Commento su Genesi 49:12

חכלילי [HIS EYES] ARE RED — חכלילי denotes redness, as the Targum renders it: they shall become red. Similar is (Proverbs 23:29) “who hath redness (חכלילות) of eyes?” Redness of eyes is associated with wine because that is what usually happens to those who drink much wine — their eyes become red.

HIS EYES ARE ‘CHACHLILI’ (FROM WINE). The Commentators¹⁷⁰Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and R’dak. say that the word chachlili denotes redness, and it means that his eyes will become red from drinking much wine. Of similar meaning is the verse, Who hath ‘chachliluth’ (redness) of the eyes?¹⁷¹Proverbs 23:29.
Now it appears to me that this is a case of a word whose letters are transposed,¹⁷²Thus, instead of the order of the letters being cheth, kaf, lamed, it should be understood as if it were written: kaf, cheth, lamed, suggesting the act of painting, as will be explained further. it being derived from the expression, Thou didst paint (‘kachalt’) thine eyes.¹⁷³Ezekiel 23:40. The lamed is doubled — [chachlili] — as is customary in many places, and it denotes the process of painting eyes which is known and frequently mentioned in the words of our Rabbis. In Arabic also its name is “al kachul.” The verse is thus stating that Judah’s eyes are colored with wine for just as others paint them with puch (eye-paint),¹⁷⁴Jeremiah 4:30. which is the Arabic “al kachul,” so does he paint them with wine, and just as others whiten their teeth with ointments, so does he whiten them with milk, the comparison indicating the abundance of wine and milk in Judah’s land, just as Onkelos mentioned.¹⁷⁵“His mountains will be red with his vineyards, and his wine-presses will drip with wine” (Onkelos). Similar in meaning is the verse, Who hath ‘chachliluth’ of eyes,¹⁷¹Proverbs 23:29. [the letters in the word chachliluth are to be transposed to read] kachliluth” (paint), with the verse stating that the drunkard has his eyes painted by wine and he cannot hide his drunken state. It is possible that the verse is stating, “Who has coloring of eyes?” meaning “who needs to paint his eyes always? They that tarry long at the wine,¹⁷¹Proverbs 23:29. since the wine dims their eyes, causing them to tear, and be consumed away in their sockets,¹⁷⁶Zechariah 14:12. thus making it necessary for him to have his eyes constantly painted.” Scripture, in the book of Proverbs, is thus speaking of the disgrace of wine and the external evils of contentions and wounds which befall he who drinks it in abundance, while in his house there will always be the cry of “Woe” and “Alas.”¹⁷¹Proverbs 23:29. It then also mentions this specific harm which affects his body, namely, the dimming of his vision, and many other sicknesses. This is a correct interpretation and elucidation of the subject.

חכלילי, the redness of eyes is called thus.