“Naphtali is a doe let loose, who provides pleasant sayings” (Genesis 49:21). “Naphtali is a doe let loose [sheluḥa]” – it is speaking of his land, which is entirely irrigated fields [beit hashelaḥin]. That is what is written: “From Kineret99Kineret is the Hebrew name for the Sea of Galilee. until the sea of the Arava, [the Dead Sea]” (Deuteronomy 3:17). “Kineret” – Rabbi Elazar said: Yeraḥ.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Beit Yeraḥ. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Sennaberis and Beit Yeraḥ. Rabbi Levi said: The environs of Beit She’an, whose name is Kineret. Rabbi Berekhya said: The entire coast of the Sea of Tiberias is called Kineret.
Why does it call it Ginosar? The Rabbis say: The gardens of princes [ganei sarim]. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: It is based on: “From Naphtali one thousand captains [sarim]” (I Chronicles 12:35). That is what is written: “She sent and called Barak…[from Kedesh Naftali].… I will draw toward you, to the Kishon Stream” (Judges 4:6–7).100The midrash interprets the phrase “Naphtali is a doe let loose [sheluḥa]” to allude to the fact that its fighters, led by Barak, were sent [nishleḥu] by Deborah to fight against the invading Canaanites.
The school of Rabbi Natan said: “Pleasant [sayings]” – this is song that they sang: “Deborah sang” (Judges 5:1). Rabbi Yosei son of Rav Yaakov bar Idi in the name of Rav Aḥa: “Who provides pleasant [shafer] sayings” – sayings of the shofar, as they would beautify [meshaprin] sayings that were given with the shofar and its blasts.101They would beautifully analyze and present the words of the Torah, which was given amidst a shofar blast (see Exodus 20:15).
You find that when they ascended to bury our patriarch Jacob, the Hittites came to contend with them over the burial. Naphtali ran like a doe, brought the deed from Egypt, and overcame [veshiper] them.