Parsha T'tzaveh (Sh'mot (Exodus) 27:20-30:10)

Parsha T'tzaveh (Sh'mot (Exodus) 27:20-30:10)

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Weekly Stick of Joseph Torah Study (2/27/21)
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Torah Parsha T'tzaveh:  Ex. 27:20-30:10
Haftorah: Ezekiel 43:10-27
Stick of Joseph: Moshiyah 5:13-14; 12:3  (8:13-19; 28:11-20 LDS) 'Eter 1:15-16 (3:21-28; 4:1-7 LDS)

 

In this weeks Torah parsha we read about the "breastplate of judgement" which contained two stones called the Urim and Thummim (Ex, 28:30) These two stones are mentioned several times in the Tanak (Lev. 8:8; Num. 27:21; Deut. 33:8; 1Sam. 28:6; Ezra 2:63 and Nehemiah 7:65). These stones were used in some way to receive some type of revelation (Mum. 27:21; 1Sam. 28:6), but their exact function is not revealed in the Tanak.

A fragmentary document found among the Dead Sea Scrolls (1Q29; 4Q376) seems to give a detailed description of the manner in which the Urim and Thummim actually functioned. Unfortunately only tantalizing fragments survive, but these fragments speak of “tongues of fire” coming from the stones, and say “the Priest shall interpret”.

The first century Jew Philo of Alexandria ties the Urim and Thummim to language saying:

(119) “And you shall put manifestation and truth (the Urim and the Thummim), in the oracle of judgment, and it shall be on the breast of Aaron when he comes into the holy place before the Lord” (Ex. 28:30). Now by the oracle is here meant the organs of speech which exist in us, which is in fact the power of language.

The Talmud says of these two stones:

 Why are they called “Urim and Thummim” “Urim” because they made their words enlightening.
“Thummim” because they fulfill their words.”
(b.Yoma 73b)

And the Zohar says:

The term “Urim” signifies the luminous speculum, which consisted of the engravur of the divine Name written in the forty two letters by which the world was created, whereas the Thummim consisted of the nonluminous speculum, composed of the divine Name manifest in twenty two letters. …we read, “In the beginning Elohim created the (ET) heaven and the (ET) earth” (Gen. 1:1), where the particle ET (spelled Alef-Tav) is a summary of the twenty-two letters by which the land is nourished.
(Zohar 2:234b)

The Zohar also tells us that the Urim and Thummim were connected to the “permutations” or “combinations” of letters with which Elohim created the world, and by which Bezalel and Moses created the Tabernacle and its furnishings:

Observe that the world has been made and established by an engraving of forty-two letters, all of which are the adornment of the Divine Name. These letters combined and soared aloft and dived downwards, forming themselves into crowns in the four directions of the world, so that it might endure. They then went forth and created the upper world and the lower, the world of unification and the world of division. … These forty-two letters thus constitute the supernal mystical principle; by them were created the upper and the lower worlds, and they indeed constitute the basis and recondite significance of all the worlds. Thus is explained the verse, “The secret of the Lord is to them that fear him; and his covenant to make them know it”, the first part alluding to the undisclosed engraven letters, whereas the latter speaks of the revealed. Now, it is written: “And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim” (Ex. 28:30). The term “Urim” (lit. Iight, illumination) signifies the luminous speculum, which consisted of the engravure of the Divine Name composed of forty-two letters by which the world was created; whereas the Thummim consisted of the non-luminous speculum made of the Divine Name as manifested in the twenty-two letters. The combination of the two is thus called Urim and Thummim. … Thus we read, “In the beginning God created the (eth) heaven and the (eth) earth” (Gen. I, 1), where the particle eth (consisting of Aleph and Tau) is a summary of the twenty-two letters by which the earth is nourished. Now, the same letters were the instruments used in the building of the Tabernacle. This work was carried out by Bezalel for the reason that, as his very name (Bezel-EI = “in the shadow of El”) implies, he had a knowledge of the various permutations of the letters, by the power of which heaven and earth were created. Without such knowledge Bezalel could not have accomplished the work of the Tabernacle; for, inasmuch as the celestial Tabernacle was made in all its parts by the mystical power of those letters, the lower Tabernacle could only be prepared by the power of the same letters. Bezalel was skilled in the various permutations of the Divine Name, and for each several part he employed the appropriate permutation of the letters. But when it came to the rearing up of the Tabernacle it was beyond his power, for the reason that the disposition of those letter-groups was entrusted to Moses alone, and hence it was by Moses that the Tabernacle was erected. So Scripture says: “And Moses reared up… and he laid… and put in…” (Ex. 40:18) Moses, but not Bezalel.’
(Zohar 2:234a-235a)

This practice is described in the Talmud:

Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: Bezalel knew how to combine (TZIRUF) the letters by which the heavens and earth were created. It is written here, And He hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom and in understanding, and in knowledge (Ex. 35:31), and it is written elsewhere, The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens (Prov. 3:19), and it is also written, By His knowledge the depths were broken up (Prov. 3:20).
(b.Ber. 55a)

And in the Zohar:

