The Ephod
The Choshen
- Two sets of names
- Two "remembrances before the Lord"
- Two places on the body for carrying- shoulders and heart
- Significance of the names of the tribes
- Why on the shoulders (ephod)?
ושמת את שתי האבנים וגו' אבני זכרון וגו' לפני ה', על שתי כתפיו לזכרון. הנה מעשה האפוד פירשנוהו קצת בחיבורנו סידורו של שבת (שורש הששי ענף ג') עיין עליו ולא נכפיל. ואולם מה שזכר כאן שתי זכרונות אבני זכרון ועל שתי כתפיו לזכרון, נראה כי שתי זכרונות היה בדבר. אחת, הזכרון לפני ה' וכמאמר חז"ל (שמות רבה ל"ט, ל"ח) שיהא רואה הקב"ה השבטים כתובים לפניו ויזכור צדקתם לבניהם והוא לכפר על עוונות בית ישראל לכל פשעיהם וחטאתם כמאמר חז"ל (זבחים פ"ח:) אפוד מכפר על עוון עבודה זרה וכו'. והשנית, הוא מה שהיה הכהן גדול בעצמו מגין עליהם על ידי זה ונשא אותם עליו כאב הנושא את בנו על כתפיו להצילו מכל מכשול רע ביראתו שלא תגוף באבן רגלו. והוא להגין עליהם גם מן היסורים ומכל דבר... ולזה היה הכהן גדול נושא אותם כאב את בנו להגין עליהם בכוחו וזכותו, ובבקשת רחמים עליהם תמיד להמתיק הדין מעליהם מכל וכל להגין אף מן היסורין... ולזה היה זכרון השני שהוא על שתי כתפיו לזכרון דוקא על כתפיו ולא במקום אחר להורות הדמיון הזה שצריך לישא את ישראל על כתפיו כאדם שמרכיב את בנו על כתפיו להגין עליו ולהצילו מכל רע מחיה רעה ומהכשל באבן ובבור תחתיות וכן לדורי דורות הנה הכהן הגדול היה מוכרח להגין עליהם מכל וכל בזכותו, ובאופן שיהיה ראוי להיות ה' יתברך נושא פנים לדורו בעבורו.
...
[The text indicates that the carrying] was on his shoulders specifically, and not somewhere else, to teach through this image that Aaron had to carry the Israelites on his shoulders like a person who gives his child a ride on his shoulders to protect him, to save him from all harm, from wild animals, from stumbling upon stones or pot holes. . . (transl. R' Dr. Erin Leib Smokler)
Why on the heart (choshen)?
באר מים חיים שמות כח:יב
ואהרן היה בבחינת הלב ועל כן נשא אהרן את משפט בני ישראל על לבו כלומר לפי שהוא היה בבחינת לב בני ישראל היה צריך לשאת אותם להגין עליהם ולהצילם מכל רע כי ידוע אשר הכאב מכל האברים מגיע קודם אל הלב ועל כן היה הוא המרגיש תחילה בכאב ישראל וביקש רחמים עליהם וכיפר עליהם להמתיק הדין מעליהם ולברכם בברכת כהנים. וכן כל כהן גדול שעמד אחריו היה הכל בבחינה זו, לכפר על ישראל בכח עצמיותם ונשא את משפטם שהיא בחינת משפט הדין והיסורין על לבו לכפר עליהם תמיד לפני ה'.
Be'er Mayim Chaim, Exodus 28:12
Aaron was like the heart [of the people] and for this reason he carried their judgement on his heart. . . He had to carry them to protect them and to save them from all evil. It is known that pain from any one of the limbs is felt first in the heart. Similarly, [Aaron] would feel the pain of Israel first and he would ask for mercy, forgiveness, and the sweetening of judgment on their behalf and bless them with the priestly blessing. (
"We are left now with three arresting images of who Aharon was relative to his people, all shaped by the clothing he wore and the name-stones he bore. He was a protective father giving his child a shoulder-ride; a laden leader bearing the weight of others' suffering; and a humble soul whose heart beat to the tune of someone else's rhythm. Clothing, alas, really can make a man."
ספר אמרי אמת, פרשת תצוה, תרסו
איתא בתקוני זוהר על הפסוק שימני כחותם על לבך כחותם על זרועך [שיר השירים ח:ו] אף על גב דאנת תסתלק וכו' דיוקנך לא אתעדי מנאי לעלם, היינו שנשאר רשימה, כחותם על לבך היינו החושן כדכתיב והיו על לב אהרן וכחותם על זרועך היינו האפוד כדכתיב על שתי כתפיו.
