[Par-reg] For V'zot ha'bracha

[Menachem Leibtag]

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        THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]

            In Memory of Rabbi Abraham
Leibtag

      Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag

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PARSHAT VE-ZOT HA-BRACHA

 

    Ve-zot ha-bracha is a classic example of
a Parsha that almost everyone knows by heart
(at least the first three aliyot), but almost
no one understands. [That's because it is
read numerous times in shul, but its words
are very difficult to translate.] 

    In this week's shiur, we try to 'break
ice' by undertaking a basic analysis of the
Parsha's structure and theme. 

 

INTRODUCTION

    We begin our study with a short
discussion of the two obvious problems that
one encounters when studying the order of the
tribes in these blessings. 

    First of all, one tribe (Shimon) appears
to be missing, i.e. his tribe is not even
mentioned within Moshe's blessings. Secondly,
the order of these blessings (tribe by tribe)
proceeds in what appears to be a rather
random sequence. 

    To better appreciate these two problems,
the following table lists the tribes
according to their order in Ve-zot ha-bracha.
To accentuate the apparent lack of sequence
in this list, next to each 'shevet' [tribe]
we note their respective matriarch and
relative position according to birth. 

 

THE ORDER OF THE TRIBES

#     SHEVET      MATRIARCH & position of
birth

1     Reuven            Leah  1 

2     Yehuda            Leah  4 

3     Levi        Leah  3 

4     Binyamin    Rachel      12 

5     Yosef             Rachel      11 [
Efraim & Menashe] 

6     Zevulun           Leah  6 

7     Yissachar   Leah  5 

8     Gad         Zilpa        9 

9     Dan         Bilha        7 

10    Naftali           Bilha        8 

11    Asher             Zilpa       10 

   * Note that the tribe of SHIMON is
missing! 

 

    Carefully study this list. On the one
hand, the order of the "shvatim" is certainly
not random, as the children of the
maidservants (Bilha & Zilpa) are grouped at
the end, while the children of Rachel and
'sandwiched' together between Leah's elder
and younger children. 

    One the other hand, there doesn't seem to
be an apparent reason for Rachel's children
to be 'inserted' in this manner. And of
course, as you noticed, Shimon is 'missing'! 

    Furthermore, although it's pretty clear
why Reuven is first, as he is the oldest, why
does Moshe skip from Reuven to Yehuda?
Likewise, why does Binyamin precede his older
brother Yosef, and why do the children of
Rachel 'interrupt' Moshe's blessings to the
children of Leah? 

    Finally, why does Zevulun precede
Yissachar, why does Gad precede Dan, and why
do the children of Bilha 'interrupt' the
children of Zilpa? 

    Even in Parshat Bamidbar, where we find
the tribes listed in various orders as they
prepare to organize the camp around the
Mishkan (see TSC shiur), we find no list that
is even slightly resembles this order of the
blessings in Ve-zot ha-bracha. 

    In summary, although the list is not
altogether random, it certainly doesn't
follow any apparent logic.  In our shiur, we
attempt to identify its rationale. To that
end, we must first consider the nature and
purpose of these blessings. 

 

FROM YAAKOV TO MOSHE

    Ve-zot ha-bracha is not the first time in
Chumash where we find that each tribe
receives a blessing. Recall that back in
Parshat Va'ychi, Yaakov Avinu blesses each
tribe before his death. Unlike Moshe,
however, Yaakov addresses his children in
almost exact age order: Reuven, Shimon, Levi,
Yehuda, Zevulun & Yissachar [note slight
deviation], Dan (first born of Bilha), Gad
(first born of Zilpa), Asher, and Naftali. 

[The only problem, of course, is that Zevulun
precedes his older brother Yissachar (for an
explanation, see Seforno Br. 49:13, based on
Midrash Tanchuma Vayechi 11.). Although Gad &
Asher precede Naftali, they may very well
have been born first, depending on how one
understands Breishit 30:5-10.] 

 

    The reason why Yaakov blesses his
children in 'age order' is quite simple. As
we explained in our shiur on Parshat Va'ychi,
Yaakov (prior to his death) blesses each son
according to his individual potential, as
exhibited and manifest throughout each
respective son's life. As those blessings
related to the personal destiny of each son,
it makes sense that they would follow (more
or less) in the order or oldest to youngest. 

