Shabbat Parashat Tetzaveh - 5786

Shabbat Parashat Tetzaveh - 5786

Rabbi Hal Miller

  You shall place it (Tzitz) on a turquoise woolen string and it shall be on the Mitznefet,

  opposite the face of the Mitznefet shall it be. Shemot [28:37]

There is much room for confusion in the verses about the special garments for Aharon as the Kohen Gadol. Here in our parsha God gives Moshe the commandments, and in Vayikra [8:9] these commands are actually implemented. Our verse says to put the Tzitz on a string of techeilet such as we tie as tzitzit on four-cornered garments, and "it shall be on the Mitznefet". It does not specify whether it means the Tzitz, which is metal, or the techeilet string, which is wool, is what goes on the Mitznefet. In verse 39 the Torah tells us to make the Mitznefet of linen, but it does not specify what this item is. We are told that the Tzitz is to go on the forehead between the eyes, yet here it says "on the Mitznefet opposite the face of the Mitznefet", and in Vayikra it says to put it "upon the Mitznefet toward his face". So what is the Mitznefet and where does the Tzitz go?

Rashi defines Mitznefet as a "domelike hat" which he relates to cap, kipah and keffiyeh in French, Hebrew and Arabic. Rav Hirsch derives from Yeshayahu [22:18] that the word refers to a circular movement around a central point and follows Rambam that it is a turban. There is some dispute over exactly how it is worn, related to the question of the placement of the Tzitz.

In Shemot [29:6] the Torah tells us "You shall place the Mitznefet on his head and put the crown of sanctity upon the Mitznefet" with "crown of sanctity" referring to the Tzitz. The Torah seems to be telling us that the Tzitz goes over the Mitznefet, on the outside. But in [28:38] it says  "and it shall be on Aharon's forehead" and in Shechitat Kodashim it says "his hair was visible between the Tzitz and the Mitznefet for there he would place the tefillin". Further Zevachim [19a] says the Tzitz goes below the Mitznefet. Rashi explains that the Tzitz was suspended by this mentioned cord over the top of the Mitznefet, and this cord is what is "on" the turban, thus the Tzitz is actually hanging just below the front rim of the headgear. Ramban argues that the Torah does not give any indication of such a cord in the middle of the Tzitz, rather only one that goes around the back of the neck and goes over the back rim of the Mitznefet. The turban is thus wrapped around the head on an angle, with the front high above the face and the back down low on the neck.

Rashbam says that the Tzitz is worn "immediately below the lower rim of the Mitznefet" but the opinion of Shechitat Kodashim that the tefillin goes between them seems to be accepted by most. Thus the angle of the wrapping is a little more severe that what Ramban seems to indicate, but is otherwise as he said.