וְיִֽתֶּן־לְךָ֙ אֶת־בִּרְכַּ֣ת אַבְרָהָ֔ם לְךָ֖ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֣ אִתָּ֑ךְ לְרִשְׁתְּךָ֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְאַבְרָהָֽם׃
Y te dé la bendición de Abraham, y á tu simiente contigo, para que heredes la tierra de tus peregrinaciones, que Dios dió á Abraham.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
(Deut. 33:1:) AND THIS IS THE BLESSING. This text is related (to Prov. 31:29): MANY DAUGHTERS HAVE DONE VALIANTLY, BUT YOU SURPASS THEM ALL. This is the blessing of Moses,1Tanh., Deut. 11:1; PRK 31:11. in respect to which you should note that in the case of the earlier generations each and every one blessed his generation, but compared to all of them none was like the blessing of Moses. Noah blessed his children, but it contained a divergence. He blessed one and cursed another. (Gen. 9:27:) MAY GOD ENLARGE (YPT) JAPHETH (YPT); but he said (vs. 25:) CURSED BE CANAAN. Isaac blessed Jacob. There was strife in it, in that he said to Esau (in Gen. 27:35): YOUR BROTHER CAME WITH DECEIT; and it is stated (in vs. 41): THEN ESAU HATED JACOB <…, AND ESAU SAID IN HIS HEART: LET THE DAYS OF MORNING FOR MY FATHER COME, AND I WILL KILL MY BROTHER JACOB>. Jacob blessed the tribes, but there was strife among them, in that he said to Reuben (in Gen. 49:4): UNSTABLE AS WATER; and similarly (in vs. 5): SIMEON AND LEVI <ARE BROTHERS; WEAPONS OF VIOLENCE ARE THEIR SWORDS>. And from where did each and every one of the patriarchs learn to bless his generation? [They learned] from the Holy One. When he created Adam, he blessed him, as stated (in Gen. 1:28): THEN GOD BLESSED THEM; [and2The other part of this bracket is several lines below. the world was maintained by that blessing, until the generation of the flood came, and they cancelled it out, as stated (in Gen. 6:7): AND THE LORD SAID: I WILL BLOT OUT THE HUMANITY WHICH I CREATED. When Noah left the ark, the Holy One saw that this blessing had passed from them. He blessed Noah and his children anew, as stated (in Gen. 9:1): THEN GOD BLESSED NOAH AND HIS CHILDREN. The world was maintained by this blessing, until Abraham came into the world. Then the Holy One added one blessing for him, as stated (in Gen. 12:2): FOR I WILL MAKE YOU INTO A GREAT NATION…. When Abraham came, the Holy One said: It is not a practice worthy of me, that I should be obliged to bless my creatures. Rather take note! I am handing over the blessings to Abraham and to his seed, so that for all who issue a blessing through him, I am placing my seal upon <those blessings>, as stated (in vs. 2, cont.): <I WILL BLESS YOU AND MAGNIFY YOUR NAME> AND SO BECOME A BLESSING. (vs. 3:) I WILL BLESS THOSE WHO BLESS YOU…. What is the meaning of I WILL BLESS THOSE WHO BLESS YOU. The Holy One said: Take note. I am handing over the blessings to ALL WHOM YOU BLESS, and I am sealing <them> through you. But if from then on the blessings were {spoken} [handed over] to Abraham, why did he not bless Isaac? It was because Abraham saw that Esau would issue from him. He said: If I bless Isaac, then Esau will be blessed, and Isaac will be found lacking. A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To the head of a household that had a vineyard.3See Gen. R. 61:6; Numb. R. 11:2; M. Pss. 1:5; also Matthew 13:24–30.: He gave it to a tenant. And in that vineyard was a tree of life, but it had overgrown a tree having a deadly poison. Now he did not know what to do. He said: If I cultivate that vineyard, then the tree having a deadly poison will flourish; but if I do not cultivate that vineyard, then the tree of life will die. So what shall I do? I will bear with that vineyard until the owner of the vineyard comes. Then he may do what he wants with his vineyard.4Cf. Matthew 13:24–30. And so also did Abraham say: If I bless Isaac, Esau will end up being blessed and Jacob will lose out. Look here. It is simply that he is leaving him alone until the Holy One comes, when he will deal with what belongs to him.] Jacob came and received five blessing: two from his father, one from Abraham, one from