Urim VeTummim/1
Urim VeTumim
Introduction
Commandment Of Urim and Tumim
In Shemot 28, when Hashem commands Moshe how to make the Choshen, he also commands him about the Urim and Tumim:
(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.
In verse 30, Moshe is commanded to put the Urim and Tumim into the Choshen. However, the verse does not state explicitly what are the Urim and Tumim and neither what their purpose was. 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 Choshen there is no mention of the Urim and Tumim. 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 creation of the Urim and Tumim? And is there something special about them that Moshe is the one to place them only later on?
Asking in Urim
Bemidbar 27 gives us an insight to what the Urim were used for.