    Moshe, by contrast, is not the 'dying
father' of twelve sons. He is rather the
'departing leader' of twelve tribes to whom
he has given the Torah and who are about to
conquer and occupy the Land of Israel. As we
would expect, his blessings accurately
reflect the setting and circumstances in
which they are administered. 

    In the first part of our shiur, we will
show how each of Moshe's blessings relates in
one form or another to either the tribe's
forthcoming military conquest of the land; or
to their leadership potential; or to the
quality of the specific 'nachala' (territory)
that they are destined to inherit. 

    Afterward, we will show how these
observations will enable us to answer our
original questions concerning the strange
order of the tribes in these blessings. 

 

THE 'GIST' OF THE BLESSINGS

    Let's quickly review the gist of each
blessing, one tribe at a time, noting how
each blessing relates to either the defining
characteristic that tribe's inheritance
[nachala], or to the tribe's role in the
imminent conquest of the land. 

 

REUVEN 

    At first glance, Moshe Rabbeinu's opening
remarks to the tribe of Reuven appears to be
simply a blessing of 'life'. 

"Let Reuven live and not die, and let his
numbers be counted"  (see Devarim 33:6). 

 

    Nonetheless, both Rashi and Seforno
explain how these remarks actually relate to
the forthcoming conquest of the land. 

    Rashi explains how this blessing
addresses Moshe's concern that Reuven would
not receive a nachala at all - as he may have
lost that right when Yaakov cursed him (on
account of his sin with Bilha / see Breishit
49:3-4), just as he forfeited his claim to
the 'bechora' (birthright). [See also Targum
Onkelos.] 

    Furthermore, the fact that Reuven had
already 'set up camp' outside the biblical
borders of Eretz Canaan (in Transjordan)
provided yet another reason to doubt whether
Reuven would truly become an 'official' tribe
of Israel. Hence, Rashi explains that the
purpose of Moshe's blessing was to counter
these fears, thus reassuring Reuven that he
will remain 'alive,' i.e. a full fledged
member of the tribes of Israel. 

    In contrast, Chizkuni offers a 'military'
explanation for this blessing. Considering
that the tribe of Reuven had recently
promised to 'take the front line' in the
forthcoming battles to conquer Eretz Canaan
[i.e. to be the 'chalutz' - see Bamidbar
32:20-32], Moshe bestows upon them a blessing
of 'life' to help them survive this most
dangerous task, praying in their behalf that
their 'number' ['mispar'] - population -
should remain the same after battle as it was
beforehand. [For a similar approach, see
commentary of Rabbenu Yosef Bechor Shor.] 

    For the purpose of our shiur, note how
both commentators make every effort to relate
this blessing (and all the others) to the
forthcoming events, as the twelve tribes now
prepare to conquer the land. 

 

YEHUDA

"Hear Hashem the [battle] cry of Yehuda and
help him lead his people. Make his hands
strong for him, and help him against his
enemies" (33:7). 

    [See Rashi and Ibn Ezra] 

    Clearly, the bracha to Yehuda relates to
his military leadership, as Moshe foresees
that the soldiers of Yehuda will be
particularly enthusiastic and diligent in the
conquest of their portion in the Land (see
Yehoshua chapter 14 and Sefer Shoftim chapter
1). 

 

LEVI

    After a short reference to Aharon, the
tribal leader of the tribe of Levi (and
"kohen gadol" /high priest) , Moshe addresses
Levi as follows: 

"They shall teach Your laws to Yaakov and
Your instructions to Israel; they shall offer
ktoret... and whole-offerings [olot] on the
mizbeiach. God should bless his chayil and
favor his undertakings. Help him smite the
loins of those who rise against him, and
don't allow his enemies to succeed"
(33:8-11). 

 

    This blessing to Levi focuses on this
tribe's responsibility to provide spiritual
leadership, i.e. to teach God's laws and
officiate in His Temple. Interestingly,
however, even this function is presented in
'military' jargon [e.g. the word 'cheilo' in
33:11]. 

[Note also 33:9, an apparent reference to
Bnei Levi's preparedness to prosecute and
execute those who sinned at chet ha-egel (see
Rashi 33:9 and Shmot 32:26-29). Indeed, their
conduct at that point was of a 'military'
nature.] 

 

    Whereas all other tribes earned their
"nachala", a specific, designated portion of
land, shevet Levi was scattered among the
various tribes in order to serve as teachers
throughout the country (note Devarim 18:1-2,
"Hashem hu nachlatam"!). Understandably,
then, their blessing relates to their
leadership role, rather than their allocated
portion in the land. 

