וְנָתַתָּ֞ אֶל־חֹ֣שֶׁן הַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט אֶת־הָאוּרִים֙ וְאֶת־הַתֻּמִּ֔ים וְהָיוּ֙ עַל־לֵ֣ב אַהֲרֹ֔ן בְּבֹא֖וֹ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְנָשָׂ֣א אַ֠הֲרֹן אֶת־מִשְׁפַּ֨ט בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל עַל־לִבּ֛וֹ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה תָּמִֽיד׃ (ס)
Inside the breastpiece of decision you shall place the Urim and Thummim, so that they are over Aaron’s heart when he comes before the LORD. Thus Aaron shall carry the instrument of decision for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD at all times.
(א) את האורים ואת התמים. הוּא כְּתָב שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ, שֶׁהָיָה נוֹתְנוֹ בְּתוֹךְ כִּפְלֵי הַחֹשֶׁן, שֶׁעַל יָדוֹ הוּא מֵאִיר דְּבָרָיו וּמְתַמֵּם אֶת דְּבָרָיו; וּבְמִקְדָּשׁ שֵׁנִי הָיָה הַחֹשֶׁן – שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל לִהְיוֹת מְחֻסַּר בְּגָדִים – אֲבָל אוֹתוֹ הַשֵּׁם לֹא הָיָה בְּתוֹכוֹ, וְעַל שֵׁם אוֹתוֹ הַכְּתָב הוּא קָרוּי מִשְׁפָּט, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כ"ז), וְשָׁאַל לוֹ בְּמִשְׁפַּט הָאוּרִים (יומא ע"ג):
(1) את האורים ואת התמים THE URIM AND THE THUMMIM — This was an inscription of the Proper Name of God which was placed between the folds (i. e. the two pieces forming the front and back) of the breast-plate through which it (the breast-plate) made its statements clear (lit., illuminated its words; מאיר from אור, light, this being an allusion to the אורים) and its promises true (מתמם from the root תמם, an allusion to תמים) (Yoma 73b). In the second Temple there was certainly the breast-plate (although other objects employed in the Temple Service were missing) for it was impossible that the High Priest should have lacked a garment, but that Divine Name was not within it. It was on account of the inscription which constituted the Urim and Thummim and which enabled it to give decisions that it was called “judgment”, as it is said, (Numbers 27:21) “And he shall enquire for him by the judgment of the Urim” (Numbers 27:21).
(ח) וַיָּ֥שֶׂם עָלָ֖יו אֶת־הַחֹ֑שֶׁן וַיִּתֵּן֙ אֶל־הַחֹ֔שֶׁן אֶת־הָאוּרִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַתֻּמִּֽים׃
(8) He put the breastpiece on him, and put into the breastpiece the Urim and Thummim.
(כא) וְלִפְנֵ֨י אֶלְעָזָ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ יַעֲמֹ֔ד וְשָׁ֥אַל ל֛וֹ בְּמִשְׁפַּ֥ט הָאוּרִ֖ים לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה עַל־פִּ֨יו יֵצְא֜וּ וְעַל־פִּ֣יו יָבֹ֗אוּ ה֛וּא וְכָל־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל אִתּ֖וֹ וְכָל־הָעֵדָֽה׃
(21) But he shall present himself to Eleazar the priest, who shall on his behalf seek the decision of the Urim before the LORD. By such instruction they shall go out and by such instruction they shall come in, he and all the Israelites, the whole community.”
(ו) וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל שָׁאוּל֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א עָנָ֖הוּ יְהוָ֑ה גַּ֧ם בַּחֲלֹמ֛וֹת גַּ֥ם בָּאוּרִ֖ים גַּ֥ם בַּנְּבִיאִֽם׃
(6) And Saul inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets.
