The shamir engraves the stones
Avanei Shoham - Avanei Miluim: The Avanei Shoham were 2 stones, which
were placed on the shoulder straps of the Eifod (Apron) by the Bigadim
of the Kohen Gadol. The Avanei Miluim were the 12 stones that were on
the Choshen (breastplate) of the Kohen Gadol. By both sets of stones the
Pasuk says that you should engrave in them the names of the Shivatim.
By the 2 Avanei Shoham 6 names were engraved on 1 stone and the
remaining 6 on the other. By the 12 Avanei Miluim, each stone was
engraved with the name of one Shevet.
The Ramban says, there was a difference between the Avanei Shoham and
Avanei Miluim, in the way the stones were engraved. When engraving the
Avanei Shoham it was permissible to use a tool that would carve the
names into the stones. However, by the Avanei Miluim this was not
permissible. Since the Torah calls these stones Miluim - which means
"full", they must be complete. If a tool was used to engrave the names,
that would render the stones "Chasair" - deficient - and pasul. The only
way to engrave these stones was with the special miraculous worm called
the Shamir. With the help of this worm, Moshe engraved the names of the
twelve Shivatim on the Choshen the Kohen Gadol; First writing on the
stones with ink and then holding the Shamir over them, whereupon the
writing sank into the stones. Thus enabling the stones to be engraved
without losing any part of the stone.
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