I was just looking through the old Testament, and happened upon the description of the High Priest (who conducted the sacrifices in the Jerusalem Temple). Apparently, the priest wore a breasplate which was studded with many precious and semi-precious stones…like jasper, zircon, topaz, etc. Is there any archaeological evidence (apart from that given in the Bible) as to what this rather mysterious piece of jewelry actually looked like? And, why the requirement to wear this?
Another question: if (and when) the Jerusalem Temple is rebuilt, will a new High Priest wear a similar breastplate? Who would construct it?;j
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No. Just a description. While not a Jewish site, the depiction here is probably close enough.
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In short, because God said so.
Yes, he would be required to wear it. Presumably artisans and goldsmiths would create it, as they did the original.
Zev Steinhardt
Let’s try that link again…
Zev Steinhardt
Is it true that the pomegranates on the robe, like the conch shells in the temple, were a vaginal symbol brought by the Phoenician goddess worshippers? At some point, I read that the pomegranate was associated with the fruit from the Tree of the K of G&E, so I was wondering if there’s Edenic symbolism as well.
Pop culture time:
t the climax of the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark, Belloc is dressed as a High Priest, and if you look you can see him wearing a breastplate like the one described. There’s also a depiction of it in one of Arnold Freiberg’s paintings at the LDS Visitor’s Center in Temple Square in Salt Lake City.
Out of curiosity, where?
At the Cleveland Midtown Ramada, as memory serves. He was there signing copies of his cookbook, “Unleavened Bread for the Soul”.
Incidentally, if you’d like a wearable repro of the breastplate, one can be yours for the low low price of $39.95 from the Mennonite Info Center in Lancaster PA. http://mennoniteinfoctr.tripod.com/index/id15.html
You’ll be the toast of your Conquest of Canaan Reenactment Society. (The info center there has a full size repro of the tabernacle, which other than for the robot priest isn’t as cheesy as you might think.)
I was afraid someone would ask for a cite and force me to look it up…
Keeping in mind that I am quoting from Jewish law…
Construction commanded: Exodus 28:4, details 28:15-30.
That the High Priest is to serve wearing the breastplate is found in the *Mishna Yoma * 7:5.
Zev Steinhardt