The Torah states in this week’s Parsha: "And you shall place the Urim and Tumim into the Choshen Mishpat, and they shall be on Aharon's heart when he comes before Hashem. Aharon shall bear the judgment of Bnei Yisrael on his heart before Hashem, always." (Shemos 28:30).
Commenting on this verse, the Ramban offers a profound insight about the connection between these sacred objects and the concept of truth:
He says that the meaning of אוּרִִים, is derived from the word אורִ – light. This means that they would illuminate the true course of action to be taken. The meaning of תֻֻּ מִִּ ים is derived from the word תם – completeness, because the guidance provided was not only true, but also completely true without any omissions or deficiencies.
We see that the very names that the Torah chose for these objects—Urim from the Hebrew word for "light" and Tumim from the word for "completeness" or "perfection"—reveal their very essence. The Urim illuminated the truth, making things clear, while the Tumim represented the completeness and integrity of that truth.
This understanding teaches us that truth in the eyes of the Torah is not merely about factual accuracy. To be considered truth, there must be an integrity to the truth – a truth told without any omissions or deficiencies.
The placement of these truth-bearing instruments, "on Aharon's heart" reminds us that integrity isn't merely an intellectual exercise but must be felt deeply and carried with us always in our hearts.
