“The students of sublime wisdom now say that the Zodiac, the greatest of all the circles in Heaven, is studded with twelve animals from which it has derived its name. And that the Sun and the Moon are always revolving around it and go through each of the animals, not indeed with equal rapidity, but in unequal numbers and periods, the one doing so in 30 days and the other in as near as may be a twelfth part of that time. Therefore he who saw this Heaven-sent vision thought that he was being worshipped by eleven stars, ranking himself among them as the twelfth so as to complete the whole circle of the Zodiac.”

CHAPTER VI
THE STONES OF THE BREASTPLATE AND
THE ZODIAC

“Heaven’s golden alphabet—

And he that runs may read.”

Young.

The foregoing chapter dealing with the identification of the stones of the Breastplate has necessitated study and research, and the classification reproduced in the table following rests on a secure base. Many of the scholars of the past when endeavoring to render Hebrew stone names into our own language were hampered by a none too technical knowledge of the gems themselves, whilst many of the later writers were handicapped by lack of astrological knowledge so essential in a matter of this kind. This will be sufficient to explain the numerous contradictions regarding the identification and allotment of the famous stones by whose agency the psychic priests communicated with the angels of God.

It has already been explained in Chapter V why the tribal names do not agree with the signs of the Zodiac and the stones on which they were engraved. Some remarks of Philo Judaeus may with advantage be re-quoted here: In reference to the Breastplate he writes: "Then on his chest there are twelve precious stones of different colours, arranged in four rows of three stones in each row, being fashioned so as an emblem of the Zodiac. For the Zodiac also consists of twelve animals and so divides the four seasons of the year, allotting three animals to each season. And the whole place is very correctly called the Logeum since everything in Heaven has been created and arranged in accordance with right reason and proportion: for there is absolutely nothing there which is devoid of reason. And on the Logeum he embroiders two woven pieces of cloth, calling the one Manifestation and the other Truth. And by the one which he calls Truth he expresses figuratively that it is absolutely impossible for falsehood to enter any part of Heaven but that it is entirely banished to the parts around the Earth dwelling amongst the souls of impious men.

THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE BREASTPLATE.

Hebrew Name of StoneModern Name of StoneEquivalent Sign of Zodiac
1. OdemRed HaematiteAries
2. PitdahEmeraldTaurus
3. BarekethMarbleGemini
4. NofekChrysopraseCancer
5. ShohamSardonyxLeo
6. JashpehJasperVirgo
7. LeshamOpalLibra
8. SheboBanded AgateScorpio
9. AchlamahAmethystSagittarius
10. TharshishSerpentineCapricorn
11. SapirLapis LazuliAquarius
12. JaholomCrystalPisces
Name Engraved on StoneColourApproximate Date of Sun’s Entry into the Zodiacal Signs
1. ReubenRedMarch 21st
2. SimeonGreenApril 21st
3. LeviWhiteMay 22nd
4. JudahGreenJune 22nd
5. ZebulunRedJuly 23rd
6. IssacherMixedAugust 24th
7. DanWhite and PurpleSeptember 24th
8. GadBrownOctober 24th
9. AsherPurpleNovember 23rd
10. NaphtaliSea colourDecember 20th
11. JosephBlueJanuary 20th
12. BenjaminGlistening WhiteFebruary 19th

The Baraita of Samuel deals with astronomical and astrological philosophies, and in the 6th Chapter there is a detailed account of the instruction of scholars of Egypt on the original places of the planets and the zodiacal divisions. This Samuel was a physician and astrologer, and his remarks on the administration of medicines, the times for operations, etc., are much the same as those given in the best astrological treatises of today. He considers the last four days of the moon as an especially risky period for important operations. This Baraita of Samuel is a work of the 8th Century.