By Marco Del Monte
In this Parashah, the garments of the High Priest (Cohen Gadol) and the ordinary priest (Cohen) are described.
In particular, we find the instruction to place upon the Cohen 12 stones with the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate, over the heart, and another 12 divided into two groups of 6 on each shoulder.
The best-known explanation is that a manhig, a leader, must bear the "weight" of managing the people upon his shoulders while always keeping every issue close to his heart. Sometimes one boasts of the beauty of a prestigious position, represented by the beauty of ornamental stones, but one should never lose sight of the awareness of the great responsibility for the welfare of others rather than oneself.
Rav Yona Metzger, in his shiur on the parashah, reports a very interesting commentary by Ramban, Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman.
Nachmanides asks why it is necessary to place the stones with the names of the Bnei Israel twice upon the Kohen? And why are these stones called by different names, namely "Even Hashoam" for the shoulders and "Even Miluim" for the heart? It appears that the structure of the stones was different: well-crafted, sculpted, and polished stones to be placed upon the shoulders; whereas upon the heart there were to be rougher stones, uncrafted, in their natural state. Rav Metzger explains that the figure of the Kohen had to confront two types of problems: some that could be resolved through the intervention of the Kohen and others, unfortunately, that were beyond his capabilities. This is what the stones symbolise: one well-crafted and arranged type represents problems that can be resolved through action, that is, worked on, cleaned, polished, etc.; the other, rough and uncrafted, represents non-resolvable, unworkable problems. Who is this figure of the Kohen being discussed? Does it refer only to a manhig, a leader? I believe that each of us is considered a Kohen, as it is written in Exodus 19:6: "And you shall be to Me a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy-Distinct people." In this increasingly individualistic society, everyone should remember to be like a Kohen, and know how to listen to their fellow human being, not just talk about themselves to others, but know how to actively listen and take an interest in the other, as is written Shema Israel, Hear, O Israel! How many times do we try to talk about something concerning ourselves because we trust the other and want to open up our experiences and emotions, and how wonderful it is on that occasion to be listened to. How many times, instead, when recounting something about ourselves, does the other person start talking about themselves? How many times are people distracted by themselves, and respond with perfunctory phrases to a remark by their neighbour, demonstrating that they are not even listening, or if they are listening they do not understand what they mean and respond with phrases that demonstrate an accentuated emotional and comprehension illiteracy? The emotion one feels is very disheartening. This, I believe, is what the Parashah tells us: not only must we listen to others but, if possible, take upon our shoulders those little stones that people bring out from their anxieties, and work on them, that is, try to help resolve the other person's problem. At other times, when the little stone shown to us is unworkable, not resolvable by us, it would suffice to place it on the breastplate, upon our heart, demonstrating interest in our neighbour, knowing and considering that I will not be able to polish that little stone, but that in any case it will be present in my heart, seeking to listen and demonstrate that for me the person confiding is important in my eyes: Already this will be a way to alleviate the weight from the soul of one's fellow man. When Kadosh Baruch Hu sees that we care for others, measure for measure, He Himself will care for us. The Chachamim write that whoever prays to solve another's problem, and they themselves have that problem, Hashem Himself will solve the problem for the person who prays.
It is no coincidence that there is a saying in Israel, in the case of great relief, that one has taken a stone off one's heart (Lehorid Even Min Halev).
Obviously, the parashah also speaks of the Menorah, as an image of self-protection for ourselves, because as my Rav, Rav Yehuda Kahaloun zt"l used to teach, we must also know how to give our light and not our oil!
With the wish that each of us may rejoice in the beauty of the crafted, polished, shining Stones!
Shabbat Shalom Umevorach
Translated from the Italian with Google Gemini. The Italian text is the original.