שמות, פרק כ״ח, פסוק כ״ה

Connecting the Breastpiece to the Ephod marks a central stage in crafting the garments of the High Priest. This process links the upper sections of these two items, ensuring the Breastpiece hangs securely across his chest.

The connection relies on gold chains, though commentators differ on exactly how they were attached. One view suggests that one end of each chain was already fastened to the Breastpiece, while the remaining loose end was tied to the Ephod [קאסוטו, העמק דבר]. The primary approach among commentators, however, argues that the chains were doubled. In this method, each chain was threaded through a ring on the Breastpiece and folded in half, meaning both ends of a single chain were ultimately attached together to the Ephod [רש״י, ביאור יש״ר, ברכת אשר].

These chains were fastened to gold settings, revealing the true practical purpose of these decorative frames. The chains were inserted directly into the holes of the settings, with the right chain going to the right setting and the left to the left [רש״י, חזקוני, קאסוטו]. The shoulder pieces of the Ephod were designed to come up from the back, fold over the shoulders, and hang slightly downward over the front of the chest. Positioned here, the settings firmly supported the Breastpiece from above, preventing it from drooping or falling [רש״י, חזקוני, שטיינזלץ].

The final placement of these settings was directed to be toward the "front," prompting a discussion about whose front is being referenced. One perspective maintains that this refers to the front of the Ephod itself. The settings had to be attached to the visible, outward-facing side of the shoulder straps, rather than the inner side resting against the High Priest's robe, because a hidden side cannot logically be called a "face" [רש״י, הדר זקנים, שפתי חכמים, ביאור יש״ר]. Furthermore, if the instruction referred to the High Priest's face, it would be a redundant detail, as the shoulder straps naturally rested on the front of his body anyway [מזרחי]. Conversely, a second approach argues that the instruction does indeed refer to the face of the High Priest. According to this view, the settings were not to be placed near the back of the neck. Instead, they had to be fixed on the front portion of the shoulder straps, close to the High Priest's neck and face, ensuring the Breastpiece was positioned exactly in front of him [העמק דבר, חזקוני, שטיינזלץ].