(נח) כָּ֨ל־הַנְּתִינִ֔ים וּבְנֵ֖י עַבְדֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת תִּשְׁעִ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ (ס) (נט) וְאֵ֗לֶּה הָֽעֹלִים֙ מִתֵּ֥ל מֶ֙לַח֙ תֵּ֣ל חַרְשָׁ֔א כְּר֥וּב אַדָּ֖ן אִמֵּ֑ר וְלֹ֣א יָֽכְל֗וּ לְהַגִּ֤יד בֵּית־אֲבוֹתָם֙ וְזַרְעָ֔ם אִ֥ם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הֵֽם׃ (ס) בְּנֵי־דְלָיָ֥ה בְנֵי־טוֹבִיָּ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י נְקוֹדָ֑א שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ (ס) (סא) וּמִבְּנֵי֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים בְּנֵ֥י חֳבַיָּ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י הַקּ֑וֹץ בְּנֵ֣י בַרְזִלַּ֗י אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָ֠קַח מִבְּנ֞וֹת בַּרְזִלַּ֤י הַגִּלְעָדִי֙ אִשָּׁ֔ה וַיִּקָּרֵ֖א עַל־שְׁמָֽם׃ (סב) אֵ֗לֶּה בִּקְשׁ֧וּ כְתָבָ֛ם הַמִּתְיַחְשִׂ֖ים וְלֹ֣א נִמְצָ֑אוּ וַֽיְגֹאֲל֖וּ מִן־הַכְּהֻנָּֽה׃ (סג) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַתִּרְשָׁ֙תָא֙ לָהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יֹאכְל֖וּ מִקֹּ֣דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁ֑ים עַ֛ד עֲמֹ֥ד כֹּהֵ֖ן לְאוּרִ֥ים וּלְתֻמִּֽים׃
(58) The total of temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants—392. (59) The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer—they were unable to tell whether their father’s house and descent were Israelite: (60) the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda—652. (61) Of the sons of the priests, the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai who had married a daughter of Barzillai and had taken his name— (62) these searched for their genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified for the priesthood. (63) The Tirshatha ordered them not to eat of the most holy things until a priest with Urim and Thummim should appear.
(ס) כָּל־הַ֨נְּתִינִ֔ים וּבְנֵ֖י עַבְדֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת תִּשְׁעִ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ (פ) (סא) וְאֵ֗לֶּה הָֽעוֹלִים֙ מִתֵּ֥ל מֶ֙לַח֙ תֵּ֣ל חַרְשָׁ֔א כְּר֥וּב אַדּ֖וֹן וְאִמֵּ֑ר וְלֹ֣א יָכְל֗וּ לְהַגִּ֤יד בֵּית־אֲבוֹתָם֙ וְזַרְעָ֔ם אִ֥ם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הֵֽם׃ (סב) בְּנֵי־דְלָיָ֥ה בְנֵֽי־טוֹבִיָּ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י נְקוֹדָ֑א שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּשְׁנָֽיִם׃ (ס) (סג) וּמִן־הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים בְּנֵ֥י חֳבַיָּ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י הַקּ֑וֹץ בְּנֵ֣י בַרְזִלַּ֗י אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָ֠קַח מִבְּנ֞וֹת בַּרְזִלַּ֤י הַגִּלְעָדִי֙ אִשָּׁ֔ה וַיִּקָּרֵ֖א עַל־שְׁמָֽם׃ (סד) אֵ֗לֶּה בִּקְשׁ֧וּ כְתָבָ֛ם הַמִּתְיַחְשִׂ֖ים וְלֹ֣א נִמְצָ֑א וַיְגֹֽאֲל֖וּ מִן־הַכְּהֻנָּֽה׃ (סה) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַתִּרְשָׁ֙תָא֙ לָהֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יֹאכְל֖וּ מִקֹּ֣דֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁ֑ים עַ֛ד עֲמֹ֥ד הַכֹּהֵ֖ן לְאוּרִ֥ים וְתוּמִּֽים׃
(60) The total of temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants—392. (61) The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer—they were unable to tell whether their father’s house and descent were Israelite: (62) the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda—642. (63) Of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and had taken his name— (64) these searched for their genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified for the priesthood. (65) The Tirshatha ordered them not to eat of the most holy things until a priest with Urim and Thummim should appear.
(יב) מִשֶּׁמֵּתוּ נְבִיאִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, בָּטְלוּ אוּרִים וְתֻמִּים. מִשֶּׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, בָּטַל הַשָּׁמִיר וְנֹפֶת צוּפִים, וּפָסְקוּ אַנְשֵׁי אֲמָנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יב) הוֹשִׁיעָה ה' כִּי גָמַר חָסִיד וְגוֹ'. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, מִיּוֹם שֶׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, אֵין יוֹם שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ קְלָלָה, וְלֹא יָרַד הַטַּל לִבְרָכָה, וְנִטַּל טַעַם הַפֵּרוֹת. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, אַף נִטַּל שֹׁמֶן הַפֵּרוֹת:
(12) When the former prophets died, the Urim and Thummim ceased. When Temple was destroyed, the shamir and nopheth zufim ceased. And people of faith ceased, as it says, “Help, O Lord, for the faithful are no more” (Psalms 12:2). Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel in the name of Rabbi Joshua: from the day the Temple was destroyed, there is no day without a curse, the dew has not descended for a blessing, and the flavor has departed from produce. Rabbi Yose says: the fatness was also removed from produce.
