Ephod – Appearance/2

Ephod – Appearance

Exegetical Approaches

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Apron

The Ephod was similar to an apron, extending from the priest's hips to his heels.  A band at the top of the Ephod (חֵשֶׁב הָאֵפוֹד) served as a belt, while two shoulder straps (כִּתְפֹת הָאֵפֹד) reached from the back, over the priest's shoulders, connecting to the Breastplate in front.

Sources:RashiShemot 28:4-7Zevachim 18bZevachim 19aAbout R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, perhaps RambamHilkhot Kelei HaMikdash 9:9-11About R. Moshe b. Maimon,¹ perhaps Seforno2Shemot 28:6About R. Ovadyah Seforno²

Meaning of  "אֵפֹד" – Rashi is not explicit, but appears to understand the root "אפד" to mean to adorn or decorate, writing, "והאפוד שם תכשיט" and later, "הוא קרוי אפוד, על שם שאופדו ומקשטו".‎³ According to him, then, the אפוד was predominantly an ornamental garment, serving a decorative purpose.

"וַיִּתֵּן עָלָיו אֶת הָאֵפֹד וַיַּחְגֹּר אֹתוֹ בְּחֵשֶׁב" – Rashi learns from this verse (Vayikra 8:7) that the חֵשֶׁב and the אֵפֹד were two distinct parts of one article of clothing, serving different functions.  Only the חֵשֶׁב was a belt (וַיַּחְגֹּר אֹתוֹ), while the Ephod was a full garment that could be "put on" (וַיִּתֵּן עָלָיו). ⁴

"אֶל שְׁנֵי קְצוֹתָיו" – Rashi learns from this phrase that the main part of the Ephod was rectangular in shape and covered only one side of the priest, for otherwise it could not be said to have "edges". [Had it encircled the priest like a skirt, it would be difficult to pinpoint the "end" at which the "כְתֵפֹת" were to be joined.]

Length of the Ephod – Rashi learns that the Ephod extended only from the waist and below from a combination of verses:

• Yechezkel 44:18 states "לֹא יַחְגְּרוּ בַּיָּזַע" which Rashi, following Bavli Zevachim 18b, understands to mean that one may not gird one's self in a place where one sweats, i.e. not below the hips, nor above the elbows, but rather at the level of the elbows. As such, Rashi suggests that the חשב must have been belted at the waist.
• From Shemot 28:28, "וְחֵשֶׁב אֲפֻדָּתוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו", he further learns that the חשב constituted the top part of the Ephod.  As such, the rest of the Ephod could have covered only the lower half of the body.

In front or behind? It is not totally clear from Rashi whether he thinks the "apron" of the Ephod covered the front or back of the priest. He writes, "וחוגרו מאחוריו כנגד לבו". If the word "חוגרו" means to belt, then it would appear that the tie was in the back and the apron in the front. If, however, Rashi is using "חוגרו" to mean "clothe" then the opposite would be true. The fact that Rashi describes the Ephod's width in terms of the priest's back (שרחבו כרוחב גב איש) and says that it reached "עד עקיביו", to the heel (rather than foot)  would support the second possibility, that the apron lay behind..

"שְׁתֵּי כְתֵפֹת חֹבְרֹת יִהְיֶה" vs. "וְחֻבָּר" – According to Rashi both phrases refer to one and the same joining, the attachment of the shoulder straps to the Ephod.⁵  The verse teaches that in contrast to the חשב which was made as one piece with the Ephod, the shoulder straps were made individually and only then sewn to the Ephod. Rashi would likely suggest that the doubling is meant only for elaboration and not significant.

"כִתְפוֹת הָאֵפוֹד" – Rashi understands these to refer to two long straps, extending from the top of the "חֵשֶׁב", up the priest's back and slightly over his shoulders (כתפות) where they attached to and held the breastplate. Rashbam questions how they would not have fallen off when the priest was engaged in his work. Rashi replies that the fact that the straps were wide and attached to the breast-plate weighed them down and ensured that they would not fall.⁶

Primary section of the Ephod – According to Rashi, the main part of the Ephod was the apron, the decorative section, while the shoulder straps and Cheshev served only technical functions.

