CHAPTER VI

THE STONES OF THE BREASTPLATE AND THE ZODIAC

“_Heaven’s golden alphabet— And he that runs may read._” YOUNG.

The foregoing chapter dealing with the identification of the stones of the Breastplate has necessitated study and research, and the classification reproduced in the table following rests on a secure base. Many of the scholars of the past when endeavoring to render Hebrew stone names into our own language were hampered by a none too technical knowledge of the gems themselves, whilst many of the later writers were handicapped by lack of astrological knowledge so essential in a matter of this kind. This will be sufficient to explain the numerous contradictions regarding the identification and allotment of the famous stones by whose agency the psychic priests communicated with the angels of God.

It has already been explained in Chapter V why the tribal names do not agree with the signs of the Zodiac and the stones on which they were engraved. Some remarks of Philo Judaeus may with advantage be re-quoted here: In reference to the Breastplate he writes: "Then on his chest there are twelve precious stones of different colours, arranged in four rows of three stones in each row, being fashioned so as an emblem of the Zodiac. For the Zodiac also consists of twelve animals and so divides the four seasons of the year, allotting three animals to each season. And the whole place is very correctly called the Logeum since everything in Heaven has been created and arranged in accordance with right reason and proportion: for there is absolutely nothing there which is devoid of reason. And on the Logeum he embroiders two woven pieces of cloth, calling the one Manifestation and the other Truth. And by the one which he calls Truth he expresses figuratively that it is absolutely impossible for falsehood to enter any part of Heaven but that it is entirely banished to the parts around the Earth dwelling amongst the souls of impious men.

THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE BREASTPLATE.

──────────────────┬──────────────────┬───────────────────── Hebrew Name of │ Modern Name of │ Equivalent Sign of Stone │ Stone │ Zodiac ──────────────────┼──────────────────┼───────────────────── 1. Odem │Red Haematite │Aries 2. Pitdah │Emerald │Taurus 3. Bareketh │Marble │Gemini 4. Nofek │Chrysoprase │Cancer 5. Shoham │Sardonyx │Leo 6. Jashpeh │Jasper │Virgo 7. Lesham │Opal │Libra 8. Shebo │Banded Agate │Scorpio 9. Achlamah │Amethyst │Sagittarius 10. Tharshish │Serpentine │Capricorn 11. Sapir │Lapis Lazuli │Aquarius 12. Jaholom │Crystal │Pisces ──────────────────┴──────────────────┴─────────────────────

──────────────────┬──────────────────┬───────────────────── Name Engraved on │ Colour │ Approximate Date of Stone │ │Sun’s Entry into the │ │ Zodiacal Signs ──────────────────┼──────────────────┼───────────────────── 1. Reuben │Red │March 21st 2. Simeon │Green │April 21st 3. Levi │White │May 22nd 4. Judah │Green │June 22nd 5. Zebulun │Red │July 23rd 6. Issacher │Mixed │August 24th 7. Dan │White and Purple │September 24th 8. Gad │Brown │October 24th 9. Asher │Purple │November 23rd 10. Naphtali │Sea colour │December 20th 11. Joseph │Blue │January 20th 12. Benjamin │Glistening White │February 19th ──────────────────┴──────────────────┴─────────────────────

The Baraita of Samuel deals with astronomical and astrological philosophies, and in the 6th Chapter there is a detailed account of the instruction of scholars of Egypt on the original places of the planets and the zodiacal divisions. This Samuel was a physician and astrologer, and his remarks on the administration of medicines, the times for operations, etc., are much the same as those given in the best astrological treatises of today. He considers the last four days of the moon as an especially risky period for important operations. This Baraita of Samuel is a work of the 8th Century.

Talmudic writers say that besides the twelve tribal names, those of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were at the top of the Breastplate, and at the end the words, “The tribes of Jeshurun.” Others say that the final words were “The tribes of Israel;” Maimonides says, “The tribes of God.” The reason given for these additions was that it was necessary for the entire alphabet to be employed so that the officiating High Priest could construct words from the letters, names and colours of the stones of the Breastplate, and reply in this way to all questions asked. Some of the Rabbis say that six letters were on each stone, made up of the tribal names, the names Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the words “Tribes of Jeshurun.” Thus the whole of the stones contained 72 letters—the number of Shem Ha Meforash. The number 72 is employed in the mysteries, and is given in “Numbers, their Magic and Meaning” as the number of the Angels and of Mercy. In verses 19-21 of 14th Chapter of Exodus the names of the 72 Angels of the name of God are concealed. It is a martial talismanic number, lightly cloaking the waxing and waning of the Moon.