Midrasz do Rodzaju 49:8

(13) And Haman related to Zereth his wife and to all his friends. And then it is written: Then said unto him his wise men and Zereth his wife; first they are called friends, and then wise men? R. Jochanan said: "A man, even of any nation, who says an intelligent thing only should be termed wise (Chacham). If Mordecai be of the seed of the Judeans; i.e., they said: "If Mordecai is descended from other tribes, you will get the better of him; but if he be descended from one of these tribes — Juda, Benjamin, Ephraim, Menaseeh — then you cannot overcome him; from Juda, because it is written (Gen. 49, 8) Thy hand shall be on the neck of thy enemies; and the other three, because it is written (Ps. 80, 3) Before Ephraim, Benjamin and Menasseh, awaken thy might." But thou will surely fall before him. R. Juda b. Ilai taught: "What is the meaning surely fall [doubled in the test]? Infer from this that they said to him thus: 'This nation (Israel) resembles earth, and resembles stars; when they sink they sink to the dust, and when they rise they rise to the stars.' " (Est. 6, 14) They were yet speaking with him when the king's chamberlains arrived, and they hastened. From this we infer that they brought him in a hurry. For the adversary regardeth not the damage of the king. She said to him: "This enemy is not worth the damage he causes to the king; when he became jealous of Vashti, he killed her, and now he becomes jealous of me, and wants to kill me too." And the king arose in his fury … and when the king returned. From this we may infer that just as he had gone out in a fury, so he returned in a fury; he went to his garden and found that angels, in the form of men, were uprooting the trees of his garden and throwing them away. Upon his inquiry as to why they were doing it, he was informed that Haman had ordered them to do so. When he returned to his house he found Haman was fallen upon the couch, etc. It is not written, fell [active case], but, was fallen [passive case]; i.e., infer from this that an angel came and pushed him. And the king said: "Woe from inside, and woe from outside." And the king said: "Will he even do violence to the queen before me in the house?" Then said Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, etc. R. Chama b. Chanina said: "Harbonah the wicked had also been among those who had given the advice to make a gallows for Mordecai; but as soon as he saw that his plan was not fulfilled, he deserted Haman and went over to Mordecai's friends, and this interpretation is derived from the passage (Job 27, 22) And will cast upon him, and have no pity; out of his hand will surely escape. And the fury of the king [Shachacha] was appeased. What does the double (appeasing) stand for? One refers to the King of the Universe and the other refers to Ahasuerus. Others, however, say that one refers to the anger about Vashti and one about Esther."

(Jos. 10, 13) And the sun stood still .........written in the book of Yashar. What is the book of Yashar? Said R. Chiya b. Aba in the name of R. Jochanan: "This refers to (Genesis) the book in which the birth of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are named Jesharim (the upright), as it is said (Num. 23, 10) Let me die the death of the righteous Jesharim, etc. And where is it hinted [that such a miracle will occur with Joshua]? From (Gen. 48, 19) And his seed shall become a multitude of nations, i.e., when shall his seed become a multitude of nations? At the time when Joshua stopped the sun. (Jos. 10, 13) And the sun stood still in the midst of the heavens, and hastened not to go down about a whole day. How many hours? Said R. Joshua b. Levi: "Twenty-four hours; it went six [hours] and stopped six, went six, and stopped six, the entire episode lasting a whole day." R. Elazar said: "Thirty-six hours, it went six [hours] and stopped twelve, it went six, and stopped twelve; its stopping time was equal to a whole day [24 hours]." R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said: "Forty-eight, it went six and stopped twelve, went six and stopped twenty-four, for it is said, And it hastened not to go down about a whole day." According to the above, they differ in the additional hours of that day.We are taught in a Baraitha: Just as the sun stopped for Joshua, so also did it stop for Moses. An objection was raised from (Ib. ib. 14) And there was no day like that before it or after it. If you wish, in the time of Moses it stopped for fewer hours, or if you wish, it may be said that in Moses' time there were no hailstones mentioned, as the passage says (Ib. ib. 11) And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, etc., that the Lord cast down great stones, and said: To teach the sons of Judah the bow, Behold it is written in the book of Yashar. What does Yashar mean? Said R. Chiya b. Aba in the name of R. Jochanan: "This refers to Genesis [as said above]. And where is it hinted [that Judah will be fighters]? It is written (Gen. 49, 8) Thy hand shall be on the neck of thy enemies. Which is the weapon that needs the hand against the neck? It is the how," R. Elazar, however, maintains that the book of Yashar refers to Deuteronomy. And why is it named Yashar? Because there is a passage (6, 18) And thou shalt do that which is right (Yashar) and good in the eyes of the Lord. And where is the intimation of this? (33, 7) Let the power of his hands. And which is the weapon for which both hands are needed? It is the bow." R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said: "It refers to the book of Judges. And why is it called Yashar? Because therein is written (17, 6) Every man did what seemed right (Yashar) in his eyes. And where is it intimated [in the Biblical text]? (3, 2) To teach them war. And what is the weapon for which teaching is necessary? This is the bow. And whence do we know that this refers to Judah? The passage reads (Ib. 1, 1) Who shall go up for us first against them? And the Lord said: 'Judah shall go up.' "

