by Moshe Kempinski    
The preoccupation in the Torah Portion of Tzetzaveh on the external clothing and apparel of the priests in the tabernacle seems unusual.The word for clothing in Hebrew is "Beged" and its root seems to be connected to the concept of betrayal and deception Livgode, for after all the role of clothing is to hide and conceal. We are living in a time and in a  world where falsehood and evil is dressed up in pretty clothing and flourishes unchallenged. More dangerous is the fact that an individual may even begin to believe in the mirage those clothes are trying to convey. Man must define himself by what he does and for what purpose he does it and not by what he wears. Only then can the clothes serve Man's higher calling rather than Man being enslaved to the image the clothes are meant to convey.
It is for this reason that Jewish spiritual understanding demands that we take that external "beged" and elevate it into a vessel of holiness. This is true in the concern Judaism places on how one is to dress in public and the modicums of modesty to be attained.
It is therefore also clearly evident in the detailed description of the priestly garments. The clothing of the Priests described by the Torah was not merely ceremonial garb. They carried great spiritual and symbolic meaning. Two of the most fascinating articles of clothing were the stones attached to the shoulders of the Kohen and those that were embedded in his Hoshen- Breastpate.
"And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel; and Aaronhall bear their names before HaShem upon his two shoulders for a memorial. ( Exodus 28:12)
"And the stones ( of the breastplate) shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes. ( Exodus 28:21)
The stones on the shoulders of the Ephod and the stones on the Breastplate both symbolized the twelve tribes. The obvious question arises as to why the repetition of the symbols. Did each stone grouping carry a different message? We read of the two stones engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel ( six on one stone and six on the other):
"and Aaron shall bear their names before HaShem upon his two shoulders for a memorial. ( Exodus 28:12)
Further we read regarding the twelve stones on the Hoshen-Breastplate and how each individual stone one had one of the names of the tribes engraved on them. 
"And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before HaShem continually.( Exodus 28:29)
In one case the Priest, representative of Jewish leadership , carries the burden of his people on his shoulders .In  the other the leader carries them over his heart. Leadership has to learn the distinction between the two roles. Yet true leadership can never forget that involvement with one role while ignoring the other   makes either one obsolete. The physical needs and concerns of a people must be carried and supported on the shoulders of true leadership. Yet the fears, hopes and hearts of the people cannot be ignored by the heart of every true leader. Furthermore on the breastplate covering the heart every individual stone was distinct and unique. When connecting to the things of the heart, it is important not to group together and to generalize otherwise the cry of the individual heart is lost in the clamor of the multitude.
A Prime Minister of Israel that leaves on a jaunt to Germany while the embattled residents of Sderot come to demonstrate at the doorstep of his home in Jerusalem is representing leadership without a heart A Speaker of the House who evicts a bereaved parent who is expressing his anguish in the Knesset is leadership without a heart. A Prime Minister who continues his prepared speech after being interrupted by that bereaved parent is again leadership that has lost its way.
Yet this land of Israel continues to purify and winnow the chaff from the wheat. Slowly but steadily a new leadership continue to emerge, a leadership that has not forgotten the lesson of the priestly garments.
The Yeshivot Hesder were established to afford the opportunity for young religious boys to pursue their spiritual aspirations and desires while at the same time giving then the opportunity to stand courageously in the protection of their land and people. This unique blend of Religious study and army service has created a new breed of young, commited and sensitive warriors who hearken to the days of King David. Over 25% of the Israel’s present day combat units are made up of young members of Israel’s religious Zionist community and they make up almost 40% of the I.D.F.’s officer corps. Yet they are soldiers that do not only carry the burden of their people on their shoulders but feel their pain in their hearts.
 The Hesder Yeshiva of Sderot is one such example. This Yeshiva located in the beleaguered southern town of Sderot . They are there to offer the shoulders to rely on and the heart to depend on. The Hesder students   spend their days learning, yet  are also active in many projects including a ‘big brother’ program with local youth at risk, a special learning program for retirees, volunteer work with the local Magen David Adom, and ‘Heart to Heart,’ which provides visits and food, water, and toys to children whose homes were damaged in attacks. Every radio interview with residents of Sderot who have been victimized by the Kassam rockets usually end up discussing the support, affection and spiritual strength these yeshiva students have provided them.
Yeshiva head Rabbi Dovid Fendel is resolved to stay put in the city despite the rocket attacks. "The Palestinians are determined to turn Sderot into a ghost town, while we are making it a place of Torah and Zionist ideals. They are trying to destroy, while we are building more everyday. They are trying to break our spirit, but we will continue to provide hope," he said. Media reports have estimated that over 3,000 people have left Sderot in the past few years in fear of rockets and mortars. Yet there is a parallel countervailing migration. Over 50 young religious Zionist families have moved to town, with most of the men graduates of the Sderot Hesder Yeshiva.
David Avikar, 23, and his wife, Yael is one of those families.   Avikar is involved in "morale strengthening" activities such as tutoring   , teaching and lecturing on his combat experiences during the Second Lebanon War. "Me and Yael are on a mission," said Avikar. "We are here to strengthen the Jewish people. That's the education I received at the yeshiva."
True leadership is blossoming in the harsh landscape of this country. They are leaders that have been winnowed in the struggles for the land of Israel. They are people that have been purified in the kiln of wars and battles. They are leaders that have not forgotten the lesson of the Priestly garments. 
Original Source