Midrasch zu Bereschit 49:3

Why did he say to them Gather yourselves together, assemble yourselves (Gen. 49:1–2)? He did so to let them realize that they would be exiled twice. After he had designated the elders among them, he began to rebuke them, saying: Reuben, thou art my firstborn (Gen. 49:3). From that very moment Israel merited reciting the Shema. Why? When Jacob was about to depart from this world, he reflected upon it and said: “My grandfather Abraham begot Isaac and Ishmael, and my father, Isaac, begot me and Esau; perhaps there is a blemish in my family.” When they heard this, they proclaimed in unison: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one (Deut. 6:4). Hence it is written: Hearken to Israel, thy father (Gen. 49:2).

Reuben, thou art My firstborn, My might and the first fruits of My strength; the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power. unstable as water, have not thou the excellency (Gen. 49:3–4). Thou art my firstborn. You are my firstborn, the product of the first drop of semen I produced in eighty years.¹⁴Cf. Genesis Rabbah 98:4, “in eighty-four years.” In fact, I did not even experience nocturnal pollution before then. My firstborn. Are you like me? The excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power. Three crowns were available to you: priesthood, kingship, and the right of the firstborn. The excellency of dignity alludes to the priesthood, as is said: And Aaron lifted up his hands (Lev. 9:22); the excellency of power refers to kingship, as it is said: And he will give power unto his king (I Sam. 2:10); the birthright is indicated by the double portion he received, as is said: By giving him a double portion (Deut. 21:17). But you have lost them all. Why? Because you are as unstable as water, and therefore have not thou the excellency.

(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.

(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).

(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.

[Another interpretation (of Gen. 29:31): WHEN THE LORD SAW THAT LEAH WAS HATED.] This text is related (to Deut. 21:15-17): WHEN A MAN HAS TWO WIVES, < THE ONE BELOVED AND THE OTHER HATED, AND WHEN BOTH THE BELOVED AND THE HATED HAVE BORNE HIM SONS WITH THE FIRST-BORN BELONGING TO THE HATED WOMAN; THEN, ON THE DAY THAT HE WILLS HIS PROPERTY TO HIS SONS AS AN INHERITANCE, HE MAY NOT TREAT THE SON OF THE BELOVED AS THE FIRST-BORN IN PREFERENCE TO THE SON OF THE HATED WHEN HE IS THE FIRST-BORN. INSTEAD, HE SHALL RECOGNIZE THE FIRST-BORN SON OF THE HATED WOMAN BY GIVING HIM A DOUBLE PORTION SINCE HE IS THE FIRST FRUIT OF HIS STRENGTH >. < (Deut. 21:15:) WHEN A MAN HAS >: This is Jacob, as stated (in Gen. 25:27): JACOB WAS A PERFECT MAN. (Deut. 21:15, cont.:) TWO WIVES: Leah and Rachel. (Ibid., cont.:) THE ONE BELOVED, i.e., Rachel, as stated (in Gen. 29:30): AND HE ALSO LOVED RACHEL. (Deut. 21:15, cont.:) AND THE OTHER HATED: i.e., Leah, as stated (in Gen. 29:31): WHEN THE LORD SAW THAT LEAH WAS HATED. (Deut. 21:15, cont.:) AND WHEN BOTH THE BELOVED AND THE HATED HAVE BORNE HIM SONS, i.e., both of them bore for him.³⁷The passage may interpret banot (“daughters”) as bonot (“builders”) who would build up a worthy lineages. Moreover, what Leah produced Rachel produced.³⁸Similarly Gen. R. 70:15. Leah produced kings, and so did Rachel [produce kings. Leah produced prophets, and so did Rachel produce prophets]. Leah produced judges, and so did Rachel. It is therefore stated (in Deut. 21:15): AND WHEN < BOTH THE BELOVED AND THE HATED > HAVE BORNE HIM SONS. (Deut. 21:16:) THEN, ON THE DAY THAT HE WILLS < HIS PROPERTY > TO HIS SONS AS AN INHERITANCE. When the time had come for him to depart from the world, (according to Gen. 49:1): THEN JACOB CALLED HIS SONS. (Deut. 21:16, cont.:) HE MAY NOT TREAT THE SON OF THE BELOVED, < i.e., > Joseph, AS THE FIRST-BORN. Why? (Vs. 17:) INSTEAD, HE SHALL RECOGNIZE THE FIRST-BORN SON OF THE HATED WOMAN < BY GIVING HIM A DOUBLE PORTION >. This was Reuben, as stated (in Gen. 49:3): REUBEN, YOU ARE MY FIRST-BORN, < MY MIGHT AND THE FIRST FRUIT OF MY STRENGTH, EXCELLING IN ELEVATION AND EXCELLING IN POWER >. < Jacob gave this blessing >, even though he said to his shame (in vs. 4): UNSTABLE AS WATER, YOU SHALL NO LONGER EXCEL; < FOR YOU WENT UP TO YOUR FATHER'S BED, THEN DEFILED IT >. What is the meaning of (ibid., cont.) HE WENT UP TO MY COUCH. When Moses would come, about whom it is written (in Exod. 19:3): THEN MOSES WENT UP TO GOD, he would redeem him. As Moses stood < there >, he sought mercy for him. It is so stated (in Deut. 33:6): LET REUBEN LIVE. The Holy One said (ibid., cont.): AND LET HIM NOT DIE. It turns out that he gets {compensation in proportion to both of them} [a pardon³⁹Gk.: demos (“common people”). This meaning of demos may be suggested by demotikos agon, a public festival with games in connection with which amnesties might be given. Cf. Lat.: dimissus. from the mouth of both of them] (i.e., God and Moses). Thus it is stated (in Deut. 21:17): INSTEAD, HE SHALL RECOGNIZE THE FIRST-BORN [SON OF THE HATED WOMAN] BY GIVING HIM A DOUBLE PORTION. (Deut. 33:6:) LET REUBEN LIVE, AND LET HIM NOT DIE; < i.e., > LET REUBEN LIVE in this world, AND LET HIM NOT DIE in the world to come. Why? (Deut. 21:17:) SINCE HE IS THE FIRST FRUIT OF HIS STRENGTH. [It is also written (in Gen. 49:3): MY MIGHT AND THE FIRST FRUIT OF MY STRENGTH.]