Fol. 119v. Photograph of: Albenc Pentateuch

Below the end of the book of Exodus across the entire width of the page is an illustration. It consists of a diagram of the knotted ephod and the twelve stones of the hoshen, usedby the high priest for divination, giving the right answer to the leadersof the community (described twice in Ex. 28:6-30 and 39:2-21). Thiswas done by means of the Urim veTumim, which were also part of the"Hoshen of Judgment." On top of the commentary column is the title:"This is a different, new commentary," (זאת פרישה אחרת חדשה) and is in fact a shortened version of Rashi's commentary on Ex. 28:6, with some variations (Rashi'scommentary on Ex. 39:2-21 is not extant). The diagram is drawn accordingto an interpretation written below it. Unlike the descriptions of thehoshen in the Bible (Ex. 28:15-21, 39:2-14), which arrange the stonesin four rows, the diagram arranges all the stones in one long row,adding two additional rows below, all enclosed in knotted frames of theephod. On the top row are the names of the twelve stones, and belowthem are the corresponding names of the twelve tribes in the order of their birth and Jacob's blessing his sons (Gen. 49:3-27), which were tobe engraved on the stones. In the lower row are the names of the threePatriarchs, divided in sections of one to three letters, followed by theterm: "Tribes of Jeshurun." According the Babylonian Talmud (Yoma,73b) the names of the Patriarchs and the term were added in order tohave the entire Hebrew alphabet appearing on the twelve stones, sincethe letters zadei and tet were missing in the names of the tribes. Withthese additions the alphabet was complete and enabled to enlighten thenecessary letters on the stones of the hoshen and make up the correctanswer. As our scribe-artist Shlomo explains, he drew them accordingto the learned commentary by R. Abraham bar Ytzhak, dean of thecourt of Lunel.