What does Yale and Paulo Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist’ have in common?
It's not what you might think
How many of you have indeed studied Yale’s coat of arms and read Paulo Coelho’s novel ‘The Alchemist’? Not many I hope. Yale was founded in 1701 whilst The Alchemist was penned in 1988. A little bit of a disparate chronology you may be thinking. However, there is one even older Hebrew phrase that is indirectly shared by the two.
That phrase being:
‘Urim Ve Thummim’ / אורים ותמים
The description of the Hebrew high priest’s clothing in the Book of Exodus portrays Urim and Thummim as being put into the sacred breastplate, worn by he — in Hebrew, the Kohen Gadol. Holy prophets such as the high priest used the stones as an intermediary to God. Where non-prophets are portrayed asking God for guidance, and the advice is not described as given by visions, scholars believe that Urim and Thummim were the medium implied, providing them with ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers. According to classical rabbinical literature, in order for the Urim and Thummim to give an answer, it was first necessary for the individual to stand facing the fully dressed high priest, and vocalise the question briefly and in a simple way, though it was not necessary for it to be loud enough for anyone else to hear it. Despite their apparent archaic and theological nature, the notion of ‘Urim and Thummim’ has found its way into modern commonplace, well outside the bounds of religious scholarship.
First, Yale’s tale of Urim and Thummim revolves around the peculiar relationship between a travelling Rabbi and a Christian Theologian. Few Americans have heard of Rabbi Haim Isaac Carigal, but his lasting impact on the institution is still evident today. Whilst not officially confirmed, it is likely that Carigal’s relationship with Yale’s Seventh president, Reverend Ezra Stiles, had an influence on the permanence and perpetuation of the university motto ‘Urim Ve Thummim’ — which translates to ‘Lux et Veritas’ in Latin and ‘Light and Truth’ in English.
During Carigal’s roughly 6 month stay in Newport, he founded a remarkable and enduring friendship with Stiles — in which they would discuss at length Jewish history and Stiles be tutored in Hebrew. This was largely due to the fact that upper class, educated Christians like him assumed that an accurate reading of the Old Testament was best done in its original language. Stiles went on to become the President of Yale and its first Semitics professor. During his time as President of Yale, he obliged all first year students to study Hebrew and even delivered orations in the language. Yale, he said, “insisted that its college offered the essentials of proper learning: the ‘light’ of a liberal education and the ‘truth’ of an old New England religious tradition.” This, being the motto that still sits on the emblem today.
Whilst scholars such as Yale’s Dan Oren points out, there is documented use of the Hebrew motto prior to Stile’s appointment as university president — including on his own Masters degree diploma in 1749. However, it is unclear as to whether it had yet become an official motto or whether it would continue to be used. Either way, it is reasonable to infer that Stiles’ affinity for Semitic academia cemented the motto for future generations.
On the other hand, Paulo Coelho’s best selling novel ‘The Alchemist’ describes Urim and Thummim as fortune telling stones that the old King Melchizedek (Eponym of the Biblical King) gives to the young Andalusian protagonist Santiago. The stones are black and white, with their colours representing ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers to questions — requiring Santiago to ask only objective questions. Santiago carries the stones with him throughout the novel, but never uses them, having promised to “make his own decisions”. The constant presence of Urim and Thummim thus also represents part of humanity’s aversion to existential self discovery in the hope of a divine will. His abstinence from the stones’ powers follow his belief that the greatest lie in the world, as stated by Melchizedek, is that ‘humans don’t control their fates’. When Santiago finds his purpose by following his personal convictions, Coelho underscores one of his main takeaways from the seminal work: that “life is generous to those who chase their legend”.
And so, two relatively unknown words from an archaic text have influenced eminent academic endeavours of the modern day.
Although some scholars translate Urim and Thumim as something like “guilty” or “innocent”. This form of divination is like a game of “20 Questions” where you are only able to ask yes or no questions. Obviously the high priest was the only one able to access the magic stones ! Power and control.
Modern physics shows us that free will is an impossibility. Quantum fluctuations make our lives and thoughts deterministic, but non-predictable.
We think and behave “as if” we have free will and agency. That’s enough for me.
“Man can do what he wills but he cannot will what he wills”- Schopenhauer.