 

BINYAMIN

"Beloved to God, He shall allow His Shchina
to dwell securely within him. He constantly
protects [=surrounds] him, as He rests
between his shoulders" (33:12). 

 

    This blessing (recently brought to fame
by a popular Avraham Fried song
'U-le'Binyamin amar...') focuses on the
special quality of Binyamin's nachala, its
designation to house the bet ha-mikdash
(God's Temple) in Yerushalayim. 

 

YOSEF [Efraim & Menashe]

"God's blessing is given to his land, with
the bounty of dew from heaven... with the
bounty of the earth in its fullness... 

    His 'horns' are like those of a wild ox,
with them he gores other nations... these are
the 'tens of thousands' of Efraim and these
are the 'thousands' of Menashe" (see
33:13-17). 

 

    The precise translation of this blessing
is somewhat elusive, but it clearly speaks of
the bountiful nature of the nachala
apportioned to Yosef. It appears that Yosef
will bear the responsibility of forming the
backbone of Israel's agrarian economy (as was
Yosef's job in Egypt - see Or Hachayim here).

    The final verse alludes to Yosef's
military competence that will grant him
victory over enemy nations. Specifically,
Rashi understands the final pasuk as a
reference to the leadership of Yehoshua - a
descendant of Efraim - who led Am Yisrael in
their conquest of Eretz Canaan. 

 

ZEVULUN & YISSACHAR

"Rejoice Zevulun as you go out [to war;
compare with Bamidbar 27:17] and Yissachar in
your tents. [Their prosperity will catalyze]
a call to other nations to ascend God's
mountain [see Ibn Ezra & Seforno] where they
will offer proper sacrifices, for they draw
from the riches of the sea and from the
hidden hoards of the sand" (33:18). 

 

    The opening sentence may refer to
Zevulun's military prowess [see Ibn Ezra's
interpretation, in contrast to Rashi's, and
see Shoftim 5:18], but the conclusion of the
pasuk clearly relates to the importance of
his nachala. Their territory was situated
along the sea [the coast from Caesarea to the
Acco/Haifa bay area], thus forming Israel's
gateway to foreign trade and, consequently,
economic relations with other nations. Moshe
anticipates that these business alliances
will lead to the recognition on the part of
those nations of the God of Israel - the
primary long-term goal of Am Yisrael (see
Devarim 4:5-8 & previous shiurim on Parshiot
Noach & Lech Lecha). 

    The nachala of Yissachar, too,
facilitates international trade (and
influence), as it lies in Emek Yizrael, at
the heart of the via maris - the ancient
trade route connecting Egypt with
Mesopotamia. [See Seforno 33:19, who alludes
to Yissachar's role in international trade.] 

    Furthermore, Rashbam (Breishit 49:14)
understands the 'tents' of Yissachar as a
reference to this tribe's involvement in
agriculture, while Rabbenu Yosef Bechor Shor
(here) associates Yissachar's tents with the
cattle industry (compare with Breishit 4:20).
All this, too, relates directly to
Yissachar's portion: the fertile soil of Emek
Yizreel renders it an ideal location for both
agriculture and livestock breeding. 

 

GAD

"Blessed be He who enlarges [the nachala of]
Gad. He is poised like a lion to tear off arm
and scalp [i.e. military strength]. He chose
for himself the best [nachala]..."
(33:20-21).   [The rest of the pasuk is very
difficult, but most likely refers to his
nachala as the chosen spot for Moshe's burial
site - see Rashi.] 

 

    Once again, Moshe's bracha focuses on the
unique nature of the given tribe's nachala,
Gads initiative to widen his inheritance in
Transjordan, as well as their military
capabilities. 

 

DAN

"Dan is like a lion's whelp that leaps from
the Bashan"      (see 33:22). 

 

    Dan's blessing obviously relates to their
military might and the location of their
nachala - at the western slopes of the Golan
Heights [Bashan is the biblical name for the
Golan - see Devarim 3:8-10], today the area
of Tel Dan and Kiryat Shmona in the Chula
valley of the Upper Galil. Anyone who has
been on a tiul to the Golan, and visited the
old Syrian bunkers that overlooked the Chula
valley and the area of Tel Dan and Kiryat
Shemona, can easily understand how the phrase
'yezanek min ha-Bashan' describes the nachala
of Dan. 

