Bereshit Rabbah 98:11

אֶקְרָא לֵאלֹהִים עֶלְיוֹן (תהלים נז, ג), אֶקְרָא לֵאלֹהִים עֶלְיוֹן, בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה. לָאֵל שֶׁגּוֹמֵר עָלָי, בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, לֵידַע אֵיזֶה לַשֵּׁם וְאֵיזֶה לַגְּזֵרָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֶקְרָא לֵאלֹהִים עֶלְיוֹן, זֶה יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ. (תהלים נז, ג): לָאֵל גֹּמֵר עָלָי, שֶׁהִסְכִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִמּוֹ לִתֵּן לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְפִי מַה שֶּׁהוּא. “I cry out to God on High” (Psalms 57:3). “I cry out to God on High” – on Rosh HaShana. “To the Almighty who completes for me” (Psalms 57:3) – on Yom Kippur, to determine which will be for God and which will go to an uninhabitable land.¹As part of the Temple service on Yom Kippur, two goats were brought, and lots were drawn to determine which would be sacrificed as an offering to God and which would be brought to a barren land and pushed off a cliff, symbolically carrying off the people’s sins. If the lot that said “to God” would be drawn by the High Priest in his right hand, that was a sign that God was inclined to respond positively to the prayers of the people and to grant atonement (Matnot Kehuna).
Another matter: “I cry out to God on High” (Psalms 57:3) – this is Jacob our patriarch. “To the Almighty who completes for me” (Psalms 57:3) – that the Holy One blessed be He agreed with him to give to each and every one as befitting him.²God agreed to implement the blessings Jacob gave to his sons.

וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב אֶל בָּנָיו (בראשית מט, א), (משלי טז, לג): בַּחֵיק יוּטַל אֶת הַגּוֹרָל, זֶה גוֹרָלוֹ שֶׁל יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים. (משלי טז, לג): וּמֵה' כָּל מִשְׁפָּטוֹ, לֵידַע אֵיזֶה הוּא לַשֵּׁם וְאֵיזֶה לַגְּזֵרָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, בַּחֵיק יוּטַל אֶת הַגּוֹרָל, זֶה גּוֹרָלָן שֶׁל שְׁבָטִים. וּמֵה' כָּל מִשְׁפָּטוֹ, שֶׁהִסְכִּים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִמּוֹ לִתֵּן לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְפִי מַה שֶּׁהוּא. וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב אֶל בָּנָיו, רַבִּי יוּדָן וְרַבִּי פִּינְחָס, רַבִּי יוּדָן אָמַר וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב לָאֵל לִהְיוֹת עִם בָּנָיו. רַבִּי פִּינְחָס אָמַר זִמְּנוֹ לְבָנָיו. אָמַר רַבִּי אָבוּן עֲשָׂאוֹ אַפּוֹטְרוֹפּוֹס עַל בָּנָיו. (בראשית מט, א): וַיֹּאמֶר הֵאָסְפוּ וגו', הֵאָסְפוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְהִקָּבְצוּ לְרַעְמְסֵס. הֵאָסְפוּ מֵעֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים, וְהִקָּבְצוּ לְשֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִין. צִוָּה אוֹתָן לִהְיוֹת נוֹהֲגִין בְּשֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִין בְּכָבוֹד. רַבִּי אַחָא אָמַר הִטַּהֲרוּ, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (נחמיה יב, כח ל): וַיֵּאָסְפוּ וגו' וַיְטַהֲרוּ אֶת הַלְּשָׁכוֹת. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי צִוָּה אוֹתָן עַל הַמַּחְלֹקֶת, אֲמַר לְהוֹן תִּהְיוּ כֻּלְכוֹן אֲסִיפָה אֶחָת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (יחזקאל לז, טז): וְאַתָּה בֶן אָדָם קַח לְךָ עֵץ אֶחָד וּכְתֹב עָלָיו וגו' לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וגו', חֲבֵרוֹ כְּתִיב, נַעֲשׂוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲגֻדָּה אַחַת, הַתְקִינוּ עַצְמְכֶם לַגְאֻלָּה, מַה כְּתִיב אַחֲרָיו, (יחזקאל לז, כב): וְעָשִׂיתִי אֶתְכֶם לְגוֹי אֶחָד וגו'. (בראשית מט, א): אֵת אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא אֶתְכֶם בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים, רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר מַפֶּלֶת גּוֹג הֶרְאָה לָהֶם, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (יחזקאל לח, טז): בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים תִּהְיֶה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר בִּנְיַן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הֶרְאָה לָהֶם, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (מיכה ד, א): וְהָיָה בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים יִהְיֶה הַר בֵּית ה' נָכוֹן. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי בָּא לְגַלּוֹת לָהֶם אֶת הַקֵץ וְנִתְכַּסָּה מִמֶּנּוּ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר אֲבִינָא שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם נִגְלָה לָהֶם הַקֵּץ וְחָזַר וְנִתְכַּסָּה מֵהֶם, וְאֵלּוּ הֵם יַעֲקֹב וְדָנִיֵּאל, דָּנִיֵּאל (דניאל יב, ד): וְאַתָּה דָנִיֵּאל סְתֹם אֶת הַדְּבָרִים וַחֲתֹם. יַעֲקֹב, אֵת אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא אֶתְכֶם בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים. (בראשית מט, ג): רְאוּבֵן בְּכֹרִי אַתָּה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּא לְגַלּוֹת לָהֶם אֶת הַקֵּץ וְנִתְכַּסָּה מִמֶּנּוּ. מָשָׁל לְאוֹהֲבוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה נִפְנֶה מִן הָעוֹלָם וְהָיוּ בָנָיו סוֹבְבִין אֶת מִטָּתוֹ, אָמַר לָהֶם בּוֹאוּ וַאֲגַלֶּה לָכֶם מִסְטוֹרִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, תָּלָה עֵינָיו וְהִבִּיט בַּמֶּלֶךְ, אָמַר לָהֶם הֱיוּ זְהִירִין בִּכְבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ. כָּךְ יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ תָּלָה עֵינָיו וְרָאָה שְׁכִינָה עוֹמֶדֶת עַל גַּבָּיו, אָמַר לָהֶם הֱווּ זְהִירִין בִּכְבוֹדוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי כָּךְ הָיְתָה עֲדָתוֹ שֶׁל קֹרַח שׁוֹקַעַת וְיוֹרֶדֶת שׁוֹקַעַת וְיוֹרֶדֶת עַד שֶׁעָמְדָה חַנָּה וְנִתְפַּלְּלָה עֲלֵיהֶן (שמואל א ב, ו): ה' מֵמִית וּמְחַיֶּה מוֹרִיד שְׁאוֹל וַיָּעַל. “Jacob called to his sons, and he said: Gather, and I will tell you what will befall you at the end of days. Assemble and hear, sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel your father” (Genesis 49:1–2).
“Jacob called to his sons.” “The lot is cast in the bosom” (Proverbs 16:33) – this is the lottery of Yom Kippur. “And all of one’s judgment is from the Lord” (Proverbs 16:33) – to determine which will be for God and which will go to an uninhabitable land.
Another matter: “The lot is cast in the bosom” – this is the lot of the tribes.³Their destiny as expressed in the blessings they received from Jacob. “And all of one’s judgment is from the Lord” – that the Holy One blessed be He agreed with him to give each and every one as befitting him.
“Jacob called to his sons” – Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Pinḥas: Rabbi Yudan said: Jacob called the Almighty to be with his sons. Rabbi Pinḥas said: He invited Him to his sons.⁴He invited Him [zimno] to share in his joy over the fact that all his sons had remained righteous (Matnot Kehuna). Alternatively, he asked God to be always available [mezuman] to come to his sons’ aid (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Avun said: He appointed Him steward for his sons.
“He said: Gather ….” – gather from the land of Egypt and assemble in Rameses. Gather from the ten tribes and assemble to the tribe of Judah and Benjamin. He commanded them to act with deference to the tribe of Judah and Benjamin.
Rabbi Aḥa said: Purify yourselves, just as it says: “They gathered themselves together…” (Nehemiah 12:28), “and they purified the chambers” (Nehemiah 13:9). The Rabbis say: He commanded them regarding dissension. He said to them: ‘You shall all be one assembly.’ That is what is written: “You, Son of man, take for you one piece of wood, and write on it: [For Judah] and for the children of Israel [his companions]” (Ezekiel 37:16) – it is written “his companion”⁵The term “his companions [ḥaverav]” is written without a vav, which would ordinarily be read “his companion [ḥavero],” even though in this instance it is traditionally pronounced in the plural, ḥaverav. – the children of Israel became a single group. Prepare yourselves for redemption. What is written thereafter? “I will render you one nation…” (see Ezekiel 37:22).
“[I will tell you] what will befall you at the end of days” – Rabbi Simon said: He showed them the downfall of Gog, just as it says: “It will be at the end of days” (Ezekiel 38:16). Rabbi Yehuda said: He showed them the building of the Temple, just as it says: “It will be at the end of days that the mountain of the House of the Lord will be established” (Micah 4:1). The Rabbis said: He came to reveal the End, but it was concealed from him.
Rabbi Yehuda in the name of Rabbi Elazar bar Avina: Two people, the End was revealed to them and was then concealed from them. They are Jacob and Daniel. Daniel – “But you, Daniel, obscure the matters and seal” (Daniel 12:4). Jacob – “what will befall you at the end of days.”
“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, and the first of my potency; greater honor and greater power” (Genesis 49:3).
“Reuben, you are my firstborn” – this teaches that he came to reveal the End, but it was concealed from him.⁶He began with, “I will tell you what will befall you at the end of days,” and continued with, “Reuben you are my firstborn,” which does not pertain to the end of days. This shows that the events of the end of days were concealed from Jacob so that he would not reveal them. This is analogous to a king’s confidant who was passing from the world, and his sons were surrounding his bed. He said to them: ‘Come and I will reveal to you the secrets of the king.’ He lifted his eyes and gazed at the king.⁷He saw from the king’s expression that he did not want him to reveal the secrets. He said to them: ‘Be vigilant regarding the honor of the king.’ So, Jacob our patriarch lifted his eyes and saw the Divine Presence standing over him. He said to them: ‘Be vigilant regarding the honor of the Holy One blessed be He.’ The Rabbis said: So, the congregation of Koraḥ was sinking and descending, sinking and descending, until Hannah stood and prayed on their behalf: “The Lord puts to death and brings to life; He lowers to the netherworld and elevates” (I Samuel 2:6).⁸Just as the congregation of Koraḥ was ostracized until Hannah prayed on their behalf, so too, Reuben was ostracized until Moses restored him. Some commentaries write that this passage should not appear here, and belongs instead at the end of section 4 (see, e.g., Matnot Kehuna).

הִקָּבְצוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב (בראשית מט, ב), רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה זִמְנִין אֲמַר לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חִיָּא וְזִמְנִין אֲמַר לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבָּנָן דְּתַמָּן, מִכָּאן שֶׁהָיוּ מְפֻזָּרִין וְיָרַד מַלְאָךְ וְכִנְסָן. אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא מִכָּאן שֶׁהָיוּ מְפֻזָּרִין וְכִנְסָן בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ. (בראשית מט, ב): וְשִׁמְעוּ אֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיכֶם, רַבִּי יוּדָן וְרַבִּי פִּינְחָס, רַבִּי יוּדָן אָמַר שִׁמְעוּ לְאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיכֶם. וְרַבִּי פִּינְחָס אָמַר אֵל הוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיכֶם, מַה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בּוֹרֵא עוֹלָמוֹת, אַף אֲבִיכֶם בּוֹרֵא עוֹלָמוֹת. מַה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְחַלֵּק עוֹלָמוֹת, אַף אֲבִיכֶם מְחַלֵּק עוֹלָמוֹת. אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן אֲחוּי אָמַר מִכָּאן זָכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיָה יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ נִפְטַר מִן הָעוֹלָם קָרָא לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר בָּנָיו אָמַר לָהֶם שִׁמְעוּ אֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם אֲבִיכֶם, שֶׁמָּא יֵשׁ בִּלְבַבְכֶם מַחְלֹקֶת עַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָמְרוּ לוֹ (דברים ו, ד): שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל אָבִינוּ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין בְּלִבְּךָ מַחְלֹקֶת עַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כָּךְ אֵין בְּלִבֵּנוּ מַחְלֹקֶת, אֶלָּא (דברים ו, ד): ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד, אַף הוּא פֵּרַשׁ בִּשְׂפָתָיו וְאָמַר: בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכותוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה וְרַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל הֲדָא הוּא שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מַשְׁכִּימִים וּמַעֲרִיבִים בְּכָל יוֹם וְאוֹמְרִים שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל אָבִינוּ מִמְּעָרַת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה, אוֹתוֹ דָּבָר שֶׁצֶּוִּיתָנוּ עֲדַיִן הוּא נוֹהֵג בָּנוּ ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד. “Assemble and hear, sons of Jacob” (Genesis 49:2) – Rabbi Berekhya, sometimes he said it in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya and sometimes he said it in the name of the Rabbis from there:⁹From Babylon (Rashash; cf. Matnot Kehuna). From here [it may be derived] that they were scattered and an angel came and assembled them.¹⁰This is derived from the fact that after Jacob said “gather” (49:1), the next verse is framed entirely in the third person: “Assemble and hear, sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel your father” (49:2). This is because it was stated by an angel. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: From here, that they were scattered and he assembled them with the Divine Spirit.
“And listen to [el] Israel your father” (Genesis 49:2) – Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Pinḥas: Rabbi Yudan said: Listen to the God [El] of Israel your father. Rabbi Pinḥas said: Your father Israel is like a god [el]. Just as the Holy One blessed be He creates worlds, so, your father creates worlds.¹¹The world was created due to the merit of Jacob (Vayikra Rabba 36:4). Just as the Holy One blessed be He distributes worlds, so, your father distributes worlds.¹²Jacob’s blessings to his sons influenced the portions they would receive in the Land of Israel, or the spiritual blessings they would receive (see Maharzu; Etz Yosef).
Elazar ben Aḥui said: From here Israel merited the recitation of Shema. When Jacob our patriarch was passing from the world, he called his twelve sons. He said to them: ‘Listen to the God [El] of Israel your father who is in Heaven. Do you, perhaps, have in your heart dissension over the Holy One blessed be He?’¹³Do you have any doubts about God? They said: ‘“Hear, Israel” (Deuteronomy 6:4) our father, just as you do not have in your heart dissension over the Holy One blessed be He, so, there is no dissension in our heart. Rather, “the Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).’ He too expressed with his lips and said: ‘Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.’ Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rabbi Shmuel: That is why Israel recites early in the morning and late in the evening each day: Hear Israel, our patriarch, from the Cave of Makhpela: The same matter that you commanded us, we still practice it: “The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.”

רְאוּבֵן בְּכֹרִי אַתָּה (בראשית מט, ג), רַבִּי הָיָה אוֹמֵר בּוֹ דָּבָר לְשֶׁבַח וְדָבָר לִגְנַאי, אַתְּ בְּכוֹר וְעֵשָׂו בְּכוֹר (בראשית כז, ה): וַיֵּלֶךְ עֵשָׂו הַשָּׂדֶה לָצוּד צַיִד, אִם מָצָא מוּטָב וְאִם לָאו (בראשית כז, ה): לְהָבִיא מִן הַגְּזֵלוֹת וּמִן הַחֲמָסִים. וְאַתְּ (בראשית ל, יד): וַיֵּלֶךְ רְאוּבֵן בִּימֵי קְצִיר חִטִּים וגו'. (בראשית מט, ג): כֹּחִי וְרֵאשִׁית אוֹנִי, אֵלּוּ זַעְקָפֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה. (בראשית מט, ג): יֶתֶר שְׂאֵת וְיֶתֶר עָז, (דברי הימים א יב, ח): וּפְנֵי אַרְיֵה פְּנֵיהֶם. וְהָיָה אוֹמֵר בּוֹ דָּבָר לִגְנַאי רְאוּבֵן בְּכֹרִי אַתָּה, אַתְּ בְּכוֹר וַאֲנִי בְּכוֹר, אֲנִי בֶּן שְׁמוֹנִים וְאַרְבַּע שָׁנָה לֹא רָאִיתִי טִפַּת קֶרִי, וְאַתְּ (בראשית לה, כב): וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיִּשְׁכַּב אֶת בִּלְהָה. כֹּחִי וְרֵאשִׁית אוֹנִי, שֵׁרוּי חֵילִי וְשֵׁרוּי צַעֲרִי. (בראשית מט, ג): יֶתֶר שְׂאֵת וְיֶתֶר עָז, הַבְּכוֹרָה הָיְתָה שֶׁלְךָ וְהַכְּהֻנָּה הָיְתָה שֶׁלְךָ וְהַמַּלְכוּת הָיְתָה שֶׁלְךָ, וְעַכְשָׁיו שֶׁחָטָאתָ נִתְּנָה הַבְּכוֹרָה לְיוֹסֵף, וְהַכְּהֻנָּה לְלֵוִי, וְהַמַּלְכוּת לִיהוּדָה. אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא לֹא שֶׁלְךָ הָיְתָה הַבְּכוֹרָה, כְּלוּם הָלַךְ יַעֲקֹב אֵצֶל לָבָן אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל רָחֵל, כָּל הַחֲרִישׁוֹת שֶׁחָרַשְׁתִּי בְאִמְךָ לֹא בְרָחֵל הָיִיתִי רָאוּי לְחָרְשָׁן, עַכְשָׁיו חָזְרָה הַבְּכוֹרָה לִבְעָלֶיהָ. (בראשית לה, ד): פַּחַז כַּמַּיִם אַל תּוֹתַר, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אָמַר פָּחַזְ"תָּ חָטָא"תָ זָנִי"תָ. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אָמַר פָּרַקְ"תָּ עֹל, חִלַּלְ"תָּ יְצוּעִי, זָ"ע יִצְרְךָ עָלֶיךָ. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אָמַר פָּסַעְ"תָּ עַל דָּת, חַבְתָּ"ה בִּבְכוֹרָתְךָ, זָ"ר נַעֲשֵׂיתָ לְמַתְּנוֹתֶיךָ. אָמְרוּ עַד עַכְשָׁיו אָנוּ צְרִיכִין לְמוֹדָעִי, בָּא רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַמּוֹדָעִי וּפֵרַשׁ, זַעְ"תָּ חָרַדְ"תָּ פָּרַ"ח חֵטְא מֵעַל רֹאשֶׁךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי פִּינְחָס עָשִׂיתָ כַּפֶּחָזִים שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּבְּרוּ שׁוֹקֵיהֶן בַּמַּיִם. כַּמַּיִם, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי אַתָּה חָטָאתָ בְּמַיִם יָבוֹא מָשׁוּי מִמַּיִם וִיקָרְבֶךָ. (דברים לג, ו): יְחִי רְאוּבֵן וְאַל יָמֹת. כַּמַּיִם, מַה מַּיִם נִתָּרִין מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם כָּךְ הֻתְּרָה לָךְ. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַמּוֹדָעִי אוֹמֵר אֵין עוֹשִׂין מִקְוֶה שֶׁל יַיִן שֶׁל שֶׁמֶן אֶלָּא שֶׁל מַיִם, כָּךְ עָשִׂיתָ לְךָ מִקְוֶה שֶׁל מַיִם וְטִהַרְתָּ עַצְמְךָ בּוֹ. אַל תּוֹתַר, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ תַּרְוֵיהוֹן אָמְרֵי כָּךְ לֹא וִתַּרְתָּ לְךָ כְּלוּם. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַמּוֹדָעִי אוֹמֵר אַל יְהִי לָךְ וִתָּרוֹן עָוֹן שֶׁלְּךָ. כִּי עָלִיתָ, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ תַּרְוֵיהוֹן אָמְרֵי כִּי עָלִיתָ בְּוַדַּאי. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר כִּי עָלִיתָ, הֵיכָן בַּדּוּדָאִים. מִשְׁכְּבֵי אָבִיךָ, אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה מִשְׁכַּב אָבִיךָ אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא מִשְׁכְּבֵי אָבִיךָ, מִשְׁכַּב בִּלְהָה וּמִשְׁכַּב זִלְפָּה. רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ וְאָמְרֵי לָהּ רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי, תְּנֵינַן הַחָשׁוּד עַל דָּבָר לֹא דָּנוֹ וְלֹא מְעִידוֹ, אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לִהְיוֹת בְּשִׁשָּׁה שְׁבָטִים הָעוֹמְדִים בְּרֹאשׁ הַר עֵיבָל וְאוֹמְרִין (דברים כז, כ): אָרוּר שֹׁכֵב עִם אֵשֶׁת אָבִיו, וְהוּא עוֹשֶׂה הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה, אֶלָּא עֶלְבּוֹן אִמּוֹ תָּבַע, שֶׁכָּל יָמִים שֶׁהָיְתָה רָחֵל קַיֶּימֶת הָיָה מִטָּתָהּ נְתוּנָה אֵצֶל מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁמֵּתָה רָחֵל נָטַל יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ מִטָּתָהּ שֶׁל בִּלְהָה וּנְתָנָהּ אֵצֶל מִטָּתוֹ. אָמַר לֹא דַּיָּה לְאִמָּא לְאִתְקְנָא בְּחַיֵּי אֲחוֹתָהּ אֶלָּא אַף לְאַחַר מוֹתָהּ, עָלָה וְקִלְקֵל אֶת הַיְצוּעִין. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן פָּלִיג עֲלֵיהּ, וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי לְאֶחָד שֶׁחֲשָׁדוּהוּ מוֹכֵר תְּרוּמָה בְּשֶׁל חֻלִּין, בִּקְּשׁוּ אַחֲרָיו וְרָאוּ וְלֹא מָצְאוּ בַּדְבָרִים מַמָּשׁ, וּמִנּוּ אוֹתוֹ מְשַׁעֵר בַּשּׁוּק. אָז חִלַּלְתָּ, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ תַּרְוֵיהוֹן אָמְרִין אָז חִלַּלְתָּ וַדַּאי. עָלָה, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ תַּרְוֵיהוֹן אָמְרִין עָלָה מֵחַטָּאתֶיךָ, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַמּוֹדָעִי אָמַר עָלָה מִמַּתְּנוֹתֶיךָ. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי אֵינִי לֹא מְרַחֶקְךָ וְלֹא מְקָרֶבְךָ, אֶלָּא הֲרֵי אֲנִי תּוֹלֶה אוֹתְךָ בְּרִפְיוֹן, עַד שֶׁיָּבוֹא משֶׁה שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (שמות יט, ג): וּמשֶׁה עָלָה אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים, מַה שֶּׁדַּעְתּוֹ רוֹאָה לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּךָ עוֹשֶׂה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא משֶׁה הִתְחִיל מְקָרְבוֹ (דברים לג, ו): יְחִי רְאוּבֵן. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי כָּךְ הָיְתָה עֲדָתוֹ שֶׁל קֹרַח [היך דכתיב לעיל]. “Reuben, you are my firstborn” – Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] would say [an interpretation] of this as praise and [an interpretation] as criticism. You are firstborn, and Esau is firstborn. “Esau went to the field to hunt game [to bring]” (Genesis 27:5) – if he found, fine; if not, “to bring” from what he stole or took by force. But you, “Reuben went during the days of wheat harvest [and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah]” (Genesis 30:14).¹⁴Reuven took mandrakes that were ownerless and not from what belonged to others (see Bereshit Rabba 72:2), unlike Esau. “My strength, and the first of my potency” – these are the vanguard in the battle. “Greater honor and greater power” – “their faces were like the faces of lions” (I Chronicles 12:9).¹⁵This is written regarding the Gadites, but since the Gadites and Reubenites both formed the vanguard in the conquest of Canaan, it is true of the Reubenites as well (Matnot Kehuna).
He would say [an interpretation] about this as criticism – “Reuben, you are my firstborn” – you are firstborn and I am firstborn.¹⁶Jacob bought the birthright from Esau. I, at the age of eighty-four years old, had never seen a drop of seminal emission,¹⁷That is, until Jacob married Leah and fathered Reuben. The midrash assumes that Reuben was conceived the first time Jacob had relations with Leah. but you: “[Reuben] went and lay with Bilha” (Genesis 35:22). “My strength, and the first of my potency” – the first of my toil and the first of my travail.¹⁸He was the one with whom Jacob first experienced the travail of raising children. “Greater honor and greater power” – the birthright was yours, the priesthood was yours, the kingship was yours, but now that you sinned, the birthright was given to Joseph, the priesthood to Levi, and the kingship to Judah.
Rabbi Aḥa said: The birthright was not yours. Is it not so that Jacob went to Laban only for Rachel? All the furrows that I plowed in your mother; was it not in Rachel that they should have been plowed?¹⁹This is a euphemism for marital relations. Reuben was conceived the first time Jacob had relations with Leah, when he thought she was Rachel, and therefore by right the firstborn should have been from Rachel (Nezer HaKodesh). Now, the birthright has returned to its owner.
"Impetuous as water, you shall not excel; because you mounted your father's bed; then you desecrated, he who ascended my couch” (Genesis 49:4).
“Impetuous as water, you shall not excel” – Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua: Rabbi Eliezer said: You were impetuous [paḥazta], you sinned [ḥatata], you engaged in harlotry [zanita].²⁰The Hebrew term for impetuous, paḥaz, is an acronym for paḥazta, ḥatata, zanita. Rabbi Yehoshua said: You rebelled [parakta ol], you desecrated [ḥilalta] my couch, your evil inclination stirred [za] within you. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov said: You trampled [pasata] the law, you forfeited [ḥavta] your birthright, you became a stranger [zar] vis-à-vis your gifts. They said: Even now, we still need the Moda’i. Rabbi Eliezer HaModa’i came and explained: You shuddered [zata], you trembled [ḥaradta], the sin flew [paraḥ] from upon your head.²¹Reuben shuddered and trembled with remorse for his sin, and therefore was forgiven (Matnot Kehuna). Rabbi Pinḥas said: You acted like those impetuous ones who break their shins in the water.²²They leap before they look. “As water” – the Rabbis say: You sinned through water,²³Water in the sense of liquid, a reference to semen. let the one who was drawn from water come and draw you near: “May Reuben live and not die” (Deuteronomy 33:6).²⁴This verse was stated by Moses, who was so called because he was drawn from the water (see Exodus 2:10). “As water” – just as water is released from place to place, so, you have been released.²⁵Just as water flows, your sin has flowed away from you, i.e., you have been relieved of liability. Alternatively, the implication is: Your privileges have been taken from you (Matnot Kehuna). Rabbi Eliezer HaModa’i says: One does not make a ritual bath of wine or of oil, but rather of water; so, you made yourself a ritual bath of water and you purified yourself in it.²⁶Rabbi Eliezer HaModa’i is of the opinion that Reuben sinned only in thought but not in deed, as he did not carry out his sinful thoughts. Therefore, his thoughts of sincere repentance restored him to a state of purity, as though he had immersed in a ritual bath (Etz Yosef).
“You shall not excel [totar]” – Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, both of them said this: Nothing was relinquished [vitarta] for you.²⁷You have not been absolved from punishment. This is derived from the fact that totar and vitarta are derived from the same root in Hebrew. Rabbi Eliezer HaModa’i says: There will be nothing remaining [vitaron] for you from your sin. “Because you mounted [alita]” – Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, both of them said: Because you mounted in its plain sense.²⁸They interpret the phrase “because you mounted your father’s bed” in the plain sense as indicating that Reuben literally sinned with Bilha. Rabbi Elazar said: Because you mounted [alita]²⁹He interprets alita to mean “you elevated [he’eleita],” meaning that Reuben brought about benefit regarding his father’s bed. This occurred in the incident of the mandrakes, which led to the birth of Issachar. – where? In the case of the mandrakes.
“Your father’s bed [mishkevei avikha]” – Rabbi Berekhya said: It is not written here: Your father’s bed [mishkav] , but rather, “your father’s beds [mishkevei]”³⁰The term mishkevei, generally translated “bed,” is actually a plural term, such that a literal translation would be “beds.” – the bed of Bilha and the bed of Zilpa.³¹Accordingly, not only did Reuben literally sin, but he did so with Zilpa as well as with Bilha. Rabbi Abbahu, and some say Rabbi Yaakov, in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya Rabba, and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: We learned: One who is suspect in some matter neither judges in its regard nor testifies in its regard.³²Mishna Bekhorot 4:10. Is it possible that he is destined to be one of the six tribes that were standing on Mount Eval and saying: “Cursed is one who lies with his father’s wife” (Deuteronomy 27:20), and he performed this very act? Rather, he was defending his mother’s honor. All the days that Rachel was alive, her bed was situated alongside the bed of Jacob our patriarch. When Rachel died, Jacob our patriarch took Bilha’s bed and placed it alongside his bed. [Reuben] said: Is it not enough that my mother was jealous during her sister’s lifetime, that she must be so even after her death? He rose and rearranged the beds. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon disagrees with this and [says that] Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi [said] in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: This is analogous to one who was suspected of selling teruma as non-sacred produce.³³Teruma, which could be eaten only by priests and the members of their households, and only in a state of ritual purity, would command a much cheaper price than non-sacred produce. They investigated him and inspected, but did not find any substance to these claims, and they appointed him in charge of setting prices in the marketplace.
“Then you desecrated” – Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, both of them said: “Then you desecrated” – in its plain sense. “Ascended” – Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, both of them said: You ascended from your sin. Rabbi Eliezer HaModa’i said: You ascended from your gifts.³⁴Numerous commentaries suggest that the text should read that according to Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, “you ascended from your gifts,” meaning that due to his sin, Reuben lost out on the priestly gifts, and Rabbi Eliezer HaModa’i says, “you ascended from your sin,” meaning that Reuben repented and achieved atonement for his sin. The Rabbis say: I am neither distancing you nor drawing you near. Instead I am leaving you in loose abeyance until Moses, in whose regard it is written: “And Moses ascended to God” (Exodus 19:3), comes, and does with you what he perceives to be correct. When Moses came, he began to draw him near: “May Reuben live” (Deuteronomy 33:6). The Rabbis say: The same was true of the congregation of Koraḥ, .³⁵See the end of section 2.

שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי אַחִים (בראשית מט, ה), אַחִים לְדִינָה וְלֹא לְיוֹסֵף. (בראשית מט, ה): כְּלֵי חָמָס מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם, אָמַר לָהֶם הַכֵּלִים הַלָּלוּ שֶׁבְּיֶדְכֶן גְּזוּלִים הֵם בְּיֶדְכֶם, לְמִי הֵם רְאוּיִים לִמְכֵרוֹתֵיהֶן, לְעֵשָׂו שֶׁמָּכַר אֶת הַבְּכוֹרָה. (בראשית מט, ו): בְּסֹדָם אַל תָּבֹא נַפְשִׁי, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהֵן בָּאִים לִטֹּל עֵצָה בַּשִּׁטִים. (בראשית מט, ו): בִּקְהָלָם אַל תֵּחַד כְּבֹדִי, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהֵם נִקְהָלִין עַל משֶׁה בַּעֲדַת קֹרַח, בִּקְהָלָם אַל תֵּחַד כְּבֹדִי, אֲבָל לַדּוּכָן יִזָּכֵר שְׁמִי, כְּשֶׁבָּנָיו עוֹמְדִין עַל הַדּוּכָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים א ו, יח): וְאֵלֶּה הָעֹמְדִים וגו' וּבְנֵיהֶם הֵימָן וגו', רַבִּי הוּנָא וְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא וְרַבִּי פִּינְחָס תְּלָתֵיהוֹן אָמְרֵי (דברי הימים א ו, כג): בֶּן יִצְהָר בֶּן קְהָת בֶּן לֵוִי בֶּן יִשְׂרָאֵל. (בראשית מט, ו): כִּי בְאַפָּם הָרְגוּ אִישׁ, זֶה חֲמוֹר אֲבִי שְׁכֶם. עִקְּרוּ שׁוֹר, עֲקַרְתּוּן שׁוּרָן שֶׁל גֵּרִים. רַבִּי חוּנְיָא וְרַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֲחִיָא בַּר אַבָּא דִּכְתִיב: וּבִרְצֹנָם עִקְּרוּ שׁוֹר, בִּשְׁבִיל לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן יִצְרְכֶם עֲקַרְתֶּם שׁוּרָן שֶׁל גֵּרִים. עִקְּרוּ אֵבוּס, זֶה אֶחָד מֵהַדְּבָרִים שֶׁשִּׁנּוּ לְתַלְמַי הַמֶּלֶךְ. (בראשית מט, ז): אָרוּר אַפָּם כִּי עָז, רַבִּי חוּנְיָא וְרַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן רִבָּה בָּהֶן בּוֹהַקְנִין מַעֲלֶה חֵמָה, הֲדָא אָמְרָה עַל מִי שֶׁהוּא בַּהֲקָן שֶׁהוּא מַעֲלֶה חֵמָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בֵּן, וְצָפָה הַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁהַנָּחָשׁ עָתִיד לִשֹּׁךְ אֶת בְּנוֹ, אָמַר יְהִי לִיט חִוְיָא דְּבָעֵי לְמִכַּת יַת בְּרִי. כָּךְ בָּא לְקַלְּלָן וְקִלֵּל אֶת אַפָּם, אָרוּר אַפָּם כִּי עָז וְעֶבְרָתָם כִּי קָשָׁתָה, וַעֲבֵרָתָם כִּי קָשָׁתָה. (בראשית מט, ז): אֲחַלְקֵם בְּיַעֲקֹב, זֶה שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל לֵוִי (במדבר יח, ע): אֲנִי חֶלְקְךָ וְנַחֲלָתְךָ. וַאֲפִיצֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, זֶה שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל שִׁמְעוֹן, הֲדָא אָמְרָה רֻבָּן שֶׁל עֲנִיִּים מִשֵּׁבֶט שִׁמְעוֹן הָיוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא אַף עַל גַּב דְּאָנוּ מְפָרְשִׁין וְאָמְרִין (במדבר לה, ח): וְהֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר תִּתְּנוּ מֵאֲחֻזַּת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁשָּׁה עִיר אֶתְהֶן וְאֶת מִגְרְשֵׁיהֶם, כֻּלָּן מִשֶּׁל שִׁמְעוֹן הָיוּ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ אוֹתוֹ שֶׁהוּא מְקַנְטְרָן הִתְחִילוּ מִסְתַּלְּקִין לַזָּוִיּוֹת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁהֵן מִסְתַּלְּקִין לַזָּוִיּוֹת הִתְחִיל קוֹרֵא לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד. “Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of villainy are their heritage” (Genesis 49:5)
“Simeon and Levi are brothers” – brothers of Dina but not brothers of Joseph.
“Weapons of villainy are their heritage [mekheroteihem]” – he said to them: These weapons in your possession have been stolen by you. For whom are they fitting? It is for mekheroteihem – for Esau, who sold [makhar] the birthright.
“Let my soul not come in their company; with their assembly let my glory not be associated; for in their anger they killed men, and with their will they hamstrung oxen” (Genesis 49:6).
“Let my soul not come in their company” – when they come to take counsel in Shitim.³⁶When the Israelite men engaged in harlotry with the Midianite women, in Shitim, one of their leaders, who encouraged this practice, was the prince of the tribe of Simeon, Zimri son of Salu. “With their assembly let my glory not be associated” – when they assemble against Moses in the congregation of Koraḥ.³⁷In these instances, when the Torah identifies the perpetrators of these crimes, who descended from the tribes of Simeon and Levi, the verses do not mention that they are sons of Jacob. “With their assembly let my glory not be associated” – but for the platform, let my name be associated, when his descendants stand on the platform,³⁸When the Levites stand on the platform to sing as part of the Temple service. as it is stated: “These are those who stood, and their sons, [from the sons of the Kehatites:] Heiman [the singer, son of Yoel, son of Samuel]” (I Chronicles 6:18). Rabbi Huna, Rabbi Ḥanina, and Rabbi Pinḥas: The three of them said: “Son of Yitzhar, son of Kehat, son of Levi, son of Israel” (I Chronicles 6:23).³⁹In the verse regarding the congregation of Koraḥ, his lineage is traced only as far as Levi, but here the lineage is traced back to Jacob.
“For in their anger they killed men [ish]”⁴⁰The Hebrew ish is in the singular. – this is Ḥamor father of Shekhem. “Hamstrung [ikeru] oxen [shor]” – they undermined [akartun] the security wall [shuran] of proselytes.⁴¹As a result of the massacre following the circumcision of the residents of Shekhem, all proselytes will fear that perhaps the same will befall them after their circumcision. Rabbi Ḥunya and Rabbi Yirmeya in the name of Rabbi Aḥiya bar Abba: As it is written: “And with their will they hamstrung [ikeru] oxen” – in order to fulfill the will of your inclination, you undermined [akartem] the security wall of proselytes.
“Undermined a trough” – this is one of the matters that they emended for King Ptolemy.⁴²The seventy-two elders assembled by King Ptolemy introduced several emendations into the translation of the Torah into Greek (see Megilla 9a). One of them was that instead of writing, “killed men…and hamstrung oxen,” they wrote, “killed oxen…and undermined troughs,” so Ptolemy would not deem them murderers.
“Cursed be their anger, as it is fierce, and their wrath, as it is harsh; I will divide them in Jacob, and I will disperse them in Israel” (Genesis 49:7).
“Cursed be their anger, as it is fierce” – Rabbi Ḥunya and Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: [Jacob] increased the number of hot-tempered bohaknin⁴³These were individuals afflicted with bohak, a skin condition characterized by white blotches on the skin. When the blotches appeared on the face, this was considered a sign that the individual was hot-tempered. among them. That is what is said regarding one who is afflicted with bohak patches, that he is hot-tempered. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: [This is analogous] to a king who had a son, and the king foresaw that a serpent was destined to bite his son. He said: May the serpent that seeks to bite my son be cursed. So, [Jacob] came to curse them, but he cursed their anger. “Cursed be their anger, as it is fierce, and their wrath [ve’evratam], as it is harsh” – and their transgression [vaaveratam], as it is harsh.⁴⁴He did not curse them; rather, he cursed the anger and the transgression that was caused by that anger.
“I will divide them [aḥalkem] in Jacob” – this is the tribe of Levi: “I am your portion [ḥelkekha] and your inheritance” (Numbers 18:20). “And I will disperse them in Israel” – this is the tribe of Simeon. That is what is said: Most of the poor were from the tribe of Simeon. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Although we explain and say: “And the cities that you shall give from the holding of the children of Israel, [from the greater you shall increase and from the lesser you shall decrease]” (Numbers 35:8), six cities, they and their open land, all of them were from Simeon.⁴⁵The Torah states that forty-eight cities were to be given to the Levites (Numbers 35:7–8). Of these, nine were from the tribes of Judah and Simeon (Joshua 21:9-16). The midrash states that six of them were from Simeon and only three from Judah, despite the fact that Simeon was a small tribe and had only seventeen cities.
When they saw that he was rebuking them,⁴⁶When the rest of Jacob’s sons saw that he had rebuked Reuben, Simeon, and Levi. they began departing to the corners. When he saw that they were departing to the corners, he began calling each and every one.

