Мидраш к Берешит 49:17

(Ib. 13, 25) And the spirit of the Lord began to move him in the camp of Dan. R. Acha in the name of R. Chanina said: "On the third day was the prophesy of Jacob the Patriarch, fulfilled, as it is written (Gen. 49, 17) Dan shall be a serpent by the way." To move him. Said R. Isaac, disciple of R. Ami's academy: "From this we infer that the Holy Spirit was sounding in front of him like a bell; it is written here Lpha'amo (to move him) and it is written elsewhere (Ex. 28, 34) (Pa'amon) a golden bell, and a pomegranate [hence we see that Pa'amon means a bell."] (Jud. 13, 25) Between Zar'ah and Eshthael. Said R. Assi: "Zarah and Eshthael were two large mountains [mentioned Joshua 15, 23,] but Samson uprooted them and ground them one against the other." (Ib. 13, 5) And he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines. Said R. Acha b. R. Chaninah. (Fol. 10) "At that moment he violated the oath of Abilmelech who adjurd Isaac (Gen. 21, 23) That thou will not deal falsely with me nor with my son, nor with my son's son."

R. Jochanan said: "Samson judged Israel like the Heavenly Father did, as it is said (Gen. 49, 16) Dan shall judge his people like one, etc." R. Jochanan said further: "Samson was called by the name of the Holy One, praised be He, as it is said (Ps. 84, 12) For a (Shemesh) sun and shield is the Lord God." According to this version, then, his name must not be erased? We must therefore say that it is similar to the name of the Holy One, praised be He. Just as the Holy One, praised be He, protected the whole world so did Samson protect Israel in his generation. R. Jochanan said further: "Bilam was lame on one of his legs, as it is said (Num. 23, 8) And he went Shefi; Samson was lame on both of his legs, as it is said (Gen. 49, 17) Shefifon — on the path.

