Dedicated to the refuah shaleimah (a complete and speedy recovery) of David ben Leah

Introduction

The Urim and Thummim, the sacred vestments worn by the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) are arguably the single most mysterious object in the Torah. As Winston Churchill would say, they are “a riddle wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” The Urim and Thummim hold a revered position in the biblical tradition as direct channels of divine communication. Used to obtain guidance on critical issues of national importance, their operation remains shrouded in mystery. They are often misunderstood as an oracle when, in truth, they represent a form of prophecy albeit a radically different kind of prophecy.

This essay explores the enigmatic function of Urim and Thummim by drawing parallels to quantum mechanics—particularly the phenomenon known as wave function collapse. It appears that the breastplate (Ḥoshen) with Urim and Thummim inside was in a state of superposition of multiple possible interpretations, with the High Priest—as a participating observer—collapsing the wave function of the Ḥoshen into a single prophecy. The transactional interpretation of quantum mechanics provides an even deeper metaphor.

1.   Understanding Urim and Thummim

This section explores the identity and nature of the Urim and Thummim, highlighting the diverse rabbinic and kabbalistic opinions on what they were and how they were inscribed.

The Urim and Thummim (אוּרִים וְתֻמִּים, Urim ve-Tumim) are usually translated as “Lights and Perfections” or as “Lights and Truths.”^[1] The Urim and Thummim were embedded within the High Priest’s sacred breastplate (Ḥoshen) worn over the ephod (“apron “). The Ḥoshen featured twelve precious stones engraved with the names of Israel’s tribes (Exodus 28:30; Leviticus 8:8). The tradition describes how these stones lit up or changed appearance in response to inquiries posed by the High Priest, signaling divine guidance.

There is a disagreement among sages as to what the Urim and Thummim actually were. Rashi maintains that the Urim and Thummim were the name of G‑d (Shem Hameforesh) that was written on a piece of parchment and placed in the fold of the breastplate (Ḥoshen). Although Rashi does not spell it out, it appears that by the divine name placed in the fold of the Ḥoshen, he might have meant the Tetragrammaton—the ineffable name of G‑d, Y-H-W-H. The Nachmanides (the Ramban) agrees with Rashi that a divine name was written on a parchment and placed in the fold of the Ḥoshen, but he maintains that it was not one name but divine names (in plural), without specifying what they were or how many. Later Sages of Kabbalah, such as Rabbi Menaḥem Recanati,^[2] Rabbeinu Baḥya,^[3] the school of Lurianic Kabbalah,^[4] Shelah haKadosh,^[5] revealed that there were two names—one was the 42-letter name (Ana B’Ko’ach) and the name is comprised of seventy-two three-letter names that appear in the Torah section of Beshalach in the narrative of the splitting of the Sea of Reeds.

The 42-letter name is usually presented in the form of a prayer, Ana B’Ko’ach, that has 42 words. The prayer is traditionally arranged in seven lines, each with six words. These six acronyms are traditionally printed at the end of each line. The collection of all seven acronyms comprises the 42-letter name.^[i]

The Talmud states:

The Forty-Two Lettered Name is entrusted only to him who is pious, humble, middle-aged, free from bad temper, sober, and not insistent on his rights.  And he who knows it, is heedful thereof, and observes it in purity, is beloved above and popular below, feared by man, and inherits two worlds, this world and the future world. (Tr. Kiddushin 71a)

Generally, this name relates to 42 journeys of the Jewish people in the Sinai desert on the way to the promised land. For a detailed discussion of this holy name, see my post, “Forty Two Journeys to the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything.“

The Name AV (72) is found in Exodus 14:19-21. The first line is the verse Exodus 14:19, which is written in the usual order. The second line is the verse in Exodus 14:20, written in the reverse order. The third line is the verse in Exodus 14:21, written in the usual order. According to the Zohar, these three verses correspond to ḥesed, gevurah, and tiferet respectively.

ויסעמלאךהאלהימההלךלפנימחנהישראלוילךמאחריהםויסעמודהענןמפניהםויעמדמאחריהם

הלילהלכלאזהלאזהברקאלוהלילהתאראיוךשחהוננעהיהולארשיהנחממצריםהנחמניבאביו

ויטמשהאתידועלהיםויולךיהוהאתהיםברוחקדיםעזהוישםאתהיםלחרבהויבקעוהמים

Each column represents a three-letter divine name. Thus, the first letter of Line 1, the first letter of Line 2, and the first letter of Line 3 form the first three-letter name. Column 2 gives the second name, and so on, until these columns form all 72 names.^[6]

2.   How did Urim and Thummim Function?

This section proposes that the Urim and Thummim form a dynamic dyad with the High Priest—two interdependent actors whose collaboration yields divine messages.

Sages and scholars have long debated the precise mechanisms behind the Urim and Thummim.

