23. PEKUDE

Rabbi Arthur Waskow

Sacred Clothing, Holy Body, Naked Torah

Peep inside the Holy Ark: We see the tailored jackets, woven of dark and bright and many-colored cloth, embroidered with gold and silver threads, bearing glowing breast-plates of gems and gold and silver — all to act as protection, celebration, for the Torah.

Holy ornaments. Yet the Torah Scroll is holiest not clothed but naked — laid bare with only letters showing. Black fire of meaning — glowing in the midst of the still more naked white space on the parchment, inviting readers to weave new meaning from the strands of blankness.