TETZAVEH

This parsha continues the iteration of the details of the Mishkan in the desert, here describing the garments that the kohen gadol was to wear. And what covered his heart was a breastplate called this choshen and on it were 12 precious stones and on each were the letters from the names of the 12 tribes and the patriarchs and this was a mystical kind of computer where the letters would light up as responses to deep questions. But in inscribing the letters the instruction was not to cut or damage these jewels which even today would be a challenge.  The Midrash story is that a rare kind of tiny wormish insect-like creature called the shamir was used to engrave these jewels which it could do without damaging them.  We call this fantasy and magic, but Shakespeare reminds us that “there are more things in heaven and on earth, that are dreamt of in your philosophy.”