[Even though Devarim 4:43 indicates that the
Golan region itself was included in Menashe's
nachala, not Dan's, the Targum here explains,
our pasuk means that Dan lived near the
Bashan, and the land in his region was
watered by the streams flowing down from the
Bashan. Note as well that Ibn Ezra (and
others) explain Moshe's bracha as having
nothing to do with Dan's actual portion,
rather the tribe's military strength. He
interprets 'yezanek min ha-Bashan' as
modifying the lion to whom Dan is compared,
rather than the tribe of Dan itself.] 

 

    Additionally, Rashi explains the lion
metaphor as a reference to Dan's location on
the border, standing guard against enemy
intrusion. [Almost prophetic!] 

 

NAFTALI

"Naftali should be satiated [for his nachala]
is full of God's blessing, to the west and
south (of his brother Dan) he shall/must
conquer his land" (33:23). [See Ibn Ezra's
comments regarding the word 'yarasha'.] 

    [See also Ramban - note why he quotes the
Midrash.] 

 

    Again, Moshe's bracha relates to the
agricultural potential of this nachala and
the conquest of that portion.
[Parenthetically, Naftali's nachala is
situated in the fertile and beautiful region
of the Upper Galil, to the west and south of
Tel Dan (including Zefat & Har Meron).] 

 

ASHER

"May Asher be the most blessed of sons, may
he be the favorite of his brothers and may he
dip his foot in oil. Iron and copper are your
door-bolts, and your security should last for
all your days" (33:24). 

 

    These psukim require further elucidation,
but what is clear is that they relate to two
unique characteristics of Asher's nachala:
its abundance of olive trees (and hence olive
oil) and its location on Israel's northern
border. [See Ramban's interpretation, that
Asher's portion guards the country's northern
border (and thus serves as an 'iron lock'
securing the country). See also Seforno, who
explains that the presence of iron & copper
locks on their homes reflects the wealth of
their land.] 

 

SUMMARY

    As we review all these brachot, it
becomes clear that they all focus on the
nature of each nachala and the conquest of
the land. In fact, almost all the
commentators, especially Ibn Ezra, Chizkuni,
and Seforno (in addition to Rashi and
Ramban), relate to this aspect of the
nachalot throughout their interpretation of
these psukim. 

    These observations can help us understand
the underlying intention of the blessings
that Moshe Rabbeinu bestows at this time.
Aware of the military capabilities of each
tribe and the anticipated geographic division
of the land (note 34:1-4), Moshe blesses each
tribe - encouraging them to achieve their
fullest potential in the forthcoming conquest
of Eretz Canaan.

[In essence, that is what 'blessings' are all
about - i.e. the fulfillment of personal
potential!] 

 

    Based on this understanding, we can
return to our original question and make some
sense out of the seemingly random order of
their presentation. 

 

'INHERIT' ORDER

    As these blessings relate to the
"nachalot" - the upcoming inheritance of each
tribe, we posit that the order of the
blessings follow according to the order of
the geographical location of those nachalot. 

[To appreciate how this theory explains their
order, it is recommended that you follow this
section of the shiur while referring to a map
of the nachalot of the tribes in the Land of
Israel.]

    Recall from the opening lines of the
Parasha - how Reuven is the first tribe to
receive Moshe's blessing.  Reuven is first,
not just because he is the oldest, but rather
because Reuven was the first tribe to conquer
his portion, as recorded in Bamidbar chapter
32 (& Devarim 3:16-19). 

    If this theory was correct, we would now
expect Gad to receive the next blessing (who
joined Reuven in their conquest of
Transjordan).  Instead, we find that the next
blessing goes to Yehuda (see 33:6-8).
However, one can suggest a very simple
explanation - as there appears to be an
'overriding' rule that governs the order of
these blessing - that Moshe first blesses the
tribes from Yaakov's wives (i.e. the children
of Leah & Rachel) - and only afterward
blesses the tribes from the maidservants
(Bilha & Zilpa). 

    This principle beautifully explains the
order when Moshe finally blesses these four
tribes (from the maidservants) towards the
end of the Parasha.  Note how he begins by
blessing Gad (see 33:20), because they
conquered their nachala first (in
Transjordan) - even though Dan is the older
brother (and the head of the camp in the
desert /see  Bamidbar chapter 2!). 

