Urim VeTummim/1
Urim VeTumim
Introduction
Commandment Of Urim and Tumim
In Shemot 28, at the end of the unit regarding the Choshen, Hashem includes a command about the Urim and Tummim:
(ל) וְנָתַתָּ אֶל חֹשֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּט אֶת הָאוּרִים וְאֶת הַתֻּמִּים וְהָיוּ עַל לֵב אַהֲרֹן בְּבֹאוֹ לִפְנֵי י״י וְנָשָׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת מִשְׁפַּט בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל לִבּוֹ לִפְנֵי י״י תָּמִיד.
(30) You shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before Hashem: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel on his heart before Hashem continually.
Though the verse mentions that the Urim and Tummim must be put into the Choshen, it does state not what these are or what their purpose is. Unique among the priestly garments, they are mentioned without any description, with no details as to what they were to look like or from what materials they were to be made. The fact that they are introduced with a definite article (ה' הידיעה) might suggesting that the Urim and Tummim were known objects, but they are never mentioned before our verse. All we are told about in the verses is that they should be on Aharon's heart in order that he bear the judgment of the children of Israel before Hashem. The same words are mentioned in the verse before:
וְנָשָׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחֹשֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּט עַל לִבּוֹ בְּבֹאוֹ אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ לְזִכָּרֹן לִפְנֵי י״י תָּמִיד.
Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment on his heart, when he goes in to the holy place, for a memorial before Hashem continually.
This verse makes us wonder whether there is a connection between the name of the children of Israel that were in the Choshen and the Urim and Tumim. What is the connection of the Urim and Tumim to the rest of the Choshen? What were the Urim and Tumim and their purpose?
Placing of Urim and Tumim in the Choshen
Shemot 39 describes the fulfillment of Hashem's command and the making of Aharon's clothing. However, when describing the creation of the Choshen there is no mention of the Urim and Tummim. They are placed in the Choshen only during the days of consecration in Vayikra 8:
וַיָּשֶׂם עָלָיו אֶת הַחֹשֶׁן וַיִּתֵּן אֶל הַחֹשֶׁן אֶת הָאוּרִים וְאֶת הַתֻּמִּים.
He placed the breastplate on him; and in the breastplate he put the Urim and the Thummim.
Why do we not hear about the actual creation of the Urim and Tummim, as we do about all the other vestments? Moroever, why is it that Moshe is the one to place them into the Choshen, rather than the artisans?
Asking in Urim
Bemidbar 27 gives us an insight to what the Urim were used for.
וְלִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן יַעֲמֹד וְשָׁאַל לוֹ בְּמִשְׁפַּט הָאוּרִים לִפְנֵי י״י עַל פִּיו יֵצְאוּ וְעַל פִּיו יָבֹאוּ הוּא וְכׇל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתּוֹ וְכׇל הָעֵדָה.
He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before Hashem: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”
In addition, when Shaul looks for an answer from Hashem if to go out to battle, he asks in the Urim:
וַיִּשְׁאַל שָׁאוּל בַּי״י וְלֹא עָנָהוּ י״י גַּם בַּחֲלֹמוֹת גַּם בָּאוּרִים גַּם בַּנְּבִיאִם.
And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
Both of these verses describe using the Urim to ask Hashem whether to go to battle, but there is only a mention of Urim and not of Tumim. What is the relationship between Urim and Tumim? Are they the same thing or are they two different things?
