[ויקרא יעקב אל בניו ויאמר האספו] ר' פנחס הכהן בר חמא ור' יהודה הלוי בר שלום אמרו מהו האספו, הטהרו, כשם שאתה אומר תסגר שבעת ימים מחוץ למחנה ואחר תאסף (במדבר יב יד).
[(Gen. 49:1:) THEN JACOB CALLED HIS SONS AND SAID: GATHER TOGETHER.] R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest and R. Judah bar Shallum the Levite said: What is the meaning of GATHER TOGETHER (rt.: 'SP)? Be purified, even as you say (in Numb. 12:14 with reference to Miriam's uncleanness from leprosy): LET HER BE SHUT UP SEVEN DAYS OUTSIDE OF THE CAMP, AND THEN LET HER BE BROUGHT IN (rt.: 'SP).44Gen. R. 96, New Version, on Gen. 49:1 (= p. 1204 in the Theodor-Albeck edition; cf. Gen. R. 98:2).
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ד"א האספו, העשו אסופות אסופות, מה עשו כיון שנכנסו התחיל מקנתרן.
Another interpretation (of Gen. 49:1): GATHER TOGETHER (rt.: 'PR). Become individual study groups (rt.: 'PR). What did they do? When they entered, he began reproaching45Gk.: kentroun, i.e., “to strike with a goad.” them.46For simply entering without forming study groups.
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ראובן בכורי אתה (בראשית מט ג). חד אמר לפגם וחד אמר לשבח, לפגם, אמר לו ראובן בכורי אתה, אתה בכור ואני בכור, אמר ר' יהודה הלוי ב"ר שלום שמונים וארבע שנה לא ראה יעקב קרי, אני בכור ואתה בכור.
(Gen. 49:3:) REUBEN, YOU ARE MY FIRST-BORN. One said < it was > to his discredit, and another said < it was > to his credit. To his discredit: He said to him: REUBEN, YOU ARE MY FIRST-BORN.47Gen. R. 98(99):4. You are a first-born, and I am a firstborn.48By virtue of having bought Esau’s birthright. R. Judah b. R. Shallum said: For eighty-four years Jacob never saw a < nocturnal > pollution.49Gen. R. 97, New Version, on 49:3 (= p. 1204 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); cf. Gen. R. 99 (another version):6 (= p. 1277 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); Tanh., Gen. 12:9; see also Gen. R. 68:5; Meg. 17a and Rashi, ad loc. I am a first-born, and you are a first-born.50Gen. R. 98(99):4 explains that Reuben did not follow his father’s example, but (according to Gen. 35:22, 49:4) slept with his father’s concubine and thereby lost his birthright, his priesthood, and his right to kingship. See also below; Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Gen. 49:3; Tanh., Gen. 12:9.
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כחי וראשית אוני יתר שאת. שלך היתה ראויה כהונה גדולה, ואין שאת אלא כהונה גדולה, שנאמר וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם ויברכם (ויקרא ט כב).
(Gen. 49:3, cont.:) MY MIGHT AND THE FIRST FRUIT OF MY STRENGTH, EXCELLING IN ELEVATION, in that the high priesthood had been designated for you, and there is no ELEVATION but the high priesthood. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 9:22): THEN AARON ELEVATED HIS HANDS TOWARD THE PEOPLE AND BLESSED THEM.51Gen. R. 99 (another version):6 (= p. 1277 in the Theodor-Albeck edition).
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ויתר עז שלך היתה המלוכה ראויה, ואין עז אלא מלכות, שנאמר ויתן עז למלכו (ש"א ב י). וחד אמר לשבח, ראובן בכורי אתה, נאה אתה לבכורה, אע"פ שחללת בקנאתו של אמו קינא, למה כל ימים שהיתה רחל קיימת היתה מטתו של יעקב אצלה, משמתה נטל יעקב מטתו ונתנה אצל בלהה, מה עשה ראובן נטל קנאתו של אמו, עשה עצמו כאילו ישן באותה מטה, כדי שיטול יעקב מטתו אצל לאה, לפיכך הוא מ קלסו, ראובן בכורי אתה, כחי וראשית אוני, אתה הייתה טפה ראשונה שיצתה ממני.
(Gen. 49:3, cont.:) AND EXCELLING IN POWER, in that the kingship had been designated for you, and there is no power but kingship. Thus it is stated (in I Sam. 2:10): AND HE SHALL GIVE POWER TO HIS KING. And another said < it (i.e., Gen. 49:3) was > to his credit. REUBEN, YOU ARE MY FIRST-BORN. You are suitable for the birthright, even though you desecrated it. He had been filled with jealousy for his mother.52See Gen. R. 97, New Version, on 49:4 (= p. 1205 in the Theodor-Albeck edition) Why? All the days that Rachel lived, Jacob's bed was with her. When she died, Jacob took his bed and put it with Bilhah. What did Reuben do? He became jealous for his mother. He pretended to be asleep on that bed so that Jacob would put his bed with Leah.53See Gen. R. 97, New Version, on 49:3 (= p. 1205 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); Gen. R. 98:4. It therefore is praising54The root of this verb is similar to the Greek kalos, i.e., “beautifully.” him (in Gen. 49:3): REUBEN, YOU ARE MY FIRST-BORN, MY MIGHT AND THE FIRST FRUIT OF MY STRENGTH. You were the first drop (of semen) that came out of me.
