Me'il

The Me'il or Robe of the Ephod is one of the sacred robes ("bigdei kehunah") of the Kohen Gadol (Jewish High Priest). The robe is described in ). The lower hem of the garment was fringed with small golden bells alternating with pomegranate-shaped tassels of blue (turquoise), purple and scarlet wool ().

The golden bells are a necessity, and they must ring when the Kohen Gadol enters the Kodesh Hakodashim (Holy of Holies) on Yom Kippur, lest he die (). Rashi deduces from this a mitzvah (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.” [Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaqi, "Commentary" on the Babylonian Talmud, 28:35. Rashi's sources are "Sanhedrin" 83a and "Zevachim" 17b.] Rambam rules likewise. [Moses Maimonides, "Laws of the Sanctuary Vessels" 10:4.]

According to the Talmud, the wearing of the me'il atoned for the sin of "lashon hara" (evil speech) on the part of the Children of Israel. [Babylonian Talmud, "Zevachim" 88:B]

ymbolism

In traditional Rabbinical teaching, each of the priestly robes is intended to atone for a particular sin on the part of the Children of Israel. The eminent sage Rashi points out in his commentary on the Talmud that the Me'il was fashioned to atone for the sin of "lashon hara", speaking poorly about someone else. As the Kohen Gadol, adorned with the priestly garments, walked, the bells noisily announced his presence, and because the noise emanated from the robe, it served as a reminder for people to refrain from "lashon hara". The Talmud also states that the tassels between each bell on the robe were made of three materials: turquoise, purple, and scarlet wool. These three materials signify to the three people who are injured when lashon hara is spoken: the speaker, the listener, and the one who is spoken about.

References

ee also

*Michnasayim
*Ketonet
*Avnet (kohen)
*Mitznefet
*Ephod
*Hoshen
*Tzitz

*Tetzaveh
*Kittel

External links

* [http://www.ou.org/torah/ti/5765/tetzaveh65.htm Shabbat Parshat Tetzaveh] description of the Me'il and its spiritual significance
* [http://www.templeinstitute.org/meil_techelet.htm Me'il Techelet] Robe of the Ephod being constructed by the The Temple Institute in Jerusalem