| 1This is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the Israelites before his death. |
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אוְזֹ֣את הַבְּרָכָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר בֵּרַ֥ךְ משֶׁ֛ה אִ֥ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לִפְנֵ֖י מוֹתֽוֹ: |
| וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה … לִפְנֵי מוֹתֽוֹ - This is the blessing…before his death. i.e., close to his death, for if not now, when? |
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וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה … לִפְנֵי מוֹתֽוֹ.
סָמוּךְ לְמִיתָתוֹ, שֶׁאִם לֹא עַכְשָׁו אֵימָתַי (שם):
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| 2He said: “God’s presence came from Mount Sinai to meet them. He shone forth to them after coming from Mount Se’ir. He appeared after coming from Mount Paran. He came with some of the holy myriads of angels. From His right hand, He gave them His law while speaking out of the fire. |
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בוַיֹּאמַ֗ר יְהֹוָ֞ה מִסִּינַ֥י בָּא֙ וְזָרַ֤ח מִשֵּׂעִיר֙ לָ֔מוֹ הוֹפִ֨יעַ֙ מֵהַ֣ר פָּארָ֔ן וְאָתָ֖ה מֵרִֽבְבֹ֣ת קֹ֑דֶשׁ מִֽימִינ֕וֹ אֵ֥שׁ דָּ֖ת (כתיב אשדת) לָֽמוֹ: |
| וַיֹּאמַר ה' מִסִּינַי בָּא - He said, “God came from Sinai.”. He first began with the praise of the Omnipresent, and then proceeded to speak of Israel’s needs. And the praise with which he began also called to mind Israel’s merit. All this was done as a manner of achieving favor, as if to say: These people are worthy of blessing resting upon them. |
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וַיֹּאמַר ה' מִסִּינַי בָּא.
פָּתַח תְּחִלָּה בְּשִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם וְאֲחַר כַּךְ פָּתַח בְּצָרְכֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּבַשֶּׁבַח שֶׁפָּתַח בּוֹ יֵשׁ בּוֹ הַזְכָּרַת זְכוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְכָל זֶה דֶּרֶךְ רִצּוּי הוּא, כְּלוֹמַר כְּדַאי הֵם אֵלּוּ שֶׁתָּחוּל עֲלֵיהֶם בְּרָכָה (ספרי):
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| מִסִּינַי בָּא - Came from Sinai - i.e., He came forth to meet them when they came to stand at the foot of the mountain, just as a groom goes forth to greet his bride, as it says: “toward God,” from which we learn that God came forth to meet them. |
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מִסִּינַי בָּא.
יָצָא לִקְרָאתָם כְּשֶׁבָּאוּ לְהִתְיַצֵּב בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָר כְּחָתָן הַיּוֹצֵא לְהַקְבִּיל פְּנֵי כַלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "לִקְרַאת הָאֱלֹהִים" (שמות י"ט), לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁיָּצָא כְנֶגְדָם:
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| וְזָרַח מִשֵּׂעִיר לָמוֹ - He shone forth to them from Se’ir - where He had proposed to the descendants of Esau that they accept the Torah, but they did not want it. |
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וְזָרַח מִשֵּׂעִיר לָמוֹ.
שֶׁפָּתַח לִבְנֵי עֵשָׂו שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה וְלֹא רָצוּ:
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| הוֹפִיעַ - He appeared - to them. |
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הוֹפִיעַ .
להם:
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| מֵהַר פָּארָן - From Mount Paran - for He had gone there and proposed to the Ishmaelites that they accept it, but they did not want it. |
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מֵהַר פָּארָן.
שֶׁהָלַךְ שָׁם וּפָתַח לִבְנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּהָ וְלֹא רָצוּ (ספרי):
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| וְאָתָה - He came - to Israel. |
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וְאָתָה.
לְיִשְׂרָאֵל:
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| מֵרִֽבְבֹת קֹדֶשׁ - With some of the holy myriads - i.e., with Him were only part of the myriads of holy angels, but neither all of them nor most of them – unlike a human being, who displays all his glorious riches and splendor on his wedding day. |
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מֵרִֽבְבֹת קֹדֶשׁ.
— וְעִמּוֹ מִקְצָת רִבְבוֹת מַלְאֲכֵי קֹדֶשׁ וְלֹא כֻלָּם וְלֹא רֻבָּם, וְלֹא כְדֶרֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם שֶׁמַּרְאֶה כָּל כְּבוֹד עָשְׁרוֹ וְתִפְאַרְתּוֹ בְּיוֹם חֻפָּתוֹ (שם):
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| אֵשׁ דָּת - (lit.) A fiery law. which already preexisted creation, written before Him in black fire upon white fire, He gave to them on the Tablets inscribed with His right hand. Another explanation: אֵשׁ דָּת is to be understood as Onkelos translates it, i.e., that He gave it to them while speaking out of the fire. |
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אֵשׁ דָּת.
שֶׁהָיְתָה כְתוּבָה מֵאָז לְפָנָיו בְּאֵשׁ שְׁחֹרָה עַל גַּב אֵשׁ לְבָנָה, נָתַן לָהֶם בַּלּוּחוֹת כְּתָב יַד יְמִינוֹ (עי' תנחומא בראשית א'); דָּבָר אַחֵר — אש דת כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לָהֶם מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ:
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| 3Indeed, He showed love for the nations (the tribes). All Your holy ones are in Your hand, for they crowded at Your feet to bear the responsibility of fulfilling Your utterances. |
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גאַ֚ף חֹבֵ֣ב עַמִּ֔ים כָּל־קְדשָׁ֖יו בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְהֵם֙ תֻּכּ֣וּ לְרַגְלֶ֔ךָ יִשָּׂ֖א מִדַּבְּרֹתֶֽיךָ: |
| אַף חֹבֵב עַמִּים - Indeed, He showed love for the nations - means: He also holds the tribes most dear. Each tribe individually is called a nation, as evidenced by the fact that when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jacob: “a nation and a community of nations will come forth from you,” only Benjamin was destined to be born afterward. |
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אַף חֹבֵב עַמִּים.
גַּם חִבָּה יְתֵרָה חָבַב אֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים; כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד קָרוּי עַם, שֶׁהֲרֵי בִנְיָמִין לְבַדּוֹ הָיָה עָתִיד לְהִוָּלֵד כְּשֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיַעֲקֹב (בראשית ל"ה), "גּוֹי וּקְהַל גּוֹיִם יִהְיֶה מִמֶּךָּ":
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| כָּל־קְדשָׁיו בְּיָדֶךָ - All Your holy ones are in Your hand - i.e., the souls of the righteous are stored with Him, similar to that which it says: “May my master’s soul be bound in the bond of life with God, your God.” |
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כָּל־קְדשָׁיו בְּיָדֶךָ.
נַפְשׁוֹת הַצַּדִּיקִים גְּנוּזוֹת אִתּוֹ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א כ"ה) "וְהָיְתָה נֶפֶשׁ אֲדֹנִי צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים אֵת ה' אֱלֹהֵיךָ" (ספרי):
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| וְהֵם תֻּכּוּ לְרַגְלֶךָ - They crowded at Your feet - i.e., they are worthy of this blessing, for at Sinai they converged into the area beneath the mountain at Your feet. תֻּכּוּ is a pu’al (passive) form, i.e., they were gathered within the area of Your footstool, i.e., the mountain. |
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וְהֵם תֻּכּוּ לְרַגְלֶךָ.
וְהֵם רְאוּיִם לְכָךְ, שֶׁהֲרֵי תִּוְּכוּ עַצְמָן לְתוֹךְ תַּחְתִּית הָהָר לְרַגְלֶךָ בְּסִינַי: תֻּכּוּ לְשׁוֹן פֻּעֲלוּ, הֻתַּוְּכוּ לְתוֹךְ מַרְגְּלוֹתֶיךָ:
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| יִשָּׂא מִדַּבְּרֹתֶֽיךָ - To bear Your utterances - i.e., they took upon themselves the yoke of Your Torah. |
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יִשָּׂא מִדַּבְּרֹתֶֽיךָ.
נָשְׂאוּ עֲלֵיהֶם עֹל תּוֹרָתְךָ (ספרי):
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| מִדַּבְּרֹתֶֽיךָ - The מ is similar to a root letter, as in: “He would hear the voice speaking to itself (מִדַּבֵּר)”; “and I heard One speaking to Himself for me to hear (מִדַּבֵּר אֵלָי),” which is equivalent to מִתְדַבֵּר אֵלַי. Here, too, מִדַּבְּרוֹתֶיךָ means: “what You would speak to Yourself to let me hear what to tell them”; “tes porparledurs” in Old French. But Onkelos translates it as: “They would travel in accordance with Your word.” In this interpretation, the מ is a preposition, used in the sense of “from.” Another explanation of אַף חֹבֵב עַמִּים: even when the nations of the world are shown favor – when You showed them a smiling countenance and delivered Israel into their hands – |
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מִדַּבְּרֹתֶֽיךָ.
הַמֵּ"ם בּוֹ קָרוֹב לִיסוֹד, כְּמוֹ (במדבר ז'), "וַיִּשְׁמַע אֶל הַקּוֹל מִדַּבֵּר אֵלָיו", "וָאֶשְׁמַע אֵת מִדַּבֵּר אֵלָי" (יחזקאל ב') כְּמוֹ מִתְדַּבֵּר אֵלַי, אַף זֶה מדברתיך — מַה שֶּׁהָיִיתָ מְדַבֵּר לְהַשְׁמִיעֵנִי לֵאמֹר לָהֶם, טי"ש פורפרלירש בְּלַעַז. וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם שֶׁהָיוּ נוֹסְעִים עַל פִּי דְּבָרֶיךָ, וְהַמֵּ"ם בּוֹ שִׁמּוּשׁ, מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת לְשׁוֹן מִן. דָּבָר אַחֵר — אף חבב עמים, אַף בִּשְׁעַת חִבָּתָן שֶׁל אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶרְאֵיתָ לָאֻמּוֹת פָּנִים שׂוֹחֲקוֹת וּמָסַרְתָּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיָדָם:
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| כָּל קְדוֹשָׁיו בְּיָדֶךּ - All Your holy ones are in Your hand - i.e., all Israel’s righteous and worthy people remained loyal to You and did not stop following You, and You therefore protect them. |
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כָּל קְדוֹשָׁיו בְּיָדֶךּ.
כָּל צַדִּיקֵיהֶם וְטוֹבֵיהֶם דָּבְקוּ בְּךָ וְלֹא מָשׁוּ מֵאַחֲרֶיךָ וְאַתָּה שׁוֹמְרָם:
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| וְהֵם תֻּכּוּ לְרַגְלֶךָ - They crowded at Your feet - i.e., they gather and enter under Your shadow. |
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וְהֵם תֻּכּוּ לְרַגְלֶךָ.
וְהֵם מִתְמַצְּעִים וּמִתְכַּנְּסִים לְתַחַת צִלְּךָ.
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| יִשָּׂא מִדַּבְּרֹתֶֽיךָ - To bear Your utterances - i.e., they joyfully accept Your decrees and laws. And these are their words: |
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יִשָּׂא מִדַּבְּרֹתֶֽיךָ.
מְקַבְּלִים גְּזֵרוֹתֶיךָ וְדָתוֹתֶיךָ בְּשִׂמְחָה, וְאֵלֶּה דִבְרֵיהֶם:
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| 4The Torah that Moses commanded us is the legacy of the assembly of Jacob. |
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דתּוֹרָ֥ה צִוָּה־לָ֖נוּ משֶׁ֑ה מֽוֹרָשָׁ֖ה קְהִלַּ֥ת יַֽעֲקֹֽב: |
| תּוֹרָה - The Torah - that Moses commanded us, is an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob. We have taken possession of it, and we will never let go of it. |
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תּוֹרָה.
אֲשֶׁר צוה לנו משה מורשה הִיא לִקְהִלַּת יַעֲקֹב, אֲחַזְנוּהָ וְלֹא נַעַזְבֶנָּה:
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| 5He is King over Yeshurun, and blesses them when the totality of the people are gathered and the tribes of Israel are together in harmony. |
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הוַיְהִ֥י בִֽישֻׁר֖וּן מֶ֑לֶךְ בְּהִתְאַסֵּף֙ רָ֣אשֵׁי עָ֔ם יַ֖חַד שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| וַיְהִי - He is - i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He. |
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וַיְהִי.
הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
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| בִֽישֻׁרוּן מֶלֶךְ - king in Yeshurun. i.e., the yoke of His kingdom is always upon them. |
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בִֽישֻׁרוּן מֶלֶךְ.
תָּמִיד עֹל מַלְכוּתוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם:
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| בְּהִתְאַסֵּף - When…are gathered - i.e., at every gathering of the total number of their assembly. רָאשֵׁי – has a similar meaning here as in: כִּי תִשָּׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ “when you take a census” – these people are worthy that I bless them. Another explanation of בְּהִתְאַסֵּף: When they are gathered together as one group and there is peace among them, He is their King, but not when there is dissension among them. |
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בְּהִתְאַסֵּף.
רָאשֵׁי בְּכָל הִתְאַסֵּף רָאשֵׁי חֶשְׁבּוֹן אֲסִיפָתָם: רָאשֵׁי כְּמוֹ (שמות ל') "כִּי תִשָּׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ", רְאוּיִין אֵלּוּ שֶׁאֲבָרְכֵם. דָּבָר אַחֵר — בהתאסף. בְּהִתְאַסְּפָם יַחַד בַּאֲגֻדָּה אַחַת וְשָׁלוֹם בֵּינֵיהֶם, הוּא מַלְכָּם, וְלֹא כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ מַחֲלֹקֶת בֵּינֵיהֶם (ספרי):
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| 6May Reuben both live in this world and not ‘die’ in the afterlife. And may his people be counted among the number of the tribes.” |
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ויְחִ֥י רְאוּבֵ֖ן וְאַל־יָמֹ֑ת וִיהִ֥י מְתָ֖יו מִסְפָּֽר: |
| יְחִי רְאוּבֵן - May Reuben live - in this world. |
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יְחִי רְאוּבֵן.
בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה:
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| וְאַל־ימות - And not die - in the World to Come, i.e., may the incident with Bilhah not be mentioned to his discredit. |
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וְאַל־ימות.
לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁלֹּא יִזָּכֵר לוֹ מַעֲשֵׂה בִלְהָה (עי' שם):
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| וִיהִי מְתָיו מִסְפָּֽר - And may his people be (lit.) a number - i.e., may they be counted among the number of the rest of his brothers. This is similar to the idea stated in the verse: “Reuben had relations with Bilhah…the sons of Jacob were 12,” i.e., Reuben was not excluded from their number. |
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וִיהִי מְתָיו מִסְפָּֽר.
נִמְנִין בְּמִנְיַן שְׁאָר אֶחָיו, דֻּגְמָא הִיא זוֹ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ל"ה) "וַיִּשְׁכַּב אֶת בִּלְהָה, וַיִּהְיוּ בְנֵי יַעֲקֹב שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר", שֶׁלֹּא יָצָא מִן הַמִּנְיָן:
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| 7He said, “May this blessing be granted to Judah: God, hearken to the voice of Judah. Bring him safely to his people; may his hands do battle successfully for him, and may You be a help against his adversaries.” |
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זוְזֹ֣את לִֽיהוּדָה֘ וַיֹּאמַר֒ שְׁמַ֤ע יְהֹוָה֙ ק֣וֹל יְהוּדָ֔ה וְאֶל־עַמּ֖וֹ תְּבִיאֶ֑נּוּ יָדָיו֙ רָ֣ב ל֔וֹ וְעֵ֥זֶר מִצָּרָ֖יו תִּֽהְיֶֽה: |
| וְזֹאת לִֽיהוּדָה - May this [blessing] be granted to Judah. Moses blessed Judah following Reuben because both of them confessed the misdeed that they committed, as it says: “For the wise acknowledge…. To them alone the land was given, and no stranger passed between them.” Our rabbis further explained that throughout the 40 years that the Israelites were in the desert, Judah’s bones were rolling around in his coffin on account of the ban that he imposed upon himself, as it says: “I will have sinned against my father for all time.” Moses said: Who caused Reuben to confess? It was Judah – so if Reuben has been granted entry into the afterlife, all the more so should this same privilege be granted to Judah. |
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וְזֹאת לִֽיהוּדָה.
סָמַךְ יְהוּדָה לִרְאוּבֵן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם הוֹדוּ עַל קִלְקוּל שֶׁבְּיָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֲשֶׁר חֲכָמִים יַגִּידוּ וְגוֹ' לָהֶם לְבַדָּם וְגוֹ' וְלֹא עָבַר זָר בְּתוֹכָם" (איוב ט"ו); וְעוֹד פֵּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁכָּל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר הָיוּ עַצְמוֹת יְהוּדָה מִתְגַּלְגְּלִין בָּאָרוֹן מִפְּנֵי נִדּוּי שֶׁקִּבֵּל עָלָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְחָטָאתִי לְאָבִי כָּל הַיָּמִים" (בראשית מ"ד), אָמַר מֹשֶׁה מִי גָּרַם לִרְאוּבֵן שֶׁיּוֹדֶה? יְהוּדָה וְכוּ' (סוטה ז'):
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| שְׁמַע ה' קוֹל יְהוּדָה - God, hearken to the voice of Judah - i.e., to the prayers of Judah’s descendants: to David and Solomon; to Asa, on account of the Cushites; to Yehoshafat, on account of the Ammonites; and to Chizkiyah, on account of Sennacherib. |
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שְׁמַע ה' קוֹל יְהוּדָה.
תְּפִלַּת דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה וְאָסָא מִפְּנֵי הַכּוּשִׁים, וִיהוֹשָׁפָט מִפְּנֵי הָעַמּוֹנִים, וְחִזְקִיָּה מִפְּנֵי סַנְחֵרִיב:
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| וְאֶל־עַמּוֹ תְּבִיאֶנּוּ - Bring him to his people - in peace from battle. |
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וְאֶל־עַמּוֹ תְּבִיאֶנּוּ.
לְשָׁלוֹם מִפְּנֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה:
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| יָדָיו רָב לוֹ - May his hands do battle for him - means: may they take up his cause (רִיבוֹ) and carry out his vengeance. |
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יָדָיו רָב לוֹ.
יָרִיבוּ רִיבוֹ וְיִנְקְמוּ נִקְמָתוֹ:
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| וְעֵזֶר מִצָּרָיו תִּֽהְיֶֽה - And may You be a help against his adversaries. Moses prayed here for Yehoshafat regarding the battle of Ramot Gilead, where it says: “Yehoshafat cried out, and God assisted him.” Another explanation of שְׁמַע ה׳ קוֹל יְהוּדָה: He here alluded to a blessing for Simeon within the blessings given to Judah. Similarly, when the Land of Israel was divided up, the tribe of Simeon received their territory within the portion of Judah, as it says: “within the portion of the tribe of Judah was the inheritance of the tribe of Simeon.” And why did Moses not assign the tribe of Simeon their own separate blessing? For he felt them unworthy because of what they had done at Shitim. So is written in the aggadah of Midrash Tehilim. |
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וְעֵזֶר מִצָּרָיו תִּֽהְיֶֽה.
עַל יְהוֹשָׁפָט הִתְפַּלֵּל עַל מִלְחֶמֶת רָאמוֹת גִּלְעָד, "וַיִּזְעַק יְהוֹשָׁפָט וַה' עֲזָרוֹ" (דברי הימים ב' י"ח); דָּבָר אַחֵר — שמע ה' קול יהודה, כָּאן רָמַז לְשִׁמְעוֹן מִתּוֹךְ בִּרְכוֹתָיו שֶׁל יְהוּדָה, וְאַף כְּשֶׁחָלְקוּ אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל נָטַל שִׁמְעוֹן מִתּוֹךְ גּוֹרָלוֹ שֶׁל יְהוּדָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע י"ט) "מֵחֵבֶל בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה נַחֲלַת בְּנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן" (וּמִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא יִחֵד לוֹ בְרָכָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ? שֶׁהָיָה בְּלִבּוֹ עָלָיו עַל מַה שֶּׁעָשָׂה בַּשִּׁטִּים, כֵּן כָּתוּב בְּאַגָּדַת תְּהִלִּים:)
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| 8Referring to Levi, he said: “Your tumim and urim befit Aaron, Your pious man, whom You tested at Masah and whom You tried with ‘the water of contention.’ |
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חוּלְלֵוִ֣י אָמַ֔ר תֻּמֶּ֥יךָ וְאוּרֶ֖יךָ לְאִ֣ישׁ חֲסִידֶ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִסִּיתוֹ֙ בְּמַסָּ֔ה תְּרִיבֵ֖הוּ עַל־מֵ֥י מְרִיבָֽה: |
| וּלְלֵוִי אָמַר - (lit.) To Levi he said - means: regarding Levi he said. |
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וּלְלֵוִי אָמַר.
וְעַל לֵוִי אָמַר:
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| תֻּמֶּיךָ וְאוּרֶיךָ - Your tumim and urim. Moses was here addressing the Divine Presence. |
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תֻּמֶּיךָ וְאוּרֶיךָ.
כְּלַפֵּי שְׁכִינָה הוּא מְדַבֵּר:
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| אֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתוֹ בְּמַסָּה - Whom You tested at Masah - and they withstood the test in that they did not complain along with the others who complained. |
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אֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתוֹ בְּמַסָּה.
שֶׁלֹּא נִתְלוֹנְנוּ עִם שְׁאָר הַמַּלִּינִים:
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| תְּרִיבֵהוּ וגו' - (lit.) With whom You contended [at the water of contention]. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “whom You tried at the ‘water of contention’ and was found faithful.” Another explanation: תְּרִיבֵהוּ עַל מֵי מְרִיבָה means: You implicated him by employing a pretext; If Moses said: “Now listen, you rebels,” what did Aaron and Miriam do wrong? |
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תְּרִיבֵהוּ וגו'.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר — תריבהו על מי מריבה, נִסְתַּקַּפְתָּ לוֹ לָבֹא בַעֲלִילָה, אִם מֹשֶׁה אָמַר שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים, אַהֲרֹן וּמִרְיָם מֶה עָשׂוּ? (ספרי):
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| 9Each Levite said of his maternal grandfather, ‘I do not see him as my relative’; neither did he recognize his maternal half-brothers, nor did he know his grandchildren. They are also worthy of blessing because they observed Your word and they kept Your covenant. |
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טהָֽאֹמֵ֞ר לְאָבִ֤יו וּלְאִמּוֹ֙ לֹ֣א רְאִיתִ֔יו וְאֶת־אֶחָיו֙ לֹ֣א הִכִּ֔יר וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖ו לֹ֣א יָדָ֑ע כִּ֤י שָֽׁמְרוּ֙ אִמְרָתֶ֔ךָ וּבְרִֽיתְךָ֖ יִנְצֹֽרוּ: |
| הָֽאֹמֵר לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ לֹא רְאִיתִיו - (lit.) Who said of his father and his mother, “I do not see him.”. When the Israelites sinned with the Golden Calf and I said: “Whoever is for God, join me,” all the Levites rallied around me, and I commanded them to kill the guilty – even if it meant that a Levite had to kill his mother’s father who was a lay Israelite, his maternal brother, or his daughter’s son – and they did so. It is impossible to explain these words as referring to their own father, their paternal brothers, or their own sons, for these were also Levites, and not one member of the tribe of Levi sinned, as it says: “all the Levites.” |
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הָֽאֹמֵר לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ לֹא רְאִיתִיו.
כְּשֶׁחָטְאוּ בָעֵגֶל וְאָמַרְתִּי "מִי לַה' אֵלָי" (שמות ל"ב), נֶאֶסְפוּ אֵלַי כָּל בְּנֵי לֵוִי וְצִוִּיתִים לַהֲרֹג אֶת אֲבִי אִמּוֹ וְהוּא מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל אוֹ אֶת אָחִיו מֵאִמּוֹ אוֹ בֶן בִּתּוֹ, וְכֵן עָשׂוּ. וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ אָבִיו מַמָּשׁ וְאָחִיו מֵאָבִיו וְכֵן בָּנָיו מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁהֲרֵי לְוִיִּים הֵם, וּמִשֵּׁבֶט לֵוִי לֹא חָטָא אֶחָד מֵהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) "כָּל בְּנֵי לֵוִי":
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| כִּי שָֽׁמְרוּ אִמְרָתֶךָ - Because they observed Your word - “You must not possess other peoples’ deities.” |
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כִּי שָֽׁמְרוּ אִמְרָתֶךָ.
"לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אַחֵרִים" (שמות כ, ב):
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| וּבְרִֽיתְךָ יִנְצֹֽרוּ - And they kept Your covenant - i.e., the covenant of circumcision, for the lay Israelites did not circumcise their sons who were born in the desert, but the Levites were circumcised and circumcised their sons. |
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וּבְרִֽיתְךָ יִנְצֹֽרוּ.
בְּרִית מִילָה, שֶׁאוֹתָם שֶׁנּוֹלְדוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא מָלוּ אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם, וְהֵם הָיוּ מוּלִין וּמָלִין אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם:
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| 10They will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your Torah to Israel. They will set incense before You and place ascent-offerings upon Your Altar. |
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ייוֹר֤וּ מִשְׁפָּטֶ֨יךָ֙ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְתוֹרָֽתְךָ֖ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יָשִׂ֤ימוּ קְטוֹרָה֙ בְּאַפֶּ֔ךָ וְכָלִ֖יל עַל־מִזְבְּחֶֽךָ: |
| יוֹרוּ מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ - They will teach Your ordinances - i.e., they are worthy of doing this. |
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יוֹרוּ מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ.
רְאוּיִין אֵלּוּ לְכָךְ:
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| וְכָלִיל - (lit.) And a totally consumed offering - i.e., an ascent-offering. |
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וְכָלִיל.
עוֹלָה (יומא כ"ו):
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| 11God, bless their army and favorably accept the work of their hands. Strike the loins both of those who rise up against them and of their enemies, so they be prevented from rising up against them again.” |
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יאבָּרֵ֤ךְ יְהֹוָה֙ חֵיל֔וֹ וּפֹ֥עַל יָדָ֖יו תִּרְצֶ֑ה מְחַ֨ץ מָתְנַ֧יִם קָמָ֛יו וּמְשַׂנְאָ֖יו מִן־יְקוּמֽוּן: |
| מְחַץ מָתְנַיִם קָמָיו - means: strike those who rise up against them with a blow to the loins. This is a similar sense to that which it says: “and make their loins constantly stumble.” He said this in reference to those who challenge the priesthood. Another explanation: He foresaw that Yochanan the Hasmonean and his sons would battle the Greeks, and he prayed for them since they were few in number – the 12 sons of the Hasmonean and Elazar against an army of many myriads. For this reason, he said: בָּרֵךְ ה׳ חֵילוֹ, וּפֹעַל יָדָיו תִּרְצֶה “God, bless their army and favorably accept the work of their hands.” |
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מְחַץ מָתְנַיִם קָמָיו.
מְחַץ קָמָיו מַכַּת מָתְנַיִם, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים ס"ט) "וּמָתְנֵיהֶם תָּמִיד הַמְעַד", וְעַל הַמְּעוֹרְרִין עַל הַכְּהֻנָּה אָמַר כֵּן. דָּבָר אַחֵר — רָאָה שֶׁעֲתִידִין חַשְׁמוֹנַאי וּבָנָיו לְהִלָּחֵם עִם הַיְּוָנִים וְהִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ מוּעָטִים — י"ב בְּנֵי חַשְׁמוֹנַאי וְאֶלְעָזָר — כְּנֶגֶד כַּמָּה רְבָבוֹת, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר ברך ה' חילו ופעל ידיו תרצה (בראשית רבה צ"ט):
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| וּמְשַׂנְאָיו מִן־יְקוּמֽוּן - The phrase is to be understood as follows: Strike those who rise up against them and their enemies so that they cannot stand, i.e., recover. |
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וּמְשַׂנְאָיו מִן־יְקוּמֽוּן.
מְחַץ קָמָיו וּמְשַׂנְאָיו מִהְיוֹת לָהֶם תְּקוּמָה:
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| 12He said of Benjamin, “God’s beloved one will dwell securely beside Him; He hovers above him all day long. He dwells between his shoulders.” |
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יבלְבִנְיָמִ֣ן אָמַ֔ר יְדִ֣יד יְהֹוָ֔ה יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָבֶ֖טַח עָלָ֑יו חֹפֵ֤ף עָלָיו֙ כָּל־הַיּ֔וֹם וּבֵ֥ין כְּתֵפָ֖יו שָׁכֵֽן: |
| לְבִנְיָמִן אָמַר - He said of Benjamin. Since Levi’s blessing entailed the sacrificial service and that of Benjamin was that the Holy Temple be built in his territory, Moses placed one following the other. He placed Joseph immediately afterward, for Joseph, too, had the Tabernacle of Shiloh built in his territory, as it says: “He despised the Tent of Joseph….” And because the permanent Temple is more distinguished than Shiloh, he placed Benjamin before Joseph, although Joseph was older. |
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לְבִנְיָמִן אָמַר.
לְפִי שֶׁבִּרְכַּת לֵוִי בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת וְשֶׁל בִּנְיָמִין בְּבִנְיַן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, בְּחֶלְקוֹ, סְמָכָן זֶה לָזֶה, וְסָמַךְ יוֹסֵף אַחֲרָיו, שֶׁאַף הוּא מִשְׁכַּן שִׁילֹה הָיָה בָנוּי בְחֶלְקוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים ע"ח) "וַיִּמְאַס בְּאֹהֶל יוֹסֵף וְגוֹ'", וּלְפִי שֶׁבֵּית עוֹלָמִים חָבִיב מִשִּׁילֹה לְכָךְ הִקְדִּים בִּנְיָמִין לְיוֹסֵף:
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| חֹפֵף עָלָיו - means: He covers him and protects him. |
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חֹפֵף עָלָיו.
מְכַסֶּה אוֹתוֹ וּמֵגֵן עָלָיו:
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| כָּל־הַיּוֹם - (lit.) The entire day - means forever, for from the time that Jerusalem was chosen as the Temple site, the Divine Presence never rested anywhere else. |
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כָּל־הַיּוֹם.
לְעוֹלָם, מִשֶּׁנִּבְחֲרָה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לֹא שָׁרְתָה שְׁכִינָה בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר:
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| וּבֵין כְּתֵפָיו שָׁכֵֽן - He dwells between his shoulders. The Holy Temple was built at the highest point of his land, except that it was 23 cubits lower than the nearby Ein Eitam. Indeed, King David intended to build it there, as stated in Tractate Shechitat Kodashim, but they said to him: Let us have it a little lower, for it is written: “He dwells between his shoulders,” and there is no nicer part of a bull than its shoulders. |
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וּבֵין כְּתֵפָיו שָׁכֵֽן.
בְּגֹבַהּ אַרְצוֹ הָיָה בֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בָּנוּי, אֶלָּא שֶׁנָּמוּךְ עֶשְׂרִים וְשָׁלוֹשׁ אַמָּה מֵעֵין עֵיטָם, וְשָׁם הָיָה דַעְתּוֹ שֶׁל דָּוִד לִבְנוֹתוֹ, כִּדְאִיתָא בִשְׁחִיטַת קָדָשִׁים (זבחים נ"ד) אָמְרֵי נֶחְתֵּי בֵיהּ פּוּרְתָּא, מִשּׁוּם דִּכְתִיב "וּבֵין כְּתֵפָיו שָׁכֵן" — אֵין לְךָ נָאֶה בַּשּׁוֹר יוֹתֵר מִכְּתֵפָיו:
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| 13He said of Joseph, “May his land be blessed by God with the delicacies produced by heaven, through dew; with the water of the deep that lies below and rises to the surface to moisten the soil; |
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יגוּלְיוֹסֵ֣ף אָמַ֔ר מְבֹרֶ֥כֶת יְהֹוָ֖ה אַרְצ֑וֹ מִמֶּ֤גֶד שָׁמַ֨יִם֙ מִטָּ֔ל וּמִתְּה֖וֹם רֹבֶ֥צֶת תָּֽחַת: |
| מְבֹרֶכֶת ה' אַרְצוֹ - May his land be blessed by God - Of all the territories of the tribes, there was none as full of all types of goodness as the territory of Joseph. |
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מְבֹרֶכֶת ה' אַרְצוֹ.
שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה בְנַחֲלַת הַשְּׁבָטִים אֶרֶץ מְלֵאָה כָל טוּב כְּאַרְצוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף (עי' ספרי):
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| מִמֶּגֶד - this term denotes enjoyment and sweetness. |
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מִמֶּגֶד.
לְשׁוֹן עֲדָנִים וּמֶתֶק:
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| וּמִתְּהוֹם - With the deep - i.e., the water of the depths rises and moistens the soil from below. You find that for each tribe, Moses’ blessing shares a subject with Jacob’s blessing. |
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וּמִתְּהוֹם.
שֶׁהַתְּהוֹם עוֹלֶה וּמְלַחְלֵחַ אוֹתָהּ מִלְּמַטָּה; אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְכָל הַשְּׁבָטִים בִּרְכָתוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה מֵעֵין בִּרְכָתוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב:
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| 14with the delicacies that are the ‘produce’ of the sun, which ripens them; with the delicacies ripened monthly by the moon; |
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ידוּמִמֶּ֖גֶד תְּבוּאֹ֣ת שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וּמִמֶּ֖גֶד גֶּ֥רֶשׁ יְרָחִֽים: |
| וּמִמֶּגֶד תְּבוּאֹת שָׁמֶשׁ - With the delicacies, the produce of the sun - for his land was exposed to the sun, which sweetened its fruit. |
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וּמִמֶּגֶד תְּבוּאֹת שָׁמֶשׁ.
שֶׁהָיְתָה אַרְצוֹ פְּתוּחָה לַחַמָּה וּמְמַתֶּקֶת הַפֵּרוֹת (ספרי):
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| גֶּרֶשׁ יְרָחִֽים - Ripened by the moon. There are crops that the moon ripens – namely, cucumbers and pumpkins, which the land “expels” (מְגָרֶשֶׁת), i.e., gives forth, month by month (יְרָחִים). |
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גֶּרֶשׁ יְרָחִֽים.
יֵשׁ פֵּרוֹת שֶׁהַלְּבָנָה מְבַשַּׁלְתָּן וְאֵלּוּ הֵן קִשּׁוּאִין וּדְלוּעִין; דָּבָר אַחֵר — גרש ירחים. שֶׁהָאָרֶץ מְגָרֶשֶׁת וּמוֹצִיאָה מֵחֹדֶשׁ לְחֹדֶשׁ:
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| 15with the first-ripening fruits of mountains whose produce ripens early; with the delicacies of hills that produce fruit perennially; |
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טווּמֵרֹ֖אשׁ הַֽרְרֵי־קֶ֑דֶם וּמִמֶּ֖גֶד גִּבְע֥וֹת עוֹלָֽם: |
| וּמֵרֹאשׁ הַֽרְרֵי־קֶדֶם - With the first fruits of early mountains. And it is also blessed with being the first to ripen its fruits, for its mountains ripen their fruits early. Another explanation: This teaches us that the mountains in the territory of Joseph were created before all other mountains. |
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וּמֵרֹאשׁ הַֽרְרֵי־קֶדֶם.
וּמְבֹרֶכֶת מֵרֵאשִׁית בִּשּׁוּל הַפֵּרוֹת, שֶׁהֲרָרֶיהָ מַקְדִּימִין לְבַכֵּר בִּשּׁוּל פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶם. דָּבָר אַחֵר — מַגִּיד שֶׁקָּדְמָה בְּרִיאָתָן לִשְׁאָר הָרִים (שם):
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| גִּבְעוֹת עוֹלָֽם - (lit.) Everlasting hills - means: hills that always produce their fruit, and do not stop doing so due to shortage of rain. |
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גִּבְעוֹת עוֹלָֽם.
גְּבָעוֹת הָעוֹשׂוֹת פֵּרוֹת לְעוֹלָם וְאֵינָן פּוֹסְקוֹת מֵעֹצֶר הַגְּשָׁמִים:
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| 16with the delicacies produced by the land and its fullness; and with the favor of God, who dwells in and revealed Himself in a thorn bush. May these blessings rest upon Joseph’s head, upon the crown of the one who was separated from his brothers. |
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טזוּמִמֶּ֗גֶד אֶ֚רֶץ וּמְלֹאָ֔הּ וּרְצ֥וֹן שֹֽׁכְנִ֖י סְנֶ֑ה תָּב֨וֹאתָה֙ לְרֹ֣אשׁ יוֹסֵ֔ף וּלְקָדְקֹ֖ד נְזִ֥יר אֶחָֽיו: |
| וּרְצוֹן שֹֽׁכְנִי סְנֶה - And with the favor of the One who dwells in a thorn bush. שֹׁכְנִי סְנֶה is the same as: שׁוֹכֵן סְנֶה; i.e., may his land be blessed by the goodwill and pleasure of the Holy One, blessed be He, who first appeared to me in a thornbush. |
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וּרְצוֹן שֹֽׁכְנִי סְנֶה.
