Question: Why were the Urim v'Tumim called so?

Answer: They are Me'ir (illuminate) for Yisrael, and Tumim, that they make the path in front of them corresponding to them (perhaps it is as if Matimim were spelled with an Aleph - PF);

At a time when Yisrael were pure, [the Urim v'Tumim] directed them on the [proper] path, for so we find that it falsified (gave the wrong) counsel for them at Geva in [the war against] Binyamin.

R. Yehudah: Heaven forbid, it did not falsify for them at Geva in Binyamin! Initially (the first two times), it said "ascend'' (fight), and it did not say "I will give [victory] to you'', and the second (really, third) time [they asked] it said "ascend'', and it said "I will give it to you.''

We do not ask two questions at once. If they asked, some say that it answers the first, and does not answer the second, and some say that it answers the second, and does not answer the first, and some say that it does not answer the first, and not the second.

The one who says that it answers the first, and does not answer the second, learns from "va'Yomer David Hash-m Elokei Yisrael... ha'Yasgireni Ba'alei Ke'ilah b‎'Yado... ha'Yered Sha'ul'';

David did not ask properly. He needed to ask [first] will Shmuel descend, and if he will descend [then ask] will people of Ke'ilah hand me over to him. (It answered only "Yered'', i.e. to what he should have asked first).

The one who says that it answers the second, and does not answer the first, learns from "va'Yomer David... ha'Yasgireni Ba'alei Ke'ilah Osi...'' (It answered only the second question that he asked.)

The one who says that it does not answer the first, and not the second [learns from a different episode -] "va'Yish'al David ba'Shem Leimor Erdof Acharei ha'Gedud ha'Zeh ha'Asigenu'';

[Initially he was not answered, therefore] David requested mercy - "Hash-m Elokei Yisrael Haged Na l'Avdecha.''

Proof: [We must say he requested mercy, for] he asked two questions, and received three answers - "va'Yomer Lo Redof Ki Haseg Tasig v'Hatzel Tatzil.''

Some teach that [the Kohen Gadol] heard a voice, and some teach that the writing (letters on Avnei ha'Choshen) stuck out.

The one who says that he heard a voice, this is fine, for it says "va'Yishma Es ha'Kol'' (only Moshe heard Hash-m. Also here, only the Kohen heard).

Question: The one who says that the writing stuck out, the letter Ches is not the names of the Shevatim, nor a Tzadi or Kuf! (What would happen if the proper answer had one of these letters?)

Answer: [Also the names] Avraham, Yitzchak and Yakov were written on [the stones].

Question: There is no Tes in the names of the Shevatim [or of the Avos]!

Answer: "Kol Eleh Shivtei Yisrael'' was engraved on them.