Genesis 49:1 Midrash: Midrash Tehillim, Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Sifrei Devarim & Bamidbar Rabbah

Another interpretation of “Blessed is the person” (Psalms 1:1): This [relates to] that which is said in the verse: “For the Lord God is a sun and a shield; [God gives grace and glory, and does not withhold good from those who walk with integrity]” (Psalms 84:12). Chezkiah the son of Rabbi Chiyya said, “Blessed are the righteous prophets for they liken the form to He who gives form; and [they liken] the plant to He who plants. Like that which you say, “For the Lord God is a sun and a shield” (Psalm 84:12). And [likewise, Ezekiel] said, “And there, coming from the east with a roar like the roar of mighty waters, was the Presence of the God of Israel, and the earth was lit up by His glory” (Ezekiel 43:2). But [don’t blame the prophets for using these metaphors for describing God because] the ear can only be made to hear what an ear can hear, and an eye can only be shown what an eye can see.” Another interpretation of “For the Lord God is a sun and a shield” (Pslams 84:12). If [you were to say] just as this sun overwhelms [the earth], so too does the Holy One, blessed be He; [the verse continues] to teach us [that, in addition to being like a sun, God is like] “a shield.” Just as a shield protects a person, so too, the Holy One, blessed be He, protects His world. Rabbi Chiyya son of Avin said, “He illuminates [the world] like the sun, and covers [the world] like a shield.” Another interpretation: the shield [in this verse might] refer [only] to a special type of shield called a Persian Targa, which surrounds a person on three sides. So, how do we know to include the fourth side [such that we can rest assured that God protects us from all sides]? [Another verse comes to] teach us: “[For you bless the righteous,] Oh Lord, encompassing them with favour like a shield” (Psalms 5:13). Another interpretation: the sun and the shield allude to Abraham our father. Abraham is likened to the sun, because it is said, “Who raised up one from the east” (Isaiah 41:2). And “shield” [also] alludes to Abraham [because God tells Abraham that He will be his shield], as it is said, “I am a shield to you” (Genesis 15:1). [Even the word] אלוהים [which is a name of God] alludes to Abraham, as it is said, “You are a Prince of אלוהים in our midst” (Genesis 23:6). [Having associated the sun and the shield, and the name אלוהים, with Abraham, we now move on to the next part of Psalms 84:12]: “God gives grace and glory;” this [also] alludes to Abraham, as it is written, “And Abraham was heavily loaded with cattle, silver, and gold” (Genesis 13:2); [the word for heaviness, כבד, in this verse, shares its root with the word for glory כבוד. God] “does not withhold good from those who walk with integrity” (Psalms 84:12), this [also] alludes to Abraham, as it says, “Walk before me, and [do so with] integrity” (Genesis 17:1). But if this Psalm [i.e. Psalm 84] was talking about Abraham, it should have said that [God] “does not withhold good from he who walks with integrity.” Why does it say [in the plural], “those who walk with integrity”? Rather, just as with Abraham, who walked with the Holy One, blessed be He, with integrity, had a shield made for him, so too, anyone who walks with integrity before Him has a shield made for him. And what is written directly after [this verse]? “[Oh God of Hosts,] blessed is the person who trusts in you” (Psalms 84:13). “Abraham” isn’t written here, but “person” is. Any person. David said, ““Blessed [or more accurately, perhaps, “happy”] is the person [who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked...]” (Psalms 1:1). You have given tranquillity [rather than happiness] to the wicked. And there is no pleasantness in their tranquillity. Rather they stand [unlike David’s happy person, who is walking, and unlike those who walk with integrity. The wicked, who might seem to be happy, are – in fact – static].” Rabbi Yuden began [his teaching] and said [the following verse]: “Do not exalt yourself before the King; do not stand in the place of nobles” (Proverbs 25:6). Rabbi Yuden [taught that David wasn’t so arrogant as to bless the Jewish people in a wholly original way, since he would not stand in the place of all of the nobles who had already uttered their own blessings over Israel. Instead,] he read [the texts so as to make it clear that] from the place that this one opened, this one closed. And from the place that this one closed, this one opened. [That is to say, as will become clear later on in this Midrash, Rabbi Yuden recognised a historical chain of blessings uttered by great people in the past. Each person in this chain would begin or end their blessing with the words used by the previous person in the chain to begin or conclude his blessing]. Rabbi Pinchas [expounded, in his discourse, and drew out in a more] lengthy form [what Rabbi Yuden had meant]. He began [his discourse] with the verse: “I have understood more than my elders” (Psalms 119:100). [On a simple reading of that verse, it seems as if David is claiming to know more than his elders. But, as we’ll see, according to Rabbi Pinchas, it means, “I have gained understanding from my elders;” since David learnt how to bless the Jews from his predecessors.] You find that, at first, the Holy One, blessed be He, was in the habit of blessing His world, as it is said: “And God blessed them” (Genesis 1:28). Once Noah arose, He blessed him, as it said, “And God blessed Noah and his sons” (Genesis 9:1). Abraham arose, and He blessed him, as it is said, “And God blessed Abraham in everything” (Genesis 24:1). What is the meaning of “you shall be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2)? Rav Nachman said, [it means] that he passed the blessings over to him and told him, “Until now, I was required to bless my world, but from now on, the blessings are passed over to you, and whoever you bless will be blessed.” When Isaac arose, [Abraham] blessed him. What [does it mean when it is] written, “And he gave all that he had to Isaac” (Genesis 25:5)? What did he give to him? [There is a three-way debate about this between] Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Nechemia, and the Rabbis. Rabbi Yehuda said, [he gave him the entitlements of] the first born. Rabbi Nechemia said it was a blessing. And the Rabbis said it was burial [rights] and a document of inheritance [for the cemetery in Hebron]. Rabbi Levi said, in the name of Rabbi Chamma, “He didn’t bless him. He only gave him gifts. And why didn’t he bless him? It can be compared to a king who had an orchard, and he gave it to a tenant farmer. And he had all sorts of trees within it, intertwined with one another; one with the elixir of life, and one with the elixir of death. The tenant said, “If I water [the tree] that contains the elixir of life within it, [the tree] that contains the elixir of death within it will live alongside it. And if I don’t water it, how will [the tree] that contains the elixir of life [continue] to live?” That tenant turned around and said [to himself], “I’ll complete my tenancy this year and go elsewhere. And let the owner of the orchard do what he sees fit with whatever benefit I have provided.” So too, Abraham said, “I will not bless Isaac [because that would mean that] the children of Ishmael and the children of Ketura are now being blessed.” He said, “I am flesh and blood. Today I am here, and tomorrow in the grave. And that which needs to be done in this world, will be done.” When Abraham died, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed himself to Isaac and blessed him, as it is said, “It was after Abraham died that God blessed Isaac his son” (Genesis 25:11). And so, He did to Jacob, as it is said, “And God appeared to Jacob again, as he came from Padam Aram, and He blessed him” (Genesis 35:9). And Isaac arose and blessed Jacob with [a gift of] giving, as it is said, "May God give you of the dew of heaven” (Genesis 27:28). And he sealed it with a calling: “And Isaac called unto Jacob and blessed him” (Genesis 28:1). Jacob arose to bless the tribes and he began where Isaac left off. As it is written, “And Jacob called unto his children” (Genesis 49:1). And he sealed his blessing with [the word] זאת [meaning, this], as it is said, “And this [זאת] is what their father said to them” (Genesis 49:28). When Moses rose to bless the Israelites, he said, “Jacob the firstborn of the Omnipresent opened with calling and sealed with this, behold, I will open [my blessing] where my elder left off, and he opened [his blessing] with “this is the blessing” (Deuteronomy 33:1). And he sealed [his blessing with the phrase] “Blessed are you – אשריך.” When David arose, he opened [his blessings] with [the phrase] with which Moses sealed [his blessing], and he said, “Also I will bless Israel with [the word] אשרי [i.e., the first word of Psalms 1:1].”