    

    These observations can also help clarify
the content of Reuven's blessing. Moshe must
emphasize that even though Reuven's nachala
lies outside the borders of Eretz Canaan,
they retain their status as an 'official'
shevet (as we explained earlier). 

 

YEHUDA FIRST

    Once we skip Gad, Reuven is followed by
Yehuda - the first of the tribes to
successfully conquer their portion of land,
as detailed both in Sefer Yehoshua (chapters
14->15) and in Sefer Shoftim (1:1-15). This
also explains why Yehuda's blessing focuses
on their military power. 

    Next, Moshe Rabbeinu works his way 'up
north', from Yehuda (in the south) through
Binyamin to Efraim and Menashe. This
principle (of geographical order) explains
why Binyamin precedes Yosef, for his nachala
is located north of Yehuda, but south of
Efraim. We'll soon continue with the tribes
located to the north of Efraim, but first, we
must explain what happened to Shimon & Levi. 

 

A 'SOLUTION' FOR SHIMON

    Our approach thus far can also provide us
with a clue as to why Shimon does not receive
a blessing in Ve-zot Ha-bracha. Considering
that Shimon's nachala is later included
(almost 'swallowed up') within the borders of
Yehuda (see Yehoshua 19:1 & 19:9!), one could
conclude that Shimon basically never received
their own nachala (a fulfillment of Yaakov's
'blessing' to Shimon in Breishit 48:5-7).
Furthermore, in the aftermath of 'chet bnot
Mo'av' their numbers were severely reduced
(see Bamidbar 26:14, compare 1:23!), hence we
can conclude that their army may not have
played a major role in the conquest of the
land as well. 

[Note Rashi on 33:7 (towards the end), where
he quotes a Midrash Tehillim that the bracha
to Shimon is actually 'included' within the
bracha to Yehuda: 'shma Hashem' contains the
first letters of Shimon's name,
'shin.mem.ayin'. In fact, the same wording is
used when Shimon is first named by his
mother: 'ki shama Hashem ki snu'a anochi'
(see Breishit 29:33!).] 

 

    As Shimon's conquest and inheritance
during the time period of Yehoshua will be
almost negligible, his tribe is totally
skipped. 

 

WHY LEVI & BINYAMIN COME FIRST

    Now, we must explain why Levi follows
immediately after Yehuda, before all the
other shvatim. 

    To do so, we must first explain why
according to our theory (that the blessings
relate specifically to the nachalot) -Levi
should not have received any blessing, for
they were not destined to receive any portion
in the land - as Moshe himself has stated
earlier: 

"The kohanim-levi'im - the entire tribe of
Levi - shall not receive a nachala with the
rest of Israel ... God is his nachala, as He
spoke to him" (see Devarim 18:1-2). 

 

    However, a closer analysis of this pasuk
can provide us with a very meaningful reason
for not only the nature of Moshe's blessing
to Levi, but also its position! Note how the
tribe of Levi did, indeed receive a nachala -
not a tract of land, but rather 'nachalat
Hashem' - i.e. as a tribe, they are destined
to serve the people as God's representatives.


    Towards that purpose, God separated the
entire shevet of Levi to serve in the bet
ha-mikdash and to teach Torah to Bnei
Yisrael; and hence, this responsibility is
considered their nachala. 

    Even though this special nachala does not
carry a distinct geographical border,
nonetheless the bet ha-mikdash ['makom asher
yivchar Hashem' / see Devarim chapter 12] was
to become the central location for the
fulfillment of these responsibilities.
Considering that the permanent bet ha-mikdash
was destined to be built in Jerusalem [= Har
ha-Moria, see Divrei Hayamim II 3:1], Moshe
Rabbeinu treats the tribe of Levi as though
its nachala will be that city. 

    As we all know, the city of Jerusalem is
located precisely between the borders of the
tribes of Yehuda (to the south) and Binyamin
(to the north / see Yehoshua 15:8 & 18:16) -
therefore his blessing follows that of Yehuda
(and precedes the blessing to Binyamin) - and
deals with their tribal responsibilities to
teach Torah to Israel, and officiate in the
Temple: 

"...They shall teach Your laws to Yaakov and
Your Torah to Israel - they shall put incense
and whole burnt-offering upon Your altar. God
should bless his substance, and accept the
work of his hands..." (see 33:8-11). 