Talmudic Interpretation

According to the Talmud (primarily Yoma 73b), the Urim and Thummim functioned through a process in which letters on the High Priest’s breastplate (Ḥoshen) would light up or stand out to spell an answer to a query posed to G‑d. The Talmud explains that “Urim” (אוּרִים) implies that the letters “illuminated” or became visible in response to the question. They are called Urim because they “me’irim” (מְאִירִים) — “illuminate” their words or bring clarity. “Tumim” (תֻּמִּים) implies that the message became complete or perfected, as the High Priest (with divine inspiration) would interpret and arrange those letters into intelligible words. They are called Tumim because they make their words “tamim” (תָּמִים) — complete, correct, or true.

The biblical text (Exodus 28) commands inscribing the names of the 12 tribes onto 12 stones. However, the Talmud points out that not all letters of the alef bet were present in the names of the tribes. To facilitate every Hebrew letter appearing for potential answers, the breastplate also included certain additional words—e.g., the names of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) or the phrase “Shivtei Yeshurun” —so that all 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet were present.

While the letters might stand out, they would not necessarily appear in perfect order. The Talmud emphasizes that the illumination of the stones required the High Priest’s spiritual discernment, or Ruach ha-Kodesh, to assemble the illuminated letters into coherent words (the “Tumim” aspect).

The breastplate was consulted for crucial communal matters—like waging war, selecting leadership, or crises affecting the entire people. The one posing the question would do so quietly and respectfully behind the High Priest. The answer manifested quickly via the shining or protruding letters, but required the priest’s spiritual intuition to interpret properly. Although it seems miraculous, the Talmud presents it as a higher form of prophetic communication rather than “magic.” It functioned only for a worthy High Priest under proper conditions. The Talmud also notes that by the Second Temple era, the High Priest’s garments included a breastplate but lacked the genuine prophetic function of Urim ve-Tumim.

Rashi on Urim and Thummim

In his commentary on Exodus 28:30, Rashi states that the Urim and Thummim were not simply inscriptions on the stones themselves but were slips or parchments containing a special Divine Name (or Names) that were inserted into the Ḥoshen (breastplate). These Names provided the supernatural power for the breastplate to answer questions posed to G‑d. Rashi writes, “The Urim ve-Tumim is the Shem ha-Meforash (Divine Name) placed inside the folds of the breastplate. “

Rashi further clarifies that this illumination was internally perceived, resonating within the High Priest’s heart rather than externally visible (Rashi, Exodus 28:30). This internal perception guided Kohen Gadol in interpreting messages that would otherwise remain obscure. According to Rashi, the mechanism is a miraculous convergence of a Divine Name (within the breastplate) and the High Priest’s inspired interpretation, causing the letters to light up and yield a clear, G-d-given response.

Ibn Ezra calls Urim ve-Tumim a sod (mystery) and declines to describe the exact mechanism. In his commentary on Exodus 28:30, he writes, “You must recognize that the reason it is called Urim ve-Tumim is a great secret. And the wise one will understand.“

Maimonides on Urim and Thummim

Maimonides addresses the Urim ve‑Tumim in Mishneh Torah.^[7] Maimonides echoes earlier views (e.g., Rashi) that the Urim ve‑Tumim were holy Names (Shemot) placed inside the fold of the breastplate. Yet he does not specify precisely which Names or how many—only that they were crucial for the breastplate’s oracular function. The Urim ve‑Tumim were not part of the breastplate’s physical design (the stones, etc.) but an additional element—parchments or written Names—inserted to activate its supernatural/prophetic capacity. Maimonides states they were consulted exclusively for major communal needs (e.g., war strategy, leadership), typically on behalf of a king, the Sanhedrin, or an individual whose decision would affect the entire nation. The High Priest must be on a level where he possesses Ruach ha-Kodesh (Divine Inspiration). If the High Priest is unworthy, the Urim ve‑Tumim will not respond (see Hilchot Klei HaMikdash 10:11).

In line with Talmudic tradition, the letters on the stones were said to “light up” or become apparent. However, Maimonides leans toward understanding this as a prophetic or near-prophetic event rather than a purely external miracle. The High Priest, in an elevated mental/spiritual state, perceives the correct configuration of letters that spell out G‑d’s answer. This relies on his divine inspiration to interpret them correctly. Throughout his writings (e.g., in Moreh Nevukhim, the Guide for the Perplexed), Maimonides describes prophecy as an overflow of intellectual illumination from G‑d to a prepared mind. For him, the functioning of the Urim ve‑Tumim is a specific case of that broad notion: the High Priest’s question triggers a special insight or “illumination,” facilitated by the presence of the holy Names in the breastplate.