כְּמוֹ שׁוֹכֵן סְנֶה; וּתְהֵא אַרְצוֹ מְבֹרֶכֶת מֵרְצוֹנוֹ וְנַחַת רוּחוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַנִּגְלֶה עָלַי תְּחִלָּה בַּסְּנֶה:
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| רְצוֹן - denotes pleasure and attaining favor, and so is the meaning of every instance of the word רָצוֹן in Scripture. |
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רְצוֹן.
נַחַת רוּחַ וּפִיּוּס, וְכֵן כָּל רָצוֹן שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא:
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| תָּבוֹאתָה - (lit.) May it come - i.e., this blessing – “upon Joseph’s head.” |
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תָּבוֹאתָה.
בְּרָכָה זוֹ לראש יוסף:
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| נְזִיר אֶחָֽיו - Who was separated from his brothers - i.e., who was separated from his brothers by being sold. |
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נְזִיר אֶחָֽיו.
שֶׁהֻפְרַשׁ מֵאֶחָיו בִּמְכִירָתוֹ (עי' ספרי):
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| 17Glory has been given to his preeminent descendant—his ‘work-bull,’ blessed with military prowess. May his horns be as beautiful as the horns of an aurochs. With them he will gore at once nations from all the ends of the earth: they are the myriads who will be slain by a descendant of Ephraim, as well as the thousands who will be slain by a descendant of Manasseh.” |
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יזבְּכ֨וֹר שׁוֹר֜וֹ הָדָ֣ר ל֗וֹ וְקַרְנֵ֤י רְאֵם֙ קַרְנָ֔יו בָּהֶ֗ם עַמִּ֛ים יְנַגַּ֥ח יַחְדָּ֖ו אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְהֵם֙ רִבְב֣וֹת אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְהֵ֖ם אַלְפֵ֥י מְנַשֶּֽׁה: |
| בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ - (lit.) The firstborn of his work-bull. The term בְּכוֹר is sometimes used to express high position and kingship, as it says regarding King David: אַף אָנִי בְּכוֹר אֶתְּנֵהוּ “I will also make him preeminent” and also: בְּנִי בְכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל “Israel is my preeminent son.” |
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בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ.
יֵשׁ בְכוֹר שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן גְּדֻלָּה וּמַלְכוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אַף אָנִי בְּכוֹר אֶתְּנֵהוּ" (תהילים פ"ט), וְכֵן "בְּנִי בְכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (שמות ד')
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| בְּכוֹר - thus means: the king who will descend from Joseph, and that is Joshua – |
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בְּכוֹר.
מֶלֶךְ הַיּוֹצֵא מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהוּא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ:
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| שׁוֹרוֹ - His work-bull - whose strength will be as mighty as a work-bull, sufficient to conquer many kings. |
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שׁוֹרוֹ.
שֶׁכֹּחוֹ קָשֶׁה כְּשׁוֹר לִכְבֹּשׁ כַּמָּה מְלָכִים:
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| הָדָר לוֹ - (lit.) Glory is his - i.e., it was given to him, as it says: “you must bestow some of your majesty upon him.” |
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הָדָר לוֹ.
נָתוּן לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְנָתַתָּה מֵהוֹדְךָ עָלָיו" (במדבר כ"ז):
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| וְקַרְנֵי רְאֵם קַרְנָיו - May his horns be the horns of an aurochs. A work-bull has great strength but its horns are not beautiful; and an aurochs has beautiful horns but does not have great strength. He gave Joshua both the strength of a work-bull and the beautiful horns of an aurochs. |
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וְקַרְנֵי רְאֵם קַרְנָיו.
שׁוֹר כֹּחוֹ קָשֶׁה, וְאֵין קַרְנָיו נָאוֹת, אֲבָל רְאֵם קַרְנָיו נָאוֹת וְאֵין כֹּחוֹ קָשֶׁה, נָתַן לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ כֹּחוֹ שֶׁל שׁוֹר וְיֹפִי קַרְנֵי רְאֵם (ספרי):
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| אַפְסֵי־אָרֶץ - (lit.) The ends of the earth. For is it possible that all 31 kings whom Joshua conquered were from the Land of Israel? It can only be that there was not a single king or ruler who did not acquire himself a palace and an estate in the Land of Israel, for it was valuable to all, as it says: “a inheritance desired by hosts of nations.” |
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אַפְסֵי־אָרֶץ.
שְׁלוֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד מְלָכִים אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁכֻּלָּם מֵאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ? אֶלָּא אֵין לְךָ כָּל מֶלֶךְ וְשִׁלְטוֹן שֶׁלֹּא קָנָה לוֹ פַלְטֵרִין וַאֲחֻזָּה בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁחֲשׁוּבָה לְכֻלָּם הִיא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיהו ג') "נַחֲלַת צְבִי צִבְאוֹת גּוֹיִם" (עי' ספרי):
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| וְהֵם רִבְבוֹת אֶפְרַיִם - They are the myriads (lit.) of Ephraim - i.e., those gored ones are the myriads who were slain by Joshua, a descendant of Ephraim. |
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וְהֵם רִבְבוֹת אֶפְרַיִם.
אוֹתָם הַמְנֻגָּחִים הֵם הָרְבָבוֹת שֶׁהָרַג יְהוֹשֻׁעַ שֶׁבָּא מֵאֶפְרַיִם:
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| וְהֵם אַלְפֵי מְנַשֶּֽׁה - As well as the thousands (lit.) of Manasseh - i.e., they are the thousands of Midianite soldiers slain by Gideon, as it says: “Zevach and Tzalmuna were at Karkor…those who fell were 120,000 men.” |
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וְהֵם אַלְפֵי מְנַשֶּֽׁה.
הֵם הָאֲלָפִים שֶׁהָרַג גִּדְעוֹן בְּמִדְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שופטים ח') "וְזֶבַח וְצַלְמֻנָּע בַּקַּרְקֹר וְגוֹ'":
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| 18He said to Zebulun: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your departure to engage in commerce; and Issachar in your tents where you study the Torah. |
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יחוְלִזְבוּלֻ֣ן אָמַ֔ר שְׂמַ֥ח זְבוּלֻ֖ן בְּצֵאתֶ֑ךָ וְיִשָּׂשכָ֖ר בְּאֹֽהָלֶֽיךָ: |
| וְלִזְבוּלֻן אָמַר - He said to Zebulun: - Regarding these five tribes whom Moses blessed last – Zebulun, Gad, Dan, Naphtali, and Asher – he repeated their names in order to strengthen and invigorate them, since they were the weakest of all the tribes. These were the ones whom Joseph brought before Pharaoh – as it says: “he selected from among his brothers five men” – since they appeared weak, and he hoped that on that account Pharaoh would not appoint them as his war captains. |
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וְלִזְבוּלֻן אָמַר.
אֵלּוּ חֲמִשָּׁה שְׁבָטִים שֶׁבֵּרֵךְ בָּאַחֲרוֹנָה — זְבוּלֻן גָּד דָּן וְנַפְתָּלִי וְאָשֵׁר — כָּפַל שְׁמוֹתֵיהֶם לְחַזְּקָם וּלְהַגְבִּירָם, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ חַלָּשִׁים שֶׁבְּכָל הַשְּׁבָטִים, הֵם הֵם שֶׁהוֹלִיךְ יוֹסֵף לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית מ"ז) "וּמִקְצֵה אֶחָיו לָקַח חֲמִשָּׁה אֲנָשִׁים", לְפִי שֶׁנִּרְאִים חַלָּשִׁים וְלֹא יָשִׂים אוֹתָם לוֹ שָׂרֵי מִלְחַמְתּוֹ:
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| שְׂמַח זְבוּלֻן בְּצֵאתֶךָ וְיִשָּׂשכָר בְּאֹֽהָלֶֽיךָ - Rejoice, Zebulun, in your departure, and Issachar in your tents. Zebulun and Issachar forged a partnership: Zebulun would dwell by the seashores, travel in ships to engage in commerce, make a profit, and provide sustenance for Issachar, who would thus be free to sit and study the Torah. Therefore, Moses mentioned Zebulun before Issachar, although he was younger, for Issachar’s Torah study was made possible by Zebulun. |
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שְׂמַח זְבוּלֻן בְּצֵאתֶךָ וְיִשָּׂשכָר בְּאֹֽהָלֶֽיךָ.
זְבוּלֻן וְיִשָּׂשכָר עָשׂוּ שֻׁתָּפוּת, זְבוּלֻן לְחוֹף יַמִּים יִשְׁכֹּן וְיוֹצֵא לִפְרַקְמַטְיָא בִּסְפִינוֹת וּמִשְׂתַּכֵּר וְנוֹתֵן לְתוֹךְ פִּיו שֶׁל יִשָּׂשכָר, וְהֵם יוֹשְׁבִים וְעוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה, לְפִיכָךְ הִקְדִּים זְבוּלֻן לְיִשָּׂשכָר שֶׁתּוֹרָתוֹ שֶׁל יִשָּׂשכָר עַל יְדֵי זְבוּלֻן הָיְתָה (בראשית רבה צ"ט):
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| שְׂמַח זְבוּלֻן בְּצֵאתֶךָ - Rejoice, Zebulun, in your departure - i.e., be successful as you depart to trade. |
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שְׂמַח זְבוּלֻן בְּצֵאתֶךָ.
הַצְלַח בְּצֵאתְךָ לִסְחוֹרָה:
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| וְיִשָּׂשכָר - And Issachar - be successful when you sit in your tents to study the Torah, to convene and determine when to declare leap years and proclaim the new months, as it says: “And from the descendants of Issachar: those who had comprehension of fixing times, so that Israel know how to act; their heads were 200,” i.e., the heads of the Sanhedrin, who occupied themselves with this topic, and based on their fixing of the seasons and the leap years – |
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וְיִשָּׂשכָר.
הַצְלַח בִּישִׁיבַת אֹהָלֶיךָ לַתּוֹרָה, לֵישֵׁב וּלְעַבֵּר שָׁנִים וְלִקְבֹּעַ חֳדָשִׁים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דהי"א י"ב) "וּמִבְּנֵי יִשָּׂשכָר יוֹדְעֵי בִינָה לָעִתִּים.. רָאשֵׁיהֶם מָאתַיִם", רָאשֵׁי סַנְהֶדְרִין הָיוּ עוֹסְקִים בְּכָךְ, וְעַל פִּי קְבִיעוֹת עִתֵּיהֶם וְעִבּוּרֵיהֶם —
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| 19They will call nations (i.e., the tribes of Israel) to the Temple mountain; they will offer up proper sacrifices there, because Zebulun will be nourished by the abundance of the seas and by the caches hidden in the sand.” |
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יטעַמִּים֙ הַר־יִקְרָ֔אוּ שָׁ֖ם יִזְבְּח֣וּ זִבְחֵי־צֶ֑דֶק כִּ֣י שֶׁ֤פַע יַמִּים֙ יִינָ֔קוּ וּשְׂפֻנֵ֖י טְמ֥וּנֵי חֽוֹל: |
| עַמִּים - Nations - of the tribes of Israel – |
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עַמִּים.
שֶׁל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל:
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| הַר־יִקְרָאוּ - They will call to the mountain - i.e., they will gather at Mount Moriah to celebrate the pilgrim festivals. Every gathering takes place through calling the people. And “there they will offer up” on the festivals “proper sacrifices.” |
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הַר־יִקְרָאוּ.
לְהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה יֵאָסְפוּ, כָּל אֲסִיפָה עַל יְדֵי קְרִיאָה הִיא, וְשָׁם יזבחו בָּרְגָלִים זבחי צדק:
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| כִּי שֶׁפַע יַמִּים יִינָקוּ - Because they will be nourished by the abundance of the seas - i.e., Issachar and Zebulun; and thus Issachar will be free to study the Torah. |
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כִּי שֶׁפַע יַמִּים יִינָקוּ.
יִשָּׂשכָר וּזְבוּלֻן, וִיהֵא לָהֶם פְּנַאי לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה:
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| וּשְׂפֻנֵי טְמוּנֵי חֽוֹל - means: and what is covered and hidden by the sand, i.e., tuna, the chilazon, and white glass, which are products of the sea and the sand. These commodities were situated in the territory of Issachar and Zebulun, as stated in Tractate Megilah: “Zebulun gave themselves up to die” because “Naphtali is on the high fields” – i.e., Zebulun was complaining about his territory: “To my brother You gave fields and vineyards, and to me You gave seas and rivers.” God replied: “Everyone will need you for the chilazon.” |
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וּשְׂפֻנֵי טְמוּנֵי חֽוֹל.
