כִּסְאֲךָ֣ אֱ֭לֹהִים עוֹלָ֣ם וָעֶ֑ד שֵׁ֥בֶט מִ֝ישֹׁ֗ר שֵׁ֣בֶט מַלְכוּתֶֽךָ׃
Takhtamu, hai penguasa, tetap untuk selama-lamanya; tongkat keadilan adalah tongkat kerajaanmu.
Otzar Midrashim
The Holy One of Blessing is High and Exalted, His throne is [also] High and Exalted. And from where do we know that the Holy One of Blessing is called "High and Exalted"? From (Isa. 57:15) "This is what [Ad-nai] High and exalted said". And from whre do we know that even His throne is High and Exalted? From (Isa. 6:1) "And I saw my Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne" etc. The Holy One of Blessing is called Justice as it says "I, Ad-nai, am the Speaker of Justice" (Isa. 45:19) - and from where do we know that even His throne is called Justice? From "Justice and Judgment are the foundation of Your throne" (Ps. 89:15)The Holy One of Blessing is called Judgment as it says "because a God of Judgment is Ad-nai" (Isa. 30:18) and even His throne is called Judgment, as it says "from there were sat thrones of Judgement (Ps. 122:5).The Holy One of Blessing is called Truth as it says "Ad-nai is a God of Truth" (Jer. 10:10) and even His throne is called Truth, as it says "And he readied in Lovingkindness a throne, and sits there in Truth (Isa. 16:5). The Holy One of Blessing is called Glory as it says "May the King of Glory enter" (Ps. 24:7) and even His throne is called Glory, as it says "A throne of Glory, high from the beginning" (Jer. 17:12). May the King of Glory come and sit on the Throne of Glory, in the Temple of Glory as it is said "and in His Temple everything says 'Glory!'" (Ps.29:9) The Holy One of Blessing is called Holy as it says "Holy, holy Holy is Ad-nai Tzevaot, the whole earth is filled with His Glory" (Isa. 6:3) and even His throne is called Holy, as it says "God sat on His throne of Holiness (Ps. 47:9). May the King of Holiness come and sit on the Throne of Holiness, in the great secret of holy ones, as it is said: “A God dreaded in the great secret of the holy ones” (Ps. 89:8). - How many thrones the Holy One of Blessing has!He has an Established throne, as it says "Your throne has been established ever since time" (Ps. 93:2). He has a throne of Justice and Judgment, as it says "Justice and Judgement are the foundation of Your throne" (Ps. 89:15). He has a throne of Lovingkindness, as it says "He readied in Lovingkindness a throne" (Isa. 16:5). He has a Throne of Yah, as it says "because there is a hand against the throne of Yah" (Ex. 17:16). He has a throne of Glory, as it says "a throne of Glory high from the beginning " (Jer. 17:12). He has a throne of Truth, as it says "He readied in Lovingkindness a throne and sits there in Truth" (Isa. 16:5). He has a Holy throne, as it says "God sat on his throne of Holiness"(Ps. 47:9). He has an eternal throne, as it says "Your throne, oh God is forever and ever"(Ps. 45:7). He has a throne of Mercy, as it says "To our Lord belongs Mercy and Forgivenesses" (Daniel 9:9). He has a throne of Sovereignty, as it says "and Sovereignty shall be Ad-nai's"(Obadiah 1:21). He has a High and Exalted throne, as it says "And I saw my Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne" (Isa. 6:1). May the High and Exalted King sit on the High and Exalted throne, blessed, and exalted, and higher than any blessing and praise.
Midrash Tanchuma
The scepter shall not depart from Judah (Gen. 49:10). This alludes to the scepter of kingship, as it is said: The throne given of God is forever and ever; a scepter of equity is the scepter of Thy kingdom (Ps. 45:7).
Bereshit Rabbah
“Judah, you shall your brothers acknowledge; your hand will be at the nape of your enemies; your father’s sons will prostrate themselves to you” (Genesis 49:8).
Simeon and Levi, too, emerged with their faces crestfallen, and Judah feared that [Jacob] would mention the incident of Tamar to him. He began calling him: “Judah, you shall your brothers acknowledge [yodukha].” The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You confessed [hodeita]35Hodeita has the same root in Hebrew as the term yodukha. in the incident of Tamar; your brothers will acknowledge you to be king over them.’