(Deut. 32:1:) “Let my instruction drop down like the rain.” R. Joshua ben Levi said, “When Moses went up to the heights, the angels were about to kill him.⁴See ARN, A, 2:3; Shab. 88b; Exod. R. 28:1. He said to them, ‘Is it because of the two things that were granted to me [from the heavens] that you wish to kill me?’ When they heard this, they left him alone. A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a great merchant who was walking in a dangerous place. [When some] brigands⁵Gk.: lestai. seized him [and] wanted to kill him, he said to them, ‘Is it because of the five minas⁶There are four hundred minas to a shekel. in my hand that you wish to kill me?’ But they did not know that there were in his hand precious stones and pearls⁷Gk.: margaritai or margeleis. which were invaluable. They said to each other, ‘What profit is there in killing him? He has nothing on him.’ So they left him alone. When he entered the city, he began to sell precious stones and pearls. They said to him, ‘When we captured you yesterday, you said, “There is nothing on me but five minas”; but now you are bringing out precious stones and pearls which are invaluable?’ He said to them, ‘When I spoke to you, I was in a dangerous situation.’ So also did Moses our master say to the angels, ‘There are [only] two things with me.’ [In fact] there was a great gift with him, as stated (in Ps. 68:19), ‘You ascended on high; [you captured captives; you received gifts for humans].’”⁸Some translations interpret the passage to mean that the gifts are from humans, but the midrash requires the interpretation given here. Therefore David said (in Ps. 119:72), “The Torah of Your mouth is better for me [than thousands of gold and silver pieces].” It also says (in Ps. 19:11), “More delightful are they than gold, than much fine gold”; and it says (in Ps. 12:7), “The sayings of the Lord are [pure] sayings....” Israel said to Moses our master, “Fortunate are you, for your having received gifts.” He said to them, “If I had not said to the ministering angels that there were [only] two things, I should have been burned by their fire, but this Torah saved me from their hand. It was with reference to them that he said (in Deut. 32:2), “Let my instruction drop down like the rain.” “Drop down (rt.: 'rp)” must mean killing, since it is stated (in Deut. 21:4), “and they shall break the neck (rt.: 'rp) of the heifer there”; and so too with Judah, it states (in Gen. 49:8), “your hand will be on the neck (rt.: 'rp) of your enemy.” And my instruction must mean Torah, since it is stated (in Prov. 4:2), “For I gave you good instruction....” And why is Torah compared to rain? To say [that] just as rain erodes, as it states (in Job 14:19), “Water erodes stones”; so does the Torah erode a heart of stone. And this is related to that which our masters say (in Qidd. 30b), “If [the evil impulse] is [like] a stone, it will be dissolved. If it is [like] iron, it will be shattered.” Therefore, there is nothing that is good for a man besides killing himself over the words of the Torah and to constantly occupy himself with it, day and night. And it is so stated (in Josh. 1:8), “and you shall meditate upon them night and day.” And this is related to that which they said (in Meg. 6b), “If a man tells you, “I have toiled but I have not found,’ do not believe [it].” And it is therefore compared to rain. Just like there can be no world without rain, as it is needed to grow all good things; so can the world not survive without Torah, as it is stated (Jer. 33:25), “Were it not that I have established My covenant day and night, I would not have put the laws of heaven and earth.” And just like rain descends little by little, so too with the Torah, one starts at the beginning with the small count of aleph, bet, gimmel, and comes to the large count of kof, reish, shin at the end. So does one start and then one understands the Torah and its details. Another interpretation (of Deut. 32:2), “Let my instruction drop down like the rain.” Israel said to Moses our master, “You have not come to speak with heaven and earth but with the rain and the dew.” He said to them, “[Let me tell you] a parable. It is comparable to a wealthy person who went to honor the king. He took with him great ministers and honored men. [So when] he went into the king along with them, the king received them cordially.” So also did Moses say, “It is better for me to call for heaven and earth, the rain and the dew to be with me, so that when I call upon the Holy One, blessed be He, He will answer me.” For that reason he said to them (in Deut. 32:1-2), “Give ear, O heavens…. Let [my instruction] drop down like the rain…”; and [then] afterwards (in Deut. 31:3), “For I am proclaiming the name of the Lord.”

