Jewish Gemstones
The ephod, gemstones, and its power
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וּמִלֵּאתָ בוֹ מִלֻּאַת אֶבֶן אַרְבָּעָה טוּרִים

Fill it with stone filling, with four rows of stones...

וְנָשָׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחֹשֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּט עַל לִבּוֹ

Aharon shall carry the names of Benei Yisrael on the hoshen of judgment on his heart

How did Benei Yisrael have precious stones for the hoshen and ephod? According to R. Shmuel bar Nahmani in a midrash (Yoma 75a), these gems fell from heaven together with the מָן (mann, miraculous food) that Benei Yisrael enjoyed in the desert!

וְנָתַתָּ֞ אֶל־חֹ֣שֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט אֶת־הָאוּרִים֙ וְאֶת־הַתֻּמִּ֔ים וְהָיוּ֙ עַל־לֵ֣ב אַהֲרֹ֔ן בְּבֹא֖וֹ לִפְנֵ֣י יהוה וְנָשָׂ֣א אַ֠הֲרֹ֠ן אֶת־מִשְׁפַּ֨ט בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל עַל־לִבּ֛וֹ לִפְנֵ֥י יהוה תָּמִֽיד׃

Inside the breastplate of judgment you shall place the Urim and Tummim, so that they are over Aharon’s heart when he comes before God. Aharon shall carry this instrument of decision for Benei Yisrael Inside the breastplate of judgment you shall place the Urim and Tummim, so that they are over Aharon’s heart when he comes before God. Aharon shall carry this instrument of decision for Benei Yisrael over his heart before God at all times. before God at all times.

לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָן אוּרִים וְתוּמִּים? ״אוּרִים״ — שֶׁמְּאִירִין אֶת דִּבְרֵיהֶן, ״תּוּמִּים״ — שֶׁמַּשְׁלִימִין אֶת דִּבְרֵיהֶן.

Why is it called Urim VeTummim? Urim, which is based on the word or, light, is so called because it illuminates and explains its words. Tummim, which is based on the word tam, completed, is because it fulfills its words, which always come true.

(ט) וַיֵּ֣דַע דָּוִ֔ד כִּ֣י עָלָ֔יו שָׁא֖וּל מַחֲרִ֣ישׁ הָרָעָ֑ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־אֶבְיָתָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֔ן הַגִּ֖ישָׁה הָאֵפֽוֹד׃ {ס} (י) וַיֹּ֘אמֶר֮ דָּוִד֒ יהוה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שָׁמֹ֤עַ שָׁמַע֙ עַבְדְּךָ֔ כִּֽי־מְבַקֵּ֥שׁ שָׁא֖וּל לָב֣וֹא אֶל־קְעִילָ֑ה לְשַׁחֵ֥ת לָעִ֖יר בַּעֲבוּרִֽי׃(יא) הֲיַסְגִּרֻ֣נִי בַעֲלֵי֩ קְעִילָ֨ה בְיָד֜וֹ הֲיֵרֵ֣ד שָׁא֗וּל כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ שָׁמַ֣ע עַבְדֶּ֔ךָ יהוה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַגֶּד־נָ֖א לְעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ {ס} וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יהוה יֵרֵֽד׃ {ס} (יב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֔ד הֲיַסְגִּ֜רוּ בַּעֲלֵ֧י קְעִילָ֛ה אֹתִ֥י וְאֶת־אֲנָשַׁ֖י בְּיַד־שָׁא֑וּל וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יהוה יַסְגִּֽירוּ׃ {ס} (יג) וַיָּ֩קׇם֩ דָּוִ֨ד וַאֲנָשָׁ֜יו כְּשֵׁשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת אִ֗ישׁ וַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙ מִקְּעִלָ֔ה וַיִּֽתְהַלְּכ֖וּ בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר יִתְהַלָּ֑כוּ וּלְשָׁא֣וּל הֻגַּ֗ד כִּֽי־נִמְלַ֤ט דָּוִד֙ מִקְּעִילָ֔ה וַיֶּחְדַּ֖ל לָצֵֽאת׃

(9) When David learned that Saul was planningaMeaning of Heb. uncertain. to harm him, he told the priest Abiathar to bring the ephod forward.(10) And David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the town because of me.

(11) Will the citizens of Keilah deliver me into his hands? [OR] Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, tell Your servant!”

And the LORD said, “He will.”

(12) David continued, “Will the citizens of Keilah deliver me and my men into Saul’s hands?”

And the LORD answered, “They will.”

(13) So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah at once and moved about wherever they could. And when Saul was told that David had got away from Keilah, he did not set out.

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וּמִלֵּאתָ֥ בוֹ֙ מִלֻּ֣אַת אֶ֔בֶן אַרְבָּעָ֖ה טוּרִ֣ים אָ֑בֶן ט֗וּר אֹ֤דֶם פִּטְדָה֙ וּבָרֶ֔קֶת הַטּ֖וּר הָאֶחָֽד׃

Set in it mounted stones, in four rows of stones. The first row shall be a row of carnelian, chrysolite, and emerald;

וְהַטּ֖וּר הַשֵּׁנִ֑י נֹ֥פֶךְ סַפִּ֖יר וְיָהֲלֹֽם׃

the second row: a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;

וְהַטּ֖וּר הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֑י לֶ֥שֶׁם שְׁב֖וֹ וְאַחְלָֽמָה׃

the third row: a jacinth, an agate, and a crystal;

וְהַטּוּר֙ הָרְבִיעִ֔י תַּרְשִׁ֥ישׁ וְשֹׁ֖הַם וְיָשְׁפֵ֑ה מְשֻׁבָּצִ֥ים זָהָ֛ב יִהְי֖וּ בְּמִלּוּאֹתָֽם׃

and the fourth row: a beryl, onyx, and a jasper. They shall be framed with gold in their mountings.