Pisqa’ 35392H:368-370; 435-438. 1. “And of Joseph he said: His land is blessed by HASHEM” (Dt.33:13)— this teaches that Joseph’s land was blessed beyond other lands.
“By the bounty of the Heavens, the dew,” (Dt.33:13)— so that dew is available any time. “By the abyss that lurks (rovetzet) beneath” (Dt.33:13)— this teaches that it supplies (marbetzet) the springs.
“By the bounty of the sun’s yield” (Dt.33:14)— this teaches that Joseph’s land absorbed the sunlight. Now, there are no lovelier or sweeter fruits in the world, than those which see the sun. And just as they absorb sunlight, so, too, do they absorb moonlight, as it is said: “And by the bounty of produce of the moon” (Dt.33:14).
2. “And from the tops of the primeval mountains” (Dt.33:15)— this teaches that Joseph’s mountains are older than the mountains of the Abode of Holiness, and the mountains of the Abode of Holiness are older yet than the mountains of the Land of Israel.
“And by the bounty of the eternal hills” (Dt.33:15)— this teaches that the Patriarchs and Matriarchs are called mountains and hills, as it is said: “I’ll run off to the Mount of Myrrh,93By way of a pun on Mt. Moriah, the hill of Myrrh refers to Abraham and Isaac. to the Hill of Frankinscence”94A reference to Isaac, who is comparable to the incense offered up on the altar (Song Rabbah 4:6). (Song4:6)
“And by the bounty of the Land and its fullness” (Dt.33:16)— this teaches that Joseph’s land was full, lacking no blessing. R. Shimon b. Yohai says: A person docking his ship in Joseph’s portion will require nothing else at all!
3. “And the favor of He Who dwells in the bush” (Dt.33:16)— for Joseph performed the will of the One Who disclosed Himself to Moses in the bush (see Ex.3:2-4).
“Let blessings rest on Joseph’s head” (ro’sh; Dt.33:16)— he was first (ro’sh) to arrive in Egypt, and he will be the first (ro’sh) to return [to Jerusalem] in the coming future.4. “On the forehead of the exalted (nazir) among his brothers” (Dt.33:16)— to the one whose brothers cast him away, treating him like one unshorn (nazir).95The exegesis depends upon the variable connotations of nazir: “prince,” “consecrated,” “long-haired.”
“The First-born bull has splendor” (hadar; Dt.33:17)— this teaches that Moses was given majesty (hod) and Joshua splendor (hadar). For if majesty had also been given to Joshua, the world could not have sustained itself.
5. “His horns are like the horns of the wild ox” (Dt.33:17)— an ox is mighty in strength, but his horns are not beautiful; yet the wild ox’s horns are beautiful, even though he is not mighty in strength. So Joshua was given the strength of an ox and the horns of a wild ox.
“With them will peoples be gored” (Dt.33:18)— now, did Joshua conquer all the peoples? Didn’t he only conquer thirty one kings?96Listed at Josh.12:9-24. This teaches that he conquered kings and dominions from one end of the world to the other!
6. “Together, even to the ends of the Earth!” (Dt.33:17)— Now, did Joshua conquer all the lands? Didn’t he only conquer a small part of them? But, all the kings he subdued ruled kingdoms and dominions. R. Judah says: Were the thirty one enslaved kings all from the Land of Israel? As is common nowadays in Rome, every king and ruler who has not purchased a palace or a villa in Rome thinks: I have achieved nothing! So, too, any king and ruler who has not purchased a palace or a villa in the Land thinks: I have achieved nothing!97Cf. Pisqa’ 37.8.
