5. Therational
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THERATIONAL
28: 15-16 And you shall make the rational of judgement with embroidery work of many colours; like the weaving of the superhumerale, it shall be of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen. It shall be square and doubled; it shall be the measure of a span in length and also in width. By 'embroidery work of many colours' it means 'embroidery work of various colours'. Now just as the perfection of works is expressed in the superhumerale, so is the purity of the priest's heart and thoughts expressed in the rational of judgement, with which his breast was both protected and adorned.
The rational of judgement properly follows after the superhumede, so that whenever it appears to humans that one is innocent in the work of one's hands, one will strive that much more to be pure in heart when one stands in the sight of the Supreme Judge, resolving with all industriousness that whatever one does or decides outwardly towards one's neighbours will shine forth in complete accordance with the standard of inner reason, and be pleasing to one's Maker. Moreover, the priest is commanded to bear the rational of judgement upon his breast because the ruler should always discern goodfi.om evil with careful examination, and studiously consider what is suitable, for whom, when, and in what manner.
(1031 Now the rational was made doubled so that it could bear the weight of the stones more easily. But the doubling of th~s vestment on the breast of the priest of the law admonishes us by means of a type that it is the invisible
Judge within who proves the reasonableness of our examination, and external human estimation is never right to despise it. Or perhaps we bear the rational of judgement twofold upon the breast when those thmgs that we say or think concerning the true faith and the invisible life are firmly established upon reason, and those things that we do visibly, or decide that we ought to do, are proved to have been weighed with the balanced judgement of just discretion.
Now the fact that [the rational] was the measure of a span on all four sides indicates the indefatigable and constant effort of pious intention. For anyone who measures something by the span [of a palm] surely makes a great effort to stretch out the hand with the fingers spread apart, so that it will be possible to determine the desired measure properly and without any trace of doubt. Hence, just as active work is expressed by the hand, so does
1 Gregory the Great, Reg. past 2, 2 (SC 381: 178, 28-31). On Gregory's use of the term rector ('ruler') to designate one who bears ecclesiastical authority (specifically, a bishop), see
Markus (1986)
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the span [of a palm] rightly express the same unbending stretching out for good works, as long as one is eager to spread out one's right hand toward eveIy possible adornment of virtue. And the same rational is properly commanded to be the measure of a span in length and also in width, because whether a priest is raising his mind's desire toward the length of eternal life or inclining his affection to the breadth of charity evident in concern for the neighbour, his priestly heart must never be sluggish or slothful in any way whatsoever, but must always stretch out with ardent zeal to grasp the prize ofthe heavenly calling of God in Christ Jesus.'
28:17-21 And you shall set in [the rational] four rows of stones. In the first row there shall be a sardius stone, and a topaz, and an emerald; in the second a carbuncle, a sapphire, and a jasper; in the third a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst; in the fourth a chrysolite, an onyx, and a beryl. They shall be set in gold according to their rows, and they shall have the names of the sons of Israel; with twelve names shall they be engraved, each stone with the name of one of the twelve tribes. This setting of the diverse gems in the rational designates the manifold grace of the various virtues which should always appear in the heart of a priest, arranged in harmonious succession2 Now each one of the stones is inscribed with the name of one of the fathers when the ruler searches out the life of the saints by careful investigation, considering how they are adorned with many works of virtues, and when he is eager to gather them all together in the hidden recesses of his breast by meditating on thcm, and to bring them forth by putting them into action3 ( l o l l For not without aparticular sacramental reason were these twovestments encircled with precious stones and marked with the names of the fathers in such a way that the names on the superhumerale were inscribed on two stones of exactly the same kind, but the twelve names on the rational were inscribed on stones of diverse kinds. That [the names of] the fathers were cawed on precious stones of exactly the same kind clearly signifies that the hearts of all the fathers are filled with one and the same faith in God. the 1 Phil. 3: 14
2 Bede had also interpreted gems as representative of diverse virtues in the earliest of his biblical commentaries, where he commented on the jewels that form the foundations of the holy city in Rev. 21:19-20; cf. InApoc. 3, 21 (PL 93: 1979-2038). especially the reference to the stones on the high priest's rational (203A). For Bede's sources in that passage, see Kitson
(1983). Eight of the twelve stones in the rational of Exod. 28: 1720 are also mentioned in Rev.
21:19-20, and Bede may have considered it unnecessary to expound the meaning of the individual stones here since he had already done so at considerable length in the earlier commentary.
3 Gregory the Great, Reg. pmr. 2, 2 (SC 381: 178,22-8)
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vety same charity, and a common hope of heavenly life; but that they were written on stones of diverse kinds figuratively indxates that when the aforesaid faith, hope and chanty of the saints have been well established, they will shine with a manifold and varied grace of good works.