the angel, and one from the Holy One.5Cf. Gen. R. 94:5.: Two from his father, according to what is stated (in Gen. 27:33): THEN ISAAC TREMBLED (when he realized he had blessed Jacob instead of Esau). Why TREMBLED? R. Eleazar ben Padat said: <He did so> because he saw Gehinnom open for Esau. He wanted to say: Cursed. He repented and added a blessing when he said (ibid., end): HE ALSO SHALL BE BLESSED. Here is one blessing. A second (is in Gen. 28:1): SO ISAAC CALLED JACOB AND BLESSED HIM. [The blessing of Abraham (is in Gen. 28:4): AND MAY HE GRANT YOU THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM…; the blessing of an angel is (in Gen. 32:30 [29]): AND HE (the angel) BLESSED HIM THERE; and the blessings of the Holy One (in Gen. 35:9): NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN…, AND BLESSED HIM.] When Jacob came to bless the tribes, he blessed them with the five blessing that he had in hand and added one blessing to them, as stated (in Gen. 49:28): ALL THESE ARE THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, <TWELVE IN NUMBER, AND THIS IS WHAT THEIR FATHER SPOKE TO THEM> WHEN HE BLESSED THEM, EACH ONE WITH HIS OWN BLESSING IS HOW HE BLESSED THEM.6The midrash notes that the words, HE BLESSED THEM, occur twice and interprets the verse to mean that one blessing, the fivefold blessing he had received, was for the tribes as a group while the other blessing was a specific blessing for each tribe. When Moses came to bless Israel, he added a seventh blessing to them. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 33:1): AND THIS IS THE BLESSING. < According to another interpretation, Moses made> an addition to the blessings with which Balaam had blessed Israel,7Cf. PRK 31(suppl. 1):4 since it was fitting for him to bless with seven blessings corresponding to the seven altars <he had built>;8On these altars, see Numb. 23:1, 14, 29. but <Balaam> only blessed them with three, as stated (in Numb. 24:10): BUT HERE YOU HAVE EVEN BLESSED THEM THESE THREE [TIMES]. The Holy One said to him: You are wicked. Your eye is too jaundiced for you to bless them. Moreover, I am not putting the power in your hand to finish your blessing over Israel. Moses will come, whose eye is fair. Then he will bless Israel, and it is about him that Solomon has said (in Prov. 22:9): HE THAT HAS A BENEVOLENT EYE SHALL BE BLESSED (YBRK). Do not read YBRK <with vowels meaning> SHALL BE BLESSED, but <with vowels meaning> SHALL BLESS. This refers to Moses our Master whose eyes were fair when he blessed Israel. He also blessed them with <the other> four blessings:
Midrash Tanchuma
(Deut. 33:1:) “And this is the blessing.” This text is related (to Prov. 31:29), “Many daughters have done valiantly, but you surpass them all.” This is the blessing of Moses,1PRK 31:11. in respect to which you should note that in the case of the earlier generations each and every one blessed his generation, but there was none was like the blessing of Moses. Noah blessed his children, but it contained a divergence, as he blessed one and cursed another, as stated (Gen. 9:27,) “May God enlarge (ypt) Japheth (ypt) [...]; and let Canaan be a slave to them.” Isaac blessed Jacob, but there was strife in it. It is so stated (in Gen. 28:4), “May He give you the blessing of Abraham, but he said to Esau (in Gen. 27:35), “Your brother came with deceit”; and it is stated (in vs. 41), “Then Esau hated Jacob […, and Esau said in his heart, ‘Let the days of mourning for my father come, and I will kill my brother Jacob’].” Jacob blessed the tribes, but there was strife among them, in that he rebuked Reuben, as stated (in Gen. 49:4), “Unstable as water”; and similarly (in vs. 5), “Simeon and Levi [are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords].” And from where did each and every one of the patriarchs learn to bless his generation? [They learned it] from the Holy One, blessed be He. When he created Adam, He blessed him, as stated (in Gen. 1:27-28), “male and female. Then [God] blessed them.” And the world was maintained by that blessing, until the generation of the flood