Rings of verses 26 and 27: "מִמַּעַל לְחֵשֶׁב הָאֵפוֹד" – The fact that the rings of the shoulder straps are described as being "מִמַּעַל לְחֵשֶׁב הָאֵפוֹד" might lead one to think that the חֵשֶׁב must have been on the upper body, right under the shoulders. Rashi, though, explains that the verse speaks of two rings which were at the bottom of the shoulder straps, (עַל שְׁתֵּי כִתְפוֹת הָאֵפוֹד מִלְּמַטָּה), close to the point where they were attached to the "חֵשֶׁב‎" (לְעֻמַּת מַחְבַּרְתּוֹ).  The phrase "מִמַּעַל לְחֵשֶׁב הָאֵפוֹד" teaches that the rings were on the straps, but slightly above where they met the "חֵשֶׁב".

"לִהְיוֹת עַל חֵשֶׁב הָאֵפוֹד" – At first glance, this phrase is somewhat difficult for this approach as it suggests that the breast-plate lay on the חשב itself (rather than the מעיל as this approach implies). Rashi explains that the verse intends to emphasize only that that the bottom of the breast-plate was tightly attached to the חשב, with perhaps the edges overlapping.⁷

"וְלֹא יִזַּח הַחֹשֶׁן מֵעַל הָאֵפוֹד" – Rashi explains that this too does not mean that the Choshen rested upon the Ephod, but only that it was tied in a manner that it would not detach from it, (thus, preventing the breastplate from swinging to and fro.)

"חָגוּר אֵפוֹד" vs. "נֹשֵׂא אֵפוֹד" – The choice of verb, "חָגוּר" is logical for this position, as the Ephod was belted around the priest. The language of "נֹשֵׂא" however is less easily understood, as it is not clear what is being carried. This leads Rashi to suggest that the phrase refers not to the Ephod itself, but to the breast-plate and Urrim and Tummim which rested in its middle.

Cumbersome? Chizkuni mentions those who question this approach on practical grounds, claiming that if the garment was woven with 28 threads and hung on the bottom, it would be extremely cumbersome for the priest as he worked.

Realia

Vest or Corset

The Ephod covered only the upper body of the priest, resembling a vest, corset, or perhaps a tunic.

Sources:JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 3:7:5About Josephus, R. SaadiaSiddurAbout R. Saadia Gaon, commentary attributed to RashiDivrei HaYamim I 15:27About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, perhaps RambamHilkhot Kelei HaMikdash 9:9-11About R. Moshe b. Maimon,⁸ perhaps R. Avraham b. HaRambamShemot 28:6-7Shemot 28:26-28About R. Avraham Maimonides,⁹ opinion brought by ChizkuniShemot 28:6-8Shemot 28:27About R. Chizkiyah b. Manoach, MeiriYoma 72aAbout R. Menachem HaMeiri, perhaps RalbagShemot Beur HaMilot 28:8Shemot Beur HaMilot 28:12Shemot Toalot 28:2About R. Levi b. Gershom,¹⁰ perhaps AbarbanelShemot 28:6About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel,¹¹ R. S.R. HirschShemot 28:4Shemot 28:8About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch

Meaning of "אֵפֹד" – R. Hirsch asserts that the root "אפד" means to belt.¹² As evidence, he points out that the roots "אפד" and "חגר" are paralleled in Shemot 29:5 and Vayikra 8:7 and function as synonyms.‎¹³  According to him, the Ephod, thus, was really in essence a glorified belt, one which encircled not only the hips, but the back and chest as well, much like a corset.¹⁴

Meaning of "חֵשֶׁב" – Chizkuni suggests that the word is like many others in which two letters are sometimes flipped (like כבשים and כשבים or שמלה and שלמה).  As such חשב is equivalent to חבש and means to fasten.

Evidence that the Ephod was a top garment – These sources might bring both textual evidence and logical arguments to support thier view:

• "עַל חֵשֶׁב הָאֵפוֹד" – The main textual support for envisioning the Ephod as a garment that covered only the top of the priest is verse 28 which describes the breastplate as lying "עַל חֵשֶׁב הָאֵפוֹד". Since the breastplate was on the priest's chest, if it lay on "חֵשֶׁב הָאֵפוֹד", the Ephod, too, must have been chest level.
• "מִמַּעַל לְחֵשֶׁב הָאֵפוֹד" – Verse 27's description of the rings on the shoulder pieces being "מִמַּעַל לְחֵשֶׁב הָאֵפוֹד" might also imply that the Ephod was just under the shoulder pieces, i.. on the top half of the priest's body.
• Practical reasons – Chizkuni adds several practical reasons for viewing the Ephod as a top garment. If the Ephod had begun just at the waist, this would necessitate long shoulder straps which could easily fall to the sides (leading the breastplate itself to fall).  In addition, due to the heavy weaving, if the garment covered the priest's bottom half, it would hinder the priest from walking and working.