“Your hand will be at the nape [beoref] of your enemies” – this is David, who descended from him, and in whose regard it is written: “My enemies, You had them turn their backs [oref] to me” (II Samuel 22:41).
“Your father’s sons will prostrate themselves to you” – Isaac said to Jacob: “Your mother’s sons” (Genesis 27:29), as he had only one wife, Rebecca. But Jacob, who had four wives, said to Judah: “Your father’s sons.”
“Judah is a lion cub; from prey, my son, you ascended. He crouches, lies like a lion; and like a great cat, who shall rouse him” (Genesis 49:9).
“Judah is a lion cub; from prey, my son, you ascended” – from the prey of Joseph, as you said: “What profit [is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?]” (Genesis 37:26). Alternatively, “from prey” – from the prey of Tamar, as you saved four lives – you, Tamar, and her two sons.36When Tamar’s pregnancy became known, Judah sentenced her to death, thinking she had committed sexual immorality. When she proved to him that he was the father, he conceded that she was innocent and ordered her life spared, after which she gave birth to twins. See Genesis, chapter 38. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You saved four; I will save four of your descendants – Daniel, Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya.’ He called him four names: “Judah is a lion cub”; “he crouched and lay like a lion, and like a great cat, [who shall rouse him?]” (Numbers 24:9).37Thus, Judah is referred to as a lion, a cub, again a lion, and a great cat.
“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, or the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shilo arrives; and to him nations will assemble” (Genesis 49:10).
“The scepter shall not depart from Judah” – this is the royal throne: “Your throne is of God forever; the staff of righteousness” (Psalms 45:7) – when? “The ruler’s staff from between his feet” – with the arrival of the one to whom kingship belongs, of whom it is written: “With feet will the crown [of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim] be trampled” (Isaiah 28:3). “Until Shilo arrives” – the one to whom kingdom belongs [shelo]. “And to him nations will assemble [yik’hat]” – the one who dulls [mak’heh] the teeth of all the nations, as it is stated: “They will place hand over mouth; their ears will be deafened” (Micah 7:16). Alternatively, “and to him nations will assemble” – the one for whom the nations of the world will assemble, as it is stated: “The root of Yishai, that stands as a banner of the peoples, nations will seek him” (Isaiah 11:10).38In other words, the verse here is a reference to the Messiah, as is the verse in Isaiah.
“He will bind his foal to the vine, and to the branch of the vine his donkey’s foal; he launders his garments in wine, and in the blood of grapes, his clothes” (Genesis 49:11).
“He will bind his foal to the vine” – when He will gather all of Israel, which is called “vine,” as it is stated: “You transported a vine from Egypt” (Psalms 80:9). “And to the branch of the vine his donkey’s foal” – this is the one in whose regard it is written: “He is humble, and riding upon a donkey…” (Zechariah 9:9).
Another matter: “And to the branch of the vine his donkey’s foal” – it is the one who plants all of Israel like a vine branch. How does he do so? “I will sprinkle pure water upon you” (Ezekiel 36:25).
“He launders his garments in wine” – as wine is abundant within his borders. And in the blood of grapes, his clothes [suto]” – suto is nothing other than error, as it is written: “If your brother…will entice you [yesitekha]…” (Deuteronomy 13:7).39This is referring to one who incites another to engage in idol worship. If they err in halakha, it will be laundered within his domain.40It will be clarified before the Great Sanhedrin, in the Temple, which is located in the tribal portion of Judah.
“His eyes shall be red from wine, and his teeth white from milk” (Genesis 49:12).
“His eyes shall be red [ḥakhlili] from wine” – from here you learn that wine is abundant in his domain, like a person who says to another: ‘Pour for me, and again, as my palate is sweet to me, a sweet palate for me, for me [ḥeikh li li].’ “And his teeth white from milk” – due to the merit of the Torah, “if your sins will be like scarlet, they will be whitened as snow” (Isaiah 1:18).