came, and they cancelled it out, as stated (in Gen. 6:7), “And the Lord said, “I will blot out the humanity which I created.” When Noah left the ark, the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that this blessing had passed from them. He blessed Noah and his children anew, as stated (in Gen. 9:1), “Then God blessed Noah and his children.” The world was maintained by this blessing, until Abraham came into the world, and He added blessing, as stated (in Gen. 12:2), “For I will make you into a great nation.” Once Abraham came, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “It is not honorable for Me, that I should be obliged to bless My creatures. Rather take note! I am handing over the blessings to Abraham and to his seed, so that for all who they issue a blessing, I am placing my seal upon [those blessings], as stated (in vs. 2, cont.), ‘[I will bless you and magnify your name] and so become a blessing.’” (Vs. 3:) “I will bless those who bless you….” What is the meaning of “I will bless?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Take note. I am handing over the blessings to all whom you bless, and I am sealing [them] through you.” But if from then on the blessings were [handed over] to Abraham, why did he not bless Isaac? It was because Abraham saw that Esau would issue from him. He said, “If I bless Isaac, then Esau will be blessed, and Isaac will be found lacking.” A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To the head of a household that had a vineyard,2See Gen. R. 61:6; Numb. R. 11:2; M. Pss. 1:5. [and] gave it to a tenant. And in that vineyard was a tree of life, but it had overgrown a tree having a deadly poison. Now he did not know what to do. He said, “If I cultivate that vineyard, then the tree having a deadly poison will flourish; but if I do not cultivate that vineyard, then the tree of life will die. So what shall I do? I will bear with that vineyard until the owner of the vineyard comes. Then he may do what he wants with his vineyard.” And so also did Abraham say, “If I bless Isaac, Esau will end up being blessed and Jacob will lose out. Rather look here. I will leave him alone until the Holy One, blessed be He, comes, when He will deal with what belongs to Him.” Jacob came and received five blessings: two from his father, one from Abraham, one from the angel, and one from the Holy One, blessed be He.3Cf. Gen. R. 94:5. From his father, as stated (in Gen. 27:33), “Then Isaac trembled (when he realized he had blessed Jacob instead of Esau). Why “trembled?” R. Eliezer ben Pedat said, “[He did so] because he saw Gehinnom open in front of him. He wanted to say, ‘Cursed will be [Jacob.’ Instead,] he went back [on it], and added blessing [to it], when he said (ibid., end), ‘he also shall be blessed.’” Here is one [blessing]. A second (is in Gen. 28:1), “So Isaac called Jacob and blessed him.” The blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, (is in Gen. 35:9), “Now God appeared unto Jacob [… and blessed him].” The blessing of Abraham (is in Gen. 28:4), “And may He grant you the blessing of Abraham.” And the blessing of an angel is (in Gen. 32:30), “and he (the angel) blessed him there.” When Jacob came to bless the tribes, he blessed them with the five blessings that he had in hand and added one blessing to them, as stated (in Gen. 49:28), “All these are the tribes of Israel, [twelve in number, and this is what their father spoke to them when he blessed them, each one with his own blessing is how he blessed them].”4The midrash notes that the words, HE BLESSED THEM, occur twice and interprets the verse to mean that one blessing, the fivefold blessing he had received, was for the tribes as a group while the other blessing was a specific blessing for each tribe. When Moses came to bless Israel, he added a seventh blessing to them. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 33:1), “And this is the blessing.” [According to another interpretation, Moses made] an addition to the blessings with which Balaam had blessed Israel,5Cf. PRK 31(suppl. 