Ephod: Front, Back or Both? These sources differ in their understanding of

• Both – Josephus, the commentary on Divrei HaYamim attributed to Rashi, and Chizkuni assume that the garment of the Ephod covered both the front and back, and resembled either a tunic or corset. The "חֵשֶׁב" might have served to tie the front and back together. 
• Back – Rambam and many is his wake¹⁵ assert that the "אֵפֹד" part of the garment covered the back, while the "חֵשֶׁב" extended and belted in the front. [See below, though, that if one envisions the חֵשֶׁב  as flaps rather than thin straps, then the "אֵפֹד" comprised the back of the "vest" and and the "חֵשֶׁב" comprised the front pieces, together covering both the front and back, similar to above.¹⁶]
• Front – R.Saadia, in contrast, uniquely suggests that it was the "אֵפֹד" which was worn on the chest (ונתלבש בו מלב ועד טבור), while the "חֵשֶׁב" extended to the back and was tied there (ויענדו לאחוריו).

"חֵשֶׁב הָאֵפוֹד": Straps or Flaps? As the verse does not describe the "חֵשֶׁב", it is difficult to know what it looked like. Many of these sources describe it as "רצועות", implying that thin straps, like a typical sash or belt, extended from the Ephod. However, Rambam's language of "וְיֵשׁ לוֹ כְּמוֹ שְׁתֵּי יָדוֹת יוֹצְאוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ," allows for the possibility that they were actually wider flaps, perhaps like the sides of a vest. [If so, the "חֵשֶׁב" was perhaps not tied, but fastened with clips or the like.]

"וְחֵשֶׁב אֲפֻדָּתוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו": Location of the "חֵשֶׁב" – These sources differ in their understanding of the word "עליו" and, thus, of the location of the "חֵשֶׁב":

• At the top of the Ephod – These sources could suggest that the word "עליו"  means on top, and the verse implies that the "חֵשֶׁב" was a band that lay at the top of the Ephod and extended outward (so that the garment was shaped like a capital letter T). The band, then, would have covered the top part of the priest's chest, perhaps from under the arms to the heart.
• On the priest - Abarbanel, in contrast, understands "עָלָיו" to mean "on him" (i.e. on the priest) rather than on or at the top of the Ephod. If so, the verse says nothing about the exact height of the חֵשֶׁב, and it is possible that the straps or flaps extended from the sides of the Ephod rather than its top. If so, they could have covered any part, or, if they were flaps, all of the priest's front. 
• On the Ephod - Chizknui raises a third possibility that "עָלָיו" means literally "on the Ephod". The Cheshev ran along the circumference of the Ephod, with its weaving protruding out, raised on the garment.

"כִתְפוֹת הָאֵפוֹד" – These sources do not describe the shoulder pieces at length, but must assume that they were short pieces rather than long straps as they were not far from the Ephod.

"שְׁתֵּי כְתֵפֹת חֹבְרֹת...  וְחֻבָּר" – Abarbanel suggests that the doubling refers to to dual role played by the shoulder pieces as "connectors". They served both to connect to the Ephod in the back, and to the breastplate in front.

"וְיִרְכְּסוּ אֶת הַחֹשֶׁן... לִהְיוֹת עַל חֵשֶׁב הָאֵפוֹד" – Rambam understands this to mean that the breastplate rested literally on חֵשֶׁב הָאֵפוֹד, with the "חֵשֶׁב" acting as a base for the Choshen.¹⁷  As mentioned above, this is one of the main motivations leading this approach to suggest that the Ephod covered the top half of the priest and not the bottom.

"וְלֹא יִזַּח הַחֹשֶׁן מֵעַל הָאֵפוֹד" – This verse, too, supports the idea that the Ephod lay underneath the breastplate, and was, thus, at chest level.¹⁸

Rings of verses 27-28: עַל שְׁתֵּי כִתְפוֹת הָאֵפוֹד מִלְּמַטָּה"" – This position suggests that each shoulder strap had a ring or משבצת via which it was connected to both the top and bottom of the breastplate.  At the top were "מִּשְׁבְּצוֹת" which held a chain to attach the shoulder pieces to the top of the breastplate, and someplace lower on the shoulder pieces (עַל שְׁתֵּי כִתְפוֹת הָאֵפוֹד מִלְּמַטָּה), there were also rings through which a cord could attach to the bottom of the breastplate.