יְהוּדָה אַתָּה יוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ (בראשית מט, ח), אַחֶיךָ מוֹדִים בְּךָ, אִמְךָ מוֹדָה בְּךָ, אֲנִי בְּעַצְמִי מוֹדֶה לָךְ, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי יִהְיוּ כָּל אַחֶיךָ נִקְרָאִין עַל שִׁמְךָ, אֵין אָדָם אוֹמֵר רְאוּבֵנִי אֲנָא שִׁמְעוֹנִי אֲנָא אֶלָּא יְהוּדִי אֲנָא. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדה בַּר סִימוֹן מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר בָּנִים וְהָיָה שָׁם אֶחָד וְהָיָה חָבִיב עָלָיו יוֹתֵר מִכֻּלָּם וְנָתַן לוֹ חֵלֶק בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ וְחֵלֶק עִם אֶחָיו. (בראשית מט, ח): יָדְךָ בְּעֹרֶף אֹיְבֶיךָ, כַּמָּה נִתְחַבֵּט יְהוֹשֻׁעַ שֶׁיִּנָּתֵן לוֹ עֹרֶף וְלֹא נָתַן לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע ז, ח): בִּי אֲדֹנִי מָה אוֹמַר אַחֲרֵי אֲשֶׁר הָפַךְ וגו'. וּלְמִי נָתַן לְדָוִד (שמואל ב כב, מא): וְאֹיְבַי תַּתָּה לִי עֹרֶף, לָמָה שֶׁהָיוּ פַּטְרִיקִין שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ: יָדְךָ בְּעֹרֶף אֹיְבֶיךָ. וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ בְּנֵי אָבִיךָ, הָכָא הוּא אוֹמֵר וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ בְּנֵי אָבִיךָ, וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (בראשית כז, כט): וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ בְּנֵי אִמֶּךָ, אֶלָּא יִצְחָק עַל יְדֵי שֶׁלֹא נָטַל אֶלָּא אִשָּׁה אַחַת הוּא אוֹמֵר וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ בְּנֵי אִמֶּךָ, אֲבָל יַעֲקֹב עַל יְדֵי שֶׁנָּטַל אַרְבָּעָה נָשִׁים, כְּתִיב וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ בְּנֵי אָבִיךָ. “Judah, you shall your brothers acknowledge; your hand will be at the nape of your enemies; your father’s sons will prostrate themselves to you” (Genesis 49:8).
“Judah, you shall your brothers acknowledge” – your brothers acknowledge you; your mother acknowledges you; I, myself, acknowledge you.⁴⁷All acknowledge you as worthy of honor and kingship.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: All your brothers will be called by your name. A person does not say: I am a Reubenite, I am a Simeonite, but rather: I am a Jew [Yehudi].⁴⁸Judah is called Yehuda in Hebrew. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: This is analogous to a king who had twelve sons, and there was one who was more beloved to him than all of them, and he gave him a portion of his own and a portion with his brothers.⁴⁹Similarly, Judah was its own tribe, and additionally the entire nation became known as Jews.
“Your hand will be at the nape of your enemies” – how many times did Joshua prostrate himself so that the nape would be shown him, but it was not granted to him, as it is stated: “Please, my Lord, what can I say after [Israel] has turned [its nape before their enemies?]” (Joshua 7:8). To whom did He grant it? To David: “My enemies, you had them turn their napes to me” (II Samuel 22:41). Why? Because it was his ancestral endowment, as it is written in his regard: “Your hand will be at the nape of your enemies.”
“Your father’s sons will prostrate themselves to you” – here it says: “Your father’s sons will prostrate themselves to you,” but elsewhere, it says: “Your mother’s sons will prostrate themselves to you” (Genesis 27:29). It is that Isaac, because he took only one wife, said: “Your mother’s sons will prostrate themselves to you.” But [when] Jacob [gave blessings], because he took four wives, it is written: “Your father’s sons will prostrate themselves to you.”

גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה (בראשית מט, ט), מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנָּתַן לוֹ גְּבוּרָה שֶׁל אֲרִי, וְחֻצְפָּה שֶׁל גּוּרָיו. (בראשית מט, ט): מִטֶּרֶף בְּנִי עָלִיתָ, מִטַּרְפּוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף עָלִיתָ וְנִתְעַלֵּיתָ, מִטַּרְפָּהּ שֶׁל תָּמָר עָלִיתָ וְנִתְעַלֵּיתָ. (בראשית מט, ט): כָּרַע רָבַץ, מִפֶּרֶץ עַד דָּוִד. (במדבר כד, ט): כָּרַע שָׁכַב, מִדָּוִד עַד צִדְקִיָּהוּ. יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים כָּרַע רָבַץ, מִפֶּרֶץ עַד צִדְקִיָּהוּ, כָּרַע שָׁכַב, מִצִּדְקִיָּהוּ עַד מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ. כָּרַע רָבַץ, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, כָּרַע שָׁכַב, לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. כָּרַע רָבַץ, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאֵין שׂוֹנְאִים, כָּרַע שָׁכַב, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שׂוֹנְאִים, עָמַד, כָּל קֳבֵל שׂוֹנְאִים. “Judah is a lion cub; from prey, my son, you ascended. He crouches, lies like a lion, and like a great cat, who shall rouse him” (Genesis 49:9)?
“Judah is a lion cub” – this teaches that he gave him the strength of a lion and the boldness of its cubs.
“From prey, my son, you ascended” – from the prey of Joseph you rose and became elevated. From the prey of Tamar, you rose and became elevated.⁵⁰Judah prevented the killings of both Joseph and Tamar.
“He crouches, lies [ravatz]” – from Peretz until David; “he crouches, lies [shakhav]” (Numbers 24:9) – from David until Zedekiah.⁵¹Although both ravatz and shakhav are translated “lies,” shakhav connotes a more secure position, consistent with the time period from King David until Zedekiah (Etz Yosef). Some say: “He crouches, lies [ravatz]” – from Peretz until Zedekiah; “he crouches, lies [shakhav]” – from Zedekiah until the messianic king.⁵²This view interprets ravatz to be the more secure and relaxed position (Etz Yosef). “He crouches, lies [ravatz]” – in this world; “he crouches, lies [shakhav]” – in the World to Come. “He crouches, lies [ravatz]” – at a time when there are no enemies; “he crouches, lies [shakhav]” – at a time when there are enemies. He stood against all the enemies.

לֹא יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה, זֶה מָכִיר וגו' וּמְחֹקֵק מִבֵּין רַגְלָיו (בראשית מט, י), שֶׁבָּא וְנִתְחַבֵּט לִפְנֵי רַגְלָיו. עַד כִּי יָבֹא שִׁילֹה, זֶה מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ. וְלוֹ יִקְהַת עַמִּים, שֶׁהוּא בָּא וּמַקְהֶה שִׁנֵּיהֶם שֶׁל עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֹא יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה, זוֹ סַנְהֶדְּרִין שֶׁהִיא מַכָּה וְרוֹדָה. וּמְחֹקֵק מִבֵּין רַגְלָיו, אֵלּוּ שְׁנֵי סוֹפְרֵי הַדַּיָּנִים שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹמְדִים לִפְנֵיהֶם אֶחָד מִימִין וְאֶחָד מִשְׂמֹאל. עַד כִּי יָבֹא שִׁילֹה, נִמְנוּ וְאָמְרוּ הִלֵּל מִשֶּׁל מִי, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי מְגִלַּת יֻחָסִים מָצְאוּ בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם וּכְתִיב בָּהּ הִלֵּל מִדָּוִד. רַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה מִן דִּשְׁפַטְיָה בֶּן אֲבִיטָל. דְּבֵית כַּלְבָּא שָׂבוֹעַ מִדְּכָלֵב. דְּבֵית צִיצִית הַכַּסָּת, מִן דְּאַבְנֵר. דְּבֵית כּוֹבְשִׁין, מִן דְּאַחְאָב. דְּבֵית יָצְאָה, מִן דְּאָסָף. דְּבֵית יֵהוּא, מִן צִפּוֹרִין. דְּבֵית יַנַּאי, מִן דְּעֵלִי. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲלַפְתָּא, מִן דְּיוֹנָדָב בֶּן רֵכָב. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, מִדִּנְחֶמְיָה הַתִּרְשָׁתָא. “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, or the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shilo arrives; and to him nations will assemble” (Genesis 49:10).
“The scepter shall not depart from Judah” – this is Makhir…⁵³He was the ruler of Gilad, but his descendants mentioned in the verse: “From Makhir rulers descended” (Judges 5:14) were descendants of his daughter, who was married to a man from the tribe of Judah. “Or the ruler’s staff from between his feet” – as he came and prostrated himself before his feet.⁵⁴Makhir prostrated himself before Ḥetzron, Judah’s grandson. “Until Shilo arrives” – this is the messianic king. “And to him nations will assemble [yik’hat]” – he will come and blunt [yak’heh] the teeth of the idolaters.
Another matter: “The scepter [shevet] shall not depart from Judah” – this is the Sanhedrin, which flogs and subjugates.⁵⁵The term shevet can also mean a rod with which one flogs (see, e.g., Proverbs 13:24). “Or the ruler’s staff from between his feet” – these are the two scribes of the judges who would stand before them, one to the right and one to the left. “Until Shilo arrives”⁵⁶This is understood to mean that the prominent leaders of the Jewish people will always be from Judah. – they convened and said: Hillel, from whom did he descend? Rabbi Levi said: A genealogical scroll was found in Jerusalem in which it was written: Hillel is from David. Rabbi Ḥiyya Rabba is from Shefatya son of Avital.⁵⁷Avital was David’s wife. The house of Kalba Savua is from Caleb. The house of Tzitzit HaKeset is from Avner. The house of Koveshin is from Ahab. The house of Yatza is from Asaf. The house of Yehu is from Tzippori. The house of Yanai is from Eli. Rabbi Yosei ben Ḥalafta is from Yonadav son of Rekhav. Rabbi Neḥemya is from Nehemiah the Tirshatite.⁵⁸Although not all of these families are from the tribe of Judah, the midrash cites the entire report of the genealogical scroll because it demonstrates that prominent leaders in various generations descended from Judah.