כִּסּוּיֵי טְמוּנֵי חוֹל, טָרִית וְחִלָּזוֹן וּזְכוּכִית לְבָנָה הַיּוֹצְאִים מִן הַיָּם וּמִן הַחוֹל, וּבְחֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל יִשָּׂשכָר וּזְבוּלֻן הָיָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמוּר בְּמַסֶּכֶת מְגִלָּה (דף ו') "זְבוּלֻן עַם חֵרֵף נַפְשׁוֹ לָמוּת" (שופטים ה') מִשּׁוּם דְּ"נַפְתָּלִי עַל מְרוֹמֵי שָׂדֶה" (שם), הָיָה מִתְרַעֵם זְבוּלֻן עַל חֶלְקוֹ — לְאָחִי נָתַתָּ שָׂדוֹת וּכְרָמִים וְכוּ' (ספרי):
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| וּשְׂפֻנֵי - denotes covering, as it says: “he covered (וַיִּסְפֹּן) the Temple with shingles,” and וְסָפוּן בָּאֶרֶז, which Yonatan ben Uziel translates as: וּמְטַלֵּל בְּכִיּוֹרֵי אַרְזָא “roofed with cedar panels.” Another explanation of עַמִּים הַר יִקְרָאוּ: As a result of Zebulun’s trade activities, merchants of other nations come to his territory, which is on the coastal border. They say, “Since we have troubled ourselves to come this far, let us go on to Jerusalem and see what deity this nation fears and what are its customs.” There, they observe all Israel serving one God and eating one kind of food – for among the nations, the god of one is not like the god of another, and the food mores of one nation are not like the food mores of the other. They then say, “There is no nation as worthy as this one,” and there – in Jerusalem – they will convert, as it says: “they will offer up proper sacrifices there.” |
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וּשְׂפֻנֵי.
לְשׁוֹן כִּסּוּי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א ו') "וַיִּסְפֹּן אֶת הַבַּיִת", "וְסָפֻן בָּאֶרֶז" (ירמיהו כב, יד) וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ "וּמְטֹלָל בְּכִיּוֹרֵי אַרְזָא". דָּבָר אַחֵר — עמים הר יקראו עַל יְדֵי פְּרַקְמַטְיָא שֶׁל זְבוּלֻן תַּגָּרֵי אֻמּוֹת העוֹלָם בָּאִים אֶל אַרְצוֹ, וְהוּא עוֹמֵד עַל הַסְּפָר וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים הוֹאִיל וְנִצְטַעַרְנוּ עַד כָּאן נֵלֵךְ עַד יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וְנִרְאֶה מַה יִּרְאָתָהּ שֶׁל אֻמָּה זוֹ וּמַה מַּעֲשֶׂיהָ, וְהֵם רוֹאִים כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹבְדִים לֶאֱלוֹהַּ אֶחָד וְאוֹכְלִים מַאֲכָל אֶחָד — לְפִי שֶׁהַגּוֹיִם אֱלוֹהוֹ שֶׁל זֶה לֹא כֵאלוֹהוֹ שֶׁל זֶה וּמַאֲכָלוֹ שֶׁל זֶה לֹא כְמַאֲכָלוֹ שֶׁל זֶה — וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים אֵין אֻמָּה כְּשֵׁרָה כְּזוֹ וּמִתְגַּיְּרִין שָׁם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שָׁם יִזְבְּחוּ זִבְחֵי צֶדֶק (ספרי):
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| כִּי שֶׁפַע יַמִּים יִינָקוּ - Because they will be nourished by the abundance of the seas - i.e., Zebulun and Issachar, as the sea provides them with plentiful wealth. |
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כִּי שֶׁפַע יַמִּים יִינָקוּ.
זְבוּלֻן וְיִשָּׂשכָר הַיָּם נוֹתֵן לָהֶם מָמוֹן בְּשֶׁפַע:
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| 20He said of Gad: “Blessed be He who expands the territory of Gad. May he dwell like a fearsome lion, tearing off the arm of his prey together with the head. |
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כוּלְגָ֣ד אָמַ֔ר בָּר֖וּךְ מַרְחִ֣יב גָּ֑ד כְּלָבִ֣יא שָׁכֵ֔ן וְטָרַ֥ף זְר֖וֹעַ אַף־קָדְקֹֽד: |
| בָּרוּךְ מַרְחִיב גָּד - Blessed be He who expands the territory of Gad. This teaches us that Gad’s territory on the east bank of the Jordan River would expand further eastward. |
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בָּרוּךְ מַרְחִיב גָּד.
מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה תְחוּמוֹ שֶׁל גָּד מַרְחִיב וְהוֹלֵךְ כְּלַפֵּי מִזְרָח (שם):
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| כְּלָבִיא שָׁכֵן - May he dwell like a fearsome lion. Since he was close to the border, he is compared to lions, for all who are close to the border must be strong. |
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כְּלָבִיא שָׁכֵן.
לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה סָמוּךְ לַסְּפָר, לְפִיכָךְ נִמְשַׁל בַּאֲרָיוֹת, שֶׁכָּל הַסְּמוּכִים לַסְּפָר צְרִיכִים לִהְיוֹת גִּבּוֹרִים (שם):
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| וְטָרַף זְרוֹעַ אַף־קָדְקֹֽד - Tearing off the arm with the head. Those slain by them were distinguished, as they would sever the head together with the arm in one blow. |
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וְטָרַף זְרוֹעַ אַף־קָדְקֹֽד.
הֲרוּגֵיהֶן הָיוּ נִכָּרִין, חוֹתְכִים הָרֹאשׁ עִם הַזְּרוֹעַ בְּמַכָּה אַחַת:
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| 21He saw that the first portion of our conquest befitted him, because there the burial site of the lawgiver is hidden. He will go at the head of the people; he will do what God considers righteous and fulfill his legal obligations toward Israel.” |
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כאוַיַּ֤רְא רֵאשִׁית֙ ל֔וֹ כִּי־שָׁ֛ם חֶלְקַ֥ת מְחֹקֵ֖ק סָפ֑וּן וַיֵּ֨תֵא֙ רָ֣אשֵׁי עָ֔ם צִדְקַ֤ת יְהֹוָה֙ עָשָׂ֔ה וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֖יו עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| וַיַּרְא רֵאשִׁית לוֹ - He saw that the first portion befitted him - means: he saw fit to take for himself a portion in the land of Sichon and Og, which was the first part of the Land of Israel to be conquered – |
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וַיַּרְא רֵאשִׁית לוֹ.
רָאָה לִטֹּל לוֹ חֵלֶק בְּאֶרֶץ סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג, שֶׁהִיא רֵאשִׁית כִּבּוּשׁ הָאָרֶץ:
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| כִּי־שָׁם חֶלְקַת - Because there the burial site of the lawgiver - means: for he knew that there, in his inheritance, is the plot of ground where the lawgiver, i.e., Moses, would be buried. |
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כִּי־שָׁם חֶלְקַת.
כִּי יָדַע אֲשֶׁר שָׁם בְּנַחֲלָתוֹ חלקת שְׂדֵה קְבוּרַת מחקק, וְהוּא מֹשֶׁה (עי' ספרי; סוטה י"ג):
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| סָפוּן - Is hidden - i.e., that site is covered and hidden from all creatures, as it says: “no person knows the place of his burial site.” |
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סָפוּן.
אוֹתָהּ חֶלְקָה סְפוּנָה וּטְמוּנָה מִכָּל בְּרִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ל"ד) "וְלֹא יָדַע אִישׁ אֶת קְבֻרָתוֹ":
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| וַיֵּתֵא - He will go - i.e., Gad. |
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וַיֵּתֵא.
גָּד:
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| רָאשֵׁי עָם - at the head of the people - When conquering the land, they went ahead of the troops, since they were strong, and so it says: “You must cross over, armed, before your brothers….” |
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רָאשֵׁי עָם.
הֵם הָיוּ הוֹלְכִין לִפְנֵי הֶחָלוּץ בְּכִבּוּשׁ הָאָרֶץ, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ גִּבּוֹרִים, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר "וְאַתֶּם תַּעַבְרוּ חֲמֻשִׁים לִפְנֵי אֲחֵיכֶם וְגוֹ'" (יהושע א'):
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| צִדְקַת ה' עָשָׂה - He will do what God considers righteous. for they were true to their word, and kept their promise to cross the Jordan River and stay there until the people had conquered the land and divided it. Another explanation: וַיֵּתֵא “he went” – i.e., Moses – “at the head of the people”; “he did what God considered righteous” is referring to Moses. |
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צִדְקַת ה' עָשָׂה.
שֶׁהֶאֱמִינוּ דִבְרֵיהֶם וְשָׁמְרוּ הַבְטָחָתָם לַעֲבֹר אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן עַד שֶׁכָּבְשׁוּ וְחָלְקוּ; דָּבָר אַחֵר — ויתא מֹשֶׁה ראשי עם, צדקת ה' עשה עַל מֹשֶׁה אָמוּר (עי' ספרי):
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| 22He said of Dan: “Dan is a young lion. His territory contains a stream that flows from Bashan.” |
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כבוּלְדָ֣ן אָמַ֔ר דָּ֖ן גּ֣וּר אַרְיֵ֑ה יְזַנֵּ֖ק מִן־הַבָּשָֽׁן: |
| דָּן גּוּר אַרְיֵה - Dan is a young lion. He, too, lived close to the border, and for this reason Moses compares him to lions. |
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דָּן גּוּר אַרְיֵה.
אַף הוּא הָיָה סָמוּךְ לַסְּפָר, לְפִיכָךְ מוֹשְׁלוֹ בַּאֲרָיוֹת (שם):
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| יְזַנֵּק מִן־הַבָּשָֽׁן - (lit.) He will flow from the Bashan. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it, that the Jordan River would stream forth from his territory, from the Paneas cave, which is Leshem, which is in the territory of Dan, as it says: “They called Leshem Dan,” but its initial source and flow descends from the Bashan. Another explanation: Just as a gushing flow emanates from one place and then splits up into two places, so too, the tribe of Dan possessed territory in two places. They initially received land in the northwest – Ekron and its surrounding area – but it was not sufficient for them, so they went to war against Leshem, which is Paneas. It is in the northeast, for the source of the Jordan River is the Paneas cave, to the east of the Land of Israel, flowing down from north to south and ending at the edge of the Salt Sea (the Dead Sea), which is to the east of the territory of Judah, who received land in the south of the Land of Israel, as detailed in the Book of Joshua. This is what is meant by the statement: “The borders of the tribe of Dan extended beyond their portion, and the tribe of Dan went up to war with Leshem…” – i.e., their border expanded beyond the entire side where their initial inheritance was located. |
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יְזַנֵּק מִן־הַבָּשָֽׁן.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, שֶׁהָיָה הַיַּרְדֵּן יוֹצֵא מֵחֶלְקוֹ מִמְּעָרַת פַּמְיָאס, וְהִיא לֶשֶׁם שֶׁהִיא בְחֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל דָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע י"ט) "וַיִּקְרְאוּ לְלֶשֶׁם דָּן", וְזִנּוּקוֹ וְקִלּוּחוֹ מִן הַבָּשָׁן. דָּבָר אַחֵר — מַה זִּנּוּק זֶה יוֹצֵא מִמָּקוֹם אֶחָד וְנֶחֱלָק לִשְׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת, כָּךְ שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל דָּן נָטְלוּ חֵלֶק בִּשְׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת, תְּחִלָּה נָטְלוּ בִצְפוֹנִית מַעֲרָבִית — עֶקְרוֹן וּסְבִיבוֹתֶיהָ — וְלֹא סָפְקוּ לָהֶם, וּבָאוּ וְנִלְחֲמוּ עִם לֶשֶׁם שֶׁהִיא פַּמְיָאס, וְהִיא בִּצְפוֹנִית מִזְרָחִית — שֶׁהֲרֵי הַיַּרְדֵּן יוֹצֵא מִמְּעָרַת פַּמְיָאס וְהִיא בְּמִזְרָחָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבָא מֵהַצָּפוֹן לַדָּרוֹם, וְכָלֶה בִקְצֵה יָם הַמֶּלַח שֶׁהוּא בְּמִזְרַח יְהוּדָה שֶׁנָּטַל בִּדְרוֹמָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל — כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בְּסֵפֶר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, וְהוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שם) "וַיֵּצֵא גְבוּל בְּנֵי דָן מֵהֶם וַיַּעֲלוּ בְנֵי דָן וַיִּלָּחֲמוּ עִם לֶשֶׁם וְגוֹ'" — יָצָא גְבוּלָם מִכָּל אוֹתוֹ הָרוּחַ שֶׁהִתְחִילוּ לִנְחֹל בּוֹ (ספרי):
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| 23He said of Naphtali, “The territory of Naphtali is satiated with everything it can desire, for its territory is full of God’s blessing. Possess Lake Kineret with its south shore.” |
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כגוּלְנַפְתָּלִ֣י אָמַ֔ר נַפְתָּלִי֙ שְׂבַ֣ע רָצ֔וֹן וּמָלֵ֖א בִּרְכַּ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה יָ֥ם וְדָר֖וֹם יְרָֽשָׁה: |
| שְׂבַע רָצוֹן - Satiated with desire - i.e., his territory would satisfy every desire of its inhabitants. |
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שְׂבַע רָצוֹן.