7. “And they are the ten thousands of Ephraim” (Dt.33:17)— since the wealth of the Canaanites is unknown to us, what does the Teaching tell us? “And Adoni-bezeq said: Seventy kings, with thumbs and toes dismembered, used to glean crumbs beneath my table!” (Jud.1:7) Now isn’t this a matter of logic? Just as Adoni-bezeq, who was unworthy to be counted among the kings of Canaan,98Jud.1:4 distinguishes Canaanites from Perizzites, assigning Adoni-bezeq to the latter. had seventy kings gleaning crumbs under his table— surely you can figure out and estimate the [vaster] wealth of the Canaanites!8. “And they are the thousands of Menasseh” (Dt.33:17)— since it is unclear [from Scripture] how many Canaanites Joshua killed, the Teaching states: “Now Zevakh and Tzalmunah were in Karkor, and their camp was with them —some 15,000— all that were left of all the camps of the Kedemites. And the fallen were 120,000” (Jud.8:10). Indeed,[the total of both camps] is 135,000, in order to fulfill what was said: “And they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Menasseh” (Dt.33:17)
(דברים לג יג) וּלְיוֹסֵף אָמַר מְבֹרֶכֶת ה׳ אַרְצוֹ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאַרְצוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף מְבֹרֶכֶת מִכָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת.
Pisqa’ 35392H:368-370; 435-438.
1. “And of Joseph he said: His land is blessed by HASHEM” (Dt.33:13)—
this teaches that
Joseph’s land was blessed beyond other lands.
מִמֶּגֶד שָׁמַיִם מִטָּל, שֶׁיְּהֵא טַל מָצוּי לָהּ בְּכָל שָׁעָה. וּמִתְּהוֹם רוֹבֶצֶת תָּחַת, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִיא מְרַבֶּצֶת מַעְיָנוֹת.
“By the bounty of the Heavens, the dew,” (Dt.33:13)—
so that dew is available any time.
“By the abyss that lurks (rovetzet) beneath” (Dt.33:13)—
this teaches that
it supplies (marbetzet) the springs.
(דברים לג יד) וּמִמֶּגֶד תְּבוּאֹת שָׁמֶשׁ, מַגִּיד שֶׁאַרְצוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף פְּתוּחָה לַחַמָּה, וְאֵין לְךָ פֵּרוֹת יָפִים וּמְתוּקִים בָּעוֹלָם אֶלָּא הָרוֹאִים אֶת הַחַמָּה. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁפְּתוּחָה לַחַמָּה כָּךְ פְּתוּחָה לַלְּבָנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּמִמֶּגֶד גֶּרֶשׁ יְרָחִים.
“By the bounty of the sun’s yield” (Dt.33:14)—
this teaches that
Joseph’s land absorbed the sunlight.
Now, there are no lovelier or sweeter
fruits in the world,
than those which see the sun.
And just as they absorb sunlight,
so, too, do they absorb moonlight,
as it is said:
“And by the bounty of produce of the moon” (Dt.33:14).
(דברים לג טו) וּמֵרֹאשׁ הַרְרֵי קֶדֶם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַרְרֵי יוֹסֵף קוֹדְמִים לְהַרְרֵי מִקְדָּשׁ, וְהַרְרֵי מִקְדָּשׁ קוֹדְמִים לְהַרְרֵי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל.
2. “And from the tops of the primeval mountains” (Dt.33:15)—
this teaches that
Joseph’s mountains are older than
the mountains of the Abode of Holiness,
and the mountains of the Abode of Holiness are older yet than
the mountains of the Land of Israel.
וּמִמֶּגֶד גִּבְעוֹת עוֹלָם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאָבוֹת וְאִמָּהוֹת קְרוּיִם הָרִים וּגְבָעוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ד ו): ״אֵלֶךְ לִי אֶל הַר הַמּוֹר וְאֶל גִּבְעַת הַלְּבוֹנָה״.
“And by the bounty of the eternal hills” (Dt.33:15)—
this teaches that
the Patriarchs and Matriarchs are called
mountains and hills,
as it is said:
“I’ll run off to the Mount of Myrrh,93By way of a pun on Mt. Moriah, the hill of Myrrh refers to Abraham and Isaac.
to the Hill of Frankinscence”94A reference to Isaac, who is comparable to the incense offered up on the altar (Song Rabbah 4:6). (Song4:6)
(דברים לג טז) וּמִמֶּגֶד אֶרֶץ וּמְלֹאָהּ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאַרְצוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף מְלֵאָה וְאֵינָהּ חֲסֵרָה כָּל בְּרָכָה. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אוֹמֵר: אָדָם מַעֲמִיד סְפִינָתוֹ בְּחֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף אֵין צָרִיךְ חוּץ מִמֶּנָּה כְּלוּם.
