וְאֵ֖לֶּה שְׁמ֣וֹת הַשְּׁבָטִ֑ים מִקְצֵ֣ה צָפ֡וֹנָה אֶל־יַ֣ד דֶּֽרֶךְ־חֶתְלֹ֣ן ׀ לְֽבוֹא־חֲמָ֡ת חֲצַ֣ר עֵינָן֩ גְּב֨וּל דַּמֶּ֤שֶׂק צָפ֙וֹנָה֙ אֶל־יַ֣ד חֲמָ֔ת וְהָיוּ־ל֧וֹ פְאַת־קָדִ֛ים הַיָּ֖ם דָּ֥ן אֶחָֽד׃
Inilah nama-nama suku itu: dari ujung utara, di sepanjang jalan Hetlon menuju jalan masuk ke Hamat, Hazar-Enan, di perbatasan Damsyik ke arah utara, di sepanjang Hamat — dan wilayahnya membentang dari sisi timur sampai ke laut — Dan, satu bagian.
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“Daughters of Jerusalem,” the Rabbis say: Do not read it as “daughters of [benot] Jerusalem, but rather, builders of [bonot] Jerusalem. This is the Great Sanhedrin of Israel, which convenes and instructs them with regard to every question and judgment.
Another matter, “daughters of [benot] Jerusalem,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Jerusalem is destined to become a metropolis for all countries, and to draw [people] to it in streams, for its glory, as it is stated: “Ashdod, its towns, [benoteha] and its surrounding areas; Gaza, its towns, and its surrounding areas up to”192The word Lasha does not appear in the verse and its inclusion in the text of the midrash appears to be an error (Etz Yosef). (Joshua 15:47). This is the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is written: “I will give them to you as daughters [levanot] and not due to your covenant” (Ezekiel 16:61). What is “levanot”? Towns. What is “not due to your covenant”? It is not due to your contract, but rather due to My contract.193It is not because you have kept all of the responsibilities incumbent upon you due to our covenant; it is rather a gift from Me. Alternatively, the nations who will come to show honor to Jerusalem are not just the ten nations promised to Abraham in the Covenant of the Pieces, but rather are additional nations (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Beivai said in the name of Rabbi Reuven: “Sing, barren one, [who did not bear]” (Isaiah 54:1). What song is there for barrenness? Rather, “sing, barren one,” who did not bear children for Gehenna.
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Israel was likened to a female, just as a female takes one-tenth of the property from her father and leaves, so, too, Israel inherited the land of the seven nations, which is one-tenth of the seventy nations. Because they inherited like a female, they sang songs in the feminine, as it is stated: “Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song [hashira hazot]194These terms are in the feminine form. to the Lord” (Exodus 15:1). But, in the future, they are destined to inherit like a male, who inherits all his father’s property; that is what is written: “From the eastern side to the western side, Judah, one portion” (Ezekiel 48:7). “Dan one portion…Asher one portion” (Ezekiel 48:1–2), and all of them so, and they speak in the masculine, as it is stated: “Sing to the Lord a new song [shir ḥadash]” (Psalms 96:1); shira ḥadasha is not written, but rather shir ḥadash.
Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi [said]: Why was Israel likened to a female? Just as a female loads and unloads,195This means that she becomes pregnant and gives birth. loads and unloads, and then unloads and does not load again, so, too, Israel is enslaved and redeemed, enslaved and redeemed, and is then redeemed and is never enslaved again. In this world, because their trouble is like the trouble of a female who gives birth,196Their redemption is not permanent. they sing songs in the feminine; however, in the World to Come, where their trouble is not like the trouble of one who gives birth, they sing songs in the masculine. That is what is written: “On that day this song [hashir] will be sung” (Isaiah 26:1).
Another matter, “daughters of [benot] Jerusalem,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Jerusalem is destined to become a metropolis for all countries, and to draw [people] to it in streams, for its glory, as it is stated: “Ashdod, its towns, [benoteha] and its surrounding areas; Gaza, its towns, and its surrounding areas up to
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Israel was likened to a female, just as a female takes one-tenth of the property from her father and leaves, so, too, Israel inherited the land of the seven nations, which is one-tenth of the seventy nations. Because they inherited like a female, they sang songs in the feminine, as it is stated: “Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song [hashira hazot]194These terms are in the feminine form. to the Lord” (Exodus 15:1). But, in the future, they are destined to inherit like a male, who inherits all his father’s property; that is what is written: “From the eastern side to the western side, Judah, one portion” (Ezekiel 48:7). “Dan one portion…Asher one portion” (Ezekiel 48:1–2), and all of them so, and they speak in the masculine, as it is stated: “Sing to the Lord a new song [shir ḥadash]” (Psalms 96:1); shira ḥadasha is not written, but rather shir ḥadash.
Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi [said]: Why was Israel likened to a female? Just as a female loads and unloads,195This means that she becomes pregnant and gives birth. loads and unloads, and then unloads and does not load again, so, too, Israel is enslaved and redeemed, enslaved and redeemed, and is then redeemed and is never enslaved again. In this world, because their trouble is like the trouble of a female who gives birth,196Their redemption is not permanent. they sing songs in the feminine; however, in the World to Come, where their trouble is not like the trouble of one who gives birth, they sing songs in the masculine. That is what is written: “On that day this song [hashir] will be sung” (Isaiah 26:1).
Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael
"You will bring them and You will plant them": like an orchard planted in rows, viz. (Ezekiel 48:7) "from the eastern side to the western side" — Judah, one; Dan, one; Naftali, one. ...
Bereshit Rabbah
“Your descendants will be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread out to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. And all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and your descendants” (Genesis 28:14).
“Your descendants will be as the dust” – just as the dust is blessed only by means of water, so, your descendants will be blessed only by means of Torah, that is likened to water. Just as the dust of the earth outlasts all metal vessels and endures forever, so, your descendants will outlast the entire world and endure forever. Just as dust is trodden upon by all, so, your children will be trodden upon. That is what is written: “I will place it into the hand of your oppressors [mogayikh]” (Isaiah 51:23). What is mogayikh? It is those that cause your wounds to liquefy [memagin], torment you, and sap your strength. Nevertheless, it is for your benefit, as they purify and cleanse you from your iniquities, just as it says: “Soften [temogegena] it with showers, bless its vegetation” (Psalms 65:11). “Who said to your soul: Bow, and we will pass” (Isaiah 51:23) – what would they do to them?6The oppressors to the Jews. They would lie them down in the streets and pass wagons with plows over them. Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: It is a fortuitous sign; just as this street outlasts the passersby and endures forever, so, your descendants outlast the nations of the world and they endure forever.
“You shall spread out to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: It is you7Due to your merit, the sea split. who split the sea, just as is it stated: “The one who breaks through went up before them…[their king passed before them, and the Lord is at their head]” (Micah 2:13).8The reference is to the splitting of the Red Sea, as it is written: “Tremble, O earth, before the Lord, before the God of Jacob” (Psalms 114:7).
Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: He also showed them the divisions of Ezekiel.9The reference is to the more expansive borders of the Land of Israel as prophesied by Ezekiel. See Ezekiel 48:1–29. But did Ezekiel not articulate only from east to west? Isaiah came and articulated: “For you will spread out to the right and the left…” (Isaiah 54:3).10When facing east, “right and left” are north and south.
“Your descendants will be as the dust” – just as the dust is blessed only by means of water, so, your descendants will be blessed only by means of Torah, that is likened to water. Just as the dust of the earth outlasts all metal vessels and endures forever, so, your descendants will outlast the entire world and endure forever. Just as dust is trodden upon by all, so, your children will be trodden upon. That is what is written: “I will place it into the hand of your oppressors [mogayikh]” (Isaiah 51:23). What is mogayikh? It is those that cause your wounds to liquefy [memagin], torment you, and sap your strength. Nevertheless, it is for your benefit, as they purify and cleanse you from your iniquities, just as it says: “Soften [temogegena] it with showers, bless its vegetation” (Psalms 65:11). “Who said to your soul: Bow, and we will pass” (Isaiah 51:23) – what would they do to them?6The oppressors to the Jews. They would lie them down in the streets and pass wagons with plows over them. Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: It is a fortuitous sign; just as this street outlasts the passersby and endures forever, so, your descendants outlast the nations of the world and they endure forever.
“You shall spread out to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: It is you7Due to your merit, the sea split. who split the sea, just as is it stated: “The one who breaks through went up before them…[their king passed before them, and the Lord is at their head]” (Micah 2:13).8The reference is to the splitting of the Red Sea, as it is written: “Tremble, O earth, before the Lord, before the God of Jacob” (Psalms 114:7).
Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: He also showed them the divisions of Ezekiel.9The reference is to the more expansive borders of the Land of Israel as prophesied by Ezekiel. See Ezekiel 48:1–29. But did Ezekiel not articulate only from east to west? Isaiah came and articulated: “For you will spread out to the right and the left…” (Isaiah 54:3).10When facing east, “right and left” are north and south.