Now on the rational there were four rows, and each of them consisted of three stones. What is being suggested to us by means of a type, except that we ought to hold fast to unfeigned faith in the Holy Trinity by [exercising] what are known as the four principal virtues? For surely the priest has four rows of gems on his breast when everything that he thinks has been made circumspect by prudence, constant b fortitude, excellent by justice, and free from every evil by temperance. But the rows also have three gems when the same prudence, fortitude, justice, and temperance have been sanctified by faith in the Holy Trinity. Since our life in the present time consists of right faith and action, the priest aptly bears four rows of gems on his breast, so that he may be distinguished in his action, and there are three gems in each row, so that along with his works he may be pure in the sincerity of his faith As a result, to everyone who sees him he will always exhibit both the confession of a true faith and the examples of good action, so that by imitating lus right faithandaction they may themselves also merit to be made members of the High Priest.
Y In the variegated beauty of the stones, we are certainly able to apprehend not only the multiform brilliance of the priest's action and thought, but also the charisms of spiritual virtue and the miracles of healing. Conccming then the Lord himself says to his apostles, 'Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out detnons, l2 and again, 'And these signs will follow those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt thetn. But whether they designate the one or the otherorboth, rightly is twelve the number [of stones] that is commanded to be made on the rational, so that we may learn that the deeds and miracles of those who follow in the unity of apostolic faith and charity are the only ones accepted by God. There may be others who speak in tongues; there may be othcrs who distribute all their property to the poor, there may be others who hand over their bodies to be burned; gut if they do not have the unity of catholic charity, it profits them notlung.
[I 051 1 Jerome,Ep. 64, 20, 3 (CSEL 54: 611, 10-12) 2 Man. 10:s 4 1 Cor. 13:l-4 3 Mark 16117-18
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Rightly also were the two onyx stones on the superhumerale engraved with [the names of] the same number of twelve fathers, so that they might signify that the doctrine and faith of the apostles would be for the benefit of both peoples, that is, Jews and Gentiles. This accords with that which the Lord promises openly to the spiritual Jerusalem (that is, to his Church) when he says, 'For you will make your way to the right and to the IeJ, and your descendants will inherit the nations. J
Now since onyx is alleged to be red in colour (that is to say, sparkling like fire and encircled with white bands2), who does not see that it designates either the ardour of chanty or the light of knowledge, accompanied by the band of chastity? The priest wears the names of the fathers inscribed on stones of this sort whenever he is following afte? the righteous who have gone before by devoting continual zeal to charity, chastity, humility in teaching, and other works of virtue. And [he wears] them on both shoulders so that anyone who is presenf whether Jew or Gentile, may regard in the teacher that brilliance of truth and piety through which [the observer] also will advance to better things.
28:22-5 And on the rational you shall make chains linked to one another, of the purest gold, and two rings of gold, which you shall put at the top of the rational, on either side; and the golden chains you shall join to the rings that are on its edges. And the ends of the chains themselves shall be joined together with the two hooks on either side of the superhumerale, which is facing towards the rational. This was the design of the work, as far as we can make it out: there were two hooks placed at the two comers at the top of the superhumerale, and there were two rings opposite them, on the two comers at the top of the rational,frorn which hung the two golden chains.4 When it was time [for the priest] to get dressed, these [chains] were inserted into the hooks thatprotrudedfrorn the edges ofthe superhumerale-as it is written more clearly later o n i n such a way that the superhumerale and the rational were bound together.' Up to h s point the upper connection of these [two vestments] has been described; now there follows what Scripture adds concerning the lower
[connection], which was underneath the armpits:
28:26 You shall also make two rings of gold, which you shall put on the top parts of the rational, and on the borders that are opposite the 1 Isa. 54:3
2 Isidore, Efymol. 16, 8,3 (ed. Lindsay, vol. 2) 3 ersecutus, a well-attested MS variant for apectatus, 'eagerly awaited'
4 Exod. 39:17
5 Exod. 39:17-18
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(1061 superhumerale and look toward its back. When it says, and on the borders that are opposite the superhumerale, this does not mean 'on the borders of the superhumerale', but rather 'on the borders of that other thing, which are opposite the superhumerale'4hat is, on the borders of the rational, whch are obviously the borders opposite the superhumerale. For opposite those rings that were on the highest and lowest edges of the rational therc were other similar rings also on both sides of the superhumerale, to which they were joined by binding ribbons. Concerning these [other rings] then: is subsequently added:
28:27 And also another two rings of gold, which are to be put underneath, on each side of the superhumerale, that faces toward the lower joining, so that it may be fitted with the superhumerale. It says, that faces toward the lower joining, because it had already spoken about the upper joining which was above the shoulders. It is clear that the difference between these joinings was that the upper one was fashioned with little chains, but the lower one with binding ribbons. Hence there is openly added:
28:28 And the rational shall be fastened by its rings to the rings of the superhumerale with a blue ribbon, so that the fabricated joining may be maintained, and the rational and the superhumerale may not be separated from one another. Now we must not suppose that both garments came to an end at the same point. The rational, whxh measured a span in length as also in width, was just barely long enough to cover the chest, but the superhumede reached all the way to the girdle,' as is shown much more clearly later on, where it is written: They niet each other both in fiont and behind; in this way the superhumerale and the rational were bound together, being fastened to the sash and securely connected with rings which were joined with a blue ribbon, lest they should slip loose and be moved away from one another.
