V’Zot HaBrachah: Foregiveness

The last parashah of the Chumash, V’zot HaBrachah, “And this is the blessing,” begins with the unique brachah that Moshe Rabbeinu, the man of G-d, gave to the Children of Israel before his death. Moshe predicted the future of each tribe, highlighting their merits and asking the Creator for forgiveness of their sins. The parashah emphasizes Moshe’s unique place among the Jewish prophets, both those who came before him and those who will come after.

For a blessing to be effective, it must be substantiated before G-d. As an advocate justifying the basis on which he undertook to defend his client, Moshe proves that the Jews rightfully deserve to be blessed.

“And he said: ‘The L-rd came from Sinai… from His right hand, a fiery teaching for them… and they gathered at Your feet, uttering Your words: “The teaching [which] Moshe commanded us is the inheritance of the community of Jacob.” …And [He] was the King for Yeshurun, when the heads of the people gather, the tribes of Israel [gather] together’” (Devarim 33:2-5).

Let us first explain a few expressions from this passage.

“Fiery teaching for them”—the Jews heard the Ten Commandments from the flames that engulfed Mount Sinai.

“For Yeshurun”— the Jewish people are called Yeshurun, from the word yashar— “straight.”

And now, to address the general meaning of the passage. Moshe says the Jews deserve the blessing for three reasons:

First, “they gathered at Your feet”—at the foot of Mount Sinai, at the “feet” of the Almighty, and when He, through Moshe, invited them to take upon themselves the fulfillment of His commandments, so that they would become His most precious inheritance of all nations, a holy nation, the Jews answered: “Whatever G-d says… we will do, [and then] we will listen [to His words]” (Shemot 24:7). First, they said, “We will do it,” that is, they showed that they were ready for the task, and then they said. “We will listen,” so that they would know what to do.

Secondly, “carries Your words.” The Jews have had (for over 3,300 years), and will continue to have, faith in one G-d and His Torah through all obstacles, under the most difficult conditions, while rejected by other nations, humiliated and despised, destroyed and expelled from many countries.

The first words that are taught to a Jewish child, as soon as he begins to speak: “The teaching [which] Moshe commanded us is the inheritance of the community of Yaakov” (Devarim 6:4) and, of course, “Hear, O Israel: The L-rd is our G-d, The L-rd is one!”

Note, “gathered” is in the past-tense plural, and “bears” is in the present singular. Why? Gathered indicates, firstly, a specific episode near Mount Sinai (which happened in the past), and secondly, implies that one person cannot receive the Torah, that only the whole nation is rewarded with this. One can carry the Torah, as Ibn Ezra explains (as everyone should). And the time of this action is until the End of Days.

Thirdly, “and [He] was a King for Yeshurun”—in all cases and during all periods of history, whether during the times of the judges, kings or sages of the Second Temple, the starting point of the leaders, gathering to resolve any issues, was that G-d is our King and our task is to act according to His teachings. One can argue about what the Torah requires in each case, but there is no doubt that they all wanted to do as G-d commanded us.

Having substantiated the Jews’ right to blessing, Moshe blesses the tribes of Israel. He begins with the first son of our forefather Jacob: “May Reuven live and not die…”—and ends with a blessing for all the people (Devarim 33:6-29).

Moshe’s blessings echo those given to his sons by the Patriarch Yaakov.

So, in saying, “May Reuven live and not die, and may his people be counted in the number,” Moshe is wishing military success upon Reuven, who ultimately settled on the eastern bank of the Jordan—but who together with the rest of his adjacent tribes crossed to the western bank to help the rest of the Jewish nation conquer Eretz Yisrael. A similar blessing was given by Yaakov to Gad, whose tribe also received an inheritance on the eastern bank of the Jordan: “Troops will set out from Gad, and they will troop back in its tracks” (Bereishit 49:19). Yaakov blesses Gad, whose troops also went to conquer Eretz Yisrael, so that they all return to their inheritance without incurring losses.

Yaakov said about Zvulun: “Zvulun will be installed at the seashore and at the ship’s pier, and its border will be up to Zidon” (Bereishis 49:13). Moshe says to Zvulun and Yisachar: “Rejoice, Zvulun, at your exit, and Yisachar in his tents… On the riches of the seas, they will feed and, on the treasures, hidden in the sand” (33:18-19).

Two hundred and sixty-four years have passed since the blessing spoken by Yaakov. The Jews are in Eretz Yisrael. They have divided the whole country into 12 allotments and distributed them among the tribes. The allotments are equal in value. If the land, perhaps, is less arable—this is compensated for by an increase in the area of the land.

