“Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breast piece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord.” (Exodus 28:29) Arranged in four rows and three columns, 12 unique gemstones, each corresponding to the 12 Tribes of Israel, were embedded into the Breastplate. The color and qualities of each gemstone related to the qualities and virtues of each respective tribe. The breastplate lay on the High Priest’s chest, symbolizing the enduring, close connection and relationship with the Divine, and was held in place by a series of chains, rings and threads that secured it to the priestly apron. The “Choshen” in Hebrew, served as a medium through which God communicated and provided direction to the Jewish nation, to consult and determine how to fight her enemies in times of need.
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