Wednesday evening, March 7, is the eve of The Festival of Purim. Purim is a very colorful holiday. Children, and adults, are known to dress up in costumes that make the Temple a rainbow of colors.
Colors can be found in the Bible. For instance, I just mentioned the rainbow … G-d’s sign that he would never destroy the earth by flood again … and, need I remind you that the flood showed no preference to one color over another.
Then, there was Joseph and his multi-colored coat and last, but not least, there was the High Priest who wore a breastplate that had stones of 12 different colors on it.
Why a multi-colored coat? Why stones of 12 different colors? According to many historians, a multi-colored coat was a sign of leadership. Who was Joseph supposed to rule over? His brothers … not just one brother, but all of his brothers. And that multi-colored coat should have served as a constant reminder that he needed to keep each and every one of them in mind when he made a decision, as each of his brother’s needs were different.
Why stones of 12 different colors on the breastplate of the High Priest? How many tribes of Israel are there? That’s right, 12, so this was to serve as a constant reminder that he was tending not just to this tribe, but to the entire House of Israel, a house with different wants and needs. But the High Priest was responsible for serving them all.
Have you looked at the American Flag lately? Take a look at it. It is truly a sight to behold. Notice that it has three different colors on it. That’s right, Old Glory isn’t just red. Old Glory isn’t just blue. Old Glory isn’t just white. Old Glory is red, white and blue.
If you look closer, you will see that there is more of one color used in the flag than the others, but that is not to send a message that one group, one color, or one political party should be favored. No, let those colors remind each of us and each of our duly elected officials that America is a Melting Pot of the red, white and blue … and, we need to listen to each other. We need to work together, not just for our own sake, not just for our party’s sake, but for all the inhabitants thereof.
I remember a song lyric that my mother of blessed memory taught me many years ago. It was The Color Song and it asked what G-d’s favorite color was. I have never forgotten it, and I think it is a message that all of us need to remember with all the political campaigning we are being bombarded with because, my dear readers, God’s favorite color, despite what some candidate might tell you, isn’t red or blue. G-d’s favorite color is the color of Love!
Shalom my friends,
Rabbi Craig H. Ezring
Rabbi Ezring is a member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and serves in this capacity in a number of Health Care settings in the area including Advocate Home Care Services and L’Chayim Jewish Hospice in Partnership with Catholic Hospice of Broward County.