Sefer Imrei Emet (Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter), Parshat Tetzaveh
It is brought in Tikkunei Zohar on the verse [from Song of Songs 8:6] "Place me like a seal on your heart, liked a seal on your arm" that even though I depart. . . your image will not leave me forever. That is, its imprint will remain. "Like a seal on your heart"--that is the choshen, as the verse states, "And they will be on Aaron's heart" [Exodus 28:30]. "Like a seal on your arm"--that is the ephod, as the verse states, "On his shoulders" [Exodus 28: 12].
- "The place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause His name to dwell there" (Devarim 12:11)
The tzitz, on which God's explicit name is engraved, atones for impudence, which might be a false oath taken in His name. God's pure name engraved on the tzitz atones for the name of God that was desecrated with a false oath. The simple understanding is that the tzitz does not atone for the person who took the false oath, but rather for the people of Israel in whose midst God's name had been desecrated – by presenting God's pure name.
And Abaye said: From where do I say this claim of mine? As it is taught in a baraita: An incident occurred with King Yannai, who went to the region of Koḥalit in the desert and conquered sixty cities there. And upon his return he rejoiced with a great happiness over his victory. And he subsequently summoned all the Sages of the Jewish people and said to them: Our ancestors in their poverty would eat salty foods when they were busy with the building of the Temple; we too shall eat salty foods in memory of our ancestors. And they brought salty food on tables of gold, and ate. And there was one person present, a scoffer, a man of an evil heart and a scoundrel called Elazar ben Po’ira. And Elazar ben Po’ira said to King Yannai: King Yannai, the hearts of the Pharisees, the Sages, are against you. In other words, they harbor secret resentment against you and do not like you. The king replied: And what shall I do to clarify this matter? Elazar responded: Have them stand by wearing the frontplate between your eyes. Since the frontplate bears the Divine Name, they should stand in its honor. Yannai, who was a member of the priestly Hasmonean family, also served as High Priest, who wears the frontplate. He had the Pharisees stand by wearing the frontplate between his eyes. Now there was a certain elder present called Yehuda ben Gedidya, and Yehuda ben Gedidya said to King Yannai: King Yannai, the crown of the monarchy suffices for you, i.e., you should be satisfied that you are king. Leave the crown of the priesthood for the descendants of Aaron. The Gemara explains this last comment: As they would say that Yannai’s mother was taken captive in Modi’in, and she was therefore disqualified from marrying into the priesthood, which meant that Yannai was a ḥalal. And the matter was investigated and was not discovered, i.e., they sought witnesses for that event but none were found. And the Sages of Israel were expelled in the king’s rage, due to this rumor. And Elazar ben Po’ira said to King Yannai: King Yannai, such is the judgment of a common person in Israel. In other words, merely expelling a slanderer is appropriate if the subject of the slander is a commoner. But you are a king and a High Priest. Is this your judgment as well? Yannai replied: And what should I do? Elazar responded: If you listen to my advice, crush them. Yannai countered: But what will become of the Torah? He retorted: Behold, it is wrapped and placed in the corner. Anyone who wishes to study can come and study. We have no need for the Sages. The Gemara interjects: Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: Immediately, heresy was injected into Yannai, as he should have said to Elazar ben Po’ira: This works out well with regard to the Written Torah, as it can be studied by all on their own, but what will become of the Oral Torah? The Oral Torah is transmitted only by the Sages. The baraita continues: Immediately, the evil arose and caught fire through Elazar ben Po’ira, and all the Sages of the Jewish people were killed. And the world was desolate of Torah until Shimon ben Shataḥ came and restored the Torah to its former glory. This completes the baraita.
- The Tzitz
- The Altar
And nothing perverse was on his lips;
He served Me with complete loyalty
And held the many back from iniquity. (7) For the lips of a priest guard knowledge,
And men seek rulings from his mouth;-c
For he is a messenger of the LORD of Hosts.
An altar of earth shall you make to Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt-offerings, and your peace-offerings, your sheep, and your oxen; in all places where I cause My name to be pronounced, I will come to You and I well bless you. (Shemot 20:21-22)
God put His name on the altar, and in this way the altar strengthens the oaths taken alongside it:
If any man trespasses against his neighbor and an oath is laid upon him to cause him to swear and the oath comes before your altar in this house. (I Melakhim 8:31)
The name of the Almighty that was placed on the altar is liable to be profaned if the person taking an oath is bald-faced and his mouth proclaims a lie. The desecration of the altar is liable to cause, openly or in hidden manner, that the offerings brought upon it will become impure. This will happen due to the absence of God's assistance, or because of the priests' contempt for their service on the altar that was desecrated with a false oath. The tzitz comes to atone for the altar and for the ritually impure sacrifices brought upon it, as well as for the impudence and brazenness that led to the desecration of God's name at the altar with a false oath.
The tzitz achieves atonement when it rests on the forehead of the High Priest...The High Priest with the tzitz on his forehead is not impudent and he never lies. He achieves atonement through the name of God on his forehead for the impudence of the sota who swears falsely and for the impudence of every bald-faced man who takes a false oath in God's name.