Nachmanides and Kabbalists on Urim and Thummim

Nachmanides (the Ramban) echoes Rashi’s view that Urim ve-Tumim was a divine name but maintains that these were divine names (in the plural, which usually means two). Although Nachmanides did not specify what names and how many, later commentators explained that he meant two names—the 42-letter name and the name made of 72 three-letter names.

The complexity deepens with Kabbalistic traditions (Zohar), suggesting that interpreting the illuminated letters required deeper decoding using milui—symbolic expansions of Hebrew letters. Such interpretation demanded profound mystical insight, underscoring the central role of the High Priest’s interpretive faculties.

3.   A Prophetic Dyad

This part proposes that the Urim and Thummim form a dynamic pair with the High Priest—two interdependent actors whose collaboration yields divine messages.

As one reads the Torah portion Tetzaveh, which contains the commandment of Urim and Thummim, one gets an unmistakable impression that the Torah presents Urim and Thummim as a dyad. This duality is evident in the double name itself: Urim and Thummim. Furthermore, the biblical verse describing this commandment, “…et ha-Urim v’et ha-Tumim,” reinforces this notion (Exodus 28:30).

In Hebrew, the particle “et” indicates the accusative case, marking the definite direct object of a verb. The use of “et” before both “ha-Urim” and “ha-Tumim” signifies that Urim and Thummim are two distinct, specific concepts. If they were a single entity, the verse would likely read, “…et ha-Urim v’ha-Tumim. “The presence of the second “et” emphasizes the dyadic nature of Urim and Thummim.

This duality manifests on several levels:

• Dual name: Urim and Thummim are two distinct names, emphasizing their separate yet interconnected roles.
• Two actors: The High Priest and the oracular device form a dyad, interacting to facilitate communication with the divine.
• Two names of G‑d: The two names of G‑d—42-Name and 72-Name—inscribed on a parchment underscore the dual nature of Urim and Thummim. According to Kabbalists, the 42-Name provided miraculous illumination of the stones on the Ḥoshen, and the 72-Name channeled the divine inspiration (Ruach ha-Kodesh) to Kohen Gadol (the High Priest).
• Two partzufim: Ari reads the word “tumim” as “tamim” (a “matching pair”). According to the Ari, Aaron, Kohen Gadol, was the embodiment of partzuf Zeir Anpin (Z”A), whereas the Ḥoshen and Urim ve-Tumim represented two subparzufim of the Nukva d’Z”A—partzuf Leah and partzuf Rachel.

Traditional Talmudic and rabbinic sources all stress the important role played by the High Priest in interpreting the illuminated letters on the Ḥoshen into coherent responses. However, it is not easy to see how that works in practice.

Firstly, the Talmud notes that all twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet must have been available on the stones of the breastplate to form complete responses. However, the names of the tribes were lacking several letters. To solve this problem, sages proposed that additional words beyond the twelve tribal names—such as the patriarchs’ names or the phrase “Shivtei Yeshurun” —may have been inscribed. This supplementary engraving, however, faces two problems.

First, it is not mentioned in the biblical instructions (Exodus 28:15–30), which carefully detail the design of the breastplate and stones without reference to extra inscriptions. Practically, there would be little or no physical space on the twelve stones to accommodate additional words. Each stone was relatively small and already inscribed with a tribe’s name. It is hard to see where these inscriptions would go.

Some kabbalists suggested that the missing letters could be obtained by expanding the individual illuminated letters into the full name of the letter—the milui. Say, if the letter dalet was illuminated, not only was this letter available to the High Priest but all the letters that make up the name of the letter dalet—dalet, lamed, and tav. If that was not enough, each of these letters may be further expanded similarly, ad infinitum. Needless to say, this method provides infinite possibilities for the High Priest to work with, and at the same time, it makes his task so much more difficult.

Secondly, reconstructing meaningful responses from scattered illuminated letters is very problematic. Hebrew relies heavily on implicit vowels, typically inferred from grammatical context and sentence structure. While coherent words and sentences are easily recognized from full sentences, isolated letters could yield countless combinations of letters (consonants), vowels, and interpretations, potentially creating an impossible task. The notion that the High Priest could reliably reconstruct precise messages from randomly illuminated letters is thus challenging even with the help of Ruach ha-Kodesh (divine inspiration). To reconstruct a sentence from letters lighting up out of order, it seems that the High Priest had to know a priori the sentence he needed to align with the illuminated stones.

Interactive Revelation through Urim ve-Tumim

In response to these difficulties, it seems logical to regard the role played by Kohen Gadol as leading. Rather than viewing the High Priest as a mere interpreter of the divine message conveyed through Urim ve-Tumim, it appears more logical to assume that Kohen Gadol received the complete and clear answer through his Ruach ha-Kodesh independently of illuminated stone before even looking at the Ḥoshen. He then chose the interpretation of the message expressed through lights of that Ḥoshen that matched the answer he already knew. What, then, was the role of Urim and Thummim? The two divine names served as two parallel channels through which G‑d’s answer was delivered—one to Kohen Gadol and another through the illuminated stones of the Ḥoshen. The job of the High Priest was to express his prophecy through the light of the stones in the Ḥoshen, and the role of the Ḥoshen was to publicly validate the High Priest’s prophecy as divinely inspired. In this model, two participants—the Kohen Gadol and the sacred Urim ve-Tumim form a dynamic dyad.

