Answers from God (19 January 2017, 21 Tevet, 5777)
Contents:
1. The Meaning of the Term URIM AND THUMMIM.
2. What were the URIM AND THUMMIM?
3. The Urim and Thumim as Oracle
4. Some Biblical Sources
5. Josephus: Shining Lights from the Shoulder Pieces as well as the Urim.
6. Urim to be Restored in the Future
7. The Ephod
8. The Breastplate
9. Method of Consultation
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
===============================
1. The Meaning of the Term URIM AND THUMMIM.
The Urim and Thumim were a means of communicating with God using the High Priest and the Breastlate.
The use of Urim and Tghumim continued from the time of Moses up to the Exile of the Ten Tribes (according to one opinion) or the destruction of the First Temple in the words to another.
The meaning of these words is disputed.
Urim seems to derive from the word "Or" meaning "light, fire, illumination".
Isaiah 24:
15 WHEREFORE GLORIFY YE THE LORD IN THE FIRES [Hebrew: "be-Urim"], EVEN THE NAME OF THE LORD GOD O ISRAEL IN THE ISLES OF THE SEA."
Flashing lights on specific letters, according to the most accepted opinions, played a part in use of Urim and Thumimm.
Thumimm is a plural of the word "thom" pronounced in Modern Hebrew "as "tom."
This word connotes "innocence, finality, curt simplicity." This explanation corresponds with the sometimes cryptic nature of the replies. The term "Thumim also indicates finality, and completion.
Talmud Yoma 73:b:
# Why were they called urim and thumim?
Urim because they light up their words; Thumim because they bring to completion what they say. #
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
2. What were the URIM AND THUMMIM?
It is usually accepted that there was a kind of pouch behind the Breastplate into which was inserted a piece of parchment with the name of God written on it (Talmud, Yoma 73b).
Maimonides (1135-1204 CE), however opined (Guide, 1:61), that the term Urim and Tumim was but another name for the stones of the breast plate without there being any piece of parchment.
Rabbi Menachem Kasher # notes that this view is also found in at least one Midrash and in the writings of several Geonim [leading early rabbis] #
The letters on the Breastplate would light up when the High Priest meditated upon them. The High Priest would be in an inspired state that would enable him to decipher from the letters that lit up what the message was (Talmud, Yoma 73b).
[Other opinions say that the letters did not shine but rather either stood out from the others or formed themselves into groups (Talmud Yoma 73b).]
On the Breast Plate (in Hebrew "Choshen") were encased twelve precious stones, one for each Israelite Tribe.
On each stone was inscribed the name of the Tribe to which it pertained as well as some other words. This ensured that all letters of the Alphabet were there.
As stated, the letters of these words would lighten up in different ways and the High Priest would be enabled by God to read the message.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
3. The Urim and Thumim as Oracle
Josephus (Antiquities 3:8;9) says that the Ancient Greeks got the idea of oracles from the Hebrew Urim and Thumim.
It may therefore be that the Urim worked along the same principles as the oracles did as described in Greek sources.
The Bible indicates that the Urim gave two types of answer.
An "Urim" type answer meant "YES".
A thumim type meant "NO!"
Simplfied questions were posited for which a YES or NO answer was expected.
1-Samuel 14:
41 Therefore Saul said, O LORD God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant this day? If this guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, O LORD, God of Israel, give Urim. But if this guilt is in your people Israel, give Thummim.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
4. Some Biblical Sources
Exodus 28:
29 Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel in the Breastpiece of Judgment over his heart when he enters the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. 30 You shall put in the breastpiece of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron's heart when he goes in before the LORD; and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD continually.
Leviticus 8:
8 He then placed the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put the Urim and the Thummim.
Numbers 27:
21 And before Eleazer the priest he [Joshua] will stand and he will ask of him after the judgment of urim before the LORD.