And here stands the Kohain Gadol, Elazar, and looks at the Urim V’Tumim of his breastplate, at the letters flashing on them. Yehoshua bin Nun is right there. The representatives of the tribes are called. Each of them draws lots with the allotment inherited by the tribe. But even before he does this, Elazar consults the Urim V’Tumim and says: this tribe will take such and such a part. And after a moment, everyone accepts it.

When a representative of the tribe of Zvulun approached, Elazar said that Akko (an ancient port city) and the surrounding area would fall to him.

The leader of Zvulun said: “I get the sands, and my brother Naftali, the beautiful soil.” He answered him: “Since it is the will of G-d you get the sands; they will bring you no less than if it were black soil.” Indeed, the people of this tribe learned to make all kinds of glass (glass is made from sand) and became great masters at this craft. In addition, they were fishermen and engaged in commercial navigation, trading in fish and glass. This was the fulfillment of Moshe’s blessing: “…they will feed on the riches of the seas and treasures hidden in the sand” (Devarim 33:19).

Zvulun’s brother Yisachar was engaged in agriculture and devoted all his free time to study. Many came to him with questions about the Torah and received comprehensive answers.

Zvulun says to Yisachar: “My brother! I travel all the time and can devote little time to Torah. Let’s agree: You teach the Torah and don’t worry about anything, and I’ll always help you out. If you have serious expenses—for example, you need to marry off your son or daughter—I will take them upon myself. Settle with me in the next world” And so they did.

By the way, the brother of the great Rambam, Rabbi David, did the same. Seeing what brilliant abilities his brother had, he undertook, while he was alive, to fully provide for him and his family. “Engage in the Torah,” he said, “it is impossible that such a gift should be lost.” So, had it not been for Rabbi David, the Rambam might have created fewer works.

Moshe’s words “Rejoice, Zvulun, on your way out, and Yisachar in your tents” mean: rejoice at the opportunity to help your brother, which your sea voyages give you; you will receive a reward for it from above.

Of these two brothers, Yisachar is the older, but Moshe blesses, Zvulun, the younger first, precisely because Issachar teaches the Torah thanks to his brother.

There is a common feature in the blessings given by Moshe and by Yaakov to Yehudah. Yaakov said: “Your brothers will bow down to you, Yehudah. Your hand is on the nape of your enemies; your father's sons will praise you” (Bereishis 49:8). Moshe said: “Hear, L-rd, the voice of Yehudah and bring him to his people; his hands [are strong enough to] stand up for himself…” (Devarim 33:7). Both blessings were given to Yehudah as a king who will win wars: he will turn the enemy back (the hand is on his neck) and return to his people with peace.

Blessing Binyomin, Yaakov says: “Binyomin is a predatory wolf: in the morning he will eat the prey, and in the evening, he will divide the prey” (ibid. 49:27). In the literal sense, it speaks of the dawn of Jewish history, when King Shaul stood at the head of the people, and the beginning of the sunset, the exile, when Mordechai becomes an important figure for us. Both of them, who fought against Amalek, come from the tribe of Binyomin.

Moshe said about Binyomin: “Beloved by G-d [the Shechinah] rests firmly on him, shadows him all day, between his shoulders [G-d Himself] is located” (Devarim 33:12). As you know, the First and Second Temples stood in the same place, and it is in the inheritance of the tribe of Binyomin— “[the Shechinah] rests firmly on it.” And since the Temple was built, this place is sacred forever— “all day.” The Temple is located not in the highest place in the country, but slightly below (like the shoulders relative to the head of a person)— “between his shoulders [G-d Himself] is located.”

So, the blessing that Moshe gave to Binyomin concerns the Temple. And here, too, you can see something in common with the blessing of Yaakov, which also contains an allusion to the Temple, but in a hidden form. Onkelos, the author of the Targum, a translation of the Torah into Aramaic, says that the words “morning” and “evening” in Yaakov’s blessing mean the time when the Kohanim will eat the meat of the sacrifices in the Temple located in the lot of Binyomin.

“And Moshe ascended from the steppes of Moav to Mount Nevo, to the head of the summit that is opposite Jericho, and the L-rd showed him the whole country, from Gilad to Dan, and all [the inheritance] of Naftali, and the land of Ephraim and Menashe, and all the land of Yehuda to the final sea [i.e. the Mediterranean], and the Negev, and the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, to Tzoar” (Devarim 34:1-3).

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