In this model, the High Priest serves as the first active agent, receiving inspiration directly from G‑d concerning a critical national matter. Rather than having to puzzle out illuminated letters into meaningful sentences, the High Priest, already equipped with prophetic clarity, would immediately recognize the letters confirming his internal revelation. The Urim ve-Tumim functions as the external validation—a miraculous confirmation visibly displayed to the observers. They authenticate the divine origin of the message, giving communal assurance that the response indeed emanates directly from G‑d. The act of “illumination” (Urim) occurs internally through the Ruach ha-Kodesh (prophetic inspiration) of the High Priest, while the “completion” (Tumim) becomes the external confirmation perfecting High Priest’s prophecy.

Significance of Public Confirmation

This interpretation aligns with the Talmudic and Maimonidean emphasis that consultation with the Urim and Thummim occurred only in critical matters of national importance—such as war or leadership decisions. These high-stakes scenarios required more than just a private prophetic intuition; they needed explicit, visible, public confirmation. The Urim ve-Tumim thus served a profound social function by manifesting and validating Kohen Gadol’s prophecy as divine guidance in a publicly observable manner, ensuring collective confidence in decisions crucial to national destiny.

Philosophical and Mystical Implications

This interpretation also enriches our understanding of prophecy as an interaction between human and divine agents. The divine message (future possibility) intersects with human readiness and receptivity, creating a present moment—a revelation arising precisely from the interplay of human insight (the High Priest’s inspired intuition) and divine confirmation (Urim ve-Tumim illumination).

Furthermore, this perspective harmonizes neatly with mystical conceptions in Kabbalah, where the interaction of human initiative (Itaruta d’letata) and divine response (Itaruta d’le’eila) continuously generates reality. Here, the High Priest represents human initiative, posing critical questions, while the Urim ve-Tumim represents the divine response, illuminating and validating the human-divine dialogue.

Rather than understanding the Urim and Thummim as mere supernatural tools revealing cryptic messages, we recognize them as components of a sophisticated, interactive revelation system. The High Priest’s inspired insight combined dynamically with the visual confirmation provided by the illuminated letters of the Urim ve-Tumim. This interplay ensured that the divine communication was unambiguously understood and publicly validated. Such an understanding deepens our appreciation of the Urim and Thummim, highlighting their unique role in facilitating an authentic, transparent dialogue between the divine and the people of Israel.

Quantum-mechanical parallel

Without the inspired interpretation by the Kohen Gadol, the illuminated letters on the stones of Ḥoshen presented an almost infinite number of possible combinations and, accordingly, interpretations. The prophetically inspired High Priest chose one of these possible interpretations, making it the reality. This is eerily similar to the interplay between the quantum-mechanical wave function and the observer. The wavefunction describes the plurality (sometimes infinite number) of possibilities. Upon measurement or mere observation, the observer collapses the plurality of possibilities into a single actuality resulting from the measurement. This is called the collapse of the wave function.

4.   Quantum Mechanics: The Wave Function Collapse

In this section, we introduce the concept of quantum wavefunction collapse and draw analogies to the interplay between the High Priest’s prophecy and the breastplate’s potential messages.

Quantum mechanics describes physical reality by assigning to every system a wave function—a complex-valued function defined on infinite-dimensional Hilbert space. The Schrödinger equation (a fundamental equation governing quantum dynamics) governs the evolution of the wave function. Until observed, quantum systems exist in a superposition of multiple states that can coexist simultaneously. The meaning of the wave function is given by the Born Rule, which interprets the square of the amplitude of the wave function as the probability distribution to find the system in a specific state. The act of observation causes multiple potential states to crystallize into a single reality. This is called the collapse of the wave function. Physicist John Wheeler coined the concept of “participating observer,” underscoring how observer interaction fundamentally shapes quantum outcomes. Reality thus becomes intrinsically linked to the observer’s engagement.

Copenhagen Interpretation

In the Copenhagen interpretation proposed by Niels Bohr, the wave function collapse occurs upon measurement by a classical observer or instrument. As mentioned above, prior to measurement, quantum systems exist as a superposition of possible states, described mathematically by a wave function. When measured, the wave function instantaneously “collapses” into one definite outcome, eliminating all other possibilities. The Copenhagen interpretation treats this collapse as fundamental but does not fully explain the underlying mechanism.

