VBM The Efod and the Choshen By Harav Yaakov Medan

I. Efod One of the special garments worn by the High Priest is the efod. The Torah mentions two special features of this garment: 1) The efod is the base to which the breastplate, the choshen ha-mishpat, is connected; the strong connection between the two is reflected in the prohibition to loosen the choshen from the efod. 2) On the efod's shoulder pieces there are two onyx stones, on which are engraved the names of the tribes of Israel: And you shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the children of Israel: six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the six that remain on the other stone, according to their birth. With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shall you engrave the two stones, according to the names of the children of Israel; you shall make them to be enclosed in settings of gold. And you shall put the two stones upon the shoulder-pieces of the efod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel; and Aharon shall bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial. (Shemot 28: 9-12)