Комментарий о цитате к Берешит 49:16

“And with you there shall be a man from each tribe, a man who is the head of his father’s house.” Since it already said a man from each tribe, why did it repeat a man who is the head of his father’s house? It is reasonable to say that this is similar to what the commentators wrote on the verse Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel (Genesis 49:16). This means that he [Dan] did not favor his own tribe, which was called his people, but rather he judged them as one of the tribes of Israel, treating them the same as any other tribe. Similarly, these tribal leaders were virtuous, and each one was a man for his tribe. Each leader acted with strength toward his entire tribe, exercising his leadership role with authority. And not only did he do this for those members of the tribe who were somewhat distant from him, but he was even the head of his father’s house — to those closest to him — he also served as their leader, exercising his authority over them.

[On a lesser scale, the other tribes also legislated, such] as Oholiav of the tribe of Dan, who made many special contributions to the Tabernacle. [This suggests] that Dan also contributed to the development of law in particular areas, that is, monetary matters. And this is what Scripture [implies when it] writes: “Dan shall judge his nation, [in a manner similar to] the unique tribe of Israel,”⁸Gen. 49:16. [referring to] Yehuda. Just as Yehuda [legislates] concerning all areas of the Torah, similarly, Dan, when issuing certain legislation, would also delve very deeply into the [Torah to arrive at the proper] halachah concerning monetary cases. [Thus, what Yehuda did for all halachah, Dan did in a specialized area. This trait of Dan] is described in Tractate Pesahim, 4a, stating that there was a man who would always say: “Judge my case in court.”⁹Rashi states, “Whenever a dispute arose, this person would insist that it be tried in court.” [The Rabbis] said: “Learn from his manner of speech that he comes from the tribe of Dan, whose members were very knowledgeable about money matters.” [Examples of expertise in monetary cases can be found] among those amora’im who are well known to be unique in their ability to decide in accordance with the accepted halachah in that area. For example, we follow Shemuel [in disputes with Rav regarding monetary cases, but not in cases of issurim¹⁰Ritual law. ], and [we follow] Rav Nahman [in monetary cases].¹¹See Rosh in Bava Kamma 27b, who states, “We follow Rav Nahman in monetary law.” This is also found among the tannaim such as Ben Nannas¹²Bava Basra 175b: “Said R. Yishmael, ‘… The one who desires to delve into matters of monetary law should minister to Ben Nannas.’” and R. Nasan,¹³Bava Kamma 53a states: “Rava said, ‘[The halachah is in accordance with] R. Nasan, as he was a judge who goes down to the depths of the law.’” [who were especially known for their expertise in monetary law].

However, according to those who say that “tanin” means a fish, we can say that in front of the Israelites, the staff turned into a snake to indicate that initially the Israelites stood upright like a straight rod, but afterward their full stature was lowered to the ground, becoming like creatures that crawl in the dust. And when they would grasp its tail — when they would reach the depths of degradation — they would return to their former state, becoming like this staff. And so it was that Pharaoh increased their servitude at the end, and he attacked them from behind to make them like the tails of smoking firebrands, from which they rose to their elevated status.
This would not have been appropriate to do before Pharaoh; therefore, in his presence, the staff turned into a tanin, meaning a fish, to indicate that just as God foiled his plan initially — for Pharaoh wanted to make them like this dry staff that does not reproduce, and thus he said, Lest they multiply — the opposite happened: the dry staff became a fish, as it is written And they shall multiply abundantly in the midst of the earth (Genesis 49:16). So too now, God would foil his plan. Therefore, the tanin did not return to being a staff, hinting that the Israelites would remain in their multiplied state forever.
And when it says, Aaron’s staff swallowed, it refers to the tanin that was initially a staff. The Nile, which contains fish, was struck specifically by Moses’ staff, which was initially a snake. But Aaron’s staff, which was initially a fish and now became a staff [not in Pharaoh’s presence], would not be appropriate to kill their fish, since it had been a fish itself.
Afterward, He commanded them to take Aaron’s staff to strike all the rivers and lakes. Therefore, it says “the fish in the Nile died, but not those in the lakes and rivers that were struck by Aaron’s staff. He dealt more severely with the Nile because it was their god, so He executed judgments on their gods, showing them that it could not save the fish. But the lakes and rivers were not considered deities, so He did not kill their fish.

Search for the Lord and His might The Sanctuary and Ark are called “His might,” as it is written (Ps. 78:61): “And He delivered His might into captivity,” i.e., He delivered His Ark to bring it into captivity, and it is written (ibid. 132:8): “Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place, You and the Ark of Your might.” For that reason, Eleazar, its watchman, was called Uzza, because he guarded the Ark, which was called might (עֹז). An example of this is that [Ephron was called by this name] because of the four hundred silver shekels, which is the numerical value of the name Ephron. And so, many others [as in] (Gen. 49:16): “Dan (דָן) will champion (יָדִין) the right of his people”; (ibid. verse 8): “Judah, (יְהוּדָה) you are the one; to you your brothers do homage (יוֹדוּךָ).”