The Heart of Judgment
The Meaning of the Choshen Mishpat
You shall make a breastpiece of judgement (choshen mishpat), worked into a design; make it in the style of the ephod: make it of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen. (Exodus 28:15)
The breastplate of the High Priest atones for improper judgments, as it is written: “And you shall make a breastplate of judgment” (Exodus 28:15). The ephod of the High Priest atones for idol worship, as it is written: “And without ephod or teraphim” (Hosea 3:4), that is to say, when there is no ephod, the sin of teraphim, i.e., idol worship, is found. This indicates that if there is an ephod, there is no sin of idol worship. The robe of the High Priest atones for malicious speech, as the Holy One, Blessed be He says: Let an item that produces sound, i.e., the bells of the robe, come and atone for an act of malicious sound, i.e., malicious speech. (Arachin 16a)
Rebbi Simon said, just as sacrifices atone, so the garments atone, shirt, trousers, turban, and vest…The breast plate was atoning for those who bend the law, as you are saying, you shall make a breast-plate of judgment. (Jerusalem Talmud Yoma 7:3)Rashi explained that the Choshen atones for perversions of justice…however, the main meaning of Mishpat (judgment) in this context is to demand justice for Israel…(Ha’amek Davar)
“And you shall make a Breastplate of Judgment, the work of a skilled craftsman (מעשה חושב).” The term “מעשה חושב” (the work of a skilled craftsman) is mentioned only in reference to the Ephod and the Choshen, not in any of the other priestly garments. This is because it signifies that these garments atone for sins where thought is equivalent to action—which primarily applies to idolatry (as explained earlier regarding the Ephod). The Choshen, which atones for corrupt judgment, is relevant here because judgment depends on the heart of the judge. Since a judge can only rule based on what he perceives—having the power to declare right as wrong or wrong as right depending on the circumstances, people, time, and place—there is no one who can refute his decision except God alone, who examines the hearts of men.For this reason, the Choshen was placed on Aharon’s heart, since judgment is entrusted to the heart. That is also why it is called "מעשה חושב"—to atone for the thoughts of the judge. Because the verse states "מעשה חושב" in the same way as it does for the Ephod, it teaches that perverting justice is equivalent to idolatry. As the Sages said in Sanhedrin 7b, “Whoever appoints an unworthy judge is as if he has planted an Asherah (idolatrous tree).” Similarly, in the Jerusalem Talmud (Bikkurim 3:3), the verse “You shall not make with Me gods of silver” (Exodus 20:20) is interpreted as referring to a corrupt judge, because the root of this sin lies in the judge’s thoughts, as it says in Proverbs (12:5), “The thoughts of the righteous are justice”—meaning, the righteous are pure in judgment even in their thoughts. (Kli Yakar)
The High Priest wore a beautiful jeweled breastplate (choshen mishpat) directly over his heart. Jewish tradition offers different explanations for why judgment and the heart were connected this way.
Talmudic sources suggest that the priests’ clothes had theurgic power—different garments atoned for different sins. The chosen mishpat atones for errors in judgment, or worse, perversions of justice, done by members of the community. Perhaps the priest feels in his heart the vibes of the community; by connecting to the community he finds a way to bring its needs before the divine. The priest must atone by experiencing the pain of the entire collective, with all of its factions and flaws.
Ha’amek Davar claims that the function of the breastplate was not to atone for evildoers, but to seek restitution for victims of evil. Thus, in his view, the priest is not seeking forgiveness, but justice. His heart weighs heavily with those who have nobody to speak out on their behalf. Their stories are taken into his heart.
Kli Yakar takes a different approach. The breastplate is a kind of external hardrive or second conscience, reminding the priest that he is not above the law. God sees into the heart of the priest and decides whether his errors are innocent or deliberate. The choshen mishpat then also serves as a guide of weight on the priest’s own heart, lest he become proud or haughty. Take this weight seriously; in your heart the fate of Israel turns. Don’t take your power lightly.
To summarize, the breastplate may atone for errors of the community, may seek justice for helpless victims, or may serve as a warning and reminder to the priest of his own vulnerability.
Another possibility is that the breastplate, housing the famed Urim and Tumim, was a kind of divination tool, i.e., a decision-making tool for making big decisions, such as whether to go to war. The breastplate might have lit up, giving the priest guidance.
The variety of imagined uses for the breastplate corresponds to a variety of religious worldviews: is prayer about atonement and expiation? Is it about developing a conscience and forming greater self-knowledge? Is it a means for clarity around decision-making? Is it about cultivating a sense of justice?
Yet despite the range of “use cases” for the breastplate, we see that justice is, counter-intuitively, a matter of the heart.
Law is not simply a math problem, but something that we wear, feel, and literally carry. Good judgment cannot exist without self-awareness. One must know one’s own heart. Great leaders are connected to their entire community, but also have a way of integrating the perspectives that are most diminished. Judgment is vulnerable to error, and thus, justice requires an extra-judicial mechanism for maintaining and saving it: mercy.
Finally, judgment is to be thought of not just through the metaphor measuring but of shining. Justice, good judgment, are beautiful. Mishpat—law—though a social necessity, is also a form of adornment and beatification, a form of spiritual life.
Shabbat Shalom,
Zohar Atkins