(ה) כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּשְׁמֹנָה כֵלִים. וְהַהֶדְיוֹט בְּאַרְבָּעָה, בְּכֻתֹּנֶת וּמִכְנָסַיִם וּמִצְנֶפֶת וְאַבְנֵט. מוֹסִיף עָלָיו כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, חשֶׁן וְאֵפוֹד וּמְעִיל וָצִיץ. בְּאֵלּוּ נִשְׁאָלִין בְּאוּרִים וְתֻמִּים. וְאֵין נִשְׁאָלִין אֶלָּא לַמֶּלֶךְ וּלְבֵית דִּין וּלְמִי שֶׁהַצִּבּוּר צָרִיךְ בּוֹ:
(5) The high priest performs the service in eight pieces of clothing, and the common priest in four: in tunic, breeches, a headdress, and a sash. The high priest adds the breastpiece, the ephod, the robe and the frontlet. In these were the Urim and Tummim inquired of. But they were not inquired of except by the king, by the head of the court or by one whom the community needs.
אָמַר לָהֶם: לְכוּ וּפִשְׁטוּ יְדֵיכֶם בִּגְדוּד. מִיָּד יוֹעֲצִים בַּאֲחִיתוֹפֶל, וְנִמְלָכִין בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין, וְשׁוֹאֲלִין בְּאוּרִים וְתוּמִּים.
.King David told them: Go and take up arms with the troops in battle in order to expand our borders and provide our people with the opportunity to earn a livelihood. The Sages immediately seek advice from Ahitophel to determine whether or not it was appropriate to go to war at that time and how they should conduct themselves, and they consult the Sanhedrin in order to receive the requisite license to wage a war under those circumstances (Tosefot HaRosh). And they ask the Urim VeTummim whether or not they should go to war, and whether or not they would be successful.
ת"ש משחרב בהמ"ק ראשון בטלו ערי מגרש ופסקו אורים ותומים ופסק מלך מבית דוד ואם לחשך אדם לומר (עזרא ב, סג) ויאמר התרשתא להם אשר לא יאכלו מקדש הקדשים עד עמוד כהן לאורים ותומים [אמור לו] כאדם שאומר לחבירו עד שיחיו מתים ויבא משיח בן דוד אלא אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק מאן נביאים הראשונים לאפוקי מחגי זכריה ומלאכי דאחרונים נינהו דת"ר משמתו חגי זכריה ומלאכי נסתלקה רוח הקודש מישראל ואע"פ כן היו משתמשים בבת קול
The Gemara suggests: Come and hear a proof from a baraita (Tosefta 13:2) with regard to when the Urim VeTummim ceased: From the time when the First Temple was destroyed, the cities with fields that were allocated to the Levites were nullified, and the Urim VeTummim ceased, and the monarchy ceased from the house of David. And if a person would whisper to you saying that the Urim VeTummim was still extant, as it states with regard to when the Second Temple first stood: “And the Tirshatha said to them that they should not eat of the most sacred things, until there stood a priest with the Urim VeTummim” (Ezra 2:63), which seems to indicate that they merely had to wait until the Second Temple was built for the reappearance of the Urim VeTummim; you should say to him that this is not referring to an expectation of a short-term development, but it is like a person who says to his friend, with regard to something that will occur in the distant future: Until the dead live and the Messiah, the son of David, comes. In any case, the baraita indicates that the Urim VeTummim ceased only from the time when the First Temple was destroyed, and not in the time of Solomon. Rather, Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Who are the early prophets, with regard to whom it states that use of the Urim VeTummim ceased immediately after their death? This term early prophets serves to exclude Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, who are the latter prophets. The Urim VeTummim was used throughout the First Temple period, up to, but not including, their time. As the Sages taught in a baraita (Tosefta 13:3): From the time when Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi died the Divine Spirit departed from the Jewish people, as these three were considered to be the last prophets. And even after the Urim VeTummim ceased to exist, they would nevertheless still make use of a Divine Voice to receive instructions from Above, even after this time.
