Kommentar zu Dewarim 33:22

דן גור אריה DAN IS A LION’S CUB — He, too, lived close to the border, and therefore it compares him to a lion (Sifrei Devarim 355:12).

גור אריה יזנק מן הבשן. Actually, lions do not grow up in Bashan, a land reserved for cattle, as we know from Psalms 22,13 אבירי בשן, “the mighty ones (bulls) of Bashan.” Lions, as predators do not lie in wait to jump on their prey there. They would only lie in wait in Bashan, a region considered safe from predators, if they planned to attack prey beyond the borders of Bashan. The tactics of the tribe of Dan are compared by Moses to the tactics of the lions. Dan will feel secure in his lair from which he will attack unsuspecting adversaries.

גור אריה, "a lion cub, etc." Perhaps the Torah referred to Samson who tore the lion with his bare hands as if it had been only a lamb (Judges 14,6). יזנק מן הבשן, "leaping forth from Bashan." This is a reference to the Holy Spirit with which Samson was endowed when he performed his deeds of valour. It made him appear as if he leapt out of the mountains of Bashan.

יזנק מן הבשן, “leaping forth from the Bashan.” Ibn Ezra points out that the word יזנק, i.e. the root זנק, does not occur any place else in the Bible. It describes that the might of the lion to which Dan is compared here is that he appears to leap forth suddenly from a lair or hiding place one has not been aware of, has not suspected.

The Yardein originated from his portion. I.e., from the portion of Don.

V. 22. זנק .ולדן אמר וגו׳ kommt in תנ׳׳ך nicht weiter vor. In der Mischna (Chulin 37 a) bezeichnet es: weithin hervorspringen. So dort von einem starken Blutstrahl. Im ספרי wird זינוק noch dahin näher erläutert, dass es einen aus einem Punkt hervorstürzenden und dann in zwei Richtungen sich teilenden Strahl bedeutet. So habe, nach Josua 19, 41-47, der Stamm Dan seinen Landesanteil im Südwest bis gegen Jaffa hin bekommen, sei aber von dort weithin nach Leschem im Nordosten gezogen, habe auch dies erobert und in Besitz genommen und ihm den Namen seines Stammvaters Dan gegeben. ויצא גבול בני דן מהם ויעלו בני דן וילחמו עם לשם וילכדו אותה וישבו בה ויקראו ללשם דן כשם דן אביהם. (Es gab auch schon zu Abrahams Zeiten (Bereschit 14, 14) im Nordosten ein Dan. Es ist nicht unmöglich, dass dies eben die Söhne Dan veranlasste, in dortiger Gegend einen Besitz zu gewinnen, dem sie ihren Namen geben konnten, damit in späteren Jahrhunderten nicht die Vermutung auftauchen könnte, sie hätten früher dort gewohnt und hätten ihren Besitz eingebüßt.) Das Bild גור אריה יזנק מן הבשן dürfte nun Dan als einen mit zwei nach verschiedenen Richtungen gespreizten Tatzen hervorspringenden Löwen bezeichnen, der im Sprunge zwei voneinander fern liegende Gegenstände erbeutet. Baschan ist eben eine Gebirgsgegend im Nordosten in der Nähe des von Dan eroberten Leschem. Dan nahm gleichzeitig im Nordost und Südwest Besitz.

דן גור אריה, “Dan is a lion’s whelp;” he is described as such as its troops were constantly standing guard along the borders, making sure no enemy forces would cross into the Israelites’ territory.

יזנק מן הבשן, “he leaps forth from the region of Bashan.” He (Dan) conquers in that region, although it is well known as the habitat of lions and other ferocious beasts.

יזנק מן הבשן HE SHALL LEAP FROM BASHAN — Understand this as the Targum has it: (“His land drinks of the rivers that flow from Bashan”) — for the Jordan issued from his territory (ירדן = ‎ירד דן, “It comes down from Dan”) — from the cave of Pameas that is identical with Leshem which is in the territory of Dan (cf. Bekhorot 55a), as it is said, (Joshua 19:47) “And they called Leshem, Dan”, but its spurting (זנוק) and gushing forth (the source of the river) was from Bashan. — Another explanation is: Just as a gush of water issues from one place and divides itself afterwards into two directions, similarly the tribe of Dan took a portion in two places: first they took in the northwest, Ekron and its adjoining parts, and this did not suffice them, so they came and fought against Leshem, which is Pameas. and is in the north-east, — because the Jordan issued from the cave of Pameas which is in the east of the land of Israel and goes from north to south and ends at the extremity of the Salt Sea which is in the east of Judah who took his territory in the southern part of the Land of Israel, as is set forth in the Book of Joshua, and that is the meaning of what is said, (Joshua 19:47) “And the border of the children of Dan went forth from them; for the children of Dan went up and fought against Leshem … [and possessed it and dwelt therein]”, i.e., their border went forth from all that direction in which they first took their inheritance (Sifrei Devarim 355:13).

From the cavern of Pamias, etc. “The cavern of Pamias” is the Talmud’s term. Scripture calls it Leshem.

יזנק מן הבשן, “these would try and jump the border from Bashan. The author describes tributaries of the Jordan as providing opportunities to enter the Israelite territory. Seeing that this area was extremely well irrigated it was tempting for enemies to try and get a foothold there. (Compare Genesis 13,10-11) where Lot is already described as coveting that area.

As it is said, “They called Leshem ‘Don.’” I.e., because it was his portion.

It bounds forth, flowing from Bashan. Meaning that the river that it is in the portion of Gad and goes past Pamias, [actually] comes forth from Bashan, which is the name of a location, and it is not in Don’s territory.

Another interpretation: Just as the bounding flow emanates from a single source, etc. Because according to the first interpretation you might ask that according to its plain meaning, the verse is speaking of the actual tribe of Don and not about the Jordan, since the verse makes no mention about the Jordan. Therefore he gives another interpretation, etc. And according to the other interpretation by itself you might also ask why it says bounding from the Bashan since he did not take a portion in Bashan? Therefore he also gives the first interpretation.