אֹסְרִי לַגֶּפֶן עִירֹה (בראשית מט, יא), רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה וְרַבָּנָן, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר גֶּפֶן שֶׁכֹּחָהּ רַע אוֹסְרִין לָהּ בַּרְקוּם אֶחָד, (בראשית מט, יא): וְלַשׂרֵקָה שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אֲתוֹנוֹ. (בראשית מט, יא): כִּבֵּס בַּיַּיִן לְבֻשׁוֹ, זֶה הֶחָלָב, (בראשית מט, יא): וּבְדַם עֲנָבִים סוּתֹה, זֶה הָאָדֹם. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר אֹסְרִי לַגֶּפֶן עִירֹה, מֵאוֹסְרִי לַגֶּפֶן עִירֹה, (מלכים א יא, לב): הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי בָהּ. וְלַשׂרֵקָה בְּנִי אֲתֹנוֹ, בָּנִים הָאֵיתָנִים רְאוּיִים לַעֲמֹד מִמֶּנּוּ. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי אֲנִי נֶאֱסָר לַגֶּפֶן וְשׂרֵקָה עִירוֹ וְהָאֲתוֹנוֹ לִכְשֶׁיָּבוֹא אוֹתוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (זכריה ט, ט): עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל חֲמוֹר וגו'. כִּבֵּס בַּיַּיִן לְבֻשׁוֹ, שֶׁהוּא מְחַוֵּר לָהֶן דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, וּבְדַם עֲנָבִים סוּתֹה, שֶׁהוּא מְחַוֵּר לָהֶם טָעֻיּוֹתֵיהֶן. אָמַר רַבִּי חָנִין אֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל צְרִיכִין לְתַלְמוּדוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה יא, י): אֵלָיו גּוֹיִם יִדְרשׁוּ, לֹא יִשְׂרָאֵל, אִם כֵּן לָמָּה מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ בָּא וּמַה הוּא בָּא לַעֲשׂוֹת, לְכַנֵּס גָּלֻיּוֹתֵיהֶן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלִתֵּן לָהֶם שְׁלשִׁים מִצְווֹת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (זכריה יא, יב): וָאֹמַר אֲלֵיהֶם אִם טוֹב בְּעֵינֵיכֶם וגו'. רַב אָמַר אֵלּוּ שְׁלשִׁים גִּבּוֹרִים. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר אֵלּוּ שְׁלשִׁים מִצְווֹת. אָמְרֵי לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לָא שְׁמִיעָא לְרַב שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר אֶלָּא בְּאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם. עַל דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַב בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל זוֹכִין רֻבָּן בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִעוּטָן בְּבָבֶל. “He will bind his foal to the vine, and to the branch of the vine his donkey’s foal; he launders his garments in wine, and in the blood of grapes, his clothes” (Genesis 49:11).
“He will bind his foal to the vine” – Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis: Rabbi Yehuda said: A vine with a poor yield, one binds a donkey to it;⁵⁹The vineyards of Judah would be so productive that even a vine with a poor yield would require a donkey to carry its produce. “and to the branch of the vine [velasoreka],” two of “his donkey’s foal.”⁶⁰The midrash interprets soreka to refer to a better-producing vine. “He launders his garments in wine” – this is the milk;⁶¹This is a reference to white wine. “and in the blood of grapes, his clothes” – this is the red.
Rabbi Neḥemya said: “He will bind his foal [iro] to the vine” – from when He brings the vine⁶²The children of Israel are called a vine (see Psalms 80:9). into His city [iro] – “the city that I have chosen” (I Kings 11:32). “And to the branch of the vine his donkey’s [atono] foal” – steadfast [ha’etanim] children are worthy to be produced from him. The Rabbis say: I am bound to the vine and the vine branch.⁶³God is bound to Israel. “His foal” and “his donkey” – upon the arrival of the one in whose regard it is written: “A humble man riding on a donkey…” (Zechariah 9:9).⁶⁴Upon the arrival of the Messiah, it will be demonstrated how God is bound to Israel. “He launders his garments in wine” – as [the Messiah] clarifies matters of Torah for them; “and in the blood of grapes, his clothes” – as he clarifies their errors for them.
Rabbi Ḥanin said: Israel does not need the teaching of the messianic king in the future, as it is stated: “Nations will seek him” (Isaiah 11:10) – not Israel. If so, why does the messianic king come, and what does he come to do? To gather the exiles of Israel and to give them thirty mitzvot. That is what is written: “I said to them: If it is proper in your eye, [give Me My fee…So they weighed out My fee: thirty silver coins]” (Zechariah 11:12) – Rav said: These are the thirty mighty men.⁶⁵They are the righteous individuals in every generation. They are known as silver based on Proverbs 10:20. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: These are thirty mitzvot. They said to Rabbi Yoḥanan: Rav does not accept that the verse is speaking only regarding the nations of the world.⁶⁶According to Rabbi Yoḥanan the verse is directed at the nations of the world, which is why the Messiah is to introduce new mitzvot to them. Rav did not accept that point and therefore interpreted the thirty coins differently. According to the opinion of Rav, when Israel merit, their majority will be in the Land of Israel and their minority in Babylon.⁶⁷The majority of the thirty righteous individuals will be in the Land of Israel, where their spiritual level and influence will be even greater than when they are outside of the land.

חַכְלִילִי עֵינַיִם (בראשית מט, יב), רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה וְרַבִּי יוֹנָתָן בֶּן חַגַּי וְרַבִּי יִצְחָק בְּרַבִי מַרְיוֹן וְאָמְרִין לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא רֻבָּן שֶׁל סַנְהֶדְּרִין מִשֶּׁל יְהוּדָה הָיוּ, וּמַה טַּעֲמֵיהּ, חַכְלִילִי עֵינַיִם מִיָּיִן וגו', שֶׁהֵן יוֹשְׁבִין וְסוֹדְרִין דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה בַּשִּׁנַּיִם עַד שֶׁהֵן מוֹצִיאִין אוֹתָן נְקִיִּים כֶּחָלָב. דָּבָר אַחֵר, חַכְלִילִי עֵינַיִם מִיָּיִן, אֵלּוּ בְּנֵי דָרוֹם שֶׁעֵינֵיהֶם כְּחֻלּוֹת וְכֹחָם יָפֶה לְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה. וּלְבֶן שִׁנַּיִם מֵחָלָב, יָפֶה יַיִן לְבֶן שָׁנִים יוֹתֵר מֵחָלָב לְתִינוֹק. עָמַד אֶחָד עִם חֲבֵרוֹ בַּדָּרוֹם אָמַר לוֹ אִם יַיִן חַרְדָּלִי שָׁתִיתָ, יַיִן הוּא, וְאִם יַיִן גּוּרְדָּלִי שָׁתִיתָ יַיִן רַע שָׁתִיתָ. “His eyes shall be red from wine, and his teeth white from milk” (Genesis 49:12)
“His eyes shall be red” – Rabbi Azarya, Rabbi Yonatan ben Ḥagai, and Rabbi Yitzḥak ben Rabbi Maryon, and some say in the name of Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina: Most of the Sanhedrin were from Judah. What is his source? “His eyes shall be red [and his teeth white from milk]” – as they sit and arrange matters of Torah with their teeth until they express them clearly like milk.⁶⁸They would constantly review their studies aloud until they understood them with absolute clarity. Another matter: “His eyes shall be red [ḥakhlili] from wine” – these are the residents of the south, whose eyes are bright [keḥulot] and who possess great strength for Torah study. “And his teeth white [ulven shinayim] from milk” – wine is better for a person of years [leven shanim]⁶⁹Above the age of forty. than milk is for a baby.
One stood with another in the South. He said to him: ‘If you drank red wine, it is [good] wine. But if you drank white wine, you have drunk lower-quality wine.’

יִשָׂשׂכָר חֲמֹר גָּרֶם (בראשית מט, יד), מָה חֲמוֹר זֶה גְּרָמָיו בְּרוּרִין, כָּךְ הָיָה תַּלְמוּדוֹ שֶׁל יִשָׂשׂכָר בָּרוּר עָלָיו. (בראשית מט, יד): רֹבֵץ בֵּין הַמִּשְׁפְּתָיִם, אֵלּוּ שְׁלשָׁה שׁוּרוֹת שֶׁל תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים שֶׁהֵן יוֹשְׁבִים לִפְנֵיהֶם. (בראשית מט, טו): וַיַּרְא מְנֻחָה כִּי טוֹב, זוֹ הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ד, ב): כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם. וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ כִּי נָעֵמָה, זוֹ הַתּוֹרָה (איוב יא, ט): אֲרֻכָּה מֵאֶרֶץ וגו'. וַיֵּט שִׁכְמוֹ לִסְבֹּל, עֻלָּהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה. וַיְהִי לְמַס עֹבֵד, אֵלּוּ מָאתַיִם רָאשֵׁי סַנְהֶדְרָאוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ מִשִּׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל יִשָׂשׂכָר וכו': דָּבָר אַחֵר, יִשָׂשׂכָר חֲמֹר גָּרֶם, מְדַבֵּר בְּאַרְצוֹ, מַה חֲמוֹר זֶה נָמוּךְ מִכָּאן וְנָמוּךְ מִכָּאן וְגָבוֹהַּ בָּאֶמְצַע, כָּךְ בִּקְעָה מִכָּאן וּבִקְעָה מִכָּאן וְהַר מִכָּאן. רֹבֵץ בֵּין הַמִּשְׁפְּתָיִם, אֵלּוּ שְׁתֵּי בְקָעוֹת. בִּקְעַת פִּסְלָן וּבִקְעַת יִזְרְעֶאל. (בראשית מט, טו): וַיַּרְא מְנֻחָה כִּי טוֹב, זוֹ תִּנְעָם. וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ כִּי נָעֵמָה, זוֹ נָעִים. וַיֵּט שִׁכְמוֹ לִסְבֹּל, עֻלָּהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וַיְהִי לְמַס עֹבֵד, רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן, רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר כָּל הַשְּׁבָטִים הִנִּיחוּ יְתֵרוֹת וְשִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל יִשָׂשׂכָר לֹא הִנִּיחַ יְתֵרוֹת. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר אַף שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל יִשָׂשׂכָר הִנִּיחַ יְתֵרוֹת אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיוּ בַּעֲלֵי מִסִּים. אָמַר רַב אַסֵּי הֵם מַעֲלֵה מִסִּין הָיוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, יִשָׂשׂכָר חֲמֹר גָּרֶם, פָּרוֹתָיו [פרותיו] שֶׁל יִשָׂשׂכָר גַּסִּין הָיוּ, וְהָיָה שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל יִשָׂשׂכָר נוֹטֵל מֵהֶם, וּמְפָרֵשׁ בַּיָּם, וְהָיוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם רוֹאִין אוֹתָן וּמַתְמִיהִין עֲלֵיהֶם, וְהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַל אֵלּוּ אַתֶּם מַתְמִיהִין אִלּוּ הֱיִיתֶם רוֹאִים לַאֲדוֹנֵיהֶם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ עוֹסְקִין בַּתּוֹרָה הָיָה לָכֶם לְהִתַּמֵּהּ עֲלֵיהֶם, וְהַרְבֵּה גֵּרִים הָיוּ בָּאִים וּמִתְגַּיְרִים. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רַב אַחָא אָמַר יִשָׂשׂכָר חֲמֹר גָּרֶם, יִשָׂשׂכָר חֲמוֹר לְגַרְמֵיהּ. “Issachar is a strong-boned donkey, lying between the sheepfolds. He saw rest, that it was good, and the land, that it was pleasant; and he bowed his shoulder to bear, and he became subject to a tribute of labor” (Genesis 49:14–15).
“Issachar is a strong-boned donkey” – just as this donkey, its bones are conspicuous, so, Issachar’s learning is conspicuous upon him. “Lying between the sheepfolds” – these are the three rows of Torah scholars who would sit before them.⁷⁴There would be three rows of students seated before the members of the Sanhedrin when they engaged in deliberations.
“He saw rest, that it was good” – this is the Torah, as it is stated: “For a good lesson I have given you; [My Torah]” (Proverbs 4:2). “And the land, that it was pleasant” – this is the Torah: “]Its measure is] longer than the earth…” (Job 11:9).⁷⁵This verse is referring to the Torah. “He bent his shoulder to bear” – the yoke of Torah. “And he became subject to a tribute of labor” – these are the two hundred heads of Sanhedrin who came from the tribe of Issachar…
Another matter: “Issachar is a strong-boned donkey” – it is speaking of its land. Just as the donkey is low on this end and low on that end and high in the middle, so [the land of Issachar has] a valley from this side, a valley from that side, and a mountain in the middle.⁷⁶Mount Tavor “Lying between the sheepfolds” – these are two valleys, the Valley of Pislan and the Valley of Yizre’el. “He saw rest, that it was good” – this is Tinam. “And the land, that it was pleasant [na’ema]” – this is Na’im.⁷⁷Tinam and Na’im are towns on the border of Issachar. “He bent his shoulder to bear” – the yoke of the Land of Israel.⁷⁸The yoke of fulfilling the mitzva of settling the land, and of fulfilling the land-based mitzvot. “He became subject to a tribute [mas] of labor” – Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Rabbi Elazar says: All the tribes left remnants,⁷⁹They left remnants of the Canaanite nations in their territory. but the tribe of Issachar did not leave any remnants. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The tribe of Issachar, too, left remnants, but they were payers of taxes [misim]. Rav Asi said: Because they paid taxes, it was as though they were subjugated.
Another matter: “Issachar is a strong-boned donkey” – the cows of Issachar were fat. The tribe of Issachar would take of them, and set out to sea. The nations of the world would see them and would be astounded about their [size]. Israel would say to them: ‘You are astounded about these? Had you seen the owners of these engaging in Torah study, you would be astounded about them.’ Many proselytes would come and convert.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rav Aḥa: “Issachar is a strong-boned [garem] donkey” – Issachar, a donkey caused his existence [legarmeih].⁸⁰After giving her mandrakes to Rachel, Leah went out to greet Jacob. How did she know when he was coming? She heard his donkey bray. That night, Leah conceived Issachar (see Bereshit Rabba 99:10).

