The well-known phrase “you are what you eat” reminds us that our appearance, our health, and even our overall attitude can be a reflection of which and how much food we choose to consume each day. It is a relatively new phrase, for generations ago food was viewed as a source of survival and/or pleasure, not a source of health or guilt.
It seems, however, that when it comes to clothing, just the opposite is true. For centuries, one’s gender, place in society, and the event one was attending dictated the style of clothing that was to be worn. One only need watch Downton Abbey or Mad Men to see how clothing defined time, space, gender, class, and behavior.
How times have changed. Jeans, once considered a garment suitable for hard outdoor labor, can now cost more than business suits or ball gowns. Gloves are now primarily worn only if it is cold; white is no longer only worn between Memorial Day and Labor Day; and the distinction between work and casual or school and play clothes blurs more each day. This past summer I received an invitation to a “dressy casual” event. I must admit that I was stumped!
While it seems easy to “not have to worry” what to wear, it actually makes getting dressed a more stressful daily decision. “What is suitable for this meeting?” “What will others be wearing to dinner?”
More “generic” dressing also takes some of the “specialness” away. When my children were young we made going out to eat a “special occasion.” Even if we were going to a causal restaurant, my daughter and I put on skirts or dresses; my son and husband wore button down shirts, pants that were dressier than jeans, and sometimes even a tie. Making the effort to dress a bit differently helped to define the time as special from the moment we began to prepare. Sadly, this ritual has long since passed by the wayside.
In Parshat Tetzaveh the Children of Israel are commanded to make special garments for Aaron and his sons to wear at the Tent of Meeting. These garments are majestic, complete with layers, gems, and even bells on their robes. We can only imagine that just putting on these unique outfits helped create sacred space and time for the priests. Seeing Aaron and his sons in their priestly robes helped others make the shift; allowing them to take the breath and separate themselves from the concerns of day to day existence. Their conversations and actions changed as a result.
If we are “not what we wear,” how do we create the sacred in our days? How do we define sacred moments, time and space? It is a challenge in our 24/7 world for when everything becomes easily captured and shareable, what is truly worth valuing?
Whether it is by special food, dress, actions, or our own mindset, may we each continue to carve out sacred time. May we mark special moments in unique ways; savoring them and always remembering to express gratitude for the gift of being able to distinguish between the sacred and the ordinary.
Prior to her position with the Grinspoon Foundation, Iris served as a synagogue educator in Syracuse NY, the Central New York PJ Library Program Coordinator and as a national consultant for PJ Library.
Iris holds a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education, a master’s degree in Special Education and Reading, and Advanced Certification in School Leadership and Administration. Her experience as a secular educator and educational leader in congregational and community settings spans over 20 years. She is also a lay leader in Jewish organizations on the local and national levels. Iris served as the President of CAJE – the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education, which was the largest member organization for Jewish educators in the country.
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