Midrash su I Cronache 5:1

Another comment on These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, etc. (Gen. 37:2). Was not Reuben actually the firstborn? He was, but since he defiled his father’s couch (I Chron. 5:1), his birthright was given to the descendants of Joseph, the descendants of Israel. However, they are not actually accounted as the firstborn in the genealogy of the people. Another explanation. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph. You find that Joseph resembled his father in every way, and that everything that happened to Jacob also happened to Joseph. Jacob’s brother was envious of him, and Joseph’s brothers were envious of him; Jacob was exiled to Haran, and Joseph was exiled to Egypt; Jacob said: Whether stolen by day or stolen by night (Gen. 31:39), and Joseph said: For indeed, I was stolen away (ibid. 40:15).

(Ib. b) R. Jochauan in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai said: "Since the day the Holy One, praised be He! created the world there was no man who called the Holy One, praised be He! 'Lord' (Adon) until Abraham came and called him 'Lord,' for it is said (Gen. 15, 8.) And he said Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?" Rab said "Daniel also would not have been answered were it not for the sake of Abraham, for it is said (Dan. 9, 17.) And now listen, O our God! to the prayer of thy servant, for the sake of the Lord; — 'for Thy sake' he [Daniel] ought to have said? But [he prayed] for the sake of Abraham, who called you Lord." Again said R. Jochanan in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai: "Since the day when the Holy One, praised be He! created the world, there was no man who thanked the Holy One, praised be He! until Leah came and thanked Him, as it is said (Gen. 29, 35.) This lime will I thank the Lord." What is the meaning of being called Reuben? R. Elazar said: "Leah said, 'See the difference between my son and the son of my father-in-law (Esau); whereas my father-in-law's son sold his birthright to Jacob of his own accord, as it is written (Gen. 25, 33.) And he sold his right of first-horn unto Jacob, yet what happened? As it is written (Ib. 27, 41.) And Esau hated Jacob, and it is also written (Ib. ib. 36.) And he said, hath he been therefore named Jacob, because he hath supplanted me these two times; but my son, although it was against his will that Joseph took from him the birthright, as it is written (I Chr. 5, 1.) But when he defiled his father's bed was his birth-right given unto the sons of Joseph; yet he never envied him, for it is written (Gen. 37, 21.) And when Reuben heard it he delivered him out of their hands.'" Why was she named Ruth? R. Jochanan said "Be cause she merited that from her shall come forth David, who satisfied the Holy One, praised be He! with songs and praises." And whence do we derive that the name is the cause? R. Elazar said: "It is said (Ps. 46, 9.) Come, look at the deeds of the Lord, who hath made desolation on the earth. Do not read it Shamoth (desolation), but read Shemoth (names)."

