This Friday, as we welcome the Shabbat (the Sabbath) and prepare to relax and reflect, we turn our attention to the weekly Torah portion — Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20–30:10).  In this reading, among other things, God describes to Moses in great detail the garment to be worn by the Kohanim (the priests of the sanctuary).  As I reflected upon this, I was reminded of a refrain of a song that my dad used to sing when I was a kid “I see by your outfit that you have an outfit . . .” (which is of course, a spoof of the song, “The Streets of Laredo” sung by Johnny Cash.  Click here to hear the song: http://youtu.be/FJUniie94TA).

 

What are we to make of this full and very specific of the priestly garments?  Is it that the clothes make the man?

 

Maybe.

 

So, with that in mind, I tried to come up with several suggestions for our 18-month old son, about how a man should dress:

 

1. Always zip/button your fly

 

2. Make sure your shoes are shined.

 

3. No ring around the collar.

 

4. Button-down collars are not technically made to be worn with a tie.

 

5. Pants should have a 1/2 to full break at the bottom.  If people can see your socks — too high.  If the back of your pants hem is chewed up by being walked on by your heel — too low.

 

6. People should notice how well your dressed by how well you you’re dressed, not by the fact that you look like a walking kaleidoscope or Huggy Bear from Starsky & Hutch.

 

7. No cell phones on the belt.  You’re not Batman, and that belt is not a utility belt.  It’s for keeping your pants up.

 

8. Socks really aren’t optional.  We’re not WASPs, and we don’t own a yacht.  When you’re an eccentric billionaire, then you can do what you want.  Until then, your feet smell just like everyone else’s. So wear socks.

 

9. 2 buttons undone is okay.  3 buttons undone, you’re Tom Jones circa 1975, and that’s not okay.

 

10. Hipster-chic is not chic.

 

9.