Israel 2012 High Priest's Breastplate

  
The Book of Exodus chapter 28 describes how to prepare the High Priest’s holy garments, including the most magnificent of all, the Breastplate, Choshen.
 
“And thou shalt make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the skilful workman; like the work of the ephod thou shalt make it: of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, shalt thou make it. Four-square it shall be and double: a span shall be the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof. And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, four rows of stones: a row of carnelian, topaz, and smaragd shall be the first row; and the second row a carbuncle, a sapphire, and an emerald; and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; and the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper; they shall be enclosed in gold in their settings. And the stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes.” [Exodus 28, 15-21]
 
The Choshen was a small garment embellished with gemstones and one of the eight garments worn by the High Priest as he served G-D. Each jewel was inscribed with one of the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. The High Priest’s breastplate symbolized the unity of the people of Israel before G-D as well as the importance of the position of the High Priest and the sanctity of the function, as he stood before G-D.
"And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart when he goeth in unto the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually. And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the LORD; and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually." [Exodus 28, 29-30].
 
The biblical description states that the breastplate was to be made up of four rows of three engraved gems, each jewel set in gold.
 
According to Biblical commentaries the Choshen (or the Urim and Thummim - literally, “the Lights and the Perfections”) was used to ascertain the Divine Will regarding questions of national importance. In times of doubt and national crisis, the Urim and Thummim were consulted for advice and guidance (Numbers 27, 21; 1 Samuel 28, 6).
 
Throughout the generations numerous attempts have been made to identify the gemstones. Researchers have mainly relied upon the colour of the minerals mentioned in Talmudic literature. According to the Midrash Rabba (Numbers 24, 14), the colours of each mineral were the same as those of the flags of each of the twelve tribes of Israel.
 
The translations from the original Hebrew are very varied and were influenced by the culture and gems known at the time. Modern Hebrew interpretations for some of the stones are inaccurate, for example, yahalom - diamond, describes a mineral not known in biblical times. Therefore, further sources of evidence were required to aid in the identification of the minerals. The discovery of precious stones in the royal tombs of Tutanakhamen in Egypt, and those in Ur, Mesopotamia, shed light on the known gems from this period. Additional information was gained in ancient mines in the Middle East and North Africa and from the study of the trade routes of the time.
 
The stones were simply cut and polished, many “en cabochon”, ellipsoid, as they could not be cut with parallel lines due to their crystal structure. They were set in gold on the breastplate.
 
 

Series 1

Date of Issue : 7 Feb 2012

 

Reuven: Odem – Carnelian (Red), Carnelian is a variety of the silica mineral, chalcedony, coloured by impurities of iron oxide. The possible location of mineral deposit was Iran.
 
Shimon: Pitdah – Topaz (Green – Yellow). Topaz is a silicate mineral of aluminium and fluorine with trace element impurities giving its colour. The possible location of mineral deposits was Gebel Savrah, Upper Egypt, or Cleopatra Mine, Red Sea.
 
Levi: Bareqet – Emerald (Light Green). Emerald is a variety of the mineral beryl, a beryllium aluminium silicate, coloured green by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium. The possible location of mineral deposit was Gebel Savrah, Upper Egypt Kusir Mine, Red Sea.
 
Yehuda: Nofekh – Turquoise (Green – blue). Turquoise is an opaque green – blue mineral that is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminium. The possible location of mineral deposit was near Um Bogma, Sinai.
 
 

Series 2

Date of Issue  17 Apr 2012

 

Issachar: Sapir - Lazurite (Dark Blue). Lazurite is a feldspathoid mineral and a member of the sodalite group, with sulphate, sulphur and chlorine. Sapphires were not known in the Middle East at the time. The possible location of mineral deposit was Sar-e-Sang deposits, Badkhshan, Afghanistan.
 
Zevulun: Yahalom – Quartz (White). Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust and is composed of silicon and oxygen. Diamond was not known in ancient times. The possible location of mineral deposits was Upper Egypt or Sinai.
 
Dan: Leshem – Zircon (Red – yellow). Zircon is a zirconium silicate mineral and its colour comes from trace element impurities. The possible location of mineral deposit was Upper Egypt.
 
Naftali: Ahlamah – Amethyst (Red Wine). Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz, silicon dioxide, containing iron impurities, which give it its colour. The possible location of mineral deposit was Nubian Desert.
 
 
 

Series 3

Date of Issue : 26 Jun 2012

 

Gad: Shevo - Agate (Black, brown, white). Agate is a microcrystalline variety of silica, chiefly chalcedony, characterised by its fine of grain size and brightness of colour. The possible location of mineral deposit was Red Sea Coast.
 
Asher: Tarshish – Aquamarine (Olive Green). Aquamarine is a blue-green variety of the mineral beryl, a beryllium aluminium silicate. Iron impurities give it its colour. The possible location of mineral deposit was Upper Egypt.
 
Yosef: Shoham – Onyx (Black). Onyx is a banded variety of chalcedony, which is a microcrystalline form of silica. The possible location of mineral deposit was Nubian Desert.
 
Binyamin: Yashpeh – Jasper (Multicolored). Jasper, a form of chalcedony, is an opaque, impure variety of silica. The possible location of mineral deposit was Tel El Amarna, Egypt.

Series 4

Date of Issue 12 Dec 2012

The mini souvenir leaf, which follows the three sequential issues comprising the High Priest’s Breastplate 12-stamp series, features the High Priest against the background of the magnificent Holy Temple built by King Herod and the city of Jerusalem in the latter part of the Second Temple period. The image of Jerusalem is based on the model designed by the late Prof. Michael Avi-Yonah in the 1960’s which is now permanently displayed at the Israel Museum. To the right is the large area housing the Temple Mount and the Holy Temple and to the left, behind the image of the High Priest, is the lower city. The red roofs of the luxurious upper city houses can be seen clearly, located in the area where the Jewish Quarter of the Old City now stands.