שֶׁהָיְתָה אַרְצוֹ שְׂבֵעָה כָּל רְצוֹן יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ:
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| יָם וְדָרוֹם יְרָֽשָׁה - (lit.) Possess the sea and the south. Lake Kineret was in his territory, and to its south he received a portion as large as the length of a fishnet rope, in which to spread out nets and traps. |
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יָם וְדָרוֹם יְרָֽשָׁה.
יָם כִּנֶּרֶת נָפְלָה בְּחֶלְקוֹ, וְנָטַל מְלֹא חֶבֶל חֵרֶם בִּדְרוֹמָהּ, לִפְרֹשׂ חֲרָמִים וּמִכְמוֹרוֹת (ב"ק פ"א):
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| יְרָֽשָׁה - is an imperative form, similar to: עֲלֵה רֵשׁ “go up and take possession.” The fact that the word is stressed before its last syllable, on the ר, proves this; just as with the imperative forms יְרַשׁ, יְדַע, לְקַח, שְׁמַע, when a ה is added to them, the stress moves before its last syllable: שְׁמָעָה, יְדָעָה, סְלָחָה, לְקָחָה; the same here: יְרָשָׁה is an imperative form. And indeed, in the Greater Masorah we find it included in an alphabetical list of imperative forms stressed before their last syllables. |
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יְרָֽשָׁה.
לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי, כְּמוֹ "עֲלֵה רֵשׁ" (דברים א'), וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה בָּרֵ"ישׁ מוֹכִיחַ, כְּמוֹ סְלַח, יְדַע, לְקַח, שְׁמַע, כְּשֶׁמּוֹסִיף בּוֹ הֵ"א יִהְיֶה הַטַּעַם לְמַעְלָה סְלָחָה, יְדָעָה, לְקָחָה, שְׁמָעָה, אַף כָּאן יְרָשָׁה לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי, וּבַמָּסֹרֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה מָצִינוּ בְּאַלְפָא בֵּיתָא לְשׁוֹן צִוּוּי דְּטַעְמֵיהוֹן מִלְּעֵיל:
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| 24He said of Asher: “Asher will be blessed with sons. He will gratify his brothers; he will be sought after by his brothers to marry his womenfolk; his land will produce so much olive oil that wherever he goes he will immerse his foot in oil. |
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כדוּלְאָשֵׁ֣ר אָמַ֔ר בָּר֥וּךְ מִבָּנִ֖ים אָשֵׁ֑ר יְהִ֤י רְצוּי֙ אֶחָ֔יו וְטֹבֵ֥ל בַּשֶּׁ֖מֶן רַגְלֽוֹ: |
| בָּרוּךְ מִבָּנִים אָשֵׁר - Asher will be blessed with sons. I saw in Sifrei: No tribe was blessed with sons like Asher, but I do not know how this was so. |
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בָּרוּךְ מִבָּנִים אָשֵׁר.
רָאִיתִי בְסִפְרֵי — אֵין לְךָ בְכָל הַשְּׁבָטִים שֶׁנִּתְבָּרֵךְ בְּבָנִים כְּאָשֵׁר, וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ כֵּיצַד:
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| יְהִי רְצוּי אֶחָיו - He will gratify his brothers - This means that he will find favor with his brothers by supplying them oil for cosmetics and with delicacies, and they find favor with him by supplying him with grain. Another explanation: יְהִי רְצוּי אֶחָיו means “He will be sought after by his brothers” to marry his womenfolk, because his daughters will be beautiful. This is the meaning of the statement in 1 Chronicles: “He was the father of Birzayit (lit., ‘son of olive’),” meaning that his daughters married high priests and kings, who were anointed with olive oil. |
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יְהִי רְצוּי אֶחָיו.
שֶׁהָיָה מִתְרַצֶּה לְאֶחָיו בְּשֶׁמֶן אַנְפִּיקִינוֹן וּבְקַפְּלָאוֹת, וְהֵם מְרַצִּין לוֹ בִּתְבוּאָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר — יהי רצוי אחיו שֶׁהָיוּ בְנוֹתָיו נָאוֹת, וְהוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים (דבהי"א ז') "הוּא אֲבִי בִרְזָיִת", שֶׁהָיוּ בְנוֹתָיו נְשׂוּאוֹת לְכֹהֲנִים גְּדוֹלִים וּמְלָכִים הַנִּמְשָׁחִים בְּשֶׁמֶן זַיִת:
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| וְטֹבֵל בַּשֶּׁמֶן רַגְלֽוֹ - He will immerse his foot in oil - for his land flowed with oil like a spring, as we find: It once happened that the people of Ludkia were in need of oil. They appointed an agent…, as related in Menachot. |
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וְטֹבֵל בַּשֶּׁמֶן רַגְלֽוֹ.
שֶׁהָיְתָה אַרְצוֹ מוֹשֶׁכֶת שֶׁמֶן כְּמַעְיָן, וּמַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁנִּצְטָרְכוּ אַנְשֵׁי לוּדְקִיָּא לְשֶׁמֶן, מִנּוּ לָהֶם פּוּלְמוּסְטוּס אֶחָד, וכוּ' כִדְאִיתָא בִמְנָחוֹת (דף פ"ה):
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| 25Your mountains, the protective locks of the Land of Israel, are rich in iron and copper. The days of your old age will be as idyllic as the days of your youth. |
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כהבַּרְזֶ֥ל וּנְח֖שֶׁת מִנְעָלֶ֑ךָ וּכְיָמֶ֖יךָ דָּבְאֶֽךָ: |
| בַּרְזֶל וּנְחשֶׁת מִנְעָלֶךָ - Your locks are iron and copper. Now, from this point on, Moses is addressing all of Israel, blessing them that their warriors reside in the border towns, locking the border and preventing infiltration by the enemy, as if it were locked with locks and bars of iron and copper. Another explanation of בַּרְזֶל וּנְחֹשֶׁת מִנְעָלֶךָ: Your land is locked by mountains from which iron and copper are mined, for Asher’s territory was the lock of the Land of Israel. |
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בַּרְזֶל וּנְחשֶׁת מִנְעָלֶךָ.
עַכְשָׁו הוּא מְדַבֵּר כְּנֶגֶד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהָיוּ גִּבּוֹרֵיהֶם יוֹשְׁבִים בְּעָרֵי הַסְּפָר וְנוֹעֲלִים אוֹתָהּ שֶׁלֹּא יוּכְלוּ הָאוֹיְבִים לִכָּנֵס בָּהּ, כְּאִילוּ הִיא סְגוּרָה בְמַנְעוּלִים וּבְרִיחִים שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל וּנְחֹשֶׁת. דָּבָר אַחֵר, ברזל ונחשת מנעלך — אַרְצְּכֶם נְעוּלָה בְּהָרִים שֶׁחוֹצְבִין מֵהֶם בַּרְזֶל וּנְחֹשֶׁת, וְאַרְצוֹ שֶׁל אָשֵׁר הָיְתָה מַנְעוּלָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל (ספרי):
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| וּכְיָמֶיךָ דָּבְאֶֽךָ - And (lit.) like your days will be your flowing - i.e., like the days good for you, i.e., your first days, the days of your youth, so will be the days of your old age, which are דּוֹאֲבִים, i.e., ebbing away and declining. Another explanation of וּכְיָמֶיךָ דָּבְאֶךָ: Commensurate with “your days” – i.e., the days that are good for you – in other words, commensurate with the number of “your days” – i.e., all the days in which you fulfill the will of the Omnipresent – so will be דָּבְאֶךָ, i.e., the extent that all countries will stream (דוֹבְאוֹת) silver and gold to the Land of Israel. For in reward for your faithfulness to God, the land will be blessed with fruit, and all other countries will be supplied by it, and thus convey to it their silver and gold – “ascoront” in Old French – and thus their silver and gold will run out, for they will be pouring it into your land. |
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וּכְיָמֶיךָ דָּבְאֶֽךָ.
וּכְיָמִים שֶׁהֵם טוֹבִים לְךָ, שֶׁהֵן יְמֵי תְחִלָּתְךָ, יְמֵי נְעוּרֶיךָ, כֵּן יִהְיוּ יְמֵי זִקְנָתְךָ, שֶׁהֵם דּוֹאֲבִים זָבִים וּמִתְמוֹטְטִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וכימיך דבאך כְּמִנְיַן יָמֶיךָ — כָּל הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עוֹשִׂים רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם — יִהְיֶה דָבְאֶךָ, שֶׁכָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת יִהְיוּ דוֹבְאוֹת כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁתְּהֵא מְבֹרֶכֶת בְּפֵרוֹת וְכָל הָאֲרָצוֹת מִתְפַּרְנְסוֹת הֵימֶנָּה וּמַמְשִׁיכוֹת לָהּ כַּסְפָּם וּזְהָבָם, אשקו"רנט, הַכֶּסֶף וְהַזָּהָב כָּלֶה מֵהֶם שֶׁהֵן מְזִיבוֹת אוֹתוֹ לְאַרְצְכֶם:
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| 26Yeshurun, there is none like God! God, who figuratively rides the heavens, is your assistance. With His majesty, He rides on the skies, |
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כואֵ֥ין כָּאֵ֖ל יְשֻׁר֑וּן רֹכֵ֤ב שָׁמַ֨יִם֙ בְּעֶזְרֶ֔ךָ וּבְגַֽאֲוָת֖וֹ שְׁחָקִֽים: |
| אֵין כָּאֵל יְשֻׁרוּן - means: Yeshurun! Be aware that there is none like God among all the deities of the nations. Their rock is not like your Rock. |
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אֵין כָּאֵל יְשֻׁרוּן.
דַּע לְךָ יְשֻׁרוּן שֶׁאֵין כָּאֵל בְּכָל אֱלֹהֵי הָעַמִּים וְלֹא כְצוּרְךָ צוּרָם:
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| רֹכֵב שָׁמַיִם - He who rides the heavens - is the same God who “is your assistance, and with His majesty” He rides on “the skies.” |
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רֹכֵב שָׁמַיִם.
הוּא אוֹתוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ שֶׁבְּעֶזְרֶךָ, ובגאותו הוּא רוֹכֵב שחקים:
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| 27which are the abode for Him, the God who preceded all false deities. All the world’s mighty ones are figuratively situated below Him. He expelled the enemy from before you, and said to you, ‘Destroy them!’ |
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כזמְעֹנָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵי קֶ֔דֶם וּמִתַּ֖חַת זְרֹעֹ֣ת עוֹלָ֑ם וַיְגָ֧רֶשׁ מִפָּנֶ֛יךָ אוֹיֵ֖ב וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַשְׁמֵֽד: |
| מְעֹנָה אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם - means: These skies act as an abode for “the preexistent God,” meaning the God who preceded all other deities and selected the skies as His dwelling and abode, and below His abode, all mighty ones dwell. |
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מְעֹנָה אֱלֹהֵי קֶדֶם.