These things were spoken according to the letter concerning the connection of the superhumerale and the rational. But since, as we have said more than once, the superhumerale pertains to the consummation of good works and the rational signifies purity of thought, the connection that unites them to each another rightly indicates figuratively that industriousness of mind with which the understanding and the faith of faithful teachers is joined together with action. For the fabricated joining is maintained, SO that the ~~ 1 'girdle' = cingulurn; following the example of the text of Exodus, Bede uses this term
2 Exod. 39:18-19 interchangeably with balfeus = 'sash'.
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rational and the superhumerale may not be separated from one another, because the ruler excels just as much in lus eruditon as in his zeal for works, so that nothing that he knows he ought to do will be lcft unfinished, and nothing that he seems to be doing rightly will be deprived of the excellence of its rectitude due to his carelessness of heart. Surely the garments of the high priest fall down and are moved away from one another if an inferior custody over the heart defiles the beauty of good work, or if the integrity of perfect action does not follow the chastity of pure thought.
In order to keep them from being separated from each another, the pncst has on the rational two little chains of the purest gold; that is to say, he has the continuation of pure and unfeigned love fixed firmly in his heart, and it never allows his hand or his tongue to be out of conformity with pure reason.
[I 071 It is appropriate that there are two [of these little chains], so that he may advance properly in both the observance of divine service and the relief of the needs of the brethren. And the work of chanty is aptly expressed by little golden c b n s , because just as one little chain is woven from many golden strands, so is charity perfected from the exercise of many different virtues. Assuredly, the Apostle describes these strands when he says,
Charity is patient; it is kind; charity is not envious or$alse or pufled up; it is not ambitious; it does not seek its OMW advantage; it is not provoked to anger; it does not think evil; it does not rejoice over injustice, hut rejoices in the truth, and so forth.
Let [the priest] also have rings of gold from which those chains may hang; that is, let him have the perpetual memory of eternal and ncvcrcnding brightness in the heavenly homeland, for it is only by means of th~s memory that continuous bonds of chanty are able to remain in us. Let him have two hooks protruding out from the comers of the superhumerale, into which the chains may be inseried; that is, in the very beginning of every good action let him have a firm intentionof pleasing God, which is ready to be supported and held together in everydung by the love of God and neighbour in such a way that whatever may occur, whether good fortune or bad, the most salutary bond of pious devotion may never be undone. For surely this is what it means for the priest to have on both shoulders hooks that receive the little cham of the rational: for him to be zealously fixed on pleasing
God in prosperous and adverse circumstances alike, and for him to be strengthened in this zealous intention by love for [God] himself, and for the neighbour as well. Accordingly, the hooksof the superhumerale are insertcd into the little golden cham that are brought over from the top parts of the rational when as soon as the rational mind tastes something according to 1 1 Cor. 13:4-6
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the inner light of charity, eagerness to do good works willingly embraces it and takes it up; otherwise, before very long the most beautiful garment of the rational accidentally slides away from the priest's breast, unless the hook of good work to hold it together hastens to grasp it.
The two garments of the priest must also be joined together by blue ribbons that must be put into place to assist the little chains; that is, the superhumerale and the rationale are tied together by very strong bands of heavenly desire which are put into the golden rings. Tlus is the case when, having perceived the light of the eternal homeland, we sigh for that ineffable glory and, so that we may be deemed worthy to enter therein, strive to serve the Lord in the tabernacle of the present Church in such a way that our faith is always in harmony with our life, and our work with our profession.
Farther on, when the priest is being dressed, it is indicated more clearly that the superhumerale was drawn together by a sash, for it says, And over it he put the humerale, and drawing it tight with the sash, heJtted it to the rational. Who does not see that the guardian of good works is continence?
Concerning that most faithful virtue, the Lord also says in the gospel, 'Let your loins be girded and letyour lamps be burning, ' which is to say, 'Let your loins be girded through continence and let your lamps be burning through the exercise of virtue^.'^ 28:29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the rational of judgement upon his breast when he goes into the sanctuary, as a memorial before the Lord for ever. It is indeed always necessary for the priest to cany the memory of the fathers within his breast, but most especially at the time when he is going up to the altar to minister before the Lord. In that place where the ministry is more sacred, he should heed the examples of the saints that much more diligently, by cleansing himselfwith all zeal and adorning himself with all industriousness of mind and body, so that by proving to be an assiduous imitator of those [examples] he may show himself fit for divine eyes. Moreover, Aaron carries the names of the sons of Israel upon lus breast as a memorial before the Lord for ever when every faithful leader never ceases to be concerned for those over whom he has been appointed, but is continually eager to strengthen their life by exhorting, reproving, and consoling them, and to commend them to the Lord with frequent prayers, that they may be strengthened and protected.
1 Lev. 8:7-8 2 Luke 12:35
3 Gregory the Great, Horn. in evung. 13, 1 (PL 76: 1123D-1124A); cf. Ekde, In Luc. 4
(CCSL 120: 256,992-5)