In this lesson, we will look into the garments of the High Priest and especially why the names of the tribes of Israel are recorded on the shoulder stones as well as on the breastplate. And what do the names on the shoulder stones have in common with the Shema? We also discover an interesting (and strange) connection between the High Priest and Goliath. And how does the Hebrew word for ‘incense’ teach us about the four facets of prayer?
This is the only parshah in which Moses’ name is not mentioned.
Exodus 28:9-10 You shall take two shoham stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth.
שׁשׁה משׁמתם על =
שמע “Shema!”
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The Shema: שמע ישראל יהוה אלהינו יהוה אחד = “Hear, O Israel, Adonai our God, Adonai is one.”
Exodus 28:9 You shall take two shoham stones …
שהם
משה = “Moses”
השם = “HaShem”
Exodus 28:15-21
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Exodus 28:38 It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before Adonai.
מצחו (mitz’cho)
1 Samuel 17:49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.
Exodus 30:7 And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it; he shall burn it every morning when he trims the lamps. And when Aaron trims the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense. There shall be perpetual incense before Adonai throughout your generations. You shall not offer any strange incenseon this altar, or burnt offering or meal offering; and you shall not pour out a libation on it.
קטרת (ketoret)
The Four Elements of Prayer:
ק – קדושה (kedushah) = “Holiness”
ט – טהרה (tahorah) = “Purity”
ר – רחמים (rachamim) = “Mercy/Pity”
ת – תקוה (tik’vah) = “Hope”
REFERENCES:
Exodus 28:15-21 “And you shall make a breastpiece of judgment, the work of a skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen you shall make it. It shall be square and folded double, a span in length and a span in width. And you shall mount on it four rows of stones; the first row shall be a row of ruby, topaz and emerald; and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond; and the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst; and the fourth row a beryl and an onyx [שהם, shoham] and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree. And the stones shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel: twelve, according to their names; they shall be like the engravings of a seal, each according to his name for the twelve tribes.”
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