לְמָעוֹן הֵם הַשְּׁחָקִים לֵאלֹהֵי קֶדֶם, שֶׁקָּדַם לְכָל אֱלֹהִים וּבָרַר לוֹ שְׁחָקִים לְשִׁבְתּוֹ וּמְעוֹנָתוֹ, וּמִתַּחַת מְעוֹנָתוֹ כָּל בַּעֲלֵי זְרוֹעַ שׁוֹכְנִים:
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| זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם - The world’s mighty ones. This refers to Sichon, Og, and the kings of Canaan, who were the greatest power and force in the world; nevertheless, for the above reason, they were forced to fear and tremble, their strength failing before Him, as the one situated below is always in fear of the one above him. And He, to whom strength and might belong, “is your assistance.” |
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זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם.
סִיחוֹן וְעוֹג וּמַלְכֵי כְנַעַן שֶׁהָיוּ תָקְפּוֹ וּגְבוּרָתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, לְפִיכָךְ עַל כָּרְחָם יֶחֶרְדוּ וְיָזוּעוּ וְכֹחָם חָלֵשׁ מִפָּנָיו, לְעוֹלָם אֵימַת הַגָּבוֹהַּ עַל הַנָּמוּךְ, וְהוּא שֶׁהַכֹּחַ וְהַגְּבוּרָה שֶׁלּוֹ בְּעֶזְרֶךָ:
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| וַיְגָרֶשׁ מִפָּנֶיךָ אוֹיֵב וַיֹּאמֶר - He expelled the enemy from before you, and said - to you, “Destroy them.” |
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וַיְגָרֶשׁ מִפָּנֶיךָ אוֹיֵב וַיֹּאמֶר.
לְךָ השמד אוֹתָם:
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| מְעֹנָה - means לִמְעוֹן “as the abode.” Regarding every word that requires a ל as a prefix, one can instead put a ה as a suffix. |
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מְעֹנָה.
כָּל תֵּיבָה שֶׁצְּרִיכָה לַמֶ"ד בִּתְחִלָּתָהּ הֵטִיל לָהּ הֵ"א בְּסוֹפָהּ (יבמות י"ג):
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| 28Israel will dwell safely and individually, just as Jacob blessed them, in a land of grain and wine. And also, their land’s heaven will drip dew. |
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כחוַיִּשְׁכֹּן֩ יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל בֶּ֤טַח בָּדָד֙ עֵ֣ין יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ דָּגָ֣ן וְתִיר֑וֹשׁ אַף־שָׁמָ֖יו יַֽעַרְפוּ־טָֽל: |
| בֶּטַח בָּדָד - Safely and individually - i.e., each individual “under his vine and under his fig tree,” scattered over a wide area, not needing to congregate and stay together in fear of the enemy. |
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בֶּטַח בָּדָד.
כָּל יָחִיד וְיָחִיד אִישׁ תַּחַת גַּפְנוֹ וְתַחַת תְּאֵנָתוֹ מְפֻזָּרִין וְאֵין צְרִיכִין לְהִתְאַסֵּף וְלֵישֵׁב יַחַד מִפְּנֵי הָאוֹיֵב:
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| עֵין יַֽעֲקֹב - Just as Jacob - עֵין here has a similar sense as: וְעֵינוֹ כְּעֵין הַבְּדֹלַח “and its color was like that of crystal,” i.e., like the blessing that Jacob gave them; not like בָּדָד stated by Jeremiah: בָּדָד יָשַׁבְתִּי “I dwelt alone,” but like the promise that Jacob made to them: “God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.” |
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עֵין יַֽעֲקֹב.
כְּמוֹ "וְעֵינוֹ כְּעֵין הַבְּדֹלַח" (במדבר י"א) כְּעֵין הַבְּרָכָה שֶׁבֵּרְכָם יַעֲקֹב, לֹא כְבָדָד שֶׁאָמַר יִרְמְיָה "בָּדָד יָשַׁבְתִּי" (ירמיהו ט"ו), אֶלָּא כְּעֵין הַבְטָחָה שֶׁהִבְטִיחָם יַעֲקֹב (בראשית מ"ח) "וְהָיָה אֱלֹהִים עִמָּכֶם וְהֵשִׁיב אֶתְכֶם אֶל אֶרֶץ אֲבֹתֵיכֶם" (עי' ספרי):
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| יַֽעַרְפוּ־ - means: will drip. |
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יַֽעַרְפוּ־.
יִטְּפוּ:
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| שָׁמָיו יַֽעַרְפוּ־טָֽל - Also, their heaven will drip dew - i.e., Isaac’s blessing as well, in addition to Jacob’s blessing stated above: “May God grant you of the dew of heaven….” |
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שָׁמָיו יַֽעַרְפוּ־טָֽל.
אַף בִּרְכָתוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק נוֹסֶפֶת עַל בִּרְכָתוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב "וְיִתֶּן לְךָ הָאֱלֹהִים מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ'":
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| 29Fortunate are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by God, the shield who helps you, your majestic sword! Your enemies will lie to you out of fear, but you will tread upon their heights.” |
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כטאַשְׁרֶ֨יךָ יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל מִ֣י כָמ֗וֹךָ עַ֚ם נוֹשַׁ֣ע בַּֽיהֹוָ֔ה מָגֵ֣ן עֶזְרֶ֔ךָ וַֽאֲשֶׁר־חֶ֖רֶב גַּֽאֲוָתֶ֑ךָ וְיִכָּֽחֲשׁ֤וּ אֹֽיְבֶ֨יךָ֙ לָ֔ךְ וְאַתָּ֖ה עַל־בָּֽמוֹתֵ֥ימוֹ תִדְרֹֽךְ: |
| אַשְׁרֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל - Fortunate are you, Israel. After he had listed the details of their blessings, he said to them: Why do I need to list details for you? In sum, you have everything! |
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אַשְׁרֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל.
לְאַחַר שֶׁפָּרַט לָהֶם הַבְּרָכוֹת, אָמַר לָהֶם מַה לִּי לִפְרֹט לָכֶם כָּל דָּבָר? הַכֹּל שֶׁלָּכֶם:
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| אַשְׁרֶיךָ מִי כָמוֹךָ - Fortunate are you, Israel! Who is like you?. For your salvation comes through God, who is “the shield who helps you and your majestic sword.” |
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אַשְׁרֶיךָ מִי כָמוֹךָ.
תְּשׁוּעָתְךָ בַּה', אֲשֶׁר הוּא מגן עזרך וחרב גאותך:
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| וְיִכָּֽחֲשׁוּ אֹֽיְבֶיךָ לָךְ - Your enemies will lie to you. Such as the Gibeonites, who said: “your servants have come from a distant land….” |
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וְיִכָּֽחֲשׁוּ אֹֽיְבֶיךָ לָךְ.
כְּגוֹן הַגִּבְעוֹנִים שֶׁאָמְרוּ "מֵאֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה בָּאוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ וְגוֹ'" (יהושע ט'):
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| וְאַתָּה עַל־בָּֽמוֹתֵימוֹ תִדְרֹֽךְ - But you will tread upon their heights. Similar to what it says: “place your feet on the necks of these kings.” |
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וְאַתָּה עַל־בָּֽמוֹתֵימוֹ תִדְרֹֽךְ.
כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "שִׂימוּ אֶת רַגְלֵיכֶם עַל צַוְּארֵי הַמְּלָכִים הָאֵלֶּה" (שם י):
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| 1Moses ascended from the plains of Moab to the peak of Mount Nebo, facing Jericho. God showed him all the Land of Israel, the Gilead to Dan, |
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אוַיַּ֨עַל משֶׁ֜ה מֵֽעַרְבֹ֤ת מוֹאָב֙ אֶל־הַ֣ר נְב֔וֹ רֹ֚אשׁ הַפִּסְגָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֣י יְרֵח֑וֹ וַיַּרְאֵ֨הוּ יְהֹוָ֧ה אֶת־כָּל־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֶת־הַגִּלְעָ֖ד עַד־דָּֽן: |
| מֵֽעַרְבֹת מוֹאָב אֶל־הַר נְבוֹ - From the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo. There were several steps, but Moses scaled them all in a single step. |
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מֵֽעַרְבֹת מוֹאָב אֶל־הַר נְבוֹ.
כַּמָּה מַעֲלוֹת הָיוּ וּפְסָעָן מֹשֶׁה בִּפְסִיעָה אַחַת (סוטה י"ג):
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| אֶת־כָּל־הָאָרֶץ - All the land. He showed him all of the Land of Israel in its tranquil periods as well as the oppressors that would subjugate it. |
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אֶת־כָּל־הָאָרֶץ.
הֶרְאָהוּ אֶת כָּל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשַׁלְוָתָהּ, וְהַמְּצִּיקִין הָעֲתִידִים לִהְיוֹת מְצִיקִין לָהּ:
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| עַד־דָּֽן - As far as Dan. He showed him the tribe of Dan practicing idolatry, as it says: “the tribe of Dan set up for themselves the sculpted image,” and He showed him Samson, who would descend from that tribe and become a savior for Israel from the Philistines. |
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עַד־דָּֽן.
הֶרְאָהוּ בְנֵי דָן עוֹבְדִים עֲבוֹדַה זָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שופטים י"ח) "וַיָּקִימוּ לָהֶם בְּנֵי דָן אֶת הַפֶּסֶל", וְהֶרְאָהוּ שִׁמְשׁוֹן שֶׁעָתִיד לָצֵאת מִמֶּנּוּ לְמוֹשִׁיעַ:
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| 2all of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah until the western sea, |
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בוְאֵת֙ כָּל־נַפְתָּלִ֔י וְאֶת־אֶ֥רֶץ אֶפְרַ֖יִם וּמְנַשֶּׁ֑ה וְאֵת֙ כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיָּ֥ם הָאַֽחֲרֽוֹן: |
| וְאֵת כָּל־נַפְתָּלִי - All of Naphtali. He showed him its land in its tranquility and its ruin, and He showed him Deborah and Barak from Kedesh-Naphtali battling Sisera and his armies. |
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וְאֵת כָּל־נַפְתָּלִי.
הֶרְאָהוּ אַרְצוֹ בְּשַׁלְוָתָהּ וְחֻרְבָּנָהּ, וְהֶרְאָהוּ דְּבוֹרָה וּבָרָק מִקֶּדֶשׁ נַפְתָּלִי נִלְחָמִים עִם סִיסְרָא וַחֲיָלוֹתָיו:
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| וְאֵת אֶרֶץ אֶפְרַיִם וּמְנַשֶּׁה - The land of Ephraim and Manasseh. He showed him their lands in their tranquility and in their ruin, and He showed him Joshua, descended from Ephraim, battling the Canaanite kings; and Gideon, descended from Manasseh, battling Midian and Amalek. |
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וְאֵת אֶרֶץ אֶפְרַיִם וּמְנַשֶּׁה.
הֶרְאָהוּ אַרְצָם בְּשַׁלְוָתָהּ וּבְחֻרְבָּנָהּ, וְהֶרְאָהוּ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ נִלְחָם עִם מַלְכֵי כְנַעַן שֶׁבָּא מֵאֶפְרַיִם, וְגִדְעוֹן שֶׁבָּא מִמְּנַשֶּׁה נִלְחָם עִם מִדְיָן וַעֲמָלֵק:
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| וְאֵת כָּל־אֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה - All the land of Judah - in its tranquility and in its ruin, and He showed him the royal dynasty of David and their victories. |
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וְאֵת כָּל־אֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה.
בְּשַׁלְוָתָהּ וּבְחֻרְבָּנָהּ, וְהֶרְאָהוּ מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד וְנִצְחוֹנָם:
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| עַד הַיָּם הָאַֽחֲרֽוֹן - Until the western sea - i.e., the western territory in its tranquility and in its ruin. Another explanation: Do not read it as הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן, but rather הַיּוֹם הָאַחֲרוֹן “the last day,” i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him all the events that would befall Israel in the future until the Resurrection of the Dead. |
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עַד הַיָּם הָאַֽחֲרֽוֹן.
אֶרֶץ הַמַּעֲרָב בְּשַׁלְוָתָהּ וּבְחֻרְבָּנָהּ; דָּבָר אַחֵר — אַל תִּקְרֵי הַיָּם הָאַחֲרוֹן אֶלָּא הַיּוֹם הָאַחֲרוֹן, הֶרְאָהוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּל הַמְּאֹרָעוֹת שֶׁעֲתִידִין לֵאָרַע לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַד שֶׁיִּחְיוּ הַמֵּתִים (ספרי):
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| 3the south, the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, until Tzo’ar. |
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גוְאֶת־הַנֶּ֗גֶב וְאֶת־הַכִּכָּ֞ר בִּקְעַ֧ת יְרֵח֛וֹ עִ֥יר הַתְּמָרִ֖ים עַד־צֹֽעַר: |
| וְאֶת־הַנֶּגֶב - means: the southern territory. Another explanation: It refers to the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron, as it says: “they went up through the south, and he came to Hebron.” |
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וְאֶת־הַנֶּגֶב.