תנו רבנן כיצד שואלין השואל פניו כלפי נשאל והנשאל פניו כלפי שכינה השואל אומר (שמואל א ל, ח) ארדוף אחרי הגדוד הזה והנשאל אומר כה אמר ה' עלה והצלח רבי יהודה אומר אין צריך לומר כה אמר ה' אלא עלה והצלח אין שואלין בקול שנאמר (במדבר כז, כא) ושאל לו ולא מהרהר בלבו שנאמר ושאל לו לפני ה' אלא כדרך שאמרה חנה בתפלתה שנאמר (שמואל א א, יג) וחנה היא מדברת על לבה אין שואלין שני דברים כאחד ואם שאל אין מחזירין אלא אחד ואין מחזירין לו אלא ראשון שנאמר (שמואל א כג, יא) היסגירוני בעלי קעילה בידו הירד שאול וגו' ויאמר ה' ירד והא אמרת אין מחזירין אלא ראשון דוד שאל שלא כסדר והחזירו לו כסדר וכיון שידע ששאל שלא כסדר חזר ושאל כסדר שנאמר (שמואל א כג, יב) היסגירו בעלי קעילה אותי ואת אנשי ביד שאול ויאמר ה' יסגירו
§ The Sages taught: How does one consult the Urim VeTummim? The one asking stands with his face toward the one who is asked, i.e., the High Priest or the priest anointed for war. And the one who is asked, the High Priest, turns his face toward the Divine Presence, i.e., the Urim VeTummim, in which the explicit name of God is found, by tilting his head downward toward it. The one who asks says his question, e.g.: “Shall I pursue after this troop?” (I Samuel 30:8). And the one who is asked answers him according to the response he receives and says, for example: Thus says God: Go up and succeed. Rabbi Yehuda says: He need not say the words: Thus says God; rather, it is sufficient to relay the content of the response and say: Go up and succeed, since he is obviously only repeating what he was told. One does not ask in a loud voice, as it is stated: “And he shall stand before Elazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim” (Numbers 27:21), which implies that the inquiry is to be audible only to the person asking. And he should not think his question in his heart but should enunciate it, as it is stated: “And…who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before God” (Numbers 27:21), and immediately afterward it states: “By his mouth” (Numbers 27:21). Rather, how shall he inquire? He should do so akin to the way that Hannah spoke in her prayer, as it is stated: “Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard” (I Samuel 1:13), which indicates she did enunciate the words but spoke so quietly that no one else could hear. One does not ask about two matters simultaneously; rather, one asks one question, and after he is answered he asks a second question. And even if he asks about two matters simultaneously, he is answered only with regard to one of them, and he is answered only with regard to the first question. As it is stated with regard to King David that he asked two questions simultaneously: “Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down?” (I Samuel 23:11). And he was answered with regard to only one: “And God said: He will come down.” (I Samuel 23:11). The Gemara asks: But didn’t you say that if one asks two questions, he is answered only with regard to the first question? Yet the verse states that David received an answer for his second question, not the first. The Gemara answers: David asked the questions out of order and he was answered in order. He should have asked first whether Saul would come down, and afterward what the people of Keilah would do. And once he realized that he had asked out of order he went back and asked in order, as it is stated immediately afterward: “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And God said: They will deliver you” (I Samuel 23:12).
ואף על פי שגזירת נביא חוזרת גזירת אורים ותומים אינה חוזרת שנאמר (במדבר כז, כא) במשפט האורים למה נקרא שמן אורים ותומים אורים שמאירין את דבריהן תומים שמשלימין את דבריהן
The Gemara notes the reliability of the Urim VeTummim: Even though a decree of a prophet can be retracted, as sometimes a dire prophecy is stated as a warning and does not come true, a decree of the Urim VeTummim cannot be retracted. As it is stated: “By the judgment of the Urim” (Numbers 27:21). The use of the term judgment suggests that the decree is as final as a judicial decision. Why is it called Urim VeTummim? Urim, which is based on the word or, light, is so called because it illuminates and explains its words. Tummim, which is based on the word tam, completed, is because it fulfills its words, which always come true.
תּוֹם m. (b. h. תֹּם; תָּמַם) simplicity, integrity. Pesik. R. s. 21 גלוי … בשבועתם בתוּמֵּיהֶם ושבטו של לוי עומד בתוּמּוֹ (not בתומיא) it is revealed and known before thee that all the tribes shall fail to abide by their oath in rectitude, and that the tribe of Levi shall stand by its rectitude. Midr. Till. to Ps. VII, 9 כתוּמִּי, v. עַקְמוּמִית; a. e.—Esp. הסיח לפי תומו to talk in one’s simplicity, to make a statement in ignorance of its legal bearing. Yeb. 121ᵇ במסיח לפי תומו when the gentile makes an incidental statement (not as formal testimony). B. Kam. 114ᵇ תינוק … מסיח לפי תומו ואמר וכ׳ a child talking in his innocence said, I and my mother were captives &c. Gitt. 28ᵇ כל מ׳ ל׳ ת׳ הימוני מהימני ליה whenever a gentile makes an informal statement, we believe him (act on it as evidence); a. fr.—Pl. תּוּמִּים, in connection with אורים, Urim and Tummim in the high priest’s breastplate (v. אוּר I). Yoma 73ᵇ ת׳ שמשלימין את דבריהן they are named Tummim, because they complete their words (what they predict comes to pass); Y. ib. VII, end, 44ᶜ ת׳ שהן מתימין וכ׳, v. תָּמַם. Sot. IX, 12; a. fr.
אוּר I m. (b. h.; foreg.) prop. light, flame; esp. Pl. אוּרִים ותומים the Urim and Tummim in the High-priest’s breast-plate. Yoma 73ᵇ א׳ שמאירים את דבריהם they are called Urim because they give their decisions in a clear way (not ambiguous as the oracles); cmp. Y. ib. VII, end, 44ᶜ. Sot. IX, 12. Y. Kidd. IV, beg. 65ᵇ
