Commento su Deuteronomio 33:20

ברוך מרחיב גד BLESSED BE HE THAT ENLARGES GAD — this teaches us that Gad’s territory extended far eastward (Sifrei Devarim 355:2).

BLESSED BE HE THAT ENLARGETH GAD. “This teaches that Gad’s border was enlarged toward the east.” [Since his territory was east of the Jordan it could be extended towards the east.] This is Rashi’s language from the Sifre.²³⁹Sifre, Brachah 355. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented that because Moses likened Gad to a lion [he dwelleth as a lioness], he said, “Blessed be He Who enlarges Gad, Who gives him strength so that whoever [any enemy] sees him will flee him, and no one will trouble him.” The correct interpretation is that it refers to Gad’s inheritance, for the two tribes [Reuben and Gad] that took their inheritance on the east bank of the Jordan did not take it by the lot. Instead Moses gave them the entire kingdoms of Sihon and Og²⁴⁰Numbers 32:33. and their inheritance was broader as it wound about higher²⁴¹Ezekiel 41:7. than all the tribes. Moses did not mention this [blessing] in the case of Reuben, for his prayer was sufficient.¹⁶²Above, Verse 6. It is also possible that the children of Gad took more territory than the children of Reuben for they were mighty and therefore Moses gave them the entire [eastern] border. The cities which they built²⁴²Numbers 32:34-36. were also more numerous than those of Reuben.²⁴³Ibid., Verses 37-38. In addition, it was the Gadites who first requested that land [east of the Jordan as their inheritance] as I have explained there,²⁴⁴Ibid., Verse 2 (Vol. IV, pp. 370-371). and thus they were the cause of this expansion.

ברוך מרחיב גד, Who has given him a larger tract of land on the east bank of the Jordan than any other tribe received even in that part of the country. For while it is true that the lands of Sichon and Og were larger in the number of square meters accorded to the tribes on the west bank, the latter were of the category known as “flowing with milk and honey,” whereas the land on the east bank was primarily grazing land as opposed to “homesteading” land, i.e. farming land.

מרחיב גד, "the One who enlarges Gad." G'd had enlarged Gad's properties as we know from Numbers 32,1 where the Torah tells us that the tribe possessed large numbers of cattle and sheep. The reason they had so much cattle is also mentioned in Numbers 31,53 that the soldiers each plundered as much as they could. Seeing that the men of Gad were renowned as fighting men they garnered more for themselves than the other tribes. Moses' simile "like a lion who is at rest after he has brought the torn off limbs of his prey," accurately reflects what happened.

ברוך מרחיב גד, “Blessed, He, Who broadens the territory of Gad;” Ibn Ezra states that seeing that he had likened Gad to a lion, Moses pronounces a blessing on the One Who had equipped Gad with such an imposing stature; allegorically speaking, his territory is so wide, as no one dares hem him in, come too close to him. Nachmanides writes that the correct interpretation of our verse is that the word מרחיב refers to the territorial size of the ancestral heritage of Gad, which was larger than anyone else’s. The two and a half tribes who took their lands on the east bank of the Jordan had not been required to participate in the allocation by lot that took place under the supervision of Joshua. It is quite possible, that in light of the Gadites being natural born warriors, that they grabbed more land for themselves than did the members of the tribe of Reuven. Furthermore, the Gadites had been the very first to raise the subject of remaining on the east bank of the Jordan because the land was suited for grazing and they possessed such large herds after the war against Sichon. Large land allocation was therefore a factor high on the Gadites’ agenda.

The breadth of Gad’s border ranged eastward. Rashi is answering the question: Gad’s [western] border reached no further than the Jordan, if so what is the meaning, Blessed is the One who broadens Gad? Therefore Rashi explains that it broadened eastward and not westward.

V. 20. כרוך מרחיב גד .ולגד וגו׳. Es spricht sich hierin das Mosche wohltuende Gefühl aus, dass durch die Gestattung der Niederlassung Gads im transjordanischen Lande Mosche doch die Gunst zuteil wurde, in Umgebung seines Volkes zu ruhen. Ohne diese Verstattung hätte das Mosche herbe Verhängnis ihn sein Grab in der Einsamkeit der Wüste oder in der Mitte fremder Bevölkerung finden lassen. Daher ברוך מרחיב גד, gesegnet Gott, der Gad die von ihm gewünschte geräumige Niederlassung gewährte. כלביא שכן da hat sich nun Gad bereits wie ein Löwe zur Ruhe niedergelassen, וטרף זרוע אף קדקוד und hat bereits Arm und auch Scheitel, d. h. streitende Völker und ihre anführenden Häupter bewältigt. Gad hat nicht erst noch um seinen Besitz zu kämpfen, es hat bereits die früheren Bewohner seines Landes überwunden und ruht nun wie ein siegreicher Löwe in seinem Besitz. In seinem Lande — und daher auch um Mosche Grab — wird kein Krieg mehr wüten.

ברוך מרחיב גד, “blessed be he who enlarges the territory of the tribe of Gad.” Seeing that the ancestral land allotted to Gad was suitable for grazing rather than planting crops, this root is more appropriate for describing expansion. Compare also Hoseah 4,16: “עתה ירעם ה' ככבש בשמרחב, “now the Lord will graze him on the range like a sheep.”

מרחיב גד, “Who enlarges Gad; Moses blesses him to whom G-d had given a large territory, suitable for raising sheep and cattle.

כלביא שכן HE DWELLETH AS A LIONESS — Because he was near the border it therefore compares him to lions, for all who are near the border must be strong (that they may repulse attacks from neighbours) (Sifrei Devarim 355:3).

כלביא שכן, he deserves the extra acreage as he holds his own against enemies that surround him and he behaves like a brave courageous lion though badly outnumbered. Such a lion does not hesitate to devour what is around him.

Because he was near the border, etc. Re”m writes, I do not understand Rashi’s intent here. How does Rashi know that Gad is compared to a lion because he was close to the border? Perhaps he is compared to a lion because he was strong as a lion? The answer may be that only Gad is compared to a lion [here], but not Yehudah who is compared to a lion in Yaakov’s blessing. Therefore he has to explain, ‘For all those near the border must be supremely powerful.’ It seems to me that Rashi says this because shortly before he said that their names were repeated to strengthen and empower them because they were weak. In accordance to that he explains here Because he was close to the border, etc., since one cannot say the reason [he is compared to a lion] is that he was strong as a lion as he was one of the weak [tribes].

וטרף זרוע אף קדקד, “and he tears the arm, as well as the crown of the head.” Rabbi B’chor Shor explains this line when the attacker will strike the victim and he raises his hands in self defense, holding it in front of his face for protection, that attacker will strike him on the head instead. As a result the blow will even injure the shoulder of the victim

וטרף זרוע אף קדקוד, “to tear off arm and scalp;” seeing that the scalp is mentioned last, it is clear that he disabled his opponent first by disabling his arm which carries his weapon. He does so by taking aim at the sword raised against him. By doing so he succeeds in not only disabling his opponent’s arm but decapitating him at the same time with one stroke.

וטרף זרוע אף קדקד TEARING THE ARM WITH THE CROWN OF THE HEAD — Those whom they slew could be easily recognised, because they used to cut off the head together with the arm at one blow.