Arba'ah Turim
Four rows of stone on the Breastplate: The orientation of the rows is the subject of debate: does the Torah list them from right to left (as Chizkuni maintains, on verse 21), or does "row" in the Torah mean a vertical column, such that the stones as listed are placed one under the other, forming four columns and three rows (as the Minchas Chinukh(מצוה צט, ג) understands it)? The illustrations below reflect these two views. There is also controversy as to the order in which the names of the tribes are inscribed. Concerning the various opinions on these questions see "Mishkan HaShem" by Shimon Shapiatzky, and "Bigdei ha-Kodesh, Bigdei ha-Kehuna" by Shalom Dov-Baer Steinberg.
Ch. 28, v. 17: "Arba'ah turei even" - Four rows of stone - The Baal Ha'akeidoh writes that among these twelve stones there were both very precious and common stones of no great value. The gemara Yoma says that the wearing of the "urim v'tumim" brings atonement for distorting proper judgment. This lesson is that distorting monetary judgment is just as strict when the ruling was for a few coins of for an astronomical sum. We know that a person can pervert judgment in a manner that is hard to detect, as there are many reasons for seeing things in the favour of the one or the other. Integrity is in the heart. Therefore the "urim v'tumim" are worn on the heart.
Ch. 28, v. 20: "M'shubotzim yi'h'yu b'milu'osom" - Rabbeinu Bachyei says that an important lesson can be learned from the structure of the breastplate components. People greatly prize gold, and yet they value precious stones even more. This is symbolized by having the precious stones fixed into their gold settings, which serve as the stones' underpinning. However, the Torah is greater than even precious stones, "y'koroh hee mipninim" (Mishlei 3:15), as symbolized by the letters of the names of the tribes being placed upon the precious stones.
Ch. 28, v. 21: "V'ho'avonim ti'h'yenoh al shmos bnei Yisroel" - And the stones shall be on the names of the bnei Yisroel - The gemara Yoma 73b says that each of the 12 stones had 6 letters etched into it. Obviously, the names of the 12 tribes fall far short of containing 72 letters. The gemara says that besides the names of the tribes, the names of our Patriarchs and the words "shivtei Yeshurun" were also etched into the stones. The Baal Haturim on verse 17 explains that the names of the tribes were first etched into their respective stones and then, the number of letters are short of 6, anywhere from 1 to 4 letters, were completed by adding letters from the Patriarchs and the words "shivtei Yeshurun." He says that the one exception was Binyomin, because his name already contains six letters when spelled with two letters Yud, and needs no supplementing. Although only Binyomin's name contained six letters, what concept can we glean from his being the only name that needed no supplementing? Perhaps this can be explained in a homiletic manner. The "Choshen Mishpat" contained the names of all 12 tribes on one breastplate. This represents unity of the tribes. Our Patriarchs empowered our nation with unity. The addition of the words "shivtei Yeshurun" further stresses the concept of their all being unified in their service of HaShem. This is stressed because the sons of Yaakov hated Yoseif in varying degrees and sold him as a slave. Binyomin had absolutely no part in throwing Yoseif into the pit, nor in selling him. He therefore needed no addition of the Patriarchs letters, nor letters from the words "shivtei Yeshurun" to his name.
Ch. 28, v. 21: "V'ho'avonim ti'h'yenoh al shmos bnei Yisroel ...... pituchei chosom" - Rashi says that the names were etched into the stones like a seal? In what way was it done like a seal?
The Mahari"l Diskin says that the names of the bnei Yisroel were etched in reverse on the undersides of the stones. They shone through the stones, which were either transparent or translucent. This explains how the words of our verse can be understood literally. Firstly, the stones were ON the names of the bnei Yisroel since the etching was from the underside. Secondly, the etching was like that of a seal, "pituchei chosom," in reverse when viewed from the underside, just as every seal is imprinted with a reverse image of the printed results. (See Daas Z'keinim 28:9.)