דָּן יָדִין עַמּוֹ כְּאַחַד שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (בראשית מט, טז), כַּמְּיֻחָד שֶׁל שְׁבָטִים. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר נְחֶמְיָה אִלּוּלֵי שֶׁנִּדְבַּק לַמְיֻחָד שֶׁבַּשְּׁבָטִים אֲפִלּוּ שׁוֹפֵט אֶחָד שֶׁהֶעֱמִיד לֹא הָיָה מַעֲמִיד, וְאֵיזֶה זֶה, זֶה שִׁמְשׁוֹן בֶּן מָנוֹחַ. כִּיחִידוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מַה יְּחִידוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ סִיּוּעַ כָּךְ שִׁמְשׁוֹן בֶּן מָנוֹחַ אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְסִיּוּעַ, אֶלָּא (שופטים טו, טו): וַיִּמְצָא לְחִי חֲמוֹר טְרִיָה, מַהוּ טְרִיָה, בַּר תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין. רַבִּי אָבוּן אָמַר בִּטְנָהּ תְּרֵין, הִיא דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי אָבוּוֹן, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אָבוּן (שופטים טו, טז): בִּלְחִי הַחֲמוֹר חֲמוֹר חֲמֹרָתָיִם וגו' (שופטים טו, יח): וַיִּצְמָא מְאֹד, דִּמְפַטְפֵּט צָחֵי, אָמַר רַבִּי חוּנְיָא וְרַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֲפִלּוּ הָיָה צַרְצוּר שֶׁל מַיִם לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לִפְשֹׁט אֶת יָדוֹ וְלִטְלוֹ, אֶלָּא (שופטים טו, יח): וַיִּקְרָא אֶל ה' וַיֹּאמַר אַתָּה נָתַתָּ בְיַד עַבְדְּךָ וגו', אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים אִם אֵינוֹ בֵּינִי לְבֵינָן אֶלָּא הַמִּילָה הַזֹּאת כְּדַאי הוּא שֶׁלֹא אֶפֹּל בְּיָדָן, מִיָּד (שופטים טו, יט): וַיִּבְקַע אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַמַּכְתֵּשׁ אֲשֶׁר בַּלֶּחִי, רַבִּי לֵוִי וְרַבָּנָן, רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא שְׁמוֹ לֶחִי. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא מַכְתֵּשׁ שְׁמוֹ. רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא וְרַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהֵבִיא לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַעֲיָן מִבֵּין שִׁנָּיו, בְּאֵיזוֹ זְכוּת, מִבִּרְכָתוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה שֶׁאָמַר (דברים לג, כב): יְזַנֵּק מִן הַבָּשָׁן, מִבֵּין שִׁנָּיו. “Dan will avenge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel” (Genesis 49:16).
“Dan will avenge his people, as one [ke’aḥad] of the tribes of Israel” – like the most outstanding [kamyuḥad] of the tribes.⁸¹Like Judah.¬ Samson, from the tribe of Dan, was a leader who battled against Israel’s enemies like David, who was from the tribe of Judah. Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya said: Had it not cleaved to the most outstanding of the tribes, it would not have produced even the one judge that it produced. Who is that? It is Samson son of Manoaḥ. Like the unique One [kiḥido] of the world – just as the unique One of the world needs no assistance, so, Samson son of Manoaḥ needed no assistance. Rather, “he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, [and he extended his hand and took it, and he smote one thousand men with it]” (Judges 15:15). What is “fresh [teriya]”? It was [from a donkey that was] three days old.⁸²Thus, it was small and soft relative to other jawbones of donkeys. Rabbi Avun said: Two [terein] in its womb.⁸³The mother of this donkey had given birth to twins. Therefore, the jawbone was underdeveloped even in comparison to other jawbones from donkeys that had been three days old. This is the opinion of Rabbi Avun, as Rabbi Avun said: “With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps [ḥamor ḥamoratayim]…” (Judges 15:16).⁸⁴Samson was boasting that he smote one thousand men with a soft jawbone that came from one donkey [ḥamor] of two donkeys [ḥamoratayim], i.e. twins .
“He became very thirsty” (Judges 15:18) – one who prattles becomes thirsty. Rabbi Ḥunya and Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Even if there had been a jug of water, he would not have been able to extend his hand and take it.⁸⁵This was due to his extreme exhaustion as a result of his thirst. Instead, “He called to the Lord, and he said: You have delivered [this great salvation] at the hand of Your servant; [shall I now die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?]” (Judges 15:18). He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, if the only difference between them and me is this circumcision, it is sufficient for me not to fall into their hands.’ Immediately, “God split the hollow [hamakhtesh] that was in Leḥi, [and water emerged from it]” (Judges 15:19). Rabbi Levi and the Rabbis: Rabbi Levi said: Leḥi was the name of that place. The Rabbis said: Makhtesh was the name of that place. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: It teaches that the Holy One blessed be He brought him a spring between his teeth. By what merit? It was from the blessing of Moses, who said: “Leaps from [min] the Bashan” (Deuteronomy 33:22) – from between his teeth [mibein shinav],

יְהִי דָן נָחָשׁ עֲלֵי דֶרֶךְ (בראשית מט, יז), מַה נָּחָשׁ זֶה מָצוּי בֵּין הַנָּשִׁים, כָּךְ שִׁמְשׁוֹן בֶּן מָנוֹחַ מָצוּי בֵּין הַנָּשִׁים. מַה הַנָּחָשׁ נֶאֱסָר בִּשְׁבוּעָה, כָּךְ שִׁמְשׁוֹן בֶּן מָנוֹחַ נֶאֱסָר בִּשְׁבוּעָה (שופטים טו, יב): וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם שִׁמְשׁוֹן הִשָּׁבְעוּ לִי. מַה נָּחָשׁ זֶה כָּל כֹּחוֹ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְּרֹאשׁוֹ, כָּךְ שִׁמְשׁוֹן (שופטים טז, יז): אִם גֻּלַּחְתִּי וְסָר מִמֶּנִּי כֹחִי. מָה הַנָּחָשׁ הַזֶּה רִיסוֹ מְחַלְחֵל לְאַחַר הַמִּיתָה, כָּךְ (שופטים טז, ל): וַיִּהְיוּ הַמֵּתִים אֲשֶׁר הֵמִית בְּמוֹתוֹ וגו'. הַנּשֵׁךְ עִקְּבֵי סוּס, (שופטים טז, כה): קִרְאוּ לְשִׁמְשׁוֹן וִישַׂחֶק לָנוּ, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי כְּתִיב (שופטים טז, כז): וְעַל הַגָּג כִּשְׁלשֶׁת אֲלָפִים, אֵלּוּ מַה שֶּׁהָיוּ עַל שְׂפַת הַגָּג, אֲבָל מַה שֶּׁהָיוּ לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם וְלַאֲחוֹרֵי אֲחוֹרֵיהֶם אֵין בְּרִיָּה יוֹדַעַת, וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ (שופטים טז, לא): וַיֵּרְדוּ אֶחָיו וְכָל בֵּית אָבִיהוּ וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֹתוֹ וַיַּעֲלוּ וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתוֹ וגו' בְּקֶבֶר מָנוֹחַ אָבִיו, אֶלָּא יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ בִּקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עַל הַדָּבָר. וַיִּפֹּל רֹכְבוֹ אָחוֹר, יַחְזְרוּ דְּבָרִים לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ רוֹאֶה אוֹתוֹ וְסָבוּר בּוֹ שֶׁהוּא מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אוֹתוֹ שֶׁמֵּת, אָמַר אַף זֶה מֵת (בראשית מט, יח): לִישׁוּעָתְךָ קִוִּיתִי ה'. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק הַכֹּל בְּקִוּוּי, יִסּוּרִין בְּקִוּוּי, קְדֻשַּׁת הַשֵּׁם בְּקִוּוּי, זְכוּת אָבוֹת בְּקִוּוּי, תַּאֲוָתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הַבָּא בְּקִוּוּי. יִסּוּרִין, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה כו, ח): אַף אֹרַח מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ ה' קִוִּינוּךָ, אֵלּוּ יִסּוּרִין. (ישעיה כו, ח): לְשִׁמְךָ, זוֹ קְדֻשַּׁת הַשֵּׁם. (ישעיה כו, ח): וּלְזִכְרְךָ, זוֹ זְכוּת אָבוֹת. (ישעיה כו, ח): תַּאֲוַת נֶפֶשׁ, זוֹ תַּאֲוָתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הַבָּא. חֲנִינָה בְּקִוּוּי (ישעיה לג, ב): ה' חָנֵנוּ לְךָ קִוִּינוּ. סְלִיחָה בְּקִוּוּי (תהלים קל, ד): כִּי עִמְּךָ הַסְּלִיחָה, מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ (תהלים קל, ה): קִוִּיתִי ה'. לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ רוֹאֶה אוֹתוֹ וְסוֹבֵר בּוֹ שֶׁגְּאֻלָּה מַגַּעַת בְּיָמָיו, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁמֵּת, מִיָּד אָמַר לִישׁוּעָתְךָ קִוִּיתִי ה'. “Dan will be a serpent on the road, a viper on the path, that bites a horse’s heels, and his rider falls backward” (Genesis 49:17).
“Dan will be a serpent on the road” – just as the serpent is found among women,⁸⁶The serpent approached Eve to entice her to eat from the tree of knowledge, and did not approach Adam. so, Samson son of Manoaḥ was found among women. Just as the serpent is restrained by oath,⁸⁷This is a reference to the incantations of snake charmers, which they would utter in order to render the snake harmless. so, Samson was restrained by oath: “Samson said to them: Take an oath to me” (Judges 15:12).⁸⁸He let the people of Judah bind him and turn him over to the Philistines after they took an oath that they would not kill him. Thus, he was restrained as a result of an oath that the people of Judah took. Just as this serpent, all its strength is only in its head, so, Samson: “He told her his whole heart and said to her: If I were shaved, my strength would leave me” (Judges 16:17). Just as this serpent, its venom permeates even after its death, so, “the dead whom he put to death in his death [were more than those he put to death during his life]” (Judges 16:30).
“That bites a horse’s heels” – “Summon Samson and let him amuse us” (Judges 16:25). Rabbi Levi said: It is written: “On the roof there were some three thousand” (Judges 16:27). These were the ones who were at the edge of the roof, but those who were behind them, and behind those behind them, no one knows, and you say: “His brothers and the entire household of his father went down, bore him, and went up; they buried him…in the grave of Manoaḥ his father” (Judges 16:31)?⁸⁹How were they able to locate his corpse among all the rubble and all the corpses? It is because Jacob our patriarch requested mercy regarding this matter: “And his rider falls backward” – let all these items⁹⁰Let the stones, the chairs, and the corpses fall backward so that Samson’s family could find his body. fall backward.
“For your salvation I hope, Lord” (Genesis 49:18).
Because Jacob our patriarch envisioned him [Samson] and believed that he was the messianic king, when he envisioned that he would die, he said: Will this one, too, die? “For your salvation, I hope, Lord.”
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Everything is through hope; [relief from] suffering is through hope, sanctification of the Name is through hope, the merit of the patriarchs is through hope, the desire for the World to Come is through hope. Suffering – that is what is written: “Even in the path of Your judgments, Lord, we hoped for You” (Isaiah 26:8) – this is suffering. “For Your name” (Isaiah 26:8) – this is sanctification of the Name. “And Your memory” (Isaiah 26:8) – this is the merit of the patriarchs. “The desire of the soul” (Isaiah 26:8) – this is the desire for the World to Come. Grace is through hope: “Lord, be gracious to us, we have hoped for You” (Isaiah 33:2). Forgiveness is through hope: “For forgiveness is with You” (Psalms 130:4). What is written thereafter? “I have hoped, Lord” (Psalms 130:5). Because Jacob our patriarch envisioned him and believed that salvation would arrive in his days, when he envisioned that he would die, he said: Will this one, too, die? “For your salvation, I hope, Lord.”