Conversely, Leah spoke words of praise, and her offspring continued the tradition of praise. She declared: This time will I praise the Lord (Gen. 29:35); and of her son Judah it is said: Judah, thee thy brethren praise (ibid. 49:8). David (another descendant) said: Praise the Lord, for He is good (Ps. 118:1); and concerning Daniel it is said: Daniel kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and praised (Dan. 6:11). R. Judah said: Silence is so very important that Rachel was privileged, because of her silence, to rear two additional tribes in Israel, Ephraim and Manasseh.

Next he began to call out: Judah, thee shall thy brothers praise (Gen. 49:8). Because you acknowledged your guilt concerning what happened to Tamar, your brothers will acknowledge you as king over them.¹⁹Judah had sentenced Tamar to die, but reversed his decision when he realized that he was responsible for her behavior because he had not married her to his son Shelah as the law required (see Gen. 38.).

Thy father’s sons shall bow down before thee (Gen. 49:8). Isaac had said to Jacob: Thy mother’s son shall bow down (ibid. 27:29) because he had only one wife. However, since Jacob had many wives, he said to Judah: Thy father’s sons shall bow before thee.

(Gen. 49:6:) FOR IN THEIR ANGER THEY KILLED A MAN, when they killed Shechem ben Hamor. He said to them: You have afflicted me. Immediately (in vs. 7): CURSED BE THEIR ANGER SO FIERCE. These tribes were unable to dwell together. Rather (ibid., cont.): I WILL DIVIDE THEM IN JACOB AND SCATTER THEM IN ISRAEL. Judah came in and < Jacob > praised him (in vs. 8): YOU, O JUDAH, YOUR BROTHERS SHALL PRAISE (rt.: YDH). In your case, your mother gave praise (rt.: YDH) through your name (Judah, rt.: YDH). When she bore you, she said (in Gen. 29:35): THIS TIME I WILL PRAISE (rt.: YDH) THE LORD; < THEREFORE SHE CALLED HIS NAME JUDAH (rt.: YDH) >. And what did she see to praise in Judah? It is simply that she had given birth to Reuben and foreseen Dathan and Abiram (in Numb. 16:1); so she had not given praise over him (i.e., Reuben). She had given birth to Simeon and foreseen Zimri; so she had not given praise over him. She had given birth to Levi and foreseen Korah; so she had not given praise over him. When she gave birth to Judah, she immediately gave praise (rt.: YDH) over him because he made a confession (rt.: YDH) in the Tamar incident, as stated (in Gen. 38:26): THEN JUDAH GAVE ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND SAID: SHE IS MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN I.⁶¹See Gen. R. 99 (another version):8 (= p. 1279 in the Theodor-Albeck edition). His father said to him: Your mother has given praise (rt.: YDH) over you, and you have made a confession (rt.: YDH). Therefore your brothers shall praise (rt.: YDH) you.⁶²Although the Buber text has “him” here, the correct reading must be “you.” When Isaac blessed Jacob, he had said to him (in Gen. 27:29): AND MAY YOUR MOTHER'S CHILDREN BOW DOWN TO YOU, since he had only one wife. But, since Jacob had four wives, he said (in Gen. 49:8): YOUR FATHER'S CHILDREN < SHALL BOW DOWN TO YOU >.⁶³Gen. R. 66:4. Why shall your brothers praise you? Because all Israel shall be called by your name, < i.e., > Jews.⁶⁴Gen. R. 98(99):6. In Hebrew the word “Jews” is simply the plural of Judah, which in turn has the same root as the Hebrew verb meaning “praise.” And not only that, but out of you is coming the Messiah, who is saving Israel, as stated (in Is. 11:10): BUT A SHOOT SHALL COME FORTH FROM THE STEM OF JESSE….⁶⁵Cf. Romans 15:12; Rev. 5:5.