 

    Even though the cities wherein the
Levites will live are scattered among the
tribes, Jerusalem will remain their center.
Furthermore, in Sefer Yehoshua we learn how
Yehuda becomes the first tribe to supply
cities for the levi'im (see Yehoshua 21:1-4).
[This may be an additional reason why Levi
follows Yehuda in Ve-zot Ha-bracha.] And it
only makes sense that their primary cities
would be located nearby Jerusalem - within
the tribes of Yehuda and Binyamin. 

 

BINYAMIN

    As the order proceeds from south to
north, Binyamin receives the next blessing,
i.e. following Levi. This 'juxtaposition' to
Levi also explains why Moshe's blessing to
Binyamin focuses first and foremost on this
tribe's role as the territory wherein God
will allow His Shchina to dwell (see
33:12-13!) Recall how Jerusalem is located on
its southern border, while the mishkan was
located in other cities within Binyamin, such
as Gilgal, Nov, and Givon. Accordingly,
Binyamin's bracha deals exclusively with
God's promise that His Shchina will dwell
within this tribe's borders ['shoulders']. 

 

YOSEF & THE SHOMRON 

    As we proceed northward from the
territory of Binyamin, we enter the region
settled by the children of Yosef, first
Efraim and then Menashe (located farther to
the north). Once again, our theory also
explains why Moshe's blessing to Yosef
focuses primarily on the land's vast
agricultural potential and the tribe's
military strength. 

 

YISSACHAR & ZEVULUN

    To explain why Yissachar and Zevulun
follow Menashe, we must consider once again
the geography of the land. 

    Thus far, we have seen how the blessings
proceed from north to south, however, as the
borders of Efraim & Menashe extend from the
Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River, we
have not yet found an example of whether an
eastern territory should precede a western
one (or visa versa). We do encounter this
problem in regard to Yissachar and Zevulun,
as both occupy the area north of Yosef's
border, Zevulun to the west (along the coast)
and Yissachar to the east (in Emek Yizrael
until the Jordan River). 

    As we explained earlier, this territory
serves as the gateway to foreign trade,
convoys and shipping, as reflected in Moshe's
blessings to Yissachar and Zevulun. 

    Although no 'geographical' reason seems
to warrant Zevulun's precedence over his
older brother, Yissachar, Moshe Rabbeinu
follows the pattern set by Yaakov Avinu, who
also blessed Zevulun before Yissachar (see
Breishit 49:13-14). It should also be noted
that Zevulun precedes Yissachar in Sefer
Yehoshua chapter 19, as well, in the context
of the apportionment of the land among the
tribes. 

[Rashi also provides an answer relating to
the famous Yissachar/Zevulun 'work/study
Torah' arrangement.] 

 

BNEI HA-SHFACHOT

    As we explained above, Moshe blesses the
children of Yaakov's maidservants only after
he completes the blessings to Leah and
Rachel's children. However, consistent with
his pattern heretofore, he presents his
blessings in the order of their nachalot,
rather than the order of their births. 

    Moshe begins this group of shvatim with
Gad, who, together with Reuven, took their
nachala first, in Transjordan, before the
other tribes established their settlements.
Dan & Naftali follow, as their nachalot are
situated to the north of Yissachar & Zevulun.
Finally he comes to Asher, whose nachala
extends along the entire northern border of
Israel (today southern Lebanon). 

    These geographic considerations explain
the progression of Moshe's blessing, in what
would otherwise have been considered a very
strange internal order. 

    Furthermore, this analysis also provides
us with a better appreciation of the content
of these final four blessings, as they focus
on the beauty of the land, each tribe's need
for expansion, and how they protect Israel's
northern and eastern borders. Moshe's
blessings thus encourage these tribes, who
reside far away from the center of the
country, to rise to the challenges that their
nachalot present. [Sefer Yehoshua and Sefer
Shoftim provide us with numerous examples of
how difficult this challenge truly was.] 

 

The OPENER & the FINALE

    Now that we have explained the individual
brachot and their sequence, we conclude our
shiur by taking a quick look at Moshe
Rabbeinu's opening and concluding comments,
to see how they relate to our discussion thus
far. 

    Moshe introduces his brachot with a
four-pasuk 'opener' (see 33:2-5) and a
corresponding four-pasuk 'closer' (see
33:26-29). The introductory psukim - the
precise translation of which requires further
discussion beyond the scope of this shiur -
clearly point to Ma'amad Har Sinai and
Moshe's role as the transmitter of the laws
commanded at Har Sinai. 

