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Simultaneously with the construction of the Tabernacle and its vessels, were fashioned the
priestly robes for Aaron and his sons. It was at this time that God made known Aaron's
appointment to the office of high priest, saying: "Go and appoint a high
priest." Moses: "Out of which tribe?" God: "Of the tribe of
Levi." Moses was most happy upon hearing that the high priest was to be chosen out of
his tribe, and his joy was increased when God added: "Appoint thy brother Aaron as
high priest." This choice of Aaron was, of course, also a disappointment to Moses,
who had hoped God would appoint him as His high priest, but God had designed this dignity
for Aaron to reward him for his pious deeds when Israel worshipped the Golden Calf. For
when Moses returned from Sinai and saw the Calf fashioned by Aaron, he thought his brother
was no better than the rest of the people, and had, like them, devoted himself to
idolatry. But God knew that Aaron's participation in the construction of the Calf was
merely due to the pious motive of delaying the people until Moses should return, hence He
even then said to Aaron: "I am fully aware of they motive, and, as truly as thou
livest, I shall appoint thee as warden over the sacrifices that My children offer
Me." In consideration of Moses' feelings, God gave into his hands the appointment of
Aaron, saying to him: "I might have installed thy brother as high priest without
having informed thee of it, but I relinquish his appointment to thee, that thou mayest
have an opportunity of showing the people thy humility, in that thou dost not seek this
high office for thyself." 351 At God's bidding, Aaron and his two sons were now
chosen as priest, and, moreover, not for a limited period, but Aaron and his house were
invested with the priesthood for all eternity. As soon as these were installed as priests,
Moses set to work to instruct them thoroughly in the priestly laws. 352
God ordered the following eight garments as Aaron's garb: coat, breeches, mitre, girdle,
breastplate, ephod, robe, and golden plate; but his sons needed only the first four
garments. All these garments had expiatory virtues, and each expiated a definite sin. The
coat atoned for murder, the breeches for unchastity, the mitre for pride, the girdle for
theft, the breastplate for partial verdicts, the ephod for idolatry, the bells on the robe
for slander, and the golden plate for effrontery. 353
The breastplate and the ephod were set with precious stones, which were the gifts of the
noble to the sanctuary, though, to be exact, they were in reality a gift from God. For
precious stones and pearls had rained down with the manna, which the noble among Israel
had gathered up and laid away until the Tabernacle was erected, when they offered them as
gifts. 354
The ephod had only two precious stones, one on each shoulder, and on each of these stones
were engraved the names of the six tribes in the following order: Reuben, Levi, Issachar,
Naphtali, Gad, Jehoseph, on the right shoulder-piece; Simeon, Judah, Zebulun, Dan, Asher,
Benjamin, on the left shoulder. The name Joseph was spelled Jehoseph, a device by which
the two stones had exactly the same number of letters engraved upon them. 355 On the
breast plate were twelve precious stones, on which the names of the three Patriarchs
preceded those of the twelve tribes, and at the end were engraved the words, "All
these are the twelve tribes of Israel." 356
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