When Jacob came to bless Judah, he said to him (in Gen. 49:8): AND MAY YOUR FATHER'S CHILDREN BOW DOWN TO YOU, because he had a lot of wives. But Isaac, because he only had Rebekah, said to Jacob (in Gen. 27:29): AND MAY YOUR MOTHER'S CHILDREN BOW DOWN TO YOU.⁶⁵Gen. R. 66:4.

(Gen. 49:28, cont.:) AND THIS IS WHAT THEIR FATHER SPOKE TO THEM WHEN HE BLESSED THEM. EACH ONE WITH HIS OWN BLESSING IS HOW HE BLESSED THEM. "Him" is not written here but HE BLESSED THEM.⁷⁸Tanh., Gen. 12:17; Gen. R. 97, New Version, on 49:28 (= pp. 1227—1228 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); 99(100)4; Numb. R. 13:8; Cant. R. 4:7:1; cf. also Exod. R. 1:6, 16. Why so? Because (in Gen. 49:8-22) he gave Judah the strength of a lion, Joseph the strength of an ox,⁷⁹Shor. Although the Masoretic Text of Gen. 49:22, from which this allusion is taken, vocalizes this word as shur, i.e., “wall,” the present context requires that Joseph be likened to some animal. Naphtali the lightness of a deer, and Dan the bite of a serpent. You might say that one is greater than another; < so > their commonality is < mentioned > at the end. EACH ONE WITH HIS OWN BLESSING … HE BLESSED THEM. Thus he distributed the land to them. He gave Judah the land which produces barley and Benjamin land which produces wheat. Even so, they had a commonality with each other in that they each would eat what belonged to the other. Ergo (in Gen. 49:28): AND THIS IS WHAT THEIR FATHER SPOKE TO THEM. "Unto them" is not written here but TO THEM.⁸⁰Buber cites Samuel Jaffe ben Isaac Ashkenazi, Yefeh To’ar, a commentary on the Midrash Rabbah, Part I on Genesis (Venice, 1597—1606), who cites Rashi, on Gen. 24:7, and explains that “to them” (lahem) used with the verb “speak” (rt.: DBR), as opposed to its use with the verb “say” (rt.: ’MR), means that one is speaking “concerning them” rather than “with them,” which is what “unto them” (alehem) would have implied. So also Enoch Zundel ben Joseph in his commentary Ets Yosef, on Tanh., Gen. 12:16. For a suggested rendering, see the following note. (Ibid.:) AND THIS < is how > someone like me is going to bless you, and at the place where I have stopped he is beginning. Thus it is stated (ibid.): AND THIS IS WHAT THEIR FATHER SPOKE TO THEM.⁸¹Apart from the words AND THIS (in the sense of ALSO THIS), there is another hint there that the verse has a wider meaning in that Jacob is simply alluded to as THEIR FATHER instead of by name. Like Jacob, Moses is a father of Israel. When Moses arose, he opened (the blessing in Deut. 33:1) with AND THIS IS THE BLESSING < WITH WHICH MOSES, THE MAN OF GOD, BLESSED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BEFORE HE DIED >. < He began > from where Jacob had stopped. Ergo (in Gen. 49:28 also): AND THIS. He said these blessings for them. When did they come to pass for you? From the time that you received the Torah, about which it is written (in Deut. 4:44): AND THIS IS THE TORAH. Note the AND THIS. And also, with whatever < expression > Jacob had closed his blessing, Moses opened for them. Moses said (in Ps. 119:100): I HAVE GAINED UNDERSTANDING FROM THE ELDERS. When Isaac blessed Jacob, he said (in Gen. 28:3): MAY GOD ALMIGHTY BLESS YOU. With what did he finally close his blessing? With a calling (according to Gen. 28:1): SO ISAAC CALLED JACOB AND BLESSED HIM. So, in the case of Jacob, where his father had stopped, from there he had begun (according to Gen. 49:1): THEN JACOB CALLED HIS SONS. Then, Jacob stopped (in Gen. 49:28) with THIS; so Moses also, when he arose to bless the tribes, began with AND THIS (in Deut. 33:1): AND THIS IS THE BLESSING. And with what did Moses close? With BLESSED ARE YOU, as stated (in Deut. 33:29): BLESSED ARE YOU, O ISRAEL! WHO IS LIKE YOU? See < how > David opened (Ps. 1:1)! With BLESSED IS THE ONE. Ergo (in Ps. 119:100): I HAVE GAINED UNDERSTANDING FROM THE ELDERS.