1):4. since it was fitting for him to bless them with seven blessings corresponding to the seven altars [he had built];6On these altars, see Numb. 23:1, 14, 29. but [Balaam] only blessed them with three, as stated (in Numb. 24:10), “but here you have even blessed them these three times.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “O wicked one, your eye is too jaundiced for you to bless them. Moreover, I am not putting the power in your hand to finish your blessing over Israel. Moses will come, whose eye is fair; then he will bless Israel.” And it is about him that Solomon has said (in Prov. 22:9), “He that has a benevolent eye shall be blessed (ybrk).” Do not read “ybrk [with vowels meaning] shall be blessed,” but [with vowels meaning] “shall bless.” This refers to Moses our master whose eyes were fair when he blessed Israel, such that he blessed them with [the other] four blessings: The first is (in Exod. 39:43), “When Moses saw all the work […] he blessed them.” The second is (in Lev. 9:23), “Then Moses and Aaron came unto the tent of meeting; and when they came out, they blessed the people….” The third is (in Deut. 1:11), “May the Lord God of your ancestors add [to your numbers a thousand times more than you are and bless you].” The fourth is (here in Deut. 33:1), “And this is the blessing.” It is therefore stated (in Prov. 31:29), “Many daughters have done valiantly, but you surpass them all.”(Deut. 33:1:) And this is the blessing.” It was fitting for Moses to bless Israel because he had constantly risked his life for them.7PRK 31(suppl. 1):12. For this reason, it is stated (in Deut. 33:1), “And this is the blessing [that Moses blessed... the Children of Israel].” (Deut. 33:1:) “The man of God (the Power).” If it says, “man,” why does it say, “God,” and if it says, “God,” why does it say, “man?” It is simply that at the time he fled from in front of Pharaoh, he was a man, but at the time he trounced [the Egyptians], he was a power. Another interpretation: At the time that he went up to the firmament, he was a man; in front of the angels that were all fire, he was a man. But at the time he came down, he was a power. Before he went up to the firmament, he was a man, as he would eat and drink. But all the time that he was there, he was a power, as stated (in Exod. 34:20), “and they were afraid to approach him.”
Bamidbar Rabbah
“These are those who were counted of the children of Israel….” That is what is written: “The number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea…” (Hosea 2:1). “The number of the children of Israel will be,” that is what is written: “Forever, Lord, does Your word stand in the heavens” (Psalms 119:89). Because the Holy One blessed be He promised Abraham, and that promise came about when Israel departed from Egypt. When did the Holy One blessed be He promise him? It was when he said to him to depart from his father’s home, as it is stated: “Go from your land…I will render you a great nation…” (Genesis 12:1–2). Abraham said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, everything that you promised me, what benefit do I have from it, as I have no children,’ as it is stated: “Abram said: My Lord God, what will You give me, [ and I go childless?]” (Genesis 15:2). Abraham saw in his constellation that he was not destined to beget children. What did the Holy One blessed be He do for him at that moment? Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon said that Rabbi Ḥanin said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It teaches that the Holy One blessed be He elevated him above the dome of the heavens and said to him: ‘Emerge from that constellation in which you see that you are not destined to beget, I will show you that you will beget children’ as it is stated: “He took him outside, and said: Look [habet] now toward the heavens [and count the stars, if you could count them, and He said to him: So shall be your descendants]” (Genesis 15:5). Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It says habet only when one is situated above, just as it is stated: “Look [habet] from Heaven and see” (Psalms 80:15).