Another interpretation (of Gen. 27:33): Why did he tremble? Because he had blessed the younger before the elder; for he had intended to bless both of them. So he called Esau in order to bless him first, since he was the elder. Then afterwards, < he would call > Jacob. So he intended. Why? Because before the Holy One it is difficult to supplant a genealogical chain, to replace primogeniture. So note that he only called Esau. On what basis do you say that he wished to bless Jacob? On the basis of what Jacob said, {and he said} [to his mother] (in Gen. 27:12): THEN I WILL BRING UPON MYSELF A CURSE INSTEAD OF A BLESSING. He said to her: Even the blessing which he was going to give me, in the end he will not give me. Isaac only trembled when he said: What sin is on my hands that the genealogical chain should be ruined at my hands, for me to bless the younger < first > and the elder afterwards? And so you find: In every place Moses comes before Aaron;⁹²Cf. Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Pisha, 1. but when it comes to genealogy, Aaron is before Moses. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 3:1): NOW THESE ARE THE DESCENDANTS OF AARON AND MOSES. R. Abba said in the name of R. Johanan of the Bet Guvrin: In the case of Reuben also, when that event (the selling of Joseph) happened at his hands, his father gave his birthright to Joseph. Thus it is stated (in I Chron. 5:1): AND THE SONS OF REUBEN, THE FIRST-BORN OF ISRAEL. NOW HE IS FIRST-BORN; BUT, WHEN HE HAD DEFILED HIS FATHER'S BED, HIS BIRTHRIGHT WAS GIVEN TO (JOSEPH) [THE SONS JOSEPH BEN ISRAEL]. Hence the birthright belonged to Joseph. In the genealogy, however, he was not able to keep his birthright away from him, as stated (in Exod. 6:14): THE SONS OF REUBEN THE FIRST-BORN OF ISRAEL. "Now he was the first-born" is not written here (in I Chron. 5:1), but: NOW HE IS THE FIRST-BORN. So also in the case of the sons of Noah, Japheth was the oldest: but because Shem was more righteous, < Scripture > counts him first in every place.⁹³See above, 2:19. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 9:18): AND THE CHILDREN OF NOAH WHO WENT FORTH FROM THE ARK WERE SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH. In regard to genealogy, however, < Scripture > mentions Japheth as being the eldest. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 10:21): AND UNTO SHEM THERE WERE CHILDREN BORN. HE WAS ALSO FATHER TO ALL THE CHILDREN OF EBER < AND > THE BROTHER OF JAPHETH, WHO WAS THE OLDEST.⁹⁴The last eight words can be, and commonly are, translated: THE ELDER BROTHER OF JAPHETH. See Gen. R. 37:7. R. Tanhuma said: But you also have to learn < through > greater insight, that Shem was second to Japheth. Therefore, you find that Noah sired a son at < an age of > five hundred years. It is written (in Gen. 5:32): AND NOAH WAS FIVE HUNDRED YEARS OLD; < AND NOAH BEGOT SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH >. Now the flood took place (according to Gen. 7:11): IN THE SIX HUNDREDTH YEAR OF NOAH'S LIFE…. {Since} it is also written of Shem that he sired a son at < the age of > a hundred years, {he was lacking two} [two years after the flood). It is so stated (in Gen. 11:10): THESE ARE THE DESCENDANTS OF SHEM: SHEM WAS A HUNDRED YEARS OLD WHEN HE BEGOT ARPACHSHAD, TWO YEARS AFTER THE FLOOD. If he had been the eldest, it would have been necessary to say only: HE BEGOT ARPACHSHAD, TWO YEARS AFTER THE FLOOD. You also learn from here that Japheth was two years older than Shem according to the reckoning of my calculation. Here also (in Gen. 27:33), Isaac only trembled when he said: What sin is there on my hands that I have blessed the younger before the elder and have changed the order? Jacob went out and Esau came in, as stated (in Gen. 27:30): AND JACOB HAD JUST GONE OUT…. He (Esau) said to his father (in vs. 32): I AM [YOUR SON], YOUR FIRST-BORN, ESAU. His father began saying: Who is this one who entered and received the blessings? The Holy Spirit said to him: It was Jacob. He said to him (in vs. 33): AND I HAVE EATEN OF EVERYTHING. R. Isaac said: In that dish Isaac had a taste OF EVERYTHING that the Holy One had created during the six days of creation.⁹⁵Tanh., Gen. 6:11; Gen. R. 67:2. Also R. Judah b. R. Shallum said in the name of R. Ayyevu: In that dish Isaac had a taste of whatever is stored up for the righteous in the days to come. [Isaac said to him: In that dish I tasted everything that the Holy One has created]. Esau said to him: Daddy, [tell me:] What is that dish? Isaac said to him: < Whatever I ask for >. I asked for pheasant;⁹⁶Gk.: phasianos. I tasted it. Esau said to him: Daddy, tell me the basic < ingredient >. He said to him: It was meat. R. Hananyah b. R. Isaac said: When Esau heard this, he began striking his face. He said: Woe to that man, as stated (in Gen. 27:34): AND HE LET OUT A GREAT AND BITTER CRY…. Esau said: He fed me pottage of lentils, and I gave him my birthright. Now he has fed Daddy meat. You must know with what blessings he blessed him! HE BEGAN TO CRY AND SAY: IS HE NOT RIGHTLY NAMED JACOB (rt.: 'QB)? [FOR HE HAS CHEATED (rt.: 'QB) ME THESE TWO TIMES. HE TOOK MY BIRTHRIGHT; AND, SEE, NOW HE HAS TAKEN MY BLESSING.] His father said to him: So what should I do for you? He said to him: He has already taken my birthright. Isaac said to him: Over this matter I was sorry. He also said: Perhaps I transgressed a commandment of the Law in blessing the younger before the elder. Now that I have already blessed him, (according to Gen. 27:33:) HE SHALL ALSO BE BLESSED.

After we learn that inheritance to sons is to be emphasized, we perforce must follow the first approach, viz.: Since he inherits with one (son) and he inherits with five, then just as when he inherits with one, he receives a double portion of one, so, when he inherits with five, he receives a double portion of one. And it is written (I Chronicles 5:1) "And the sons of Reuven, the first-born of Israel (i.e., Jacob). For he was the bechor, but when he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph." And it is written (Ibid. 2) "For Judah prevailed over his brothers (to inherit the kingship) and the ruler was to come from him, and the bechorah (the status of first-born) was given to Joseph." And it is written (Bereshith 48:22) "And I (Jacob) have given to you (Joseph) an additional portion over your brothers."