Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 33

13And of Joseph he said: "His land shall be blessed by the Lord, with the sweetness of the heavens with dew, and with the deep that lies below,   יגוּלְיוֹסֵ֣ף אָמַ֔ר מְבֹרֶ֥כֶת יְהֹוָ֖ה אַרְצ֑וֹ מִמֶּ֤גֶד שָׁמַ֨יִם֙ מִטָּ֔ל וּמִתְּה֖וֹם רֹבֶ֥צֶת תָּֽחַת:
His land shall be blessed by the Lord For throughout the inheritance of all the tribes, there was no land more full of goodness than Joseph’s land. — [Sifrei 33:13]   מְבֹרֶכֶת ה' אַרְצוֹ  שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה בְנַחֲלַת הַשְּׁבָטִים אֶרֶץ מְלֵאָה כָל טוּב כְּאַרְצוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף (עי' ספרי):
and with the sweetness Heb. מִמֶּגֶד [This word denotes] delicacies and sweetness.   מִמֶּגֶד  לְשׁוֹן עֲדָנִים וּמֶתֶק:
the deep The [waters which lie in] the depth [of the earth] ascend, and moisten the land from below. You find that in the case of each tribe, Moses’ blessing resembles Jacob’s blessing [to the same tribe. For instance, Jacob blessed Joseph also with the וּמִתְּהוֹם רֹבֶצֶת תָּחַת] (Gen. 49:25).   וּמִתְּהוֹם  שֶׁהַתְּהוֹם עוֹלֶה וּמְלַחְלֵחַ אוֹתָהּ מִלְּמַטָּה; אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בְכָל הַשְּׁבָטִים בִּרְכָתוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה מֵעֵין בִּרְכָתוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב:
14and with the sweetness of the produce of the sun, and with the sweetness of the moon's yield,   ידוּמִמֶּ֖גֶד תְּבוּאֹ֣ת שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וּמִמֶּ֖גֶד גֶּ֥רֶשׁ יְרָחִֽים:
and with the sweetness of the produce of the sun for Joseph’s land was exposed to the sun, which sweetened its fruit. — [Sifrei 33:14]   וּמִמֶּגֶד תְּבוּאֹת שָׁמֶשׁ  שֶׁהָיְתָה אַרְצוֹ פְּתוּחָה לַחַמָּה וּמְמַתֶּקֶת הַפֵּרוֹת (ספרי):
the moon’s yield Heb. יְרָחִים גֶּרֶשׁ. Some fruits are ripened by the moon (יָרֵחַ). - [Sifrei 33:14] These are cucumbers and gourds. Another explanation: [This refers to fruits] which the earth expels (מְגָרֶשֶׁת) and brings out [from itself] month (יֶרַח) by month. — [Targum Onkelos]   גֶּרֶשׁ יְרָחִֽים  יֵשׁ פֵּרוֹת שֶׁהַלְּבָנָה מְבַשַּׁלְתָּן וְאֵלּוּ הֵן קִשּׁוּאִין וּדְלוּעִין; דָּבָר אַחֵר — גרש ירחים. שֶׁהָאָרֶץ מְגָרֶשֶׁת וּמוֹצִיאָה מֵחֹדֶשׁ לְחֹדֶשׁ:
15and with the crops of early mountains, and with the sweetness of perennial hills,   טווּמֵרֹ֖אשׁ הַֽרְרֵי־קֶ֑דֶם וּמִמֶּ֖גֶד גִּבְע֥וֹת עוֹלָֽם:
and with the crops of early mountains And blessed with the fruits that are first (רֹאשׁ) to ripen, for its mountains advance (קֶדֶם) the ripening of their fruits [thus, “the early mountains”]. Another explanation: [This verse] teaches [us] that their creation [that of the mountains in the territory of Joseph] preceded (קֶדֶם) that of all other mountains. — [Sifrei 33:15]   וּמֵרֹאשׁ הַֽרְרֵי־קֶדֶם  וּמְבֹרֶכֶת מֵרֵאשִׁית בִּשּׁוּל הַפֵּרוֹת, שֶׁהֲרָרֶיהָ מַקְדִּימִין לְבַכֵּר בִּשּׁוּל פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶם. דָּבָר אַחֵר — מַגִּיד שֶׁקָּדְמָה בְּרִיאָתָן לִשְׁאָר הָרִים (שם):
the sweetness of perennial hills גִּבְעוֹת עוֹלָם. Hills which produce fruit continuously (עוֹלָם) and do not cease [to produce fruit even] because of lack of rain.   גִּבְעוֹת עוֹלָֽם  גְּבָעוֹת הָעוֹשׂוֹת פֵּרוֹת לְעוֹלָם וְאֵינָן פּוֹסְקוֹת מֵעֹצֶר הַגְּשָׁמִים:
16and with the sweetness of the land and its fullness, and through the contentment of the One Who dwells in the thornbush. May it come upon Joseph's head and upon the crown of the one separated from his brothers.   טזוּמִמֶּ֗גֶד אֶ֚רֶץ וּמְלֹאָ֔הּ וּרְצ֥וֹן שֹֽׁכְנִ֖י סְנֶ֑ה תָּב֨וֹאתָה֙ לְרֹ֣אשׁ יוֹסֵ֔ף וּלְקָדְקֹ֖ד נְזִ֥יר אֶחָֽיו:
and through the contentment of the One Who dwells in the thornbush Heb. שֹׁכְנִי סְנֶה, equivalent to שׁוֹכֵן סְנֶה, the One Who dwells in the bush. [Thus, the verse means:] "And may his land be blessed through the favorable acceptance and contentment of the Holy One, blessed is He, Who first revealed Himself to me in a thornbush (סְנֶה).   וּרְצוֹן שֹֽׁכְנִי סְנֶה  כְּמוֹ שׁוֹכֵן סְנֶה; וּתְהֵא אַרְצוֹ מְבֹרֶכֶת מֵרְצוֹנוֹ וְנַחַת רוּחוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַנִּגְלֶה עָלַי תְּחִלָּה בַּסְּנֶה:
through the contentment Heb. וּרְצוֹן. Contentment and appeasement. Similarly, every instance of [the word] רָצוֹן in Scripture.   רצון  נַחַת רוּחַ וּפִיּוּס, וְכֵן כָּל רָצוֹן שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא:
may it come i.e., this blessing will come upon Joseph’s head.   תָּבוֹאתָה  בְּרָכָה זוֹ לראש יוסף:
the one separated from his brothers [Joseph] who was separated from his brothers through his being sold.   נְזִיר אֶחָֽיו  שֶׁהֻפְרַשׁ מֵאֶחָיו בִּמְכִירָתוֹ (עי' ספרי):
17To his firstborn ox is [given] glory. His horns are the horns of a re'em. With them, he will gore peoples together [throughout all] the ends of the earth these are the myriads of Ephraim, and these are the thousands of Manasseh."   יזבְּכ֨וֹר שׁוֹר֜וֹ הָדָ֣ר ל֗וֹ וְקַרְנֵ֤י רְאֵם֙ קַרְנָ֔יו בָּהֶ֗ם עַמִּ֛ים יְנַגַּ֥ח יַחְדָּ֖ו אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְהֵם֙ רִבְב֣וֹת אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְהֵ֖ם אַלְפֵ֥י מְנַשֶּֽׁה:
to his firstborn ox Heb. בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ [In addition to the simple meaning of “firstborn,”] there are some instances in which the word בְּכוֹר has the meaning of “greatness” and “majesty,” as it is said, “I will also make him a great man (בְּכוֹר) [the highest of the kings on earth]” (Ps. 89:28); and similarly, “Israel is My son, my firstborn (בְּכוֹרִי)” [denoting high status] (Exod. 4:22).   בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ  יֵשׁ בְכוֹר שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן גְּדֻלָּה וּמַלְכוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אַף אָנִי בְּכוֹר אֶתְּנֵהוּ" (תהילים פ"ט), וְכֵן "בְּנִי בְכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל" (שמות ד')
firstborn  The king who will descend from Joseph, namely, Joshua.   בְּכוֹר  מֶלֶךְ הַיּוֹצֵא מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהוּא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ:
his ox whose strength is as mighty as that of an ox, to conquer many kings.   שׁוֹרוֹ  שֶׁכֹּחוֹ קָשֶׁה כְּשׁוֹר לִכְבֹּשׁ כַּמָּה מְלָכִים:
is [given] glory [Literally, “glory is his,”] was given to him [when Moses transferred some of his attribute of majesty to Joshua when he became leader], as it is said, [God said to Moses:] “And you shall give some of your majesty to him” [Joshua] (Num. 27:20).   הָדָר לוֹ  נָתוּן לוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְנָתַתָּה מֵהוֹדְךָ עָלָיו" (במדבר כ"ז):
and his horns are the horns of a re’em The ox is powerful, but its horns are not beautiful; [on the other hand,] a re’em has beautiful horns, but it is not powerful. [Moses thus] blessed Joshua with the power of an ox and the beauty of a re’em 's horns. — [Sifrei 33:17]   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):
the ends of the earth [This refers to] the thirty-one kings [whom Joshua conquered in the Land of Israel]. Is it possible that these kings were all from the Land of Israel? [The answer is, that] there was not one king or ruler who did not acquire for himself a palace and a holding in the Land of Israel [even though he belonged to another country]. [And why so?] Because the Land of Israel was considered distinguished to all of them, as it is said [of the Land of Israel], “The finest inheritance of the hosts of nations” (Jer. 3:19). - [Sifrei 33:17] [For this reason, the thirty-one kings are referred to as “the ends of the earth.”   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):
these are the myriads of Ephraim The ones who are to be gored are the myriads who were killed by Joshua who was descended from Ephraim [Joseph’s son].   וְהֵם רִבְבוֹת אֶפְרַיִם  אוֹתָם הַמְנֻגָּחִים הֵם הָרְבָבוֹת שֶׁהָרַג יְהוֹשֻׁעַ שֶׁבָּא מֵאֶפְרַיִם:
and these are the thousands of Manasseh They are the thousands killed in Midian by Gideon, [who was descended from Manasseh, Joseph’s other son], as it is said, “Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor…” (Jud. 8:10) [and the verse continues to enumerate many thousands of hosts which were there].   וְהֵם אַלְפֵי מְנַשֶּֽׁה  הֵם הָאֲלָפִים שֶׁהָרַג גִּדְעוֹן בְּמִדְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שופטים ח') "וְזֶבַח וְצַלְמֻנָּע בַּקַּרְקֹר וְגוֹ'":