Another interpretation: Judah bar Shallum the Levite said: When she came out, the Holy One made her eyes light up and she found them after she had lost them because there is no finding except of what is LOST. Thus it is written (in Lev. 5:22): OR HAS FOUND WHAT IS LOST. Immediately she sent < her tokens of the pledge > to Judah, (according to Gen. 38:25) THE ONE TO WHOM THESE BELONG. She said to him (ibid., cont.): PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE your Creator.⁶¹Gen. R., 97, New Version, on Gen. 49:8 (= p. 1214 in the Theodor-Albeck edition) explains that for Judah to acknowledge the Creator meant for him not to be ashamed in confessing the matter before flesh and blood. Cf. Sot. 10b. Immediately (in vs. 26): JUDAH GAVE ACKNOWLEDGMENT. In that hour a heavenly voice (bat qol) came forth and said to him: You are to say: [She is pregnant from me; lest] she be burned. And afterwards he confessed: The affair stemmed from me. The Holy One said to Him: Judah, for me you have saved three lives from the fire and one (i.e., Joseph) from the pit. By your life, I will save < four lives > for you just as you have saved < them > for me. Who are they? Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah from the fiery furnace (in Dan. 3:20-27) and Daniel from the lions' pit (in Dan. 6:16-23). What is written about them (in Dan. 1:6)? NOW AMONG THOSE FROM THE CHILDREN OF JUDAH WERE DANIEL, HANANIAH, MISHAEL, AND AZARIAH. "From Hezekiah's children"⁶²See PRE 52 at the end; Sanh. 93b. is not written here, but FROM THE CHILDREN OF JUDAH. For what reason? For the reason that he had saved Tamar and her children < from the fire > and Joseph from the pit. When Reuben heard that Judah had confessed, he immediately arose also and said: I also have violated my father's beds (in Gen. 35:22). Eliphaz said to Job (in Job 15:17-18): I WILL INFORM YOU; HEARKEN TO ME. NOW THIS HAVE I SEEN, AND I WILL DECLARE THAT WHICH SAGES HAVE TOLD. These < sages > are Reuben and Judah. Therefore (in vs. 19): TO THEM ALONE WAS THE LAND GIVEN. When? (Ibid.:) AND NO STRANGER PASSED AMONG THEM. When Moses came to bless them, what did he say (in Deut. 33:6-7)? MAY REUBEN LIVE AND NOT DIE…. AND THIS IS FOR JUDAH….

It teaches that he gave him the strength of a lion and the audacity of its cubs.

..."Until he comes to Shiloh" - the one to whom the kingdom is his (shelo); "and to him will be a gathering of peoples" - the one to whom the nations of the world will stream, as it is stated (Isaiah 11:10), "the stock of Jesse that has remained standing shall become a standard to peoples—nations shall seek his counsel"...