R. Eleazar began here with the verse, “Ask thee a sign [Hebrew: OT “sign” or “letter”] of the Lord thy God, ask it either in the depth or in the height above” (Isa. 7:11). He said: ‘We have compared the former with the latter generations, and found that the former were conversant with a higher wisdom by which they knew how to combine (TZIRUF) the letters that were given to Moses on Mount Sinai, and even the sinners of Israel knew a deep wisdom contained in the letters and the difference between higher and lower letters, and how to do things with them in this world. For every letter that was transmitted to Moses used to ascend as a crown upon the heads of the holy celestial Hayyoth,
who with them flitted through the ether which is under the refined and unknowable supernal ether. There were large letters and small letters; the large letters came from the most high and hidden Temple (hekhal) and the smaller letters from another lower Temple; and both kinds were transmitted to Moses on Sinai, along with their hidden combinations.
(Zohar 3:2a)

These permutations of letters maybe tied the practice Paul mentions when he says:

For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries (1Cor. 14:2 KJV)

For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. (1Cor. 14:14 KJV)

And of which the Besht (founder of Chasidism) said “When I wield my spirit to Elohim, I let my mouth say what it will, for then all my words are bound to their root in Heaven”

So it appears that the ancient Hebrews understood the Urim and Thummim to be connected to the manifestations of the gifts of tongues and interpretations of tongues, and to the interpretation of languages.

According to the Stick of Joseph, Moshiyah had two such stones, which the Stick of Joseph calls "interpreters":

Now Ammon said unto him, I can assuredly tell you, O king, of a man that can translate the records; for he has that with which he can look and translate all records that are of ancient date, and it is a gift from Elohim. And the things are called interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded, lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish. And whosoever is commanded to look in them, the same is called seer. And behold, the king of the people who are in the land of Zerach’mla is the man that is commanded to do these things, and who has this high gift from Elohim. And the king said that a seer is greater than a prophet. And Ammon said that a seer is a revelator and a prophet also. And a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should possess the power of Elohim, which no man can; yet a man may have great power given him from Elohim. But a seer can know of things which have passed, and also of things which are to come. And by them shall all things be revealed, or rather shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known. Thus, Elohim has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles. Therefore he becomes a great benefit to his fellow beings.  

And now when Ammon had made an end of speaking these words, the king rejoiced exceedingly and gave thanks to Elohim, saying, Doubtless a great mystery is contained within these plates; and these interpreters were doubtless prepared for the purpose of unfolding all such mysteries to the children of men. Oh how marvelous are the works of YHWH. And how long does he bear with his people. Yes, and how blind and impenetrable are the understandings of the children of men, for they will not seek Wisdom, neither do they desire that she should rule over them. Yes, they are as a wild flock which flees from the shepherd, and scatters, and are driven, and are devoured by the beasts of the forest. (Moshiyah 5:13-14 (8:13-19 LDS)

...And now he translated them by the means of those two stones which were fastened into the two rims of a bow. Now these things were prepared from the beginning, and were handed down from generation to generation, for the purpose of interpreting languages. And they have been kept and preserved by the hand of YHWH, that he should uncover to every creature who should possess the land the iniquities and abominations of his people. And whosoever has these things is called seer, after the manner of old times. (Moshiyah 12:3 (28:11-20 LDS)

And the  Brother of Yered, likewise, held two such stones:

And it came to pass that YHWH said unto the brother of Yered, Behold, you shall not allow these things which you have seen and heard to go forth unto the world until the time comes that I shall glorify my name in the flesh. Wherefore, you shall treasure up the things which you have seen and heard, and show it to no man. And behold, when you shall come unto me, you shall write them and shall seal them up that no one can interpret them, for you shall write them in a language that they cannot be read. And behold, these two stones will I give unto you, and you shall seal them up also with the things which you shall write. For behold, the language which you shall write I have confounded. Wherefore, I will cause, in my own due time, that these stones shall magnify to the eyes of men these things which you shall write. And when YHWH had said these words, he showed unto the brother of Yered all the inhabitants of the earth which had been, and also all that would be. And YHWH withheld them not from his sight, even unto the ends of the earth. For YHWH had said unto him in times before that if he would believe in him, that he could show unto him all things, it should be shown unto him. Therefore, YHWH could not withhold anything from him, for he knew that YHWH could show him all things.

And YHWH said unto him, Write these things and seal them up, and I will show them in my own due time unto the children of men.  And it came to pass that YHWH commanded him that he should seal up the two stones which he had received and show them not until YHWH should show them unto the children of men. And YHWH commanded the brother of Yered to go down out of the mount from the presence of YHWH and write the things which he had seen. And they were forbidden to come unto the children of men until after that he should be lifted up upon the Tz’lav. And for this cause did king Binyamin keep them, that they should not come unto the world until after Mashiach should show himself unto his people. And after that Mashiach truly had showed himself unto his people, he commanded that they should be made manifest. ('Eter 1:15-16)

While the Tanak does not reveal the operation and function of the Urim and Thummim, ancient Jewish sources, which would have been unknown to Yosef ben Yosef, reveal that the ancient Hebrews knew that they were connected to the gifts of tongues and interpretation of tongues, that these two stones were "interpreters" and were "for the purpose of interpreting languages".