Von Neumann–Wigner Conscious Collapse Interpretation

The von Neumann–Wigner interpretation pushes the collapse event further, suggesting it requires conscious observation. According to this view (originated by the Hungarian-Jewish mathematician John von Neumann and further developed by his friend, another Hungarian-Jewish physicist and Nobel laureate Eugene Wigner), the wave function evolves continuously according to quantum mechanics until it encounters human consciousness. Only when consciously observed does the wave function collapse into a specific state. Thus, consciousness itself plays a direct and essential role in causing the collapse, raising profound philosophical questions about the role of human awareness in quantum mechanics.

5.   Quantum Parallels with Urim ‘and Thummim

Applying this quantum framework to Urim and Thummim, we propose a model in which divine prophecy expressed in the illuminated stones of the Ḥoshen exists initially as a superposition of multiple potential outcomes analogous to a quantum wave function. Through his prophetic vision, the High Priest acts as an observer who collapses these potentialities into a single prophetic message.

Using this quantum-mechanical metaphor, we can draw the following parallels:

• In Copenhagen interpretation:
  • Ḥoshen with Urim and Thummim ↔ Wave function in superposition of multiple states
  • Kohen Gadol (the High Priest) ↔ the classical measurement apparatus
  • Kohen Gadol’s reading (“measuring”) the message from the illuminated stones of the Ḥoshen ↔ collapse of the wave function

• In Neumann–Wigner interpretation:
  • Ḥoshen with Urim and Thummim ↔ Wave function in superposition of multiple states
  • Kohen Gadol (the High Priest) ↔ the conscious participating observer
  • Kohen Gadol’s observing the message from the illuminated stones of the Ḥoshen ↔ collapse of the wave function

What about Urim and Thummim, per se? As mentioned before, according to most opinions, Urim ve-Tumim were two divine letters written on a piece of parchment—the 42-Name and the 72-Name. As the Kabbalah explains, the 42-Name (Ana B’Ko’ach) is the name of transition. We mention it after morning blessings, indicating the transition between the sleeping and waking states. We mention it again in the last prayer of the day (keri’at Shemah al-hamita), before going to sleep, indicating a transition from waking to sleeping. In quantum mechanics, the transition between states—the evolution of the wave function—is described by the Schrödinger equation. Therefore, we can say that the 42-Name is parallel to the Schrödinger equation. The masters of Kabbalah explain that it is the 42-Name that channels the divine message into the stones of the Ḥoshen, illuminating them. Since the Ḥoshen is parallel to the wave function, it all fits nicely together.

42-Name of G‑d (Ana b’Ko’ach) ↔ Schrödinger equation

The 72-Name is actually seventy-two divine three-letter names. We know the meaning of some of these 3-letter names that appear in Jewish liturgy, but we don’t know much about most of them. However, it is this 72-Name that channels prophecy to the High Priest, enabling him to express this prophecy in the lights of the stones of the Ḥoshen or, using quantum-mechanical metaphor, to collapse the wave function of the Ḥoshen. Accordingly, the 72-Name of G‑d (seventy-two three-letter names) corresponds to the prophetic consciousness of the Kohen Gadol that allows him to deliberately collapse the wave function of the Ḥoshen the “right way” so that it comports with his prophetic vision.

72-Name of G‑d ↔ Prophetic consciousness of the High Priest that collapses the wavefunction of the Ḥoshen

As we shall see, this quantum-mechanical parallel runs deep and touches upon such epochal events as the splitting of the sea and the creation of the world itself.

6.   Splitting of the Sea of Reeds

Here, we show how Moses’s use of the 72-letter Name to split the sea parallels the same divine mechanism underlying Urim and Thummim, forging a link between biblical miracles and quantum metaphor.

As mentioned above, the 72-Name is found in Torah section Beshalaḥ right before the miracle of splitting the Sea of Reeds. The Midrash says:

G‑d said to Moses: “And you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand” (Exodus 14:16)—not by the merit of the staff itself, but by the merit of the Name that was engraved upon the staff, that great and holy Name of seventy-two letters by which heaven and earth were created.[8]

The Zohar states that Moses employed the divine power contained within the 72-letter Name derived from the three consecutive verses (Exodus 14:19-21) immediately before the splitting of the sea.^[ii] The Zohar elaborates that Moses invoked the profound spiritual energy encapsulated within these verses, arranging them to form the 72 divine names (triplets) to channel G‑d’s miraculous intervention.^[9] This Zoharic interpretation became foundational in later Kabbalah (e.g., Lurianic Kabbalah, writings of Rabbi Chaim Vital, and others). Prominent Hasidic sources (such as the Bnei Yissachar) also frequently cite this tradition, explaining the splitting of the sea as explicitly performed through the mystical power of the 72-letter Name.

