How Jacob Apportioned the Tribes and Passed the Blessing to Moses

(Gen. 49:28:) "And this is what their father spoke to them when he blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them." It is not written here "him," but rather "he blessed them." Why so? Because he gave to Judah the might of a lion, and to Joseph the might of an ox, and to Naphtali the swiftness of a deer, and to Dan the bite of a serpent. You might say that this one is greater than that one; therefore he included them all together at the end: "every one according to his blessing he blessed them." For he apportioned the Land among them, and he gave to Judah a land that produces barley, and to Benjamin a land that produces wheat. Even so, he combined these with those, so that they would eat, these from what belonged to those. Thus, "And this is what their father spoke to them" — it is not written here "to them" (aleihem), but rather "for them" (lahem). "And this" — a man like me is destined to bless you, and from the place where I left off, he begins, as it is said, "And this is what their father spoke to them." When Moses arose, he opened with "And this is the blessing" (Deut. 33:1), from the place where Jacob left off. Thus, "And this." He said to them: These blessings — when do they reach you? From the hour when you receive the Torah, about which it is written, "And this is the Torah" (Deut. 4:44). Thus, "And this." And also with that with which Jacob sealed, Moses opened for them. Moses said, "From the elders I gain understanding" (Ps. 119:100). When Isaac blessed Jacob, he said, "And God Almighty bless you" (Gen. 28:3). With what did he seal at the end of his blessing? With a calling: "And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him" (Gen. 28:1). So too Jacob — from the place where his father left off, from there he began: "And Jacob called his sons" (Gen. 49:1), and Jacob sealed with "this." And also Moses, when he arose to bless the tribes, began with "and this": "And this is the blessing" (Deut. 33:1). And with what did Moses seal? With "blessed art thou," as it is said, "Blessed art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee?" (Deut. 33:29). See: David opened with "blessed is the man" (Ps. 1:1). Thus, "From the elders I gain understanding."