The Priestly Garments

"And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for honor and splendor,' Exodus 28:2.

"Visitors to the Temple Institute in Jerusalem have the opportunity to view freshly woven uniforms for the priests who will be serving in the Temple.

"According to Jewish law, each Korah ('Priest' -- a descendant of Aaron) who serves in the Temple must wear very special garments that fit him perfectly. Unlike today where one buys clothes 'off the rack' that are designed to be 'one size fits all,' the priests must have garments which are specifically made to their size. The priestly garments are woven of one piece, without seams. Each garment must be one piece, and each thread must be made from six individual strands. The material used is flax, produced from a plant, of which the finest quality today is obtained from Ireland -- a partly Israelite country.

"The lay, or ordinary, priests must wear four garments while officiating in the Temple. The High Priest wears eight garments. The garments of the ordinary priest are the robe, the belt, the turban, and the pants. The belt is 32 cubits (55 ft.) long, the numerical value of the Hebrew word 'lev' (heart). These are referred to as the 'garments of white,' and they are also worn by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement. The four additional garments worn by the High Priest were the tsitz, the coat, the apron and the breastplate.

"'He shall put on the Holy Linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments: therefore shall he bathe his flesh in water, and so put them on,' Leviticus 16:4."