Deuteronomy 33:
8 Of Levi he said,
Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your man of kindness,
Whom You proved at Massah,
With whom You contended at the waters of Meribah;
1-Samuel 28:
6 And Saul inquired of the Lord, but the LORD did not answer him, neither by dreams, nor by urim, nor by the prophets.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
5. Josephus: Shining Lights from the Shoulder Pieces as well as the Urim.
===============================
Josephus, Antiquities 3:8;9
9. I will now treat of what I before omitted, the garment of the High Priest. For he [Moses] left no room for the evil practices of [false] prophets. But if some of that sort should attempt to abuse the divine authority, he left it to God to be present at his sacrifices when he pleased; and when he pleased to be absent. And he was willing this should be known not to the Hebrews only, but to those foreigners also who were there. But as to those stones which we told you before, the High Priest bare on his shoulders, which were Sardonyxes [also called Onyx]; (and I think it needless to describe their nature; they being known to every body:) the one of them shined out when God was present at their sacrifices: I mean that which was in the nature of a button on his right shoulder. Bright rays darting out thence, and being seen even by those that were most remote: which splendor yet was not before natural to the stone. This has appeared a wonderful thing to such as have not so far indulged themselves in Philosophy, as to despise Divine Revelation. Yet will I mention what is still more wonderful than this; for God declared beforehand, by those twelve stones which the high priest bare on his breast, and which were inserted into his breastplate, when they should be victorious in battle; for so great a splendor shone forth from them before the army began to march, that all the people were sensible of God's being present for their assistance. Whence it came to pass that those Greeks who had a veneration for our laws, because they could not possibly contradict this, called that breastplate the Oracle. Now this breastplate, and this sardonyx, left off shining two hundred years before I composed this book, God having been displeased at the transgressions of his laws. Of which things we shall further discourse on a fitter opportunity; but I will now go on with my proposed narration.
===============================
Josephus associated the shoulder clasps (the onyx stones, "avnei ha-shoham") with the Urim and Breastplate. He says that from the shoulder clasps there also emanated shining lights.
Note that Josephus says above the Urim and Thummim continued to be used until ca. 200 year before his time i.e. the era of the Maccabees.
One opinion in the Talmud (Sota 48) says the Urim ceased to be effective after the death of David and Solomn. Another opinion (also in the Talmud Sota 48) says that it was after the Destruction of the First Temple and demise of the Early Prophets. The Commentary, "Mesheck Chocmah," (Meir Simcha of Dvinsk,1843-1926, in "Acharei Mot") resolves the apparent contradiction. He says that after the death of Solomon Israel was divided between Judah and the Ten Tribes. The division lowered their spiritual potential. Henceforth the Urim were no longer as potent as they had been though to some degree they were still used.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
6. Urim to be Restored in the Future
Ezra 2:63 and Nehemiah 7:65 speak of a future age in which the Urim will be restored. At that time it will be possible to determine who has a pure lineage among the Priests especially they who have no strong tradition.
Ezra 2:
61 Of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and he was called by their name. 62 These searched among their ancestral registration, but they could not be located; therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the priesthood. 63 The governor said to them that they should not eat from the most holy things until a priest stood up with Urim and Thummim.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
7. The Ephod
The Ephod was a kind of apron that covered mainly the back of the High Priest. It was of different colors. It was worn over the robe and held together by the shoulder pieces with the onyx [Hebrew: shoham] stones. The front portion of the ephod was taken by the breastplate. References to the ephod in regard to divination also intend either the Urim, OR some kind of appurtenance intended to achieve a similar effect e.g.
Hosea 3:
4 For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar and without ephod or teraphim.
So too,
we find that both David and Samuel used an ephod to help them know what the will of the Almighty was.
1-Samuel 2:
18 Now Samuel was ministering before the Lord, as a boy wearing a linen ephod.
2-Samuel 6:
14 And David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
8. The Breastplate
The Breastplate in Exodus 28: 29 is called the Breastpiece of Judgment possibly due to being it an accessory of the Urim.
To the names of the 12 tribes engraved on the breastplate were added the names Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In addition there was added either the expression Shivtei ("Tribes of")- Yah [God] according to Maimonides OR "Shivtei-Yishuron" i.e. Tribes of Yeshuron, in the opinion of Chizkuni (Hezekiah ben Manoah, 1200s CE, France).
The word "Yeshuron" is another name for Israel.
At all events the letters gave the whole alphabet (Talmud Yoma 73b).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
9. Method of Consultation
The High Priest had two sets of garments: One consisted of 4 pieces of dress and was entirely of white linen. The other set was of eight pieces and was more elaborate. The High Priest would wear the 8 piece set.
Whoever was asking the question would face the High Priest.
The question needed to be short and said so that it could be heard though not too loud.
The question needed to concern a matter of immediate consequence.
A Yes or No answer would be given.
Only one question at a time was allowed.
The question had to concern the entire community and the questioner had to be one the leaders of the people.
(Talmud Yoma 73a, b; Yerushalmi Yoma 44c; Sifre, Numbers 141).
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^