    Moshe's closing remarks focus on God as
the Protector of Israel, Who provides close
supervision (see 33:26), assistance in battle
(see 33:26,27,29), and agricultural and
economic prosperity (see 33:26 & 28). 

    Not only do these opening and closing
remarks form the appropriate framework for
the individual blessings, they also directly
relate to the primary theme of Sefer Devarim
(and, for that matter, Chumash as a whole).
God has chosen the Jewish nation to represent
Him as His model nation to guide mankind in
the proper direction. To that end, He gave
them the Torah (see 33:2-5), which contains
the specific laws whose observance in the
Promised Land leads to the realization of
that goal. Now, before his death, Moshe
blesses Bnei Yisrael that they fulfill that
potential, that God assist them in their
achievement of these goals, in the nachala
they are about to conquer and occupy. 

Certainly, a most appropriate way for Moshe
Rabbeinu to finish the Torah, and thus
conclude his life's mission! 

 

    chazak chazak ve-nitchazek 

    shabbat shalom ve-chag sameiach, 

    menachem 

    

========================== 

FOR FURTHER IYUN

A. Be sure to see Ramban & Ibn Ezra on 33:7.
Many of the points raised in the above shiur
are discussed in their peirushim to this
pasuk. The Ramban is rather lengthy, but well
worth reading! 

 

B. In the context of the bracha to Reuven -
that he should 'live', we mentioned several
explanations: either that he should not lose
his portion on account of his sin with Bilha,
or he should retain his status as part of the
twelve tribes in spite of settling in
Transjordan, or that his men should survive
the dangers of the front line where they
stood during the conquest of Eretz Yisrael.
Abarbanel adds an additional element to this
final approach, that the women and children
of Reuven remained behind across the Jordan
as the men went to fight in Eretz Yisrael
proper (see Bamidbar 32). Moshe thus prays on
behalf of the defenseless wives and
youngsters who were exposed to the
possibility of attack by hostile neighbors. 

With respect to the possibility that Moshe
was concerned about the Jordan River
isolating Reuven from the rest of the nation,
see Seforno on this pasuk, who advances a
variation of this general approach. 

 

C. Moshe beseeches, "Hear, Hashem, the cry of
Yehuda." There are two ways to explain this
'cry'. In the shiur we followed the approach
of Rashi and Ramban, that this 'cry' refers
to wartime prayers. Moshe expresses his hope
that Hashem will listen to Yehuda's pleas
during warfare. Chazal, however, in Masechet
Makkot 11b, explain that Moshe here prays for
Yehuda's release from the excommunication to
which he was subjected as a result of his
promise to Yaakov (Breishit 43:9). Based on
these two approaches and our discussion of
Reuven's bracha, explain the phrase 'Ve-zot
li-Yehuda" and the relationship between
Moshe's brachot to Reuven and Yehuda. [See
Da'at Zkenim.] 

 

D. Targum Yonatan on Devarim 18:2 ('Hashem Hu
nachalato') writes that the twenty-four gifts
given to the kohanim constitute the nachala
of the tribe of Levi. Compare this comment
with our understanding of Levi's nachala, and
assess this notion in light of Moshe's bracha
to Levi and this shiur. 

 

E. Rashi offers one interpretation of the
final clause of Levi's bracha (33:11) that it
foresees the battle waged by the Chashmonaim
(who were kohanim, descendants of Levi)
against the Greeks (see also Targum Yonatan).
Based on your knowledge of the history of
Chanukka and in light of our discussion in
this shiur, explain how this struggle may be
viewed as part of Levi's conquest of 'his
portion' in Eretz Yisrael. How does this
Midrashic approach relate to the pshat of the
pasuk as explained in this shiur? 

 

F. A particularly novel interpretation of
Binyamin's bracha is offered by Rabbenu Yosef
Bechor Shor. He explains the bracha as
referring not to Hashem's dwelling in
Binyamin's portion, but rather to the
constant influx of kohanim and levi'im into
the borders of Nachalat Binyamin to serve in
the mikdash. (Meaning, 'yishkon' and 'chofef'
modify the tribe of Levi, not God.) Thus, the
brachot to Levi and Binyamin essentially
constitute a single bracha. Explain how this
may add to the ideas discussed in this shiur
regarding the juxtaposition between these two
brachot. 