As explained in the Ḥassidic thought (especially, Chabad), on a spiritual level, the splitting of the sea amounted to the transition from Alma d’Iskassia (“Hidden World”) to Alma d’Isgalia (the revealed world). In the language of the Lurianic Kabbalah, these two worlds are personified by two partzufim—partzuf Leah and partzuf Rachel.

As mentioned above, the Ari identifies Urim ve-Tumim with this two partzufim—partzuf Leah and Partzuf Rachel. Now we can understand why the 72-Name was a necessary part of Urim ve-Tumim. Just as during the splitting of the sea, this divine name effectuated the transition from the hidden world (Alma d’Iskassia) to the revealed world (Alma d’Isgalia), so too here, this name brought about the revelation of the personal prophecy of the Kohen Gadol into the open for all to see in the illuminated stones of the Ḥoshen. In both instances, the miracle is not a purely unilateral act by G‑d; rather, it involves an active human participant: Moses at the Sea raises his staff and actively employs the Divine Name, and the High Priest actively poses a question, invoking prophetic intuition, then displays the divine answer publicly through illuminated letters.

Moreover, in my earlier essay, “Collapse and Revelation,”^[10] I drew a parallel between the splitting of the sea and the collapse of the wave function, which is also a revelation of hidden possibilities in manifest reality. This connection through a quantum-mechanical metaphor opens up a new and unexpected parallel between Urim and Thummim and the splitting of the sea. This parallel represents a rich, unexplored avenue for further mystical and philosophical analysis.

7.   Creation of the World

This section argues that the 72-letter Name was also central to the very act of Creation, thus broadening the cosmic significance of Urim and Thummim’s “wavefunction collapse” analogy.

It gets even deeper. Midrash Tanḥuma says:

That great and holy Name, containing seventy-two letters, with which the heavens and earth were created.^[11]

The Zohar states:

By means of the seventy-two Names, the world was created…^[12]

The Zohar here emphasizes explicitly that the 72-letter Name, derived from the verses preceding the splitting of the Sea (Exodus 14:19–21), is not merely associated with miraculous events like splitting the sea but is fundamentally the same divine mechanism through which the entire creation came into existence.

Rabbeinu Baḥya, Sefer Recanati, and Rabbi Chaim Vital^[13] (on Exodus 14:21) explicitly reference the 72-letter Name as the Name used at Creation and by Moses at the sea. In the Ḥassidic thought, this idea is echoed by such Ḥassidic masters as Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov, Bnei Yissachar,^[14] Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (Alter Rebbe),^[15] and Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev.^[16]

In my paper, “Towards Reconciliation of Biblical and Cosmological Ages of the Universe,”^[17] I argued that, prior to the first humans, the world existed in proto-physical form as an evolution of the universal wave function. I further argued that the first humans, biblical Adam and Eve, acting as participating observers, collapsed the universal wave function, bringing the world into tangible physical existence. Here, we see an incredible parallel between the Urim and Thummim and the creation of the world. In both cases, we have a wave function describing the hidden world of possibilities (the universal wave function or the illuminated stones of the Ḥoshen) and human participating observers (Adam and Eve in the story of Creation or Aaron the High Priest in the narrative of Urim and Thummim).

Universal Wave Function before the first humans ↔ illuminated stones of the Ḥoshen with their hidden message ↔ Quantum-mechanical Wave Function

Adam and Eve ↔ Aaron the High Priest ↔ participating observer in QM

8.   Existence of the World

We further develop the idea that conscious observation continually “collapses” reality into being, paralleling how Urim and Thummim sustain a divine-human collaboration that brings prophecy to fruition.

Another Zoharic quote reveals yet another dimension of the parallel. The Zohar states:

Know that the world was created through the seventy-two Names, and through them the world continues to exist…^[18]

This passage not only asserts that the seventy-two three-letter names created the world but also sustains its existence. What does this mean?

Let us recall that the world exists as a wave function—an infinite plurality of possibilities. The conscious human observers continuously collapse the world’s wave function, bringing reality into existence. Thus, John Archibald Wheeler said that a quantum observer is a “participating observer” who creates reality by the act of observation.

Indeed, the Torah states:

And G‑d blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because on it G‑d ceased from all the work of creation that He had done. (Genesis 2:3)

This is the traditional translation from NJPS. However, this is not the literal translation. The original verse reads in Hebrew:

 וַיְבָ֤רֶךְ אֱ־לֹהִים֙ אֶת־יֹ֣ום הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֹתֹ֑ו כִּ֣י בֹ֤ו שָׁבַת֙ מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתֹּ֔ו אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֥א אֱ־לֹהִ֖ים לַעֲשֹֽׂות

It should be literally translated as follows:

And G‑d blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because on it G‑d ceased from all the work which He created to do.