אֶרֶץ הַדָּרוֹם. דָּבָר אַחֵר — מְעָרַת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וַיַּעֲלוּ בַנֶּגֶב וַיָּבֹא עַד חֶבְרוֹן" (במדבר י"ג):
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| וְאֶת־הַכִּכָּר - The plain. He showed him King Solomon fashioning the utensils for the Temple, as it says: “The king cast them in the thick clay in the plain (כִּכָּר) of the Jordan River.” |
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וְאֶת־הַכִּכָּר.
הֶרְאָהוּ שְׁלֹמֹה יוֹצֵק כְּלֵי בֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א ז') "בְּכִכַּר הַיַּרְדֵּן יְצָקָם הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּמַעֲבֵה הָאֲדָמָה" (ספרי):
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| 4God said to him, “This is the land that I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you must not cross over there.” |
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דוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלָ֗יו זֹ֤את הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִ֠שְׁבַּ֠עְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֨ם לְיִצְחָ֤ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֣ אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה הֶרְאִיתִ֣יךָ בְעֵינֶ֔יךָ וְשָׁ֖מָּה לֹ֥א תַֽעֲבֹֽר: |
| לֵאמֹר לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה הֶרְאִיתִיךָ - Saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it. so that you go and tell Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: ‘The Holy One, blessed be He, has fulfilled the oath that He made to you,’” and that is the meaning of לֵאמֹר (lit.) “to say,” i.e., for this reason I have let you see it. However, I have already decreed that “you must not cross over there,” for were it not for this, I would have kept you alive until you see them firmly planted and established there so that you could go and report this to them as well. |
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לֵאמֹר לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה הֶרְאִיתִיךָ.
כְּדֵי שֶׁתֵּלֵךְ וְתֹאמַר לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב, שְׁבוּעָה שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּע לָכֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קִיְּמָהּ. וְזֶהוּ לאמר, לְכָךְ הֶרְאִיתִיהָ לְךָ, אֲבָל גְּזֵרָה הִיא מִלְּפָנַי שֶׁשָּׁמָּה לא תעבר, שֶׁאִלּוּלֵי כָךְ הָיִיתִי מְקַיֶּמְךָ עַד שֶׁתִּרְאֶה אוֹתָם נְטוּעִים וּקְבוּעִים בָהּ וְתֵלֵךְ וְתַגִּיד לָהֶם:
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| 5Moses, the servant of God, died there, in Moab, by the mouth of God. |
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הוַיָּ֨מָת שָׁ֜ם משֶׁ֧ה עֶֽבֶד־יְהֹוָ֛ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מוֹאָ֖ב עַל־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָֽה: |
| וַיָּמָת שָׁם משֶׁה - Moses died there. Is it possible that Moses died and then recorded, “Moses died there”?! Rather, Moses wrote the Torah up to this point, and from here on Joshua wrote. Rabbi Meir says: Is it possible that the Torah scroll was missing anything when Moses said: “Take this Torah scroll”?! Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, dictated these final verses and Moses wrote them with tears. |
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וַיָּמָת שָׁם משֶׁה.
אֶפְשָׁר מֹשֶׁה מֵת וְכָתַב וימת שם משה? אֶלָּא עַד כָּאן כָּתַב מֹשֶׁה, מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ כָּתַב יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר אֶפְשָׁר סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה חָסֵר כְּלוּם וְהוּא אוֹמֵר (לא, כו) "לָקֹחַ אֵת סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה"? אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר וּמֹשֶׁה כוֹתֵב בְּדֶמַע (ספרי; ב"ב ט"ו, מנחות ל'):
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| עַל־פִּי ה' - By the mouth of God - i.e., by a Divine kiss. |
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עַל־פִּי ה'.
בִּנְשִׁיקָה:
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| 6God buried him in the valley, in Moab, opposite Beit Pe’or. No person knows the place of his burial site to this day. |
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ווַיִּקְבֹּ֨ר אֹת֤וֹ בַגַּי֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֔ב מ֖וּל בֵּ֣ית פְּע֑וֹר וְלֹֽא־יָדַ֥ע אִישׁ֙ אֶת־קְבֻ֣רָת֔וֹ עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה: |
| וַיִּקְבֹּר אֹתוֹ - He buried him - i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He, in His glory buried him. Rabbi Yishmael said: He buried himself. This is one of three instances of אֶת that Rabbi Yishmael expounded in this way. Similarly, בְּיוֹם מְלֹאת יְמֵי נִזְרוֹ יָבִיא אֹתוֹ “On the day his period of Naziritehood is completed, he must bring (lit.) him” means: “he must bring himself,” and the same applies to: וְהִשִּׂיאוּ אוֹתָם עֲוֹן אַשְׁמָה “The priests will cause (lit.) them to bear iniquity and guilt.” Is it others that make them bear it? Rather, it means that they cause themselves to bear it. |
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וַיִּקְבֹּר אֹתוֹ.
הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּכְבוֹדוֹ. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר הוּא קָבַר אֶת עַצְמוֹ, וְזֶהוּ אֶחָד מִשְּׁלוֹשָׁה אֶתִין שֶׁהָיָה רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל דּוֹרֵשׁ כֵּן. כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ "בְּיוֹם מְלֹאת יְמֵי נִזְרוֹ יָבִיא אֹתוֹ" (במדבר ו') — הוּא מֵבִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹ. כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ "וְהִשִּׂיאוּ אוֹתָם עֲוֹן אַשְׁמָה" (ויקרא כ"ב) וְכִי אֲחֵרִים מַשִּׂיאִין אוֹתָם? אֶלָּא הֵם מַשִּׂיאִים אֶת עַצְמָם:
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| מוּל בֵּית פְּעוֹר - Opposite Beit Pe’or. His gravesite was preordained there since the six days of Creation, in order to atone for the incident of Pe’or. This was one of the items created at twilight on the first Sabbath eve. |
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מוּל בֵּית פְּעוֹר.
קִבְרוֹ הָיָה מוּכָן שָׁם מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית לְכַפֵּר עַל מַעֲשֵׂה פְעוֹר, וְזֶה אֶחָד מִן הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת (אבות פ"ד; פסחים נ"ד):
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| 7Moses was 120 years old when he died. His facial color did not pale after he died, nor did his body lose its natural freshness. |
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זוּמשֶׁ֗ה בֶּן־מֵאָ֧ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים שָׁנָ֖ה בְּמֹת֑וֹ לֹא־כָֽהֲתָ֥ה עֵינ֖וֹ וְלֹא־נָ֥ס לֵחֹֽה: |
| לֹא־כָֽהֲתָה עֵינוֹ - His color did not pale - even after he died. |
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לֹא־כָֽהֲתָה עֵינוֹ.
אַף מִשֶּׁמֵּת:
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| לֹא־נָס לֵחֹֽה - Nor did his body lose its freshness - i.e., its moisture: his body did not decompose, nor did his facial appearance become disfigured. |
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לֹא־נָס לֵחֹֽה.
לַחְלוּחִית שֶׁבּוֹ, לֹא שָׁלַט בּוֹ רִקָּבוֹן וְלֹא נֶהְפַּךְ תֹּאַר פָּנָיו:
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| 8The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for 30 days. The days of weeping over the mourning for Moses came to an end, |
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חוַיִּבְכּוּ֩ בְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל אֶת־משֶׁ֛ה בְּעַרְבֹ֥ת מוֹאָ֖ב שְׁלשִׁ֣ים י֑וֹם וַיִּתְּמ֔וּ יְמֵ֥י בְכִ֖י אֵ֥בֶל משֶֽׁה: |
| בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - (lit.) The sons of Israel - i.e., the males. But regarding Aaron, because he would pursue peace, instilling peace between man and his fellow and between wife and husband, it says: כֹּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל “the entire house of Israel”both males and females. |
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בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
הַזְּכָרִים, אֲבָל בְּאַהֲרֹן מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהָיָה רוֹדֵף שָׁלוֹם וְנוֹתֵן שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ וּבֵין אִשָּׁה לְבַעְלָהּ נֶאֱמַר (במדבר כ, כט) "כֹּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל" — זְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת (פרדר"א פי"ז):
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| 9and Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands upon him. The Israelites obeyed him, and they did as God had commanded Moses. |
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טוִֽיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֗וּן מָלֵא֙ ר֣וּחַ חָכְמָ֔ה כִּֽי־סָמַ֥ךְ משֶׁ֛ה אֶת־יָדָ֖יו עָלָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁמְע֨וּ אֵלָ֤יו בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֔וּ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶֽׁה: |
| 10There never arose another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom God knew face to face, |
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יוְלֹא־קָ֨ם נָבִ֥יא ע֛וֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כְּמשֶׁ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ יְדָע֣וֹ יְהֹוָ֔ה פָּנִ֖ים אֶל־פָּנִֽים: |
| אֲשֶׁר יְדָעוֹ ה' פָּנִים אֶל־פָּנִים - Whom God knew face to face - i.e., Moses was familiar enough with Him to speak with Him whenever he wished, as it says: “I will now ascend to God”; and: “Wait, and I will hear what God instructs me concerning you.” |
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אֲשֶׁר יְדָעוֹ ה' פָּנִים אֶל־פָּנִים.
שֶׁהָיָה לִבּוֹ גַּס בּוֹ וּמְדַבֵּר אֵלָיו בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁרוֹצֶה, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְעַתָּה אֶעֱלֶה אֶל ה'" (שמות ל"ב), "עִמְדוּ וְאֶשְׁמְעָה מַה יְּצַוֶּה לָכֶם" (במדבר ט'):
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| 11with regard to all the signs and marvels that God had sent him to perform in Egypt before Pharaoh, all his courtiers, and all his land, |
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יאלְכָל־הָֽ֨אֹתֹ֜ת וְהַמּֽוֹפְתִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר שְׁלָחוֹ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה לַֽעֲשׂ֖וֹת בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לְפַרְעֹ֥ה וּלְכָל־עֲבָדָ֖יו וּלְכָל־אַרְצֽוֹ: |
| 12nor with regard to the strong hand with which he carried the Tablets of the Covenant, nor with regard to the miracles that he performed in the great, awesome desert, which Moses did in view of all Israel. |
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יבוּלְכֹל֙ הַיָּ֣ד הַֽחֲזָקָ֔ה וּלְכֹ֖ל הַמּוֹרָ֣א הַגָּד֑וֹל אֲשֶׁר֙ עָשָׂ֣ה משֶׁ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל: |
| וּלְכֹל הַיָּד הַֽחֲזָקָה - Nor with regard to the strong hand - i.e., that he received the Torah encompassed in the two Tablets with his own hands. |
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וּלְכֹל הַיָּד הַֽחֲזָקָה.
שֶׁקִּבֵּל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה בַּלּוּחוֹת בְּיָדָיו:
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| וּלְכֹל הַמּוֹרָא הַגָּדוֹל - Nor with regard to (lit.) all the great awe - i.e., the miracles and mighty acts that he performed in “the great and awesome desert.” |
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וּלְכֹל הַמּוֹרָא הַגָּדוֹל.
נִסִּים וּגְבוּרוֹת שֶׁבַּמִּדְבָּר הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא (עי' ספרי):
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| לְעֵינֵי כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל - In view of all Israel. This refers to the fact that his heart inspired him to shatter the Tablets before their eyes, as it says: וָאֲשַׁבְּרֵם לְעֵינֵיכֶם “I shattered them before your eyes.” The Holy One, blessed be He, approved his decision, as it says: אֲשֶׁר שָׁבַרְתָּ “that you shattered,” and is interpreted as: “Firm power to you (יִישַׁר כֹּחֲךָ) for shattering them!” |
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לְעֵינֵי כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל.
שֶׁנְּשָׂאוֹ לִבּוֹ לִשְׁבֹּר הַלּוּחוֹת לְעֵינֵיהֶם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וָאֲשַׁבְּרֵם לְעֵינֵיכֶם" (דברים ט') וְהִסְכִּימָה דַעַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְדַעְתּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אֲשֶׁר שִׁבַּרְתָּ" (שמות ל"ד) — יִישַׁר כֹּחֲךָ שֶׁשִּׁבַּרְתָּ:
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