“And by the bounty of the Land and its fullness” (Dt.33:16)—
this teaches that
Joseph’s land was full, lacking no blessing.
R. Shimon b. Yohai says:
A person docking his ship
in Joseph’s portion will require
nothing else at all!
וּרְצוֹן שׁוֹכְנִי סְנֶה, שֶׁעָשָׂה רְצוֹן מִי שֶׁנִּגְלָה עַל מֹשֶׁה בַּסְּנֶה.
3. “And the favor of He Who dwells in the bush” (Dt.33:16)—
for Joseph performed the will of
the One Who disclosed Himself to Moses in the bush (see Ex.3:2-4).
תָּבוֹאתָה לְרֹאשׁ יוֹסֵף, הוּא בָּא בָּרֹאשׁ לְמִצְרַיִם, וְהוּא יָבוֹא בָּרֹאשׁ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. וּלְקָדְקֹד נְזִיר אֶחָיו, לְמִי שֶׁרִחֲקוּהוּ אֶחָיו וַעֲשָׂאוּהוּ נָזִיר.
“Let blessings rest on Joseph’s head” (ro’sh; Dt.33:16)—
he was first (ro’sh) to arrive in Egypt,
and he will be the first (ro’sh) to return [to Jerusalem]
in the coming future.4. “On the forehead of the exalted (nazir) among his brothers” (Dt.33:16)—
to the one whose brothers cast him away,
treating him like one unshorn (nazir).95The exegesis depends upon the variable connotations of nazir: “prince,” “consecrated,” “long-haired.”
(דברים לג יז) בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ הָדָר לוֹ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּתַּן לוֹ הוֹד לְמֹשֶׁה וְהָדָר לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, שֶׁאִלּוּ נִתַּן הוֹד לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ לֹא הָיָה הָעוֹלָם יָכוֹל לַעֲמוֹד בּוֹ.
“The First-born bull has splendor” (hadar; Dt.33:17)—
this teaches that
Moses was given majesty (hod) and Joshua splendor (hadar).
For if majesty had also been given to Joshua,
the world could not have sustained itself.
וְקַרְנֵי רְאֵם קַרְנָיו, שׁוֹר כֹּחוֹ קָשֶׁה אֲבָל אֵין קַרְנָיו נָאוֹת, רְאֵם קַרְנָיו נָאוֹת אֲבָל אֵין כֹּחוֹ קָשֶׁה, נִתַּן לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ כֹּחוֹ שֶׁל שׁוֹר וְקַרְנוֹ שֶׁל רְאֵם.
5. “His horns are like the horns of the wild ox” (Dt.33:17)—
an ox is mighty in strength,
but his horns are not beautiful;
yet the wild ox’s horns are beautiful,
even though he is not mighty in strength.
So Joshua was given
the strength of an ox and the horns of a wild ox.
בָּהֶם עַמִּים יְנַגַּח, וְכִי כָל הָעַמִּים כִּבֵּשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ? וַהֲלֹא לֹא כָבַשׁ אֶלָּא שְׁלֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד מְלָכִים! מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּבַשׁ מְלָכִים וְשֻׁלְטוֹנִים שֶׁהָיוּ מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ.
“With them will peoples be gored” (Dt.33:18)—
now, did Joshua conquer all the peoples?
Didn’t he only conquer thirty one kings?96Listed at Josh.12:9-24.
This teaches that he conquered
kings and dominions from
one end of the world to the other!
