Listen Carefully

By Rabbi Joshua (auditingly known as The Hoffer) Hoffman

Among the special garments worn by the Kohen in his service in the beis Hamikdash was the me’il, described by some as a tunic-like garment, with bells on the bottom that created a sound as he walked by. The Torah tells us that through these bells he will be heard as he enters the holy (Shemos 28:35). One reason for this is because no one is allowed in the Ohel Moed when the kohen enters on Yom HaKippurim. The kohen, in his zeal for servicing G-d, was careful to avoid anyone coming to harm through it.

Rav Mordechai Gifter adds an additional element to the sound made by the bells. He says that the Kohen needed to have a sense of the importance of his presence at every moment that he moved, of every step that he took. Every time he moved, a sound was produced. No matter how low, it reminded him of who he was and what he was doing. As representative of Klal Yisroel, he needed to have that sense of purpose. By extension, others in their capacity as representatives of a community, should also strive to have a sense of the importance of all their actions with their every move.

In this regard, it is inspiring to remember the example of R’ Aharon Soloveitchik zt”l. A debilitating stroke left him partially paralyzed, and he used to walk around using a quad cane, with difficulty, but also great determination. As he walked, people would hear him say with each step “achas; achas viachas”, counting each step the way the Kohen Gadol counted each toss of blood during the temple service on Yom HaKippurim. R’ Aharon viewed his role in Klal Yisroel in this way, and serves as an example for all of us.