Function of the Ephod – These sources might take one of two approaches to the Ephod's main role:

• Belt – R. Hirsch suggests that the garment is first and foremost a belt, whose primary functions was to gird the "מעיל" to the body.¹⁹ The fact that the מעיל is referred to as "מְעִיל הָאֵפוֹד" might support this reading.²⁰
• Platform for breastplate – These sources might alternatively suggest that the main role of the Ephod was to serve as a base for the breastplate to lie upon.²¹

According to both of these understandings, it might be the "חֵשֶׁב הָאֵפוֹד" rather than the Ephod itself which is the primary focus of the garment, for it is the חשב which played the key role both in belting and acting as the breatplate's base.²²

Skirt and Top

The Ephod wrapped around the priest's waist like a skirt while the shoulder pieces covered his entire back.

Sources:RashbamShemot 28:7About R. Shemuel b. Meir,

Meaning of Ephod – Rashbam explains that the word refers to a decorative garment which covers one, lying on top of his other clothing.  This might be supported by the root's usage in Yeshayahau 30:22, "אֶת צִפּוּי פְּסִילֵי כַסְפֶּךָ וְאֶת אֲפֻדַּת מַסֵּכַת זְהָבֶךָ", where the word "אֲפֻדַּת" is parallel to "צִפּוּי", a covering.

Back and front – It is perhaps this understanding of the word that leads Rashbam to suggest that the Ephod surrounded the priest like a skirt, covering the priest from all sides "מכסהו בין מלפניו בין מלאחריו".

"אֶל שְׁנֵי קְצוֹתָיו" – One might question

"חֵשֶׁב הָאֵפֹד" – Like others, Rashbam learns from Vayikra 8:7 (וַיַּחְגֹּר אֹתוֹ בְּחֵשֶׁב הָאֵפֹד) that the "חֵשֶׁב" is a belt. He suggests that it wound around the garment, lying at its edges, apparently understanding the phrase "וְחֵשֶׁב אֲפֻדָּתוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו" to means that the "חֵשֶׁב" lay at the top of the Ephod (like Rashi). [His Chesheve might be similar to a drawstring at the top of a pair of pants.]

"שְׁתֵּי כְתֵפֹת חֹבְרֹת... וְחֻבָּר" – Rashbam learns form the doubling in this verse that the "shoulder pieces" were not sewn only at the bottom to the חשב, but also to each other. but entire peices of material

Cape

Sources:perhaps Rambam, perhaps RalbagShemot Beur HaMilot 28:8Shemot Toalot 28:2About R. Levi b. Gershom,²³ R. Meyuchas

¹ See R. HIrsch who understands Rambam in this manner.  Rambam's words, though,  are ambiguous and can be understood in multiple ways.  This depends largely on how one understands two key terms used in his description of the length of the Ephod, "מִכְּנֶגֶד אַצִּילֵי הַיָּדַיִם" and "עַד הָרַגְלַיִם".  The former might refer to either the armpit or the elbow and the latter might refer to either the top or bottom of the legs. As such, Rambam might be envisioning a garment that extends from the armpits to the hips, from the elbow (or hip area), to the ankles, or from the armpits all the way to the ankles. Rambam's description of חשב האפוד is similarly ambiguous. He writes, "וְיֵשׁ לוֹ כְּמוֹ שְׁתֵּי יָדוֹת יוֹצְאוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ בָּאָרִיג לְכָאן וּלְכָאן", but it is not clear if he thinks these "ידות" are like straps or wider pieces of cloth.

² Seforno's description is very brief, and shares only that the Ephod was a garment that went form a person's hips and down. He does not say explicitly that it was worn only in the back, so it is also possible that he viewed it as skirt-like rather than an apron.

³ See also Rashi on Yeshayahu 30:22, "אֶת צִפּוּי פְּסִילֵי כַסְפֶּךָ וְאֶת אֲפֻדַּת מַסֵּכַת זְהָבֶךָ" where he explains "אפדת – נוי".

⁴ The relationship between the two is much like that between the "כֻּתֹּנֶת" and "אַבְנֵט" mentioned in the first half of the verse.  The "אַבְנֵט" served to belt (וַיַּחְגֹּר) the "כֻּתֹּנֶת", while the "כֻּתֹּנֶת" is a robe that is worn (וַיִּתֵּן עָלָיו).

⁵ Cf. Rashbam below who disagrees.

⁶ As Rashi maintains that the breast-plate was further attached at its bottom to the bottom of the "כְתֵפֹת", a the point where they attached to the חשב, this would also help prevent the straps from falling.