יַחְדָּיו אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ, וְכִי כָל הָאֲרָצוֹת כִּבֵּשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ? וַהֲלֹא לֹא כָּבַשׁ אֶלָּא פַּרְטוֹס זֶה קָטָן! אֶלָּא כָּל מְלָכִים שֶׁשִּׁעְבֵּד הָיוּ מְלָכִים וְשֻׁלְטוֹנִים, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: וְכִי שְׁלֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד מְלָכִים שֶׁעִיבֵּד כֻּלָּם הָיוּ בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁעוֹשִׂים בְּרוֹמִי עַכְשָׁיו, שֶׁכָּל מֶלֶךְ וְשִׁלְטוֹן שֶׁלֹּא קָנָה בְּרוֹמִי פַּלְטוֹרִיּוֹת וַחֲוִילוֹת אוֹמֵר לֹא עָשִׂיתִי כְּלוּם, כָּךְ כָּל מֶלֶךְ וְשִׁלְטוֹן שֶׁלֹּא קָנָה פַּלְטִירוֹת וַחֲוִילוֹת בָּאָרֶץ אוֹמֵר לֹא עָשִׂיתִי כְּלוּם.
6. “Together, even to the ends of the Earth!” (Dt.33:17)—
Now, did Joshua conquer all the lands?
Didn’t he only conquer a small part of them?
But, all the kings he subdued
ruled kingdoms and dominions.
R. Judah says:
Were the thirty one enslaved kings all
from the Land of Israel?
As is common nowadays in Rome,
every king and ruler who has not
purchased a palace or a villa in Rome thinks:
I have achieved nothing!
So, too, any king and ruler who has not
purchased a palace or a villa in the Land thinks:
I have achieved nothing! 97Cf. Pisqa’ 37.8.
וְהֵם רִבְבוֹת אֶפְרַיִם, לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא מְפֹרָשׁ לָנוּ עָשְׁרָם שֶׁל כְּנַעֲנִיִּים מֶה הָיָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שופטים א ז): ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֲדֹנִי בֶזֶק שִׁבְעִים מְלָכִים בְּהֹנוֹת יְדֵיהֶם וְרַגְלֵיהֶם מְקֻצָּצִים הָיוּ מְלַקְּטִים תַּחַת שֻׁלְחָנִי״. וַהֲלֹא דְּבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר, וּמָה אֲדֹנִי בֶזֶק שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְהִמָּנוֹת עִם מַלְכֵי כְנַעַן הָיוּ לוֹ שִׁבְעִים מְלָכִים מְלַקְּטִים תַּחַת שֻׁלְחָנוֹ, הָא לְמוֹד וּרְאֵה מֶה הָיָה עָשְׁרָם שֶׁל כְּנַעֲנִיִּים. וְהֵם אַלְפֵי מְנַשֶּׁה, שֶׁאֵין מְפֹרָשׁ לָנוּ כַּמָּה הָרַג יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּכְּנַעֲנִיִּים, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שופטים ח י): ״וְזֶבַח וְצַלְמֻנָּע בַּקַּרְקֹר וּמַחֲנֵיהֶם עִמָּם כַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר אֶלֶף כָּל הַנּוֹתָרִים מִכֹּל מַחֲנֵה בְנֵי קֶדֶם וְהַנֹּפְלִים מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף״, הֲרֵי מֵאָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אֶלֶף, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהֵם רִבְבוֹת אֶפְרַיִם וְהֵם אַלְפֵי מְנַשֶּׁה.
7. “And they are the ten thousands of Ephraim” (Dt.33:17)—
since the wealth of the Canaanites is unknown to us,
what does the Teaching tell us?
“And Adoni-bezeq said:
Seventy kings, with thumbs and toes dismembered,
used to glean crumbs beneath my table!” (Jud.1:7)
Now isn’t this a matter of logic?
Just as Adoni-bezeq,
who was unworthy to be counted among the kings of Canaan,98Jud.1:4 distinguishes Canaanites from Perizzites, assigning Adoni-bezeq to the latter.
had seventy kings gleaning crumbs under his table—
surely you can figure out and estimate
the [vaster] wealth of the Canaanites!8. “And they are the thousands of Menasseh” (Dt.33:17)—
since it is unclear [from Scripture] how many Canaanites Joshua killed,
the Teaching states:
“Now Zevakh and Tzalmunah were in Karkor, and their camp was with them
—some 15,000—
all that were left of all the camps of the Kedemites.
And the fallen were 120,000” (Jud.8:10).
Indeed,[the total of both camps] is 135,000,
in order to fulfill what was said:
“And they are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
and they are the thousands of Menasseh” (Dt.33:17)