s brother Aaron and his sons were ordained as priests. One of their jobs was to keep the lights lite.

The portion continues with a very detailed description of the clothing the priests would wear. They are four garments – breeches (which are like pants), tunics, sashes and a turban. They also wore a special robe. Over the robe the wore something called an ephod, which is like a vest or apron. Over this they were to wear a breastplate made of precious stones and the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. Tied to the turban was a gold plate with the words “Holy to Adonai” inscribed on it.

We learn about the special ordination ceremony, which included washing, dressing, anointing and sacrifices. These ceremonies were to last for seven days.

Torah Portion in English

1) You shall bring forward your brother Aaron, with his sons, from among the Israelites, to serve Me as priests: Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron. 2) Make sacral vestments for your brother Aaron, for dignity and adornment. 3) Next you shall instruct all who are skillful, whom I have endowed with the gift of skill, to make Aaron’s vestments, for consecrating him to serve Me as priest. 4) These are the vestments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a fringed tunic, a headdress, and a sash. They shall make those sacral vestments for your brother Aaron and his sons, for priestly service to Me; 5) they, therefore, shall receive the gold, the blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and the fine linen.

6) They shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen, worked into designs. 7) It shall have two shoulder-pieces attached; they shall be attached at its two ends. 8) And the decorated band that is upon it shall be made like it, of one piece with it: of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen. 9) Then take two lazuli stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel: 10) six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth. 11) On the two stones you shall make seal engravings—the work of a lapidary—of the names of the sons of Israel. Having bordered them with frames of gold, 12) attach the two stones to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, as stones for remembrance of the Israelite people, whose names Aaron shall carry upon his two shoulder-pieces for remembrance before the Lord.

Getting to Know my Parasha

What Does my Parasha Say?

1. What are Aaron’s four son’s names?
2. What were the eight items of clothing the priests wore?
3. What was placed on the ephod?
4. What names appear on the ephod?
5. What was written on the turban?
6. How long did the ordination ceremony last?
7. What took place during the ordination?