⁷ He could also read the verse as if written "אל חשב האפוד".

⁸ See the note above that Rambam's words are somewhat ambiguous and allow for more than one understanding. See, though, R"Y Ariel, "האפוד - סינר או מעיל?", Ma'alin BaKodesh (2003): 11-42, who attempts to prove both that Rambam viewed the Ephod as a tunic rather than an apron, and that this description of the Ephod best matches the verses.

⁹ R. Avraham b. HaRambam's description of the Ephod is also somewhat ambiguous.  Though he says explicitly that it extended from the shoulders, it is unclear until where he thinks it reached, writing, "עד הרגלים" which might be either the top of the leg (just below the hips) or the bottom (the heel). R"Y Ariel (see the article cited above) attempts to prove that R. . Avraham b. HaRambam means the former from the fact that he prefaces his comments by stating, "האפוד מטלית מרובעת", understanding this to mean that the Ephod was a square (and thus shorter).  It is possible, though, that R. Avraham b. HaRambam simply means that the Ephod was a quadrilateral, allowing for the possibility that it extended to the floor.

¹⁰ As with Rambam's description, Ralbag's words are ambiguous: "והיה לאחוריו מתחת השחי עד הרגלים".  Though it is explicit that the garment covered the priest's back from the armpits, it is not clear how far down it extended.  Do the words "עד הרגלים" refer to the top or bottom of the legs (i.e. to the hip or ankles)?

¹¹ Abarbanel says that the Ephod hung on the priest's back, from under the shoulders, near the armpits, but he does not say until where it extended, making it unclear whether he envisioned it as a short vest-like garment or a long cloak.

¹² See also R"Y Bekhor Shor who also understands the word Ephod to mean belt, writing, "אפוד – חגורה, שמאפד כל הבגדים ומחבקו לו".

¹³ Shemot 29:5 reads "וְאָפַדְתָּ לוֹ בְּחֵשֶׁב הָאֵפֹד", while the parallel statement in Vayikra 8:7 reads: "וַיַּחְגֹּר אֹתוֹ בְּחֵשֶׁב הָאֵפֹד".  Ibn Ezra suggests that even within Vayikra 8:7 the two roots parallel each other: "וַיַּחְגֹּר אֹתוֹ בְּחֵשֶׁב הָאֵפֹד וַיֶּאְפֹּד לוֹ בּוֹ".

¹⁴ He explains that Vayikra 8:7 ("וַיִּתֵּן עָלָיו אֶת הָאֵפֹד וַיַּחְגֹּר אֹתוֹ בְּחֵשֶׁב הָאֵפֹד וַיֶּאְפֹּד לוֹ בּוֹ") speaks of two actions and the result: The priest wears the Ephod, ties the belt, and only afterwards can he be said to be girded and the garment called an "Ephod".

¹⁵ See R. Avraham b. HaRambam, Ralbag, Meiri and Abarbanel.

¹⁶ R. D"Z Hoffmann also implies that even if the Ephod itself was only the back piece, when closed with the Cheshev, the Ephod covered the back, hips and chest.

¹⁷ It is not clear how R. Saadia would understand this verse, as he suggests that it was the Ephod, not the Cheshev which was in the front.

¹⁸ Though most of these sources understand that the breastplate rested on the חשב rather than the Ephod, they would likely explain that the verse is referring is using the name of the entire garment even though it refers to just one part. [R. Saadia, though, would say that it refers to the Ephod part itself, as he maintains that it was the Ephod and not the Cheshev which covered the chest.]

¹⁹ R. Hirsch suggests that the relationship between the אפוד and מעיל might be analogous to that between the אבנט and כתנת.

²⁰ He sees in this symbolic import; the Ephod represents a joining together symbolizing the need for the priest to unite all his energies for the service of Hashem.

²¹ The fact that the Ephod was considered secondary to and only a platform for the Choshen might be supported by the Torah's ordering of the various priestly vestements.  When listing the garments, the breastplate comes first, being the most important.  In describing the making of them, though, the Ephod precedes the Choshen, because it was needed to "house" the breastplate.

²² This would not hold true for R. Saadia, though, who maintains that it was the Ephod rather than the חשב which lay on the chest.

²³ As with Rambam's description, Ralbag's words are ambiguous: "והיה לאחוריו מתחת השחי עד הרגלים".  Though it is explicit that the garment covered the preist's back from the armpits, it is ot clear how far down it extended.  Do the words "עד הרגלים" refer to the top or bottom of the legs (ie. to the hip or ankles)?