Simeon and Levi, too, emerged with their faces crestfallen, and Judah feared that [Jacob] would mention the incident of Tamar to him. He began calling him: “Judah, you shall your brothers acknowledge [yodukha].” The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You confessed [hodeita]35Hodeita has the same root in Hebrew as the term yodukha. in the incident of Tamar; your brothers will acknowledge you to be king over them.’
“Your hand will be at the nape [beoref] of your enemies” – this is David, who descended from him, and in whose regard it is written: “My enemies, You had them turn their backs [oref] to me” (II Samuel 22:41).
“Your father’s sons will prostrate themselves to you” – Isaac said to Jacob: “Your mother’s sons” (Genesis 27:29), as he had only one wife, Rebecca. But Jacob, who had four wives, said to Judah: “Your father’s sons.”
“Judah is a lion cub; from prey, my son, you ascended. He crouches, lies like a lion; and like a great cat, who shall rouse him” (Genesis 49:9).
“Judah is a lion cub; from prey, my son, you ascended” – from the prey of Joseph, as you said: “What profit [is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?]” (Genesis 37:26). Alternatively, “from prey” – from the prey of Tamar, as you saved four lives – you, Tamar, and her two sons.36When Tamar’s pregnancy became known, Judah sentenced her to death, thinking she had committed sexual immorality. When she proved to him that he was the father, he conceded that she was innocent and ordered her life spared, after which she gave birth to twins. See Genesis, chapter 38. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You saved four; I will save four of your descendants – Daniel, Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya.’ He called him four names: “Judah is a lion cub”; “he crouched and lay like a lion, and like a great cat, [who shall rouse him?]” (Numbers 24:9).37Thus, Judah is referred to as a lion, a cub, again a lion, and a great cat.
“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, or the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shilo arrives; and to him nations will assemble” (Genesis 49:10).
“The scepter shall not depart from Judah” – this is the royal throne: “Your throne is of God forever; the staff of righteousness” (Psalms 45:7) – when? “The ruler’s staff from between his feet” – with the arrival of the one to whom kingship belongs, of whom it is written: “With feet will the crown [of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim] be trampled” (Isaiah 28:3). “Until Shilo arrives” – the one to whom kingdom belongs [shelo]. “And to him nations will assemble [yik’hat]” – the one who dulls [mak’heh] the teeth of all the nations, as it is stated: “They will place hand over mouth; their ears will be deafened” (Micah 7:16). Alternatively, “and to him nations will assemble” – the one for whom the nations of the world will assemble, as it is stated: “The root of Yishai, that stands as a banner of the peoples, nations will seek him” (Isaiah 11:10).38In other words, the verse here is a reference to the Messiah, as is the verse in Isaiah.
“He will bind his foal to the vine, and to the branch of the vine his donkey’s foal; he launders his garments in wine, and in the blood of grapes, his clothes” (Genesis 49:11).
“He will bind his foal to the vine” – when He will gather all of Israel, which is called “vine,” as it is stated: “You transported a vine from Egypt” (Psalms 80:9). “And to the branch of the vine his donkey’s foal” – this is the one in whose regard it is written: “He is humble, and riding upon a donkey…” (Zechariah 9:9).
Another matter: “And to the branch of the vine his donkey’s foal” – it is the one who plants all of Israel like a vine branch. How does he do so? “I will sprinkle pure water upon you” (Ezekiel 36:25).
“He launders his garments in wine” – as wine is abundant within his borders. And in the blood of grapes, his clothes [suto]” – suto is nothing other than error, as it is written: “If your brother…will entice you [yesitekha]…” (Deuteronomy 13:7).39This is referring to one who incites another to engage in idol worship. If they err in halakha, it will be laundered within his domain.40It will be clarified before the Great Sanhedrin, in the Temple, which is located in the tribal portion of Judah.
“His eyes shall be red from wine, and his teeth white from milk” (Genesis 49:12).
“His eyes shall be red [ḥakhlili] from wine” – from here you learn that wine is abundant in his domain, like a person who says to another: ‘Pour for me, and again, as my palate is sweet to me, a sweet palate for me, for me [ḥeikh li li].’ “And his teeth white from milk” – due to the merit of the Torah, “if your sins will be like scarlet, they will be whitened as snow” (Isaiah 1:18).