“He said to him: So shall be your descendants” (Genesis 15:5). What is “so shall be your descendants”? Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: To what is the matter comparable? To one who embarked on a trip and walked the first day, the second day, the third day, until ten days, but did not find a city, an inn, a tree, water, or a creature. After he went ten days, he spotted a tree from a distance. He said: ‘Perhaps there is water beneath it.’ When he reached it, he saw that it was standing alongside a spring. When he saw that it was fine, it fruits were excellent, and its branches were fine, he sat himself down, cooled in its shade, ate of its fruits, and drank from the spring. It was pleasant for him and his strength was restored. When he arose to leave, he said to the tree: ‘With what can I bless you and what can I say to you? May your tree be fine? It is fine. May your shade be fine? It is already fine. May your branches be fine? They are fine. May your fruits be sweet? They are sweet. May a spring emerge from beneath your roots? A spring already emerges from beneath your roots. May you stand in a desirable place? You stand in a desirable place. With what can I bless you? Rather, may all the saplings that are produced from you be like you.’
So, when the Holy One blessed be He created the world, twenty generations lived and they were of no use, and no righteous person was produced from them. After twenty generations, the Holy One blessed be He saw Abraham, who was situated in the land of Babylon, that is called distant, as it is stated: “From a distant land…” (II Kings 20:14). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Will you say that he has the strength to endure?’ When they cast him into the fiery furnace, and he sanctified the name of the Holy One blessed be He, and withstood his ordeal, the Holy One blessed be He immediately drew him near to the land of Israel. He [Abraham] built him the inn, and would feed passersby, would bring people under the wings of the Divine Presence, publicized the glory of the Holy One blessed be He in the world, and attached his name29There is a reference to God's name within Abraham's name (Maharzu). to the name of the Holy One blessed be He, like the [names of the] angels. The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘What can I say to you and with what can I bless you? May you be wholehearted, in that you shall be righteous before Me or that Sarah your wife will be righteous before Me? You are righteous and Sarah your wife is righteous before Me. Or that all the members of your household will be righteous before Me? They are righteous before Me. Rather, may all the offspring that are destined to be produced from you be like you.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is written: “He said to him: So shall be your descendants.”
You find that Abraham was blessed with stars, as it is stated: “Look now toward the heavens, and count the stars…[so shall be your descendants]” (Genesis 15:5). Isaac was blessed with sand, as it is stated: “For I will bless you and multiply your descendants…[as the sand that is upon the seashore]” (Genesis 22:17). Jacob was blessed with the dust of the earth, as it is stated: “Your descendants will be as the dust of the earth….” (Genesis 28:14). The blessing of Abraham came about in the days of Moses, as, indeed, it is written: “The Lord your God has multiplied you, and, behold, you are today [as the stars of the heavens in abundance]” (Deuteronomy 1:10). The blessing of Jacob, who was blessed with the dust of the earth, came about in the days of Bilam, as, indeed, it is written: “Who counted the dust of Jacob” (Numbers 23:10). The blessing of Isaac, who was blessed with sand, came about in the days of Hosea, as it is stated: “The number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured and cannot be counted; it will be that instead of it being said of them: You are not My people, it will be said of them: Children of the living God” (Hosea 2:1). Since it is regarding Isaac that the blessing of sand is written, it should have said: “The number of the children of Isaac will be.” But it does not say so, but rather, “the number of the children of Israel will be.” Why? It is, rather, that when Jacob our patriarch departed to go to Padan Aram, his father passed the blessing of sand to him, just as he said to him: “May He grant you the blessing of [et birkat] Abraham” (Genesis 28:4). What is et? Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: This is what he said to him: ‘The blessing with which both I and Abraham were blessed; “for I will bless you [ki varekh avarekhekha]” (Genesis 22:17), a blessing for the father and a blessing for the son. “And multiply [veharha arbe],” multiplication for the father and multiplication for the son.’ “As the sand that is upon the seashore,” this blessing Isaac passed to Jacob. That is why it says: “The number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea.” That is, “forever, Lord, does Your word stand in the heavens” (Psalms 119:89).
