Comentario sobre Deuteronómio 33:7

וזאת ליהודה AND THIS IS FOR JUDAH — He mentioned Judah immediately after Reuben because both of them made confession of the wrong that was theirs, as it is said, (Job 15:18-15:19) “Because wise men have told their sins … unto them alone [the land was given] and no stranger passed amidst them”. Further our Rabbis explained that during the whole forty years that Israel was in the wilderness Judah's bones were moving about in his coffin because of the excommunication that he had invoked upon himself, as it is stated that he said "If I do not bring him unto thee … I shall be sinning against my father all days" (cf. Rashi thereon: “also in the world to come”). Moses said, “Who brought it about that Reuben confessed his sin?” Judah, etc. (Sotah 7b; Bava Kamma 92a).

AND THIS FOR JUDAH. “And for Judah he said likewise that he live and not die, and further added for him, hear, Eternal, the voice of Judah.” This is the opinion of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra. But this is not correct in accordance with our interpretation [above on the blessing of Reuben], for Judah was not involved in this [punishment of] extinction¹⁵⁰For the affair with Joseph, since it was Judah who saved his life (Genesis 37:26). [making it necessary for] Moses to pray for him, just as he did not mention this in the blessing of the remaining tribes. But the verse is to be understood in its plain meaning: “and this is the blessing for Judah.” And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], he singled out the attribute of zoth (this) for Judah because his is the conduct of war and from him shall be royalty forever,¹⁵¹See Vol. I, pp. 586-590. this being the help against his adversaries. This is the secret of the verse stating, To teach the sons of Judah the bow. Behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar,¹⁵²II Samuel 1:18. for this is the bow which is seen in the cloud concerning which it is said, ‘Zoth’ (this) is the token of the covenant.¹⁵³Genesis 9:17.

וזאת ליהודה, this is also what I request and pray for on behalf of the people residing in the tribal territory of Yehudah that includes the members of the tribe of Shimon who were an enclave within the tribal territory of Yehudah. Let them not die in the wars in which they will be involved. They all go out to war together.