לכבוד, to render honour and glory to the Almighty through the wearing of such resplendent garments when performing Temple service.

ולתפארת, also the Priest should inspire awe among the Israelites who are all considered his disciples seeing he had the names of all the tribes engraved on these garments right opposite his heart when he wore them in his official capacity.

ואתה תדבר אל כל חכמי לב, that they should carry out all the instructions mentioned in the Torah in the preceding verses.

ועשו את בגדי אהרן, not only should they build the Tabernacle, provide oil for the Menorah, but they should also fashion the garments to be worn by Aaron, etc.

(3) TO CONSECRATE HIM. They should make the garments specifically for that purpose.

והם יקחו את הזהב, just as the correct degree of dedication to its purpose was required by these חכמי לב while they would be engaged in fashioning the Tabernacle and its paraphernalia, so the same degree of mental concentration on their holy task was required while they received these contributions from the people or their go betweens.

אפוד, a garment that covers a person from the waist down. Its upper rim is constructed like a sash or belt, artistic work. This sash is used when the wearer ties the ephod above his tunic. This is the meaning of Leviticus 8,7ויחגור אותו בחשב האפוד, ויאפוד לו בו, “he girdled him with the belt of the ephod and thus adorned him with it.”

שתי כתפות חוברות, carefully matched in the construction of their decorations.

אל שני קצותיו, toward the two outer extremes of its width.

וחובר, as a result of which the ephod will be joined to the art work of the shoulder pads.

על שתי כתפיו לזכרון, in order to attract the attribute of Mercy to be invoked by their merit. (the merit of wearing the shoulder pads)

מגבלות, constructed to precisely defined dimensions, so that they will be stretched tight from the edge of the shoulder pads to the upper edge of the breastplate.

והאבנים תהיין על שמות בני ישראל, as soon as the Israelites when donating these various materials had dedicated them to their sacred purpose, i.e. that their names be inscribed on these gemstones, they became sacred, so that the word תהיין, meaning “they will remain, etc.,” is fully justified.”

שתים עשרה על שמותם, the Torah emphasises that the number 12 is not arbitrary but represents the names of the 12 tribes, no fewer nor any additional ones. [Joseph is represented by one gemstone not two, and the tribe of Levi was included though they did not share in the distribution of the land of Canaan to the tribes. Ed.]

פתוחי חותם איש על שמו, this sounds like an instruction to the engraver of these gemstones to have in mind the specific name of the tribe when he engraves letters on the gemstone representing that tribe.

גבלות, not in order to lengthen or shorten but precisely for a short distance between the top of the breastplate and the forward part of the shoulder pad as described in verse 14 merely to link these two sections of the High Priest’s garments.

ממול פניו, the letter מ at the beginning of the word ממול means that it is not to be at the level of his face but below, i.e. where the ephod’s sash is located not where the shoulder pads are located above his chest.

לעומת מהברתו, on the level where the ephod’s sash is tied.

לזכרון לפני ה' תמיד. In order for G’d to always remember the merits of the founding tribal fathers of the Jewish people and to treat their offspring favourably when remembering their founders.

משפט בני ישראל על לבו, so that he will pray on their behalf that they would emerge exonerated in any judicial confrontation.

לא יקרע, the robe should not have a regular collar and neckline running down the front of the garment open, but it should be round as a ring. The expression יקרע, is applied to vertical openings in a garment or building. The expression occurs in a similar sense in Jeremiah 22,14 וקרע לו חלוני, “provided with narrow windows cut out, etc.”

ומלאת את ידם. Ensure that they complete their task to perfection so that the priests will be equipped to perform the service in the Tabernacle wearing suitable garments.