The Names of the Twelve Tribes of
LEVI לוי | SHIMON שמעון | REUBEN ראובן |
ZEBULUN זבולן | ISSACHAR יששכר | JUDAH יהודה |
GAD גד | NAFTALI נפתלי | DAN דן |
BENJAMIN בנימין | JOSEPH יוסף | ASHER אשר |
The names of Twelve
Tribes,
which appear
in various configurations
throughout the Torah,
have many important
symbolic
ramifications
according to the Rabbis.
This is particularly evident in
their
incision on the gemstones
of the Kho-shen חושן or
breastplate of the High Priest,
where the order and the spelling
of the
tribal
names
are according to their
first appearance in the Torah
at the birth
of each
of the brothers.
The total number
of the Hebrew letters
of all these
tribes
adds up to fifty,
which is a seminal number,
associated with
the
counting of
the Omer and
the 50 gates of Understanding.
The major purpose
of the
incised
names
was to serve as
a communicating instrument
between G-d and the
Jewish people,
האורים והתומים
the oracular Urim and
Toomim.
Important questions
of great consequence
to the nation, such as
whether
to wage war,
would be submitted
by the High Priest
and answers would be
received
as specific lit-up letters
on the Kho-shen.
Since the Torah is eternal
and applies
to all times and states of being,
it is my suggestion
that one's
meditation
on
the letters
of the Twelve Tribes
should have an efficacy,
particularly when one
confronts difficult crossroads
in one's life.
And if one does this
in a
state
of prayer
in one's own internal
enlightened answers are possible.
The following are some
possible
correspondences
which I have found
to the Twelve Tribes
and the
gemstones
(as
well as the tribal banners
in the desert),
based primarily on
the
classical
commentators,
Rashi and R. Yakov Kuli
(Maam Loh-az),
but doesn’t even
pretend
to be exhaustive.
The viewer is invited
to continue further.
SHIMON שמעון was incised
on the פטדה Pitdah,
which
some commentators
translate as an
emerald, hence
the painting's green colors .
Other
sources of inspiration include
1) the desert banner of
Shimon,
which
showed the city of
ensconced
between the
mountains
and which was a central city in
2) the suggestion of an
ear shape
or
sound wave ripples
which hints at the meaning
of the Hebrew word
Shimon,
“diminutive”
hearing,
the inner hearing of
the still voice of the soul.
כי שמע ה' כי שנואה אנכי
G-d has
heard that I was
unloved
(Genesis 29:33)
Link to month of
Menachem-Av @ Sefer Tetzira
LEVI לוי was incised
on the ברקת Bareket,
which some translate
as a scintillating crystal,
suggesting
lightening
Symbolically, this applied
to the power to enlighten
and be enlightened
with
Torah studies which was
a special attribute of the tribe.
The desert
banner of
Levi
contained three colors
red, white and black
and included a
section
of
the specially woven garments
of the priests and the Levites
תמיך ואוריך לאיש חסידך
Your Urim and
Tumim
belong
to your pious one
(Deut 33:8)
Link (as Efrayim) to month of
Tishrei @ Sefer Yetzira
JUDAH יהודה
was incised
on the נפך Nofech,
which some commentators believe
was a
bluish-green carbuncle.
The gem is said to have an efficacy
in
achieving victory over one's enemies
internal and external,
which is a
primary
attribute of
kingdom, as well as
the Baal Tsuvah, the Repenter
both of
which
are associated with Judah
The desert banner of Judah
contained
a picture of a crouching lion
and a gestalt of its profile
may be
discerned in the painting
גור אריה יהודה
Judah is a young lion
(Genesis 49:9)
Link to month of Nissan @ Sefer Yetzira
ISSACHAR יששכר
was incised
on the ספיר Saphir
which some believe may be a
sapphire
of a deep blue tint,
the color of the pure sky
since this tribe was
known
for
the excellence of its
Torah and astronomical studies
In the midst of
this gem
one was able to see
a form of a dark cloud
suggesting the receiving
of
the
Torah at Sinai
The desert banner
of Issachar contained
a drawing of a
donkey,
which hints at the
tribe’s ability to carry
the heavy load of Torah
יששכר חמר גרם
Issachar is a strong-boned
donkey
(Genesis
49:14)
Link to month Iyar @ Sefer Yetzira
ZEBULUN זבולן
was incised
on the יהלם Yahalom,
which commentators believe
was not a diamond,
as its modern Hebrew
translation,
but rather a pearl,
which is, of course, only found
in the
depths of the
sea
and thus appropriate
for this sea-faring tribe.
These ideas are
hinted
by
the pearly and ocean
wave texture of the painting.
זבולן לחוף ימים ישכן
Zebulun
shall settle the
coast
(Genesis 49:13)
Link to month of Sivan @ Sefer Yetzira
DAN דן was
incised on the לשם Leshem
which some commentators believe
was an orange topaz.
It is said
that the
gem
showed “inverted faces” to hint
at the fact that from this tribe
came many
judges,
who had to show impartiality
in judgment to the rich and the
poor
and examine all sides of the issue.
To
clearly see this in the painting
one can position
the painting or
oneself
upside down.
The banner of Dan
also showed a snake
and a suggestion of
snake
scales
may also be detected.
דן ידין עמו
Dan shall judge his people
(Genesis 49:16)
יהי דן נחש
Let Dan
be a snake
(Genesis 49:17)
Link to month of Tevet @ Sefer Yetzira
NAFTALI נפתלי was incised
on the שבו Shevoh
which may be a turquoise stone.
The banner of Naftali
showed an
antlered
deer,
according to Jacob’s blessing,
suggesting dispatch and avidity
in
performing the commandments.
נפתלי אילה שלוחה
Naftali
is a deer running free
(Genesis 49:21)
Link to month of Adar @ Sefer Yetzira
GAD גד was incised
on
the אחלמה Achlama,
which some define
as
a purple
tinted amethyst
in the form of a calf's eye
which was believed
to
prevent cowardliness in battle,
an important prerequisite for
the tribe which
guarded the frontier.
The banner of Gad
showed a formation
of soldiers
and army
camp,
which may be discerned
in the painting.
גד גדוד יגודנו
Gad is an
army camp
(Genesis 49:19)
Link to month of Elul @ Sefer Yetzira
.
ASHER אשר was incised
on the תרשיש
Tarshish,
which may have been
amber the color of olive oil,
appropriate
for a
tribe which was
known for its olive oil production.
The banner of Asher actually
showed an olive tree, which is the
central composition in the painting.
וטבל בשמן רגלו
He shall dip his foot in olive oil
(Deut
33:24)
Link to month of Shevat @ Sefer Yetzira
JOSEPH יוסף was incised
on the שהם Shoham,
which was a very
black gem,
probably an onyx.
The banner of Joseph
showed the
city of Egypt
represented here
by a myriad of small faces,
emerging from the shadows.
בן פרת יוסף
Joseph is a noble son
(Deut
33:22)
Link (as Menashe) to month
of Mar-Chesvan @ Sefer Yetzira
BENJAMIN בנימין was
incised on the ישפה Yashpeh,
or jasper,
which was multicolored.
The banner of Benjamin
showed a wolf, preying
on its
spoil,
emanating ferocity.
In the painting a frontal view of a wolf
is
somewhat
hidden behind
the reeds, but may be discerned,
if you know where to
look.
בנימין זאב יטרף
Benjamin
is a fierce wolf
(Genesis 49:27)
Link to month of Kislev @ Sefer Yetzira
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