גָּד גְּדוּד יְגוּדֶנּוּ (בראשית מט, יט), בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְכַבְּשִׁין וּמְחַלְּקִין אֶת הָאָרֶץ הָיָה שֵׁבֶט רְאוּבֵן וְגָד עִמָּהֶן וְהִנִּיחוּ אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם קְטַנִּים, מִי שֶׁהִנִּיחוּהוּ בֶּן עֶשֶׂר מָצְאוּ אוֹתוֹ בֶּן אַרְבַּע וְעֶשְׂרִים, מִי שֶׁהִנִּיחוּהוּ בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים מָצְאוּ אוֹתוֹ בֶּן אַרְבַּע וּשְׁלשִׁים, נִזְדַּוְּגוּ לָהֶן שָׁלשׁ מִשְׁפָּחוֹת רָעוֹת (בראשית כה, טו): יְטוּר נָפִישׁ וָקֵדְמָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברי הימים א ה, י): וּבִימֵי שָׁאוּל עָשׂוּ מִלְחָמָה עִם הַהַגְרִאִים וגו'. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר נְחֶמְיָה בִּימֵי שָׁאוּל זֶה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, וְלָמָּה הוּא קוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ שָׁאוּל, שֶׁהָיְתָה הַמַּלְכוּת שְׁאוּלָה בְּיָדוֹ, וְהָיוּ אֵלּוּ מְגַדְּלִין שֵׂעָר וְאֵלּוּ מְגַדְּלִין שֵׂעָר, הָיוּ אֵלּוּ מְגַדְּלִין שֵׂעָר עַד שֶׁיִּרְאוּ אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם, וְאֵלּוּ מְגַדְּלִין שֵׂעָר עַד שֶׁיִּרְאוּ אֶת אֲבוֹתָם, וְיִשְׁמְעֵאלִים מְגַדְּלִין שֵׂעָר, וְנָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּלִבָּם שֶׁל בָּנִים וְהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים עֲנֵנוּ ה' עֲנֵנוּ אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲנֵנוּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברי הימים א ה, כ): וַיֵּעָזְרוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וַיִּנָּתְנוּ בְיָדָם הַהַגְרִיאִים, בְּאֵיזוֹ זְכוּת, רַבִּי לֵוִי וְרַבָּנָן, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי מִבִּרְכָתוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ שֶׁאָמַר: גָּד גְּדוּד יְגוּדֶנּוּ, גַּיָּסָא אָתֵי לִמְגַיֵּס יַתְהוֹן וְאִינוּן מְגַיְסִין גַּיָּסָא. וְרַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר מִבִּרְכָתוֹ שֶׁל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (יהושע כב, ח): וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם לֵאמֹר בִּנְכָסִים רַבִּים וגו'. “Gad, a troop will slash his enemies, and he will slash their heel” (Genesis 49:19).
“Gad, a troop will slash his enemies” – when Israel was conquering and distributing the land, the tribes of Reuben and Gad were with them, and they had left their children when they were young.⁹¹These tribes asked for portions of land on the eastern side of the Jordan. Moses agreed, on the condition that they would cross the Jordan and aid the rest of the tribes in conquering the land from the Canaanite nations (see Numbers 32:20–27). The men of these tribes settled their families on the eastern side of the Jordan, aided the rest of the tribes during the fourteen years of conquest and distribution of the land, and only then returned to their families, at the behest of Joshua (see Joshua 22:1–9). One whom they left at the age of ten, they found him twenty-four years old. One whom they left at the age of twenty they found him thirty-four years old. Three wicked families confronted them: Yetur, Nafish, and Kedma; that is what is written: “In the days of Saul, they waged war with the Hagrites, [who fell into their hand, and they dwelled in their tents across all the east of the Gilad]” (I Chronicles 5:10).⁹²The families of Yetur, Nafish, and Kedma descended from Ishmael (see Genesis 25:13–15). They are called Hagrites after Hagar, Ishmael’s mother. Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya said: “In the days of Saul” – this is Joshua. Why does it call him Saul [Sha’ul]? Because the kingship was borrowed [she’ula] in his hand.⁹³Joshua, the Judges, and King Saul were caretakers of the kingdom until the true king, a descendant of the tribe of Judah, would assume the throne. These would grow their hair, and those would grow their hair; these would grow their hair until they would see their children, and these would grow their hair until they would see their fathers.⁹⁴The men and children of Reuben and Gad would grow their hair as a sign of anguish until they could be reunited. And the Ishmaelites would grow their hair.⁹⁵Consequently, when they returned, the fathers had difficulty distinguishing between their children and the Ishmaelites. The Holy One blessed be He placed into the heart of the children, and they would say: ‘Answer us, Lord, answer us, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Israel, answer us.’ That is what is written: “They were aided against them, and the Hagrites…were delivered into their hand, [for they cried out to God in the battle, and He acceded to their entreaty]” (I Chronicles 5:20).
Due to what merit? Rabbi Levi and the Rabbis: The Rabbis said: Due to the blessing of Jacob, who said: “Gad, a troop will slash his enemies,” a troop will come to slash them and they will slash the troop. Rabbi Levi said: Due to the blessing of Joshua. That is what is written: “He said to them, stating: [Return to your tents] with much wealth…[divide the spoils of your enemies with your brethren]” (Joshua 22:8).

מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ (בראשית מט, כ), שֶׁאַרְצוֹ שְׁמֵנָה, שֶׁלַּחְמוֹ שָׁמֵן, שֶׁהוּא מַעֲמִיד בִּגְדֵי שְׁמוֹנָה. (בראשית מט, כ): וְהוּא יִתֵּן מַעֲדַנֵּי מֶלֶךְ, כַּפְלִיּוֹת וְאַנִּפְקִיטוֹן. “From Asher, his bread is rich, and he will provide royal delicacies” (Genesis 49:20).
“From Asher, his bread is rich [shemena laḥmo]” – his land is rich, and his bread is rich,⁹⁶This is expounded based on the fact that shemena is a feminine adjective while leḥem is a masculine noun. The midrash associates shemena with the land, which is a feminine noun, as it is the land that produces the bread. and he will produce [wearers] of eight [shemona] garments.⁹⁷Women from the tribe of Asher would marry priests, and their children, who would be priests, would become High Priests, who don eight priestly vestments.
“And he will provide royal delicacies” – fine pastries, and oil from unripe olives.⁹⁸This was a special type of oil used by women as an ointment to remove hair and soften the skin.

נַפְתָּלִי אַיָּלָה שְׁלֻחָה (בראשית מט, כא), מְדַבֵּר בְּאַרְצוֹ שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ בֵּית הַשְּׁלָחִין, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים ג, יז): מִכִּנֶּרֶת וְעַד יָם הָעֲרָבָה, מִכִּנֶּרֶת רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר יֶרַח, רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר בֵּית יֶרַח. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר סַנְבְּרָאי וּבֵית יֶרַח. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי עַל הַהִיא תְּחוּם בֵּית שְׁאָן וּשְׁמָהּ כִּנֶּרֶת. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה כָּל חוֹף יַם שֶׁל טְבֶרְיָא נִקְרָא כִּנֶּרֶת, וְלָמָּה הוּא קוֹרֵא אוֹתָהּ גִּנּוֹסָר, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי גַּנֵּי שָׂרִים. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן עַל שֵׁם (דברי הימים א יב, לד): וּמִנַּפְתָּלִי שָׂרִים אָלֶף, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שופטים ד, ו ז): וַתִּשְׁלַח וַתִּקְרָא לְבָרָק וגו' וּמָשַׁכְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֶל נַחַל קִישׁוֹן, דְּבֵי רַבִּי נָתָן אָמְרֵי (בראשית מט, כא): שָׁפֶר זוֹ שִׁירָה, שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שופטים ה, א): וַתָּשַׁר דְּבוֹרָה. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יַעֲקֹב בַּר אִידֵי בְּשֵׁם רַב אַחָא (בראשית מט, כא): הַנֹּתֵן אִמְרֵי שָׁפֶר, אִמְרֵי שׁוֹפָר, שֶׁהֵן מְשַׁפְּרִין אֲמָרִים שֶׁנִּתְּנוּ בְּשׁוֹפָר וּבִתְרוּעָה, אַתְּ מוֹצֵא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָלוּ לִקְבֹּר אֶת אָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב בָּאוּ בְּנֵי חֵת לְהִתְעוֹרֵר עִמָּהֶן עַל הַקְּבוּרָה וְרָץ נַפְתָּלִי כְּאַיָּלָה וְהֵבִיא אֶת הַסֵּפֶר מִמִּצְרַיִם וְשִׁפֵּר עַל יָדָן. “Naphtali is a doe let loose, who provides pleasant sayings” (Genesis 49:21).
“Naphtali is a doe let loose [sheluḥa]” – it is speaking of his land, which is entirely irrigated fields [beit hashelaḥin]. That is what is written: “From Kineret⁹⁹Kineret is the Hebrew name for the Sea of Galilee. until the sea of the Arava, [the Dead Sea]” (Deuteronomy 3:17). “Kineret” – Rabbi Elazar said: Yeraḥ. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Beit Yeraḥ. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Sennaberis and Beit Yeraḥ. Rabbi Levi said: The environs of Beit She’an, whose name is Kineret. Rabbi Berekhya said: The entire coast of the Sea of Tiberias is called Kineret. Why does it call it Ginosar? The Rabbis say: The gardens of princes [ganei sarim]. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: It is based on: “From Naphtali one thousand captains [sarim]” (I Chronicles 12:35).
That is what is written: “She sent and called Barak…[from Kedesh Naftali].… I will draw toward you, to the Kishon Stream” (Judges 4:6–7).¹⁰⁰The midrash interprets the phrase “Naphtali is a doe let loose [sheluḥa]” to allude to the fact that its fighters, led by Barak, were sent [nishleḥu] by Deborah to fight against the invading Canaanites. The school of Rabbi Natan said: “Pleasant [sayings]” – this is song that they sang: “Deborah sang” (Judges 5:1). Rabbi Yosei son of Rav Yaakov bar Idi in the name of Rav Aḥa: “Who provides pleasant [shafer] sayings” – sayings of the shofar, as they would beautify [meshaprin] sayings that were given with the shofar and its blasts.¹⁰¹They would beautifully analyze and present the words of the Torah, which was given amidst a shofar blast (see Exodus 20:15). You find that when they ascended to bury our patriarch Jacob, the Hittites came to contend with them over the burial. Naphtali ran like a doe, brought the deed from Egypt, and overcame [veshiper] them.

בֵּן פֹּרָת יוֹסֵף (בראשית מט, כב), בֵּן שֶׁהֵפֵר לְאֶחָיו, בֵּן שֶׁהֵפֵרוּ לוֹ אֶחָיו, בֵּן שֶׁהֵפֵר לַאֲדוֹנָתוֹ, בֵּן שֶׁהֵפֵרָה לוֹ אֲדוֹנָתוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין בֶּן פָּרוֹת רָבִיתָה, בֶּן פֵּרוֹת רָבִיתָה יוֹסֵף, בֵּן פֹּרָת יוֹסֵף רָבִית יוֹסֵף, בְּכֻלָּן כְּתִיב (בראשית לג, ו): וַתִּגַּשְׁןָ הַשְּׁפָחוֹת וגו', הִיא דְּהוּא אָמַר לֵיהּ עָלַי לִפְרֹעַ לְךָ אוֹתָהּ הָעָיִן. (בראשית מט, כב): בָּנוֹת צָעֲדָה עֲלֵי שׁוּר וגו', אַתְּ מוֹצֵא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיָּצָא יוֹסֵף לִמְלֹךְ עַל מִצְרַיִם הָיוּ בְּנוֹת מְלָכִים מְצִיצוֹת עָלָיו דֶּרֶךְ הַחֲרַכִּין וְהָיוּ מַשְׁלִיכוֹת עָלָיו שֵׁירִין וְקָטֶלִין וּנְזָמִים וְטַבָּעוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְלֶה עֵינָיו וְיַבִּיט בָּהֶן, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא הָיָה מַבִּיט בָּהֶן, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתָּה לֹא תָלִיתָ אֶת עֵינֶיךָ וְהִבַּטְתָּ בָּהֶן, חַיֶּיךָ שֶׁאַתָּה נוֹתֵן לִבְנוֹתֶיךָ צְעִידָה בַּתּוֹרָה, מַהוּ צְעִידָה, פָּרָשָׁה. “Joseph is a fruitful tree, a fruitful tree alongside a spring; branches run over the wall” (Genesis 49:22).
“Joseph is a fruitful [porat] tree ” – a son who broke faith [shehefer] with his brothers; a son whose brothers broke faith with him;¹⁰²Joseph brought his father evil reports about his brothers (Genesis 37:2); they later sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:28). a son who defied [shehefer] his master’s wife; a son whose master’s wife turned against [shehefera] him.
Rabbi Avin said: The son who achieved greatness through cows [parot].¹⁰³Joseph rose to prominence after interpreting Pharaoh’s dream, which featured cows. Joseph is the son who achieved greatness through produce [perot]. “Joseph is a fruitful tree” – Joseph achieved greatness. Regarding them all it is written: “The maidservants approached…” (Genesis 33:6)¹⁰⁴See Bereshit Rabba 90:4. – this is what he said to him: I must repay you for that eye.¹⁰⁵Jacob wanted to compensate Joseph for having obscured Rachel from Esau’s eye.
“Branches [banot] run [tzaada] over the wall…” – you find that when Joseph emerged to rule over Egypt, the daughters [banot] of kings would peer through the slits and would cast upon him bracelets, pendants, nose rings, and rings so he would lift his eyes and look at them. Nevertheless, he did not look at them. The Holy One blessed be He said: You did not lift your eyes and look at them; as you live, you will cause your daughters¹⁰⁶The daughters of Tzelofḥad. to have a foothold [tze’ida] in the Torah. What is a foothold? A Torah portion.¹⁰⁷A passage regarding the laws of inheritance (Numbers 27:1–11) was stated as a response to the request of the daughters of Tzelofḥad.

