The Thumim Name
The Thumim name, as you might have guessed, is rather unusual. What you probably do not know, however, is where it comes from and what its history is. "Thumim" is a Hebrew word that means "perfections" or, perhaps, "purity." It can be found in the Old Testament (mainly Exodus 28:30 and Leviticus 8:8) and in works of literature such as John Milton's Paradise Regained. The word also took on occult meanings in Christian Europe and is a subject of constant discussion in the Mormon Church.
As a family name, the word Thumim has a long and somewhat interesting history. Family legend has it that we are descended from King David by way of the Talmudic scholar Rashi (1040-1105), the grandfather of the great medieval scholar Samuel bin Maimon (Maimonides, 1135-1204). The man depicted in the image to the right is supposed to be Rashi.
The legend continues that among Rashi's children were two sons whom he named Urim and Thumim after the oracular stones in Aaron's breastpiece. It is said that during the lifetime of Rashi's grandchildren, the local German ruler mandated that all Jews take the names of their fathers as their surnames. Urim is supposed to have had daughters, which is why the word no longer exists as a family name. Thumim, on the other hand, had sons who took his name. The family also adopted the German spelling of the Hebrew Te'omim.
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