Stones, Colors, Tribes and the Zodiac

Marc Chagall created 12 painted windows at The Synagogue of the Hadassah Medical Center in 1962. The Windows represent the 12 Tribes of Israel, arranged in FOUR groups of three, and the choice of colors was inspired by the description of the breastplate of the High Priest in Exodus 28:17-21.

Picture is courtesy of “tevnin” From Flickr

In his book  (De Vita Mosis  3, 209) Philo (20-50 C.E.) interpreted the names on the 12 stones of the high priest as the signs of the zodiac.

Josephus Flavius (37-100 C.E.) gave a similar explanation to the 12 stones in his book  (Antiquities of the Jews Vo 3 chapter 7)

The stones were placed in FOUR rows like the zodiac signs which are arranged in FOUR groups according to the four elements: earth water fire and air.

The translation of the names of the stones from Hebre

w to English has many variations. Here’s one:

Ruby- Reuven

Topaz - Shimon

Emerald - Levi

Turquoise - Yehuda

Lapis Lazuli - Yissachar

Quartz - Zevulun

Jacinth - Dan

Agate - Naphtali

Amethyst- Gad

Chrysolite -Asher

Onyx - Yosef

Jasper - Binyamin

Now, since each stone had a different color the comparison between a certain stone and a certain tribe was also a comparison between a certain color

and a certain tribe.

The colors of the 12 tribes according to Sefer HaTodaah of Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov:

Red: Reuven

Green: Shimon

White/Black/red: Levi

Blue: Yehuda

Dark Gray: Yissachar

White: Zevulun

Sapphire Dan

Light Red: Naphtali

Light Gray: Gad

Not specified: Asher

Black: Yosef

All the colors: Binyamin

Picture of The Jewish High Priest with the 12 stones is courtesy of Hayim Shtayer from Haifa, Israel and this item is part of his collection

The following stones are associated with Scorpio: ruby, topaz, rhodonite, rhodocrosite, sodalite, bloodstone, beryl, apache tear, aqua aura, azurite-malachite