What is the inner significance of the Eiphod and the Choshen?
Regarding the Eiphod the Possuk says: וְנָשָא אַּהֲרֹן אֶת־שְׁמוֹתָם לִפְנֵּי ה׳ עַּל־שְׁתֵּי כְתֵּפָיו לְזִכָרֹן “Aharon shall carry their names before Hashem upon his two shoulders as a remembrance”.
Regarding the Choshen the Possuk says: וְנָשָא אַּהֲרֹן אֶת־שְׁמוֹת בְנֵּי־יִשְרָאֵּל גוֹ׳ עַּל־לִבוֹ גוֹ׳ לְזִכָרֹן לִפְנֵֵּֽי־ה׳ “Aharon Shall carry the names of the B’nei Yisroel ... on his heart ... as a remembrance before Hashem”.
Remembrance before Hashem: From here we see that even though the Choshen and the Eiphod were in fact two separate garments they have a common characteristic in that they both serve as a remembrance before Hashem.
The Differences Between the Eiphod and the Choshen
The Tzemach Tzedek in his Maamor points out some differences between the Eiphod and the Choshen. The Eiphod has the names of all the twelve Shevotim engraved on two stones as the Possuk states: שִׁשָה מִשְמֹתָם עַּל הָאֶבֶן הֵָֽאֶחָת וְאֶת־שְׁמוֹת הַּשִשָה הַּנֵֽוֹתָרִים עַּל־הָאֶבֶן הַּשֵּנִית “Six of their names on one stone and the names of the remaining six on the second stone” yet the Choshen has the names of all twelve Shevotim inscribed individually on twelve stones. What is the significance of this difference in the number of stones?
Also, the Choshen had a different type of stone for the name of each Shevet: Reuven had an ‘Odem’, etc. Yosef had a ‘Shoham’, Binyomin had a Yoshpei. Yet the Eiphod had two of the same type of stone - two Shoham stones. So why the difference in variety?
Furthermore, why the repetition regarding Aharon carrying the names of the B’nei Yisroel as a remembrance, both on his shoulders with the Eiphod straps and on his heart with the Choshen? (Why does Aharon need to carry two reminders)?
The General Difference: Achorayim and Ponim
The general difference between the Eiphod and the Choshen is; The Eiphod which Aharon wore from behind him represents the concept of ‘Achorayim’, whereas the Choshen which Aharon wore on his heart, represents the concept of ‘Ponim’.
In Avodah, The Eiphod represents the type of ‘Avodah’ which is called ‘Ochor’ as the Possuk says: אַּחֲרֵּי ה׳ אֱלֹקֵּיכֶם תֵּלֵּכוּ “You shall follow (after) Hashem your G-d” which is an Avodah only in the area of ‘Iss-kafya’ alone.
This Avodah does not bring someone to despise the pleasures of this world... And furthermore he still will not have a burning desire and yearning to cleave to Hashem. He only manages to force himself away etc.
The Choshen: Avodah of Iss-hapcha
The Choshen [by contrast] alludes to the Avodah of ‘Iss-hapcha’. [This involves] transforming one’s emotive Middos from one’s animal soul to be aligned with one’s Divine soul. This type of Avoda is called ‘Ponim’.
The Empowerment from Aharon
The concept of Aharon carrying the names of the B’nei Yisroel on both the Eiphod and on the Choshen is in order to empower the B’nei Yisroel to engage in the two types of Avodah of ‘Iss-kafya’ and ‘Iss-hapcha’.
This means that not only when one is engaged with the Avodah of Achorayim and ‘Iss-kafia’ does one need the empowerment from Aharon as the Possuk states: וְנָשָא אַּהֲרֹן אֶת־שְׁמוֹתָם לִפְנֵּי ה׳ עַּל שְׁתֵּי כְתֵּפָיו לְזִכָרֹן “Aharon shall carry their names before Hashem upon his two shoulders as a remembrance,” but also means even when one is engaged with the Avodah of Ponim and ‘Iss-hapcha’. As the Possuk also says: לְזִכָרֹן עַּל־לִבוֹ גוֹ׳וְנָשָא אַּהֲרֹן אֶת־שְׁמוֹת בְנֵּי־יִשְרָאֵּל גוֹ׳ לִפְנֵֵּֽי־ה׳ “Aharon Shall carry the names of the B’nei Yisroel ... on his heart ... as a remembrance before Hashem”. [This is in order] to elevate them in front of Hashem, which signifies raising them up way above the Name of Hashem.
The Twelve Stones and Their Uniqueness
Accordingly, we can now understand why on the Choshen each Shevet needed its own unique stone and why they differed from each other in both type and colour. All this is due to the Choshen representing the Avodah of ‘Iss-hapcha’, which is the refinement of all the individual faculties of the animal soul and transforming them into light. Therefore, each one is different in colour and appearance according to what it is and what is its level. This, because depending what it is actually, determines the type of light and goodness that it will become etc.
This Avodah is performed by each Shevet following its own path, the one unique to that particular Shevet. Therefore, there are twelve stones corresponding to the twelve Shevotim which are [also] the twelve edges of a three-dimensional object. [The three dimensions of our tangible life.]
Even now for example, there are twelve different gates for the twelve different prayer arrangements of each Shevet. Each Shevet’s prayers ascended through its own unique gate. [Even more specifically, just as the twelve Shevotim were divided into four camps and each camp has three Shevotim, so too, the Choshen likewise has four rows and each row has three stones].
The Eiphod: Uniformity and Iss-kafya
Whereas by contrast the Eiphod, which represents the state of ‘Ochor’ and only alludes to the Avodah of ‘Iss-kafia’, it is not possible for each Shevet to have its own unique stone that represents the detailed level of the Divine soul of that particular Shevet. This is because, the stone which represents the animal soul has not yet been transformed to be able to be incorporated into the Divine soul, nor [even] to be essentially exactly the same as the Divine soul.
At such a moment there is only an empowerment for an Avodah of ‘Iss-kafya’ which is equal for everyone and therefore all twelve Shevotim can be on the same type of stone.
