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Happy's avatar

רשב"ם שמות כח:ל

את האורים ואת התומים - כעין השבעות של שמות בדבר הקב"ה שהיה נותן בהחשן להגיד משפטן וצרכיהם. אם האומות מגידים להם תרפים וקסמים שלהם ברוח טומאה, להבדיל כמה הבדלות בין טומאה לטהרה, ק"ו לקדושה שמגדת.

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Joshua Waxman's avatar

thanks. it is interesting what Eliyahu Munk adds there, namely " If those had any value at all, -and we may assume that at least their worshippers had concluded that they did, "

את האורים ואת התומים; the function was somewhat similar to that of oracles employed by the priests of idolatrous cults. If those had any value at all, -and we may assume that at least their worshippers had concluded that they did, -how much more influential would these urim vetumim in the sacred garments of the High Priest be in order to elicit answers to questions posed to G’d, seeing that the means employed were holy and sanctioned by G’d Himself?

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Rachel A Listener's avatar

Ooh! I like this! Thank you very much for this information! Wow! It definitely is helpful for increasing understanding and Emunah.

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Rachel A Listener's avatar

Whether it did or whether it didn’t speak, there exists, it seems continually, a force of deception—whether as in Gan Eden within the serpent, or as is acknowledged in Shacharis “a spiritual force of destruction”.

I read recently that this enables humanity’s free choice.

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Rachel A Listener's avatar

Also, you may remember Eliyahu HaNavi when he complained to HaShem “ohhh, they have killed Your prophets and I, even I am the only one left!” But HaShem said back to him, “I have reserved for Myself 400?(I think) prophets who have Not bowed the knee to Baal.” So there is a remnant in Israel—G-D only knows who they are.

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