(Jos. 10, 13) And the sun stood still .........written in the book of Yashar. What is the book of Yashar? Said R. Chiya b. Aba in the name of R. Jochanan: "This refers to (Genesis) the book in which the birth of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are named Jesharim (the upright), as it is said (Num. 23, 10) Let me die the death of the righteous Jesharim, etc. And where is it hinted [that such a miracle will occur with Joshua]? From (Gen. 48, 19) And his seed shall become a multitude of nations, i.e., when shall his seed become a multitude of nations? At the time when Joshua stopped the sun. (Jos. 10, 13) And the sun stood still in the midst of the heavens, and hastened not to go down about a whole day. How many hours? Said R. Joshua b. Levi: "Twenty-four hours; it went six [hours] and stopped six, went six, and stopped six, the entire episode lasting a whole day." R. Elazar said: "Thirty-six hours, it went six [hours] and stopped twelve, it went six, and stopped twelve; its stopping time was equal to a whole day [24 hours]." R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said: "Forty-eight, it went six and stopped twelve, went six and stopped twenty-four, for it is said, And it hastened not to go down about a whole day." According to the above, they differ in the additional hours of that day.We are taught in a Baraitha: Just as the sun stopped for Joshua, so also did it stop for Moses. An objection was raised from (Ib. ib. 14) And there was no day like that before it or after it. If you wish, in the time of Moses it stopped for fewer hours, or if you wish, it may be said that in Moses' time there were no hailstones mentioned, as the passage says (Ib. ib. 11) And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, etc., that the Lord cast down great stones, and said: To teach the sons of Judah the bow, Behold it is written in the book of Yashar. What does Yashar mean? Said R. Chiya b. Aba in the name of R. Jochanan: "This refers to Genesis [as said above]. And where is it hinted [that Judah will be fighters]? It is written (Gen. 49, 8) Thy hand shall be on the neck of thy enemies. Which is the weapon that needs the hand against the neck? It is the how," R. Elazar, however, maintains that the book of Yashar refers to Deuteronomy. And why is it named Yashar? Because there is a passage (6, 18) And thou shalt do that which is right (Yashar) and good in the eyes of the Lord. And where is the intimation of this? (33, 7) Let the power of his hands. And which is the weapon for which both hands are needed? It is the bow." R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said: "It refers to the book of Judges. And why is it called Yashar? Because therein is written (17, 6) Every man did what seemed right (Yashar) in his eyes. And where is it intimated [in the Biblical text]? (3, 2) To teach them war. And what is the weapon for which teaching is necessary? This is the bow. And whence do we know that this refers to Judah? The passage reads (Ib. 1, 1) Who shall go up for us first against them? And the Lord said: 'Judah shall go up.' "

And we are (thus) taught that he rebuked them only close to his death. From whom did he learn this? From Jacob, who rebuked his sons only close to his death, as it is written (Bereshith 49:1-3) "And Jacob called to his sons and said: Gather together and I will reveal to you what will happen to you in the end of days … Reuven, you are my first-born, etc." He said to him: My son, I will tell you why I did not rebuke you all these years: It is so that you would not leave me and go and cleave to Esav, my brother. And because of four things a man should rebuke another only close to his death: So that he not rebuke him repeatedly, so that the other not be shamed in his sight, so that he (the rebuker) not bear a grudge in his heart (for his rebuke not being heeded), and so that he (the rebuked) not leave him and go (elsewhere).