[ויקרא יעקב אל בניו ויאמר האספו] ר' פנחס הכהן בר חמא ור' יהודה הלוי בר שלום אמרו מהו האספו, הטהרו, כשם שאתה אומר תסגר שבעת ימים מחוץ למחנה ואחר תאסף (במדבר יב יד).
[(Gen. 49:1:) THEN JACOB CALLED HIS SONS AND SAID: GATHER TOGETHER.] R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest and R. Judah bar Shallum the Levite said: What is the meaning of GATHER TOGETHER (rt.: 'SP)? Be purified, even as you say (in Numb. 12:14 with reference to Miriam's uncleanness from leprosy): LET HER BE SHUT UP SEVEN DAYS OUTSIDE OF THE CAMP, AND THEN LET HER BE BROUGHT IN (rt.: 'SP).44Gen. R. 96, New Version, on Gen. 49:1 (= p. 1204 in the Theodor-Albeck edition; cf. Gen. R. 98:2).
ד"א האספו, העשו אסופות אסופות, מה עשו כיון שנכנסו התחיל מקנתרן.
Another interpretation (of Gen. 49:1): GATHER TOGETHER (rt.: 'PR). Become individual study groups (rt.: 'PR). What did they do? When they entered, he began reproaching45Gk.: kentroun, i.e., “to strike with a goad.” them.46For simply entering without forming study groups.
ראובן בכורי אתה (בראשית מט ג). חד אמר לפגם וחד אמר לשבח, לפגם, אמר לו ראובן בכורי אתה, אתה בכור ואני בכור, אמר ר' יהודה הלוי ב"ר שלום שמונים וארבע שנה לא ראה יעקב קרי, אני בכור ואתה בכור.
(Gen. 49:3:) REUBEN, YOU ARE MY FIRST-BORN. One said < it was > to his discredit, and another said < it was > to his credit. To his discredit: He said to him: REUBEN, YOU ARE MY FIRST-BORN.47Gen. R. 98(99):4. You are a first-born, and I am a firstborn.48By virtue of having bought Esau’s birthright. R. Judah b. R. Shallum said: For eighty-four years Jacob never saw a < nocturnal > pollution.49Gen. R. 97, New Version, on 49:3 (= p. 1204 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); cf. Gen. R. 99 (another version):6 (= p. 1277 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); Tanh., Gen. 12:9; see also Gen. R. 68:5; Meg. 17a and Rashi, ad loc. I am a first-born, and you are a first-born.50Gen. R. 98(99):4 explains that Reuben did not follow his father’s example, but (according to Gen. 35:22, 49:4) slept with his father’s concubine and thereby lost his birthright, his priesthood, and his right to kingship. See also below; Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Gen. 49:3; Tanh., Gen. 12:9.
כחי וראשית אוני יתר שאת. שלך היתה ראויה כהונה גדולה, ואין שאת אלא כהונה גדולה, שנאמר וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם ויברכם (ויקרא ט כב).
(Gen. 49:3, cont.:) MY MIGHT AND THE FIRST FRUIT OF MY STRENGTH, EXCELLING IN ELEVATION, in that the high priesthood had been designated for you, and there is no ELEVATION but the high priesthood. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 9:22): THEN AARON ELEVATED HIS HANDS TOWARD THE PEOPLE AND BLESSED THEM.51Gen. R. 99 (another version):6 (= p. 1277 in the Theodor-Albeck edition).
ויתר עז שלך היתה המלוכה ראויה, ואין עז אלא מלכות, שנאמר ויתן עז למלכו (ש"א ב י). וחד אמר לשבח, ראובן בכורי אתה, נאה אתה לבכורה, אע"פ שחללת בקנאתו של אמו קינא, למה כל ימים שהיתה רחל קיימת היתה מטתו של יעקב אצלה, משמתה נטל יעקב מטתו ונתנה אצל בלהה, מה עשה ראובן נטל קנאתו של אמו, עשה עצמו כאילו ישן באותה מטה, כדי שיטול יעקב מטתו אצל לאה, לפיכך הוא מ קלסו, ראובן בכורי אתה, כחי וראשית אוני, אתה הייתה טפה ראשונה שיצתה ממני.
(Gen. 49:3, cont.:) AND EXCELLING IN POWER, in that the kingship had been designated for you, and there is no power but kingship. Thus it is stated (in I Sam. 2:10): AND HE SHALL GIVE POWER TO HIS KING. And another said < it (i.e., Gen. 49:3) was > to his credit. REUBEN, YOU ARE MY FIRST-BORN. You are suitable for the birthright, even though you desecrated it. He had been filled with jealousy for his mother.52See Gen. R. 97, New Version, on 49:4 (= p. 1205 in the Theodor-Albeck edition) Why? All the days that Rachel lived, Jacob's bed was with her. When she died, Jacob took his bed and put it with Bilhah. What did Reuben do? He became jealous for his mother. He pretended to be asleep on that bed so that Jacob would put his bed with Leah.53See Gen. R. 97, New Version, on 49:3 (= p. 1205 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); Gen. R. 98:4. It therefore is praising54The root of this verb is similar to the Greek kalos, i.e., “beautifully.” him (in Gen. 49:3): REUBEN, YOU ARE MY FIRST-BORN, MY MIGHT AND THE FIRST FRUIT OF MY STRENGTH. You were the first drop (of semen) that came out of me.