This translation begs the question, what does it mean that G‑d created all his works “to do”? To do by whom? The answer is, by us, humans. Just as in the beginning of Creation, G‑d created the world as a wave function, and, by collapsing this wave function, the first humans completed the Creation, bringing it into tangible existence, so too now, G‑d continues to create the world as the wave function. Human conscious beings continue to bring this world into existence, completing the creation by collapsing the wave function merely by observing the world as participatory observers.

Accordingly, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, said, “The knowledge of the observer creates the reality in the object.”^[19]

This completes the puzzle of Urim and Thummim.

9.   Broader Implications for Prophecy

Finally, we explore how framing Urim and Thummim in quantum terms redefines their prophecy as an active, participatory process—one that reshapes our understanding of human agency in divine revelation.

Urim and Thummim are traditionally considered the lowest form of prophecy below bat kol (“heavenly voice”) and ruach ha-kodesh (lit. “holy spirit” or “divine insight”). What has emerged from our analysis is that Urim and Thummim is not the lowest but a very different form of prophecy. Whereas other prophecy is passive, with the prophet acting as a passive transmitter of the divine message, Urim and Thummim prophecy is an active, dynamic, interactive process where the High Priest, having received his answer prophetically, collapses the infinite plurality of possible interpretations of illuminated letters on the stones of the Ḥoshen into the phrase validating his personal prophetic revelation.

Furthermore, in our analysis, Kohen Gadol emerges elevated from the secondary role of a passive interpreter of the divine message displayed on flickering stones of the Ḥoshen to an exalted position of the prophet playing the leading role, who received the answer to his question directly from G‑d in a form of personal prophecy to be validated by the public display of the illuminated stones of the Ḥoshen.

Such an understanding encourages further exploration of how human agency, spiritual discipline, and interpretative depth can influence the prophetic message, paralleling the quantum observer’s influence on reality.

Conclusion

Urim and Thummim exemplify a unique model of divine-human interaction, vividly illustrated through the quantum mechanical metaphor of wave function collapse. Just as quantum reality emerges when observed, the prophetic revelation of Urim and Thummim emerges clearly through the interplay between the divinely inspired consciousness of the High Priest and the Ḥoshen. The parallels between Urim and Thummim, the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, and the creation of the world elevate their significance from a mysterious oracle to a profound model of Creation and the continued existence of the universe.

This reframing carries significant theological implications. Rather than understanding the Urim and Thummim as mere tools for divination—objects that passively transmit divine messages—we now recognize them as components in an active, participatory process. The High Priest does not simply receive messages; he participates in their creation through his consciousness and divine inspiration. This model resonates with the kabbalistic concept of human partnership in ongoing creation (shutafut ba-briah) and suggests that the prophecy of Urim and Thummim is not a unidirectional transmission but a collaborative emergence.

The dual nature of Urim and Thummim—as both “Lights” and “Perfections”—takes on a deeper significance in this interpretation. The “Lights” (Urim) represent the illumination of multiple possibilities, the quantum superposition of potential meanings, while “Perfections” (Thummim) denote the completion or actualization of one specific message through the High Priest’s inspired consciousness. This duality mirrors the duality fundamental to quantum physics, where reality exhibits a superposition of states (multiple possibilities) and concrete (specific actualities) properties depending on how it is observed.

This model also offers a new perspective on the progression of Jewish mystical thought. The divine names associated with Urim and Thummim—the 42-letter and 72-letter Names—appear throughout Jewish tradition at moments of transformation and revelation. Their presence in both Creation narratives and the splitting of the Sea suggests a consistent divine mechanism for bringing potential realities into manifest existence. The use by the High Priest of these same Names in the Urim and Thummim connects this seemingly specialized oracular function to the cosmic processes that sustain existence itself.

Furthermore, this interpretation invites us to reconsider the nature of human agency in relation to divine revelation. If the High Priest actively participates in the manifestation of prophecy through Urim and Thummim, rather than passively receiving it, this suggests a more empowered view of human consciousness in dialogue with the divine. The participating observers in quantum mechanics do not simply witness reality; they co-create it. Similarly, the High Priest does not merely witness divine messages; he participates in their emergence into communicable form.

In practical terms, this understanding may offer insight into other forms of divine-human communication in Jewish tradition. Prayer, Torah study, and mystical meditation could be understood not merely as human attempts to connect with a distant divinity, but as participatory processes that actively engage with the divine presence (Shekhinah) in ways that “collapse” potential spiritual realities into lived experience.

This fusion of ancient mystical tradition with modern quantum theory enriches our understanding of prophecy, inviting deeper contemplation of the profound interconnectedness between humanity and the divine. It suggests that consciousness itself—particularly consciousness directed toward the divine—plays a fundamental role in how spiritual reality manifests in our world. The legacy of Urim and Thummim, though they no longer physically exist, lives on in this profound model of participatory revelation, offering a template for understanding the ongoing collaboration between human consciousness and divine presence in continually bringing the world into being.

