Emerald is regarded as the traditional birthstone for May, as well as the traditional gemstone for the astrological signs of Taurus and Cancer.
The Gachala Emerald one of the largest Emeralds in the world at 858 carats. This stone was found in 1967 at Vega de San Juan mine in Colombia. On display at the National Museum of Natural History.
According to Rebbenu Bachya, the Hebrew word “Nofech” in Exodus 28:18 means “Emerald”, and was the stone on the Ephod representing the tribe of Judah. According to other commentaries, “Nofech” means “garnet”, and another stone, the “Bareqet”, representing the tribe of Levi, is thought to be emerald.