וַיְמָרְרֻהוּ (בראשית מט, כג), בֵּן שֶׁהֵמַר לְאֶחָיו, בֵּן שֶׁהֵמֵרוּ לוֹ אֶחָיו. בֵּן שֶׁהֵמַר לַאֲדוֹנָתוֹ. אֲבָל אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מִי יִרְבֶּה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (בראשית מט, כג): וָרֹבּוּ. (בראשית מט, כג): וַיִּשְׂטְמֻהוּ בַּעֲלֵי חִצִּים, אֵלּוּ בַּעֲלֵי מְחִצָּתוֹ שֶׁהִשְׁלִיכוּ עָלָיו דְּבָרִים קָשִׁים כְּחֵץ, (תהלים קכ, ד): חִצֵּי גִבּוֹר שְׁנוּנִים, וּמָה רָאָה לְמָשְׁלָן בְּחֵץ מִכָּל כְּלֵי זַיִן, אֶלָּא כָּל כְּלֵי זַיִן מַכִּין בִּמְקוֹמָם וְזֶה מַכֶּה מֵרָחוֹק, כָּךְ הוּא לָשׁוֹן הָרָע דְּאָמוּר בְּרוֹמִי וְקָטֵיל בְּסוּרְיָא, וְלֹא כְּכָל גֶּחָלִים אֶלָּא כְּגַחֲלֵי רְתָמִים, שֶׁכָּל גֶּחָלִים כָּבִים מִבִּפְנִים, אֲבָל גַּחֲלֵי רְתָמִים אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא כָּבֶה מִבַּחוּץ עֲדַיִן הוּא בּוֹעֵר מִבִּפְנִים, כָּךְ כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא מְקַבֵּל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ וּמְפַיְסוֹ וְהוּא מִתְפַּיֵּס עֲדַיִן הוּא בּוֹעֵר מִבִּפְנִים. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרֹתֶם אֶחָד שֶׁהֵצִיתוּ בּוֹ אֶת הָאוּר וְהָיָה דּוֹלֵק שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ, חֹרֶף וְקַיִּץ וָחֹרֶף. “They embittered him and shot him [varobu], and archers hated him” (Genesis 49:23).
“They embittered him” – a son who embittered his brothers; a son whose brothers embittered him; a son who embittered his master’s wife. But I do not know who did the most. The verse states: “And shot him.”¹⁰⁸By emphasizing that they shot him, the verse indicates that they embittered him more than he embittered them.
“Archers [baalei ḥitzim] hated him” – these are people who were in his company,¹⁰⁹Joseph’s brothers (Matnot Kehuna); alternatively, Potifar’s wife and the other members of the household (Etz Yosef). who cast upon him items as hard as an arrow. “Sharp arrows of the warrior, [burning coals of the broom bush]” (Psalms 120:4) – why did it see fit to liken them to an arrow more than any other weapon? It is because all weapons strike from nearby, and this strikes from afar. So it is that evil speech spoken in Rome kills in Syria. And it is not all coals, but like the coals of the broom bush, as all coals extinguish from within, but the coals of the broom bush, even though it is extinguished from without it continues to burn from within. So, anyone who receives [believes] evil speech; even if you go and placate [the victim] and he is placated, it still burns from within. There was an incident involving a certain broom bush in which they ignited a fire and it burned twelve months: winter, summer, and winter.

וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵיתָן קַשְׁתּוֹ (בראשית מט, כד), זוֹ עַכְּסִילוֹ, שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה בְּמַזָּל קַשָּׁת. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִי גָרַם לְךָ לְהִדָּחוֹת מִן הָאֵיתָנִים, קַשְׁיוּת שֶׁנִּתְקַשֵׁיתָ עִם אֲדוֹנָתֶךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן נִמְתְּחָה הַקֶּשֶׁת וְחָזְרָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵיתָן קַשְׁתּוֹ, קַשְׁיוּתוֹ. (בראשית מט, כד): וַיָּפֹזּוּ זְרֹעֵי יָדָיו, אָמַר יִצְחָק נִתְפַּזְּרוּ זַרְעוֹ וְיָצָא לוֹ דֶּרֶךְ צִפָּרְנָיו. (בראשית מט, כד): מִידֵי אֲבִיר יַעֲקֹב, רַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַב מַתָּנָה אִיקוֹנִין שֶׁל אָבִיו רָאָה וְצִנֵּן דָּמוֹ. רַבִּי מְנַחֲמָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַמֵּי אָמַר אִיקוֹנִין שֶׁל אִמּוֹ רָאָה וְצִנֵּן דָּמוֹ. (בראשית מט, כד): מִשָּׁם רֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל רָאָה וְצִנֵּן דָּמוֹ. מִי עָשָׂה כֵן, (בראשית מט, כה): מֵאֵל אָבִיךָ. (בראשית מט, כה): מֵעָל, זוֹ אַזְכָּרוֹת שֶׁבַּבַּעַל. (בראשית מט, כה): רֹבֶצֶת תָּחַת, זוֹ בֵּית שְׁאָן, בְּבֵית הַשְּׁרָיי. (בראשית מט, כה): בִּרְכֹת שָׁדַיִם וָרָחַם, רַבִּי לוּלְיָאנִי בֶּן טוּרִין מִשֵּׁם רַבִּי יִצְחָק בִּוְלַד בְּהֵמָה בֵּרְכוֹ, אָמַרְתָּ צֵא וּרְאֵה אֵיזוֹ הוּא שֶׁדַּדֶּיהָ בִּמְקוֹם רַחְמָהּ וְאִי אַתָּה מוֹצֵא אֶלָּא בִּבְהֵמָה. רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר זוּטְרָא אָמַר בּוֹא וּרְאֵה עַד הֵיכָן חִבֵּב אָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב אֶת רָחֵל, אֲפִלּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא לְבָרֵךְ אֶת בְּנָהּ עֲשָׂאוֹ טְפֵלָה לָהּ. בִּרְכֹת שָׁדַיִם וָרָחַם, יִתְבָּרְכוּן דַּדַּיָּא דְּהָכִין אוֹנִיקוּ וּמֵעַיָא דְּהָכִין אֲפִיקוּ. (בראשית מט, כו): בִּרְכֹת אָבִיךָ, עַל מְלַמְּדַי וְעַל מַעְבְּדָנַי. (בראשית מט, כו): עַד תַּאֲוַת גִּבְעֹת עוֹלָם, מַה שֶּׁנִּתְאַוּוּ גִּבְעוֹת עוֹלָם. (בראשית מט, כו): תִּהְיֶין לְרֹאשׁ יוֹסֵף, הָכָא אַתְּ אָמַר תִּהְיֶין, וּלְהַלָּן אַתְּ אָמַר (דברים לג, טז): תָּבוֹאתָה, רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא אָמַר תְּבוּאָתָהּ תֹּאכַל בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהַקֶּרֶן קַיֶּמֶת לְךָ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וּלְקָדְקֹד נְזִיר אֶחָיו, שֶׁרִחֲקוּ אוֹתוֹ אֶחָיו וְעָשׂוּ אוֹתוֹ נָזִיר. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק מִגְדָּלָאָה אַתְּ הוּא כְּלִילְהוֹן דַּאֲחוּךְ. רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר נָזִיר מַמָּשׁ הָיָה, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי כָּל שְׁתַּיִם וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה שֶׁלֹא רָאָה אֶחָיו לֹא טָעַם טַעַם יַיִן, אַף הֵם לֹא טָעֲמוּ יַיִן עַד שֶׁרָאוּ אוֹתוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית מג, לד): וַיִּשְׁתּוּ וַיִּשְׁכְּרוּ עִמּוֹ, עִמּוֹ שָׁתוּ חוּץ מִמֶּנּוּ לֹא שָׁתוּ. “His bow [kashto] sat firm [be’eitan], and the arms of his hands were golden, by the hands of the mighty One of Jacob, from there, from the Shepherd of the stone of Israel” (Genesis 49:24).
“His bow sat firm” – this is Aksilo, which produces during the sign of Sagittarius.¹¹⁰Aksilo – until [ad] Kislev
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Who caused you to be rejected from the mighty ones [ha’eitanim]?¹¹¹That you are not included as one of the patriarchs (Maharzu; cf. Matnot Kehuna, Etz Yosef). It is the passion [kashyut] that you experienced with your master’s wife.¹¹²This is according to the opinion that initially Joseph wished to consort with her. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The bow was drawn until taut and was then loosened.¹¹³Joseph experienced arousal for Potifar’s wife but then subdued his passion and became relaxed once again. That is what is written: “His bow [kashto] sat firm” – his passion [kashyuto].
“And the arms [zero’ei] of his hands were golden [vayafozu]” –Yitzḥak said: His seed [zaro] scattered [nitpazeru[ and emerged through his fingernails.
“From the God of your father, and He shall help you, and the Almighty, and He shall bless you; blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the depths lying beneath, blessings of breasts and of womb” (Genesis 49:25).
“By the hands of the mighty One of Jacob” (Genesis 49:24) – Rav Huna in the name of Rav Matana: He saw the image of his father’s face, and it cooled his blood. Rabbi Menaḥama said in the name of Rabbi Ami: He saw the image of his mother’s face, and it cooled his blood. “From there, from the Shepherd of the stone of Israel” (Genesis 49:24) – he saw the stone of Israel,¹¹⁴A reference to his mother, Rachel, who was the cornerstone of the home of Jacob, i.e. Israel (Matnot Kehuna). and it cooled his blood. Who caused this? “From the God of your father.”
“Above [me’al]” – this is Azkarot that is in Baal.¹¹⁵The reference is to a location of high altitude at the edge of the border of the territory of Joseph in the Land of Israel (Etz Yosef). “Lying beneath” – this is Beit She’an, in Beit HaSherai.¹¹⁶A low-lying area in the territory of Joseph. Both Azkarot and Beit She’an had excellent produce (Etz Yosef; cf. Rabbi David Luria).
“Blessings of breasts and of womb” – Rabbi Luleyani ben Turin in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: He blessed him with the offspring of animals. You [must] say [so]: Go out and see, whose udder is in the place of its womb? You find it only in an animal. Rabbi Abba bar Zutera said: Come and see to what extent our patriarch Jacob was fond of Rachel. Even when he came to bless her son, he made him secondary to her: “Blessings of breasts and of womb” – may the breasts that nursed this one and the womb that produced this one be blessed.
“The blessings of your father surpass the blessings of my parents until the edge of the eternal hills; they shall be on the head of Joseph, on the head of the elect among his brothers” (Genesis 49:26).
“The blessings of your father” – those who taught me and those who conceived me.
“Until the edge [taavat] of the eternal hills [givot olam]” – what the hills of the world [givot olam]¹¹⁷The patriarchs. desired [nitavu].
“They shall be on the head of Joseph” – here it says “they shall be,” but elsewhere it says: “It shall come [tavota] [upon the head of Joseph]” (Deuteronomy 33:16). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: You will eat its produce [tevuata] in this world, and the principal is intact for the World to Come.
“On the head of the elect [nezir] among his brothers” – as his brothers distanced him and caused him to be isolated [nazir].¹¹⁸The term nazir can mean separating, or something that is separated (see, e.g., Leviticus 22:2; Isaiah 1:4), and so too, Joseph was separated from his brothers. Rabbi Yitzḥak of Migdal said: You are the crown of your brothers. Rabbi Levi said: He was an actual nazirite, as Rabbi Levi said: All twenty-two years that he did not see his brothers, he did not taste the taste of wine. They, too, did not taste wine until they saw him. That is what is written: “They drank and became intoxicated with him” (Genesis 43:34) – with him they drank; without him they did not drink.