“He said to him: So shall be your descendants” (Genesis 15:5). What is “so shall be your descendants”? Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: To what is the matter comparable? To one who embarked on a trip and walked the first day, the second day, the third day, until ten days, but did not find a city, an inn, a tree, water, or a creature. After he went ten days, he spotted a tree from a distance. He said: ‘Perhaps there is water beneath it.’ When he reached it, he saw that it was standing alongside a spring. When he saw that it was fine, it fruits were excellent, and its branches were fine, he sat himself down, cooled in its shade, ate of its fruits, and drank from the spring. It was pleasant for him and his strength was restored. When he arose to leave, he said to the tree: ‘With what can I bless you and what can I say to you? May your tree be fine? It is fine. May your shade be fine? It is already fine. May your branches be fine? They are fine. May your fruits be sweet? They are sweet. May a spring emerge from beneath your roots? A spring already emerges from beneath your roots. May you stand in a desirable place? You stand in a desirable place. With what can I bless you? Rather, may all the saplings that are produced from you be like you.’
So, when the Holy One blessed be He created the world, twenty generations lived and they were of no use, and no righteous person was produced from them. After twenty generations, the Holy One blessed be He saw Abraham, who was situated in the land of Babylon, that is called distant, as it is stated: “From a distant land…” (II Kings 20:14). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Will you say that he has the strength to endure?’ When they cast him into the fiery furnace, and he sanctified the name of the Holy One blessed be He, and withstood his ordeal, the Holy One blessed be He immediately drew him near to the land of Israel. He [Abraham] built him the inn, and would feed passersby, would bring people under the wings of the Divine Presence, publicized the glory of the Holy One blessed be He in the world, and attached his name29There is a reference to God's name within Abraham's name (Maharzu). to the name of the Holy One blessed be He, like the [names of the] angels. The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘What can I say to you and with what can I bless you? May you be wholehearted, in that you shall be righteous before Me or that Sarah your wife will be righteous before Me? You are righteous and Sarah your wife is righteous before Me. Or that all the members of your household will be righteous before Me? They are righteous before Me. Rather, may all the offspring that are destined to be produced from you be like you.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is written: “He said to him: So shall be your descendants.”
You find that Abraham was blessed with stars, as it is stated: “Look now toward the heavens, and count the stars…[so shall be your descendants]” (Genesis 15:5). Isaac was blessed with sand, as it is stated: “For I will bless you and multiply your descendants…[as the sand that is upon the seashore]” (Genesis 22:17). Jacob was blessed with the dust of the earth, as it is stated: “Your descendants will be as the dust of the earth….” (Genesis 28:14). The blessing of Abraham came about in the days of Moses, as, indeed, it is written: “The Lord your God has multiplied you, and, behold, you are today [as the stars of the heavens in abundance]” (Deuteronomy 1:10). The blessing of Jacob, who was blessed with the dust of the earth, came about in the days of Bilam, as, indeed, it is written: “Who counted the dust of Jacob” (Numbers 23:10). The blessing of Isaac, who was blessed with sand, came about in the days of Hosea, as it is stated: “The number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured and cannot be counted; it will be that instead of it being said of them: You are not My people, it will be said of them: Children of the living God” (Hosea 2:1). Since it is regarding Isaac that the blessing of sand is written, it should have said: “The number of the children of Isaac will be.” But it does not say so, but rather, “the number of the children of Israel will be.” Why? It is, rather, that when Jacob our patriarch departed to go to Padan Aram, his father passed the blessing of sand to him, just as he said to him: “May He grant you the blessing of [et birkat] Abraham” (Genesis 28:4). What is et? Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: This is what he said to him: ‘The blessing with which both I and Abraham were blessed; “for I will bless you [ki varekh avarekhekha]” (Genesis 22:17), a blessing for the father and a blessing for the son. “And multiply [veharha arbe],” multiplication for the father and multiplication for the son.’ “As the sand that is upon the seashore,” this blessing Isaac passed to Jacob. That is why it says: “The number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea.” That is, “forever, Lord, does Your word stand in the heavens” (Psalms 119:89).