Endnotes

[i] After one recites this name, one finishes with בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד (Blessed be the name of Your glorious kingdom forever and ever).

[ii] Although it is often called the 72-letter Name, in actuality, it is seventy-two three-letter names.

References

[1] The Hebrew word “urim” is the plural form of the word “ohr” (light). Thus, urim is translated as “lights.” The “tumim” is believed to derived from the root ת.מ.ם‎ (t-m-m) “innocent” or “perfect.” Hence the usual English translation as the Lights and Perfections or Lights and Truth. The latter translation was popularized in its Latin form, Lux et Veritas, as a moto on the coat of arms of Yale University and several other universities.

[2] Rabbi Menaḥem Recanati (13th–14th century), Torah commentary of Exodus 28:30. Recanati discusses Kabbalistic traditions regarding the letters and names placed in the breastplate (ḥoshen). He indicates that the Urim ve-Tumim involved not a single divine name, but a combination of the “great” names, including the 42-letter and 72-letter names. In his commentary to Exodus 28:30, Rabbi Yaakov ben Asher (c. 1270–1340), known as the Ba‘al HaTurim, echoes earlier Kabbalistic teachings (e.g., Ramban, Recanati) that the Urim ve-Tumiminvolved special Divine Names placed inside the ḥoshen. Many later commentators cite Ba‘al HaTurim as corroborating the view that the 42-Letter Name (“Ana B’Ko’ach”) and the Name Ayin Bet (72) from the splitting of the Sea (Exodus 14:19–21) were crucial to how the breastplate could “illuminate” (אוּרִים) and “perfect” (תֻּמִּים) the prophetic messages. Sefer HaRecanati is often cited by later mystics, e.g., Rabbi Moshe Cordovero (Ramak), Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz, and others of the 16th-century Safed circle, who quote or expand on Recanati’s association of the two major names with the Urim ve-Tumim.

[3] Rabbeinu Baḥya ben Asher (13th–14th century), Torah commentary of Exodus 28:30. Rabbeinu Baḥya (student of the Rashba and influenced by Ramban) likewise draws on mystical teachings to note that there were multiple names—the 42-letter name being one and the 72 three-letter names (from the verses in Exodus 14:19–21) being another—that were placed inside the fold of the ḥoshen.

[4] Rabbi Shmuel Vital (17th century), R. Ḥayim Vital’s son, who edited and organized much of his father’s notes, also references the notion that the Ḥoshen contained a confluence of “the principal Divine Names,” among them the 42- and 72-letter Names. These teachings appear in certain printings of Sha’ar ha-Pesukim or Sefer ha-Liḳutim, where the verses on the Ḥoshen are expounded according to the teaching of the Ari. Rabbi Shalom Sharabi (the Rashash, d. 1777) and others who composed marginal glosses or commentaries on Lurianic texts continued to transmit the idea that the Urim ve-Tumim were inextricably bound up with these two great Names. While they may not always name them as “42” and “72” in the text’s plain sense, subsequent footnotes and commentaries clarify the association.

[5] Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz (early 17th century). Shela repeats this link between the 42-letter name, 72-letter name, and the mystical function of the breastplate inscriptions.

[6] For extensive discussions of the 42‐ and 72‐Letter Names in a practical–mystical (kabbalistic) context is Kav ha-Yashar, authored by Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Kaidanover (d. 1712).

[7] Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Klei HaMikdash (Laws of the Temple Vessels), chapter 10, halachot 7–11.

[8] Midrash Tanḥuma, Beshalaḥ, Ch. 10.

[9] Zohar Parashat Beshalach, Vol. II, 51b–52a.

[10] Alexander Poltorak, “Collapse and Revelation,” QuantumTorah.com, January 29th, 2021, (https://quantumtorah.com/collapse-and-revelation/).

[11] Midrash Tanḥuma, Beshalaḥ 10.

[12] Zohar, Beshalach, II:51b.

[13] Kitvei Arizal, Sha’ar HaPesukim, Parashat Beshalaḥ.

[14] Bnei Yissachar, Ma’amarei Nissan, Ma’amar 8:4.

[15] Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (Alter Rebbe), Torah Or, Parashat Beshalach.

[16] Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, Kedushat Levi, Parashat Beshalach.

[17] Alexander Poltorak, “Towards Reconciliation of Biblical and Cosmological Ages of the Universe,” Presented at the Third Miami International Conference on Torah & Science in Dec. of 1999 and published in B’Or HaTorah, 13 (2002) p. 19. See also online at https://quantumtorah.com/towards-reconciliation-of-biblical-and-cosmological-ages-of-the-universe/.

[18] Zohar, Pinchas II:234b.

[19] Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, Likutei Sichos, Vol. 28, page 63.