Priestly robe (Judaism)

The priestly robe (Hebrew me'il מְעִיל ), sometimes robe of the ephod (meil ha-ephod מְעִיל הָאֵפֹוד), is one of the sacred articles of clothing (bigdei kehunah) of the Jewish High Priest. The robe is described in Exodus 28:31-35. It was worn under the Ephod. Like all the priestly garments, it was to be made by 'gifted artisans ... filled with the spirit of wisdom'.

The Hebrew noun meil occurs 30 times in the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible, and refers not only to the robe of the high priest but also any robe worn over a tunic by men of rank, such as the robe Jonathan gave to David, or his mantle which Job tore in desperation, and also the outer cloak of women - such as the robe worn by David's daughters.

It was a sleeveless, purple-blue or violet (techelet) robe (me'il), woven in a single piece. The opening in the center for the High Priest's head to pass through was woven, not cut or torn (Exodus 28:32). The lower hem of the garment was fringed with small golden bells alternating with pomegranate-shaped tassels of blue (turquoise), purple and scarlet wool (Exodus 28:33-34).

The golden bells were a necessity, and they must ring when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, lest he die (Exodus 28:35).

Rashi deduced a law for all the priestly vestments: “From the negative one can derive the positive: if he will have them he will not be liable for death; thus, if he enters lacking one of these garments he is liable for death at the hands of Heaven.”Maimonides rules likewise.

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