“All of you is fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you” (Song of Songs 4:7).
“All of you is fair, my love” – this is Jacob our patriarch, whose bed was unflawed and no waste was found among it.⁹²Unlike his father and grandfather, all his offspring were righteous.
What is, “all of you is fair, my love”? Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: When Israel stood before Mount Sinai and said: “Everything that God spoke we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), at that moment there were in their midst neither zav, nor leper, nor lame, nor blind, nor mute, nor deaf, nor imbecile, nor depressed, nor fool, nor doubter. Regarding that moment it is stated: “All of you is fair, my love.” When they sinned, there were not easy times, and there were in their midst zav, leper, lame, blind, mute, deaf, imbecile, and fool. At that moment it is stated: “They shall banish from the camp every leper and every zav” (Numbers 5:2).
Rabbi Ḥelbo said: It is written: “The one who presented his offering on the first day was [Naḥshon son of Aminadav of the tribe of Judah. And his offering was…]” (Numbers 7:12–13). “On the second day, presented Netanel [son of Tzuar].… his offering was…” (Numbers 7:18–19). Why did the Torah depict Judah as secondary?⁹³In relating Naḥshon’s offering the Torah uses a vav, meaning “and,” in the term vekorbano, “and his offering was,” indicating that there had been someone before him, although there had not been. Regarding Netanel the Torah does not use a vav even though there had been someone before him. It is so Judah would not become arrogant and say: I presented first, I am the greatest of them all. Rather, the Holy One blessed be He treated them as though they all presented on the first day and on the last day.
Rabbi Elazar said: It is written: “This was the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed” (Numbers 7:84). But did each of them not offer one bowl, one ladle? Why does the verse state: “twelve silver bowls, twelve silver basins, twelve golden ladles” (Numbers 7:84)? It was so that Judah would not say: I presented first, I am the greatest of them all. Therefore, the Holy One blessed be He treated them as though they all presented on the first day and on the last day.
Rabbi Berekhya said: It is written: “All these are the tribes of Israel, twelve, [and this is that which their father spoke to them and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them]” (Genesis 49:28). After he blessed them did he bless them again? Rather, it teaches that Jacob our patriarch sat and likened them to beasts. He likened Judah to a lion, as it is stated: “Judah is a lion cub” (Genesis 49:9). Dan to a snake, as it is stated: “Dan will be a serpent on the road” (Genesis 49:17). Naphtali to a hind, as it is stated: “Naphtali is a hind let loose” (Genesis 49:21). Benjamin to a wolf, as it is stated: “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf” (Genesis 49:27). Then he called them all wolves, all of them snakes, all of them fiery serpents, all of them scorpions. Know that it is so, as Dan, whom he called a snake, he⁹⁴Moses then called a lion, as it is stated: “Dan is a lion cub” (Deuteronomy 33:22). Rabbi Idi said: We have found in the offerings of the princes that what this one offered that one offered. This one sacrificed a burnt offering, and that one sacrificed a burnt-offering; this one a meal offering and that one a meal offering; this one a sin offering and that one a sin offering; this one a peace offering and that one a peace offering. Why? It is because all of them are faultless and equal to one another.
What led the verse to delineate their genealogy in the book [of Exodus], Reuben, Simeon, and Levi?⁹⁵The verses delineate the genealogies of only these three tribes (see Exodus 6:14–25). Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Levi: one said: It is because their father reprimanded them,⁹⁶When Jacob gave blessings to his sons before his death, he reprimanded Reuben, Simeon, and Levi (see Genesis 49:3–7). In order to emphasize that these tribes were not inferior, the verses list their genealogies as they introduce Moses and Aaron. and one said: It was because it delineated the genealogy of Moses and Aaron.⁹⁷Because the Torah sought to address the genealogy of Aaron and Moses from the tribe of Levi, it began with Reuben, the first of the tribes, and continued through Levi. We do not know who said this and who said that. However, from the fact that Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Huna: “An ear that heeds life’s reprimand will rest among the wise” (Proverbs 15:31), it is Rabbi Huna⁹⁸This is possibly an alternate pronunciation of the name of Rabbi Ḥanina. Alternatively, the text should either state Rabbi Ḥanina here or Rabbi Huna above. who said because their father reprimanded them. Because they accepted their father’s reprimand they were privileged to have their genealogy delineated alongside Moses and Aaron. That is why it is stated: “All of you is fair.”
Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis: Rabbi Yehuda said: It is because all the tribes did not preserve their genealogies in Egypt, but Reuben, Simeon, and Levi preserved their genealogy.⁹⁹They married only with families that could prove they were of pure lineage. Rabbi Neḥemya said: It is because all the tribes engaged in idol worship in Egypt, but the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi did not engage in idol worship. The Rabbis say: It is because the other tribes did not exercise authority in Egypt, but these tribes exercised authority. How so? When Reuben died,¹⁰⁰Joseph had been the authority figure among the brothers and their descendants in Egypt, but he died before his brothers. At that point, Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob, became the authority figure. authority was transferred to Simeon. When Simeon died, authority was transferred to Levi. When Levi died, authority was going to be transferred to Judah. A Divine voice emerged and said: Leave it until its time arrives. When did its time arrive? After the death of Joshua. That is what is written: “It was after the death of Joshua.… the Lord said: Judah shall ascend” (Judges 1:1–2). He was called three names: Judah, Otniel, and Yabetz. Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Levi [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina: This¹⁰¹Yabetz is Boaz. Rabbi Simon [said] in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: This¹⁰²Yabetz is Otniel.
It is written: “Son of man, the House of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all…” (Ezekiel 22:18). Zechariah said: I saw them, and they were pure gold: “I saw, and behold, a candelabrum of gold in its entirety, with a bowl [gulah] atop it.… and there are two olive trees over it” (Zechariah 4:2–3). There were two amora’im; one said exile [gola], and one said their Redeemer [go’alah]. The one who said gola: As they were exiled to Babylon, and the Divine Presence was exiled with them. The one who said go’alah: It is their redemption, as it is written: “Our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is His name…” (Isaiah 47:4). The Holy One blessed be He said: Since that is the case:¹⁰³Since in the future they will all be comparable to pure gold, as envisioned by Zechariah. “All of you is fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you.”