 

G. The Midrash towards the beginning of Shmot
Rabba writes that the name 'Zevulun' refers
to the fact "that Hashem had His Shchina
dwell among them [Bnei Yisrael]. 'Zevulun'
means the bet ha-mikdash, as it says, 'I
[Shlomo] have built a 'bet zvul' for You.'". 

    Explain this association between Zevulun
and the mikdash based on Moshe's bracha to
this tribe in Ve-zot Ha-bracha. 

 

H. Contrast Targum Onkelos' translation of
the expression 'gur aryeh' in Yaakov's bracha
to Yehuda (Breishit 49:9) with his
explanation of the exact same term in Moshe's
bracha to Dan (Devarim 33:22). Explain how
this difference may reflect the distinction
between Yaakov's brachot and Moshe's, as
discussed in this shiur. [See also question K
in Further Iyun.] 

 

I. BACK TO SHIMON 

We suggested our own reason for Shimon's
conspicuous absence from this parsha, but the
commentators provide several additional
reasons. Rashi cites their sin with bnot
Mo'av, the responsibility for which seems to
lie with shevet Shimon. Ibn Ezra suggests
that Moshe may be following the lead of
Yaakov, who cursed Shimon & Levi instead of
blessing them. Levi, however, earned Moshe's
blessing on account of Aharon, a man of
stature with no equal in the tribe of Shimon.
[In terms of Reuven, who was also cursed by
Yaakov, the Ibn Ezra explains that in reality
Yaakov did bless Reuven, and he thus earned
Moshe's bracha, as well.] 

    Rabbenu Yosef Bechor Shor also maintains
that Moshe followed Yaakov's lead in
withholding a bracha from Shimon, but offers
a different explanation for Reuven's right to
a bracha. Since Moshe himself ordered the
tribe of Reuven to join Gad in the front
lines in the conquest of Eretz Yisrael, he
had to bless Reuven with military success,
just as he blessed Gad.] 

    Ramban posits an interesting theory - the
'twelve rule' - that whenever the tribes are
mentioned, there can be only twelve of them.
Usually, Levi is omitted and Yosef is
replaced by Efraim & Menashe. But now that
all three - Levi, Efraim and Menashe - must
be included, one shevet must be dropped.
Shimon, whose nachala, as we have seen, is
situated within Yehuda's portion, and who was
cursed by Yaakov, serves as the best
candidate to forfeit his blessing. 

 

J. One question we have not addressed is why
Menashe is not mentioned before Yehuda. After
all, Menashe - like Reuven - settled before
the other tribes, in Transjordan. This issue
relates to the general and more complicated
topic concerning nachalat Menashe, why it was
divided into two, and how their portion
relates (or doesn't relate) to Reuven and
Gad's - all beyond the scope of this week's
shiur. 

 

K. We noted in the shiur the fundamental
distinction between Moshe's brachot in our
parsha and Yaakov's blessings to his sons in
Parshat Vayechi. The Midrash, however,
actually draws a parallel of sorts between
these two sets of blessings: 

"And this is that which their father [Yaakov]
spoke unto them: [Yaakov told his sons,]
another man of similar stature is destined to
bless you, and from where I have left off he
shall begin. " (Breishit Rabba 100:12). 

    Where in the history of Am Yisrael did
Yaakov 'leave off'? Where did Moshe begin?
How may this Midrash be understood in light
of this shiur? 

 

L. We did not address in the shiur the reason
why Moshe felt compelled to divide the tribes
into the two groups, the sons of the
maidservants and those of Rachel and Leah. A
precedent for this differentiation with
regard to Bnei Yisrael's settlement in the
land exists back in Parshat Vayechi. Yaakov
Avinu bestows upon Yosef the legal status of
the bechora, which grants him a double
portion in Eretz Yisrael (Breishit 48:5).
Divrei Hayamim I 5:1 tells us that the rights
of the bechora were taken away from Reuven as
a result of his sin with Bilha and
transferred to Yosef. 

    Needless to say, several children -
including two firstborns, from both Bilha and
Zilpa - were born in between Reuven and
Yosef. However, the firstborns of the
maidservants did not qualify for the rights
of the double nachala. Apparently, although
all twelve tribes earned equal membership in
Bnei Yisrael, some hierarchical system
remained at least with regard to the
settlement of the Land. Perhaps for this
reason Moshe arranged his blessings for the
successful occupation and settlement of Eretz
Yisrael according to this division. 

 

 

 

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