Daily Chumash Monday Tetzaveh: The Choshen Mishpat

Sheiyni

• The gold chain: You shall make gold settings and two gold chains, and connect the chains to the settings.

1. The Choshen Mishpat:

• The material: The Choshen is to be made from gold, Ticheiles-Turquoise wool, Argamon- Purple wool, scarlet wool, and twisted linen.
• Dimensions: The Choshen is to be square, folded, a Zeres in length and width.
• Its stones: It is to be filled with four rows of stones. The first row is to contain the following stones: Odem, Pitdah, and Barekes. The second row: Nofech, Sapir, and Yahalom. The third row: Leshem, Shevo, and Achlamah. The fourth row: Tarshish, Shoham, and Yashfeh. The stones are to be placed within gold settings. They are to have the names of the tribes inscribed on them, one tribe per stone for a total of 12 tribes and stones.
• The chains and rings that attach the Choshen to the Eiphod: You shall make two gold chains on the Choshen. Make two gold rings, one for each edge of the [upper part of the] Choshen. The gold chains are to be inserted into these rings and are then to be attached to the gold settings of the Eiphod [thus having the Choshen hang on the straps of the Eiphod]. Make another two gold rings for the bottom corners of the Choshen, place them in the interior of the Choshen. Make two rings on the bottom end of the shoulder straps of the Eiphod, symmetric to the bottom rings of the Choshen. Place a Techeiles-Turquoise woolen string through the two sets of rings, hence attaching the Choshen to the Eiphod belt.
• The Choshen is not to be moved from the Eiphod, and in the Mishkan, Aaron is to carry the names of the tribes over his chest as a remembrance before Hashem
• The Urim Vetumim: The Urim and Tumim [G-d’s Divine name] is to be inserted into the Choshen, and Aaron is to carry the judgment of Bnei Yisrael constantly.