Chapter (82) 83: Prophets [1] "I will assemble Jacob, all of you; I will bring together the remnant of Israel;. (Micah 2:12). Like it is said in scriptures: Assemble and listen, and complete [note: last word גומר doesn't exist in verse] (Genesis 49:2). Although the exact time of judgment day is unknown, I say to you that when you gather and assemble, at that moment you will be redeemed, as it is said, "I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men" (Micah 2:12).
"Reuben, you are my firstborn" (Genesis 49:3), I have not seen a blemish in you since I was born. "My might and the beginning of my strength" (same verse), since the day I was born I have been saying, "Perhaps Reuben will go up to the roof and die, or he will go down and fall." You were the beginning of my strength. "Excelling in dignity and excelling in power" (same verse), and because of the sin you committed, they took three crowns away from you and gave them to your brothers: the firstborn to Joseph, the priesthood to Levi, and the kingdom to Judah.
Otherwise, you would have been the firstborn. "Excelling in dignity," that is the priesthood, as it is said, "And Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things" (Exodus 28:38). "Excelling in power," I was worthy of purifying them, as it is written, "To cleanse and to sprinkle" (Leviticus 14:56). "Unstable as water" (Genesis 49:4), our rabbis have taught that three liquids are forbidden because of exposure: water, wine, and milk.
If one finds exposed milk, water, or wine, they should be spilled out, just as you are unstable as water. Alternatively, "unstable" means that you acted recklessly, disgracefully, and insulted others. Just as the vessels in which liquids are poured out or stored become unusable, but the liquids themselves remain, so too you, because of your sin, should not remain. Another thing: is raging like water.
Just as water purifies for everyone, so too will you purify your sins when the one who is saved from the water comes to give you blood, and who is this but Moses, as it is written, "She called his name Moses, for I drew him out of the water" (Exodus 2:10). And when does he give you blood? When you spread out your bed (Genesis 49:14), when he comes to ascend Mount Nebo, as it is written, "Let Reuben live and not die" (Deuteronomy 33:6).
"Simeon and Levi are brothers" (Genesis 49:5), and not only were they brothers, but they became brothers to do justice, as it is said, "And two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, took each man his sword" (Genesis 34:25). Their weapons are instruments of violence (Genesis 49:5). The Greek language is their swords. Jacob said, "If these two tribes sit together, they will destroy the world.
But I will scatter them, divide them among Jacob and disperse them among Israel" (Genesis 49:7). "Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies" (Genesis 49:8), referring to his killing of Esau. Similarly, Moses said, "His hands are his to contend with; you helped him against his foes" (Deuteronomy 33:7). "Judah, your lion's cub; from prey, my son, you have gone up" (Genesis 49:9), which is as you were named.
So did your mother say, "This time I will thank God" (Genesis 29:35), and she praised God in the story of Tamar, and all the tribes praised her. "The sons of my concubine have risen against me" (Genesis 49:29), Tamar's tragedy, that she and her two sons were already doomed, as it says "they brought her out and burned her" (Genesis 38:24), but she confessed and saved herself and her two sons, just as Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were saved whole when they were thrown into the furnace.
"He crouches like a lion, like a lioness--who dares to rouse him?" (Genesis 49:9), referring to David, the anointed one from you, as it says "whose heart is like that of a lion" (2 Samuel 17:10). "Forbidding the vine its fruit [and the donkey's colt to drink] (Genesis 49:11). This refers to the Messiah who will arise from you, as it is written, 'humble and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey' (Zechariah 9:9).
And to the flute and the finisher. Where are the Israelites forbidden and their sins atoned for? In the territory of Judah in Jerusalem. 'The scepter shall not depart from Judah' (Genesis 49:10) refers to the kingdom, 'nor a lawgiver' (ibid.) refers to the leader, 'until Shiloh comes' (ibid.) refers to the Messiah, 'and to him shall be the obedience of the people' (ibid.).
'And the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king' (Hosea 3:5), and similarly it says, 'and she ate and was satisfied, and left over' (Ruth 2:14). 'And she ate' refers to the leader, as it is written, 'and from among your brothers you shall appoint a leader' (Deuteronomy 17:15), 'and was satisfied' refers to the kingdom, and 'left over' refers to the leadership.
Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore, and he shall be a haven for ships (Genesis 49:13)." "He who makes ships, goes forth and comes back and brings sufficiency to the tribe of Yissachar, who occupy themselves with Torah, as it is said, Yissachar is a strong-boned donkey, crouching among the sheepfolds. And he saw a resting place that was good, and the land that it was pleasant, and he inclined his shoulder to bear, and became a servant to tribute. (Genesis 49:14-15).
Those who toil in Torah, as it is said, "And of the children of Yissachar, who had understanding of the times, to know what Yisrael ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brothers were at their commandment." (1 Chronicles 12:33). This teaches that two hundred members of the Sanhedrin stood from the tribe of Yissachar, and all of them were with the power of Zebulun, who go out to the sea and bring them [Yissachar] what they need, as it is said, "Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and Yissachar, in your tents." (Deuteronomy 33:18)."
"Dan will judge his people" (Genesis 49:16). This refers to rest. "Let Dan be a serpent" (ibid. v. 17) refers to Samson, who, just as a serpent bites on its own, so too Samson fought and killed on his own. Another interpretation is that just as a serpent doesn't die if it is bitten on its tail or belly, because it only dies if it is bitten on the head (as it says, "You will strike his head," Genesis 3:15), so too Samson, when he was bound with his hands and feet, and his strength was not known, as soon as his hair was cut, his strength left him (Judges 16:19).
Yet, even so, he bit the heels of a horse and its rider fell backward (Genesis 49:17), as he grasped both pillars and brought the house down (Judges 16:29), and Jacob exclaimed, "I have waited for Your salvation, O Lord" (Genesis 49:18). "Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him" (ibid. v. 19) refers to Elijah, who crushed the gang of a certain ruler. "He shall provide the first part for himself" (ibid. v. 20) refers to Asher, whose land produces rich fruits and excellent oil, and he brings olive oil as an offering (ibid.).
"Naphtali is a hind let loose" (ibid. v. 21) refers to all those who study the Torah and are beloved to the Almighty like deer, as it says, "A loving hind and a graceful doe" (Proverbs 5:19). "Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a fountain" (Genesis 49:22). When Pharaoh heard Joseph's interpretation of his dreams, he said that Joseph was wise and discerning (Genesis 41:39). "His eyes are darker than wine" (Genesis 49:12) refers to Joseph's children, whom the other tribes did not begrudge, and the children of Joseph say to Joshua, "We are a numerous people and God has blessed us until now" (Joshua 17:14).
Joshua said to them, "This is what you say, and yet you are not afraid of the evil eye?" They replied, "Jacob our father already prayed for us that the evil eye should not rule over us, as it is said, 'Against me [Jacob] was the evil eye' (Genesis 49:27), and Benjamin is compared to a wolf that tears (Genesis 49:27). In the Temple, which was built within its borders, they would sacrifice there one lamb, etc. (Numbers 28:4).
Once he blessed each person according to their needs, he made them into tribes, as it is said, 'These are the tribes of Israel' (Genesis 49:28). He said to them, "Behold, I have blessed you," as it is said, 'And this is what their father spoke to them and blessed them' (Genesis 49:28). A faithful man will come and seal my blessings, and who is this? It is Moses, as it is said, 'And this is the blessing with which Moses blessed' (Deuteronomy 33:1)."
