Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Genesis 49:28

This is the blessing Like the blessing of Yaaqov [Genesis 49: 28].

AND THIS IS THE BLESSING WHEREWITH MOSES THE MAN OF G-D BLESSED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BEFORE HIS DEATH. It states the man of G-d in order to indicate that his blessing will be fulfilled because he was the man of G-d, and the prayer of the upright is His delight.¹Proverbs 15:8. Now Scripture calls Moses our teacher the man of G-d, and so also the rest of the prophets,²The Sifre, Brachah 342, lists eighteen prophets of whom Scripture speaks as ‘men of G-d.’ Elijah,³I Kings 17:18. and others,⁴Those not identified by name. Thus: And there came a man of G-d to Eli (I Samuel 2:27), and other similar cases. but it does not state “the man of the Eternal;” instead it says Moses the ‘servant’ of the Eternal.⁵Joshua 1:1. Moses is the servant of the Eternal Who has created everything, and Moses’ conception of Him was like that of a servant who is afraid to behold his master. Moses was also the man of G-d, since all his deeds and words came by command of the Almighty (Ma’or V’shamesh). The reason is known to every student learned in [the mystic lore of] the Torah. So also by way of the Truth, [the expression ‘v’zoth habrachah’ (and this is the blessing) means that] “v’zoth is the blessing” [as explained further on], for From the Eternal has ‘zoth’ (this) come.⁶Psalms 118:23. — “By way of the Truth,” another name for the teachings of the Cabala, thus begins a new thought of Ramban. First he intimated that the reason for Scripture stating the man of G-d and not “the man of the Eternal” is known to every student of the mysteries of the Torah. And now he begins to explain, on the basis of the Cabala, the unique expression of v’zoth habrachah. Similarly it is said in the case of Jacob, ‘v’zoth’ (and ‘this’ is) what their father [Jacob] spoke unto them.⁷Genesis 49:28. It was this blessing that David meant when he said, ‘Zoth’ (this) came to pass unto me, because I have kept Thy precepts,⁸Psalms 119:56. alluding to Zion the city of David, for there the Eternal commanded the blessing, even life forever.⁹Ibid., 133:3. The student learned in the mysteries of the Cabala will understand. Our Rabbis meant this secret in their interpretation in Bereshith Rabbah:¹⁰Bereshith Rabbah 100:13. “‘v’zoth’ (and this is) what their father spoke unto them.⁷Genesis 49:28. A man like me is destined to bless you, and, from the very place where I [Jacob] concluded — from there will he begin. At the moment Moses our teacher rose to bless them, he began with ‘v’zoth habrachah’ (and this is the blessing) — from the very place where their father concluded. This then is the meaning of the expression ‘v’zoth’ what their father spoke unto them⁷Genesis 49:28. [their father Jacob told them that the next blessing they receive would be from a man who will begin with v’zoth — v’zoth habrachah]. He [i.e., the patriarch Jacob] said to them: When will these blessings reach you? From the time you accept the Torah, in which is written, ‘V’zoth’ (And this is) the Law etc. ”¹¹Above 4:44. For this word zoth alludes to the blessing which is the Torah, and this is the covenant, as it is written ‘Zoth’ (this is) My covenant.¹²Genesis 17:10. I have already mentioned this.¹³Ibid., 2:20 (Vol. I, p. 79); Exodus 25:3 (Vol. II, pp. 437-438).

Another explanation: In the Midrash (Devarim Rabbah 11:1) they said, Moses began his blessings from the point where Jacob ended, as it is said (Genesis 49:28), And this is what their father spoke to them, and Moses began with And this. And it seems appropriate to interpret this Midrash in two ways. The first is that the word “vezot” [and this] is in feminine form, because all songs of this world are expressed in feminine language, as in all of them there is pain, but in the future, they will be in masculine language, as males do not give birth [and experience pain in that way]. Jacob sought to reveal the end [of days], meaning the future, but it was concealed from Him. Therefore, all his blessings were about the promises of this world from beginning to end, and thus he sealed his blessings with the word “vezot.” For all promises of this world contain pain, but Moses, who was a man of God and upon whom the Divine Presence rested, therefore began with “zot” [this], but did not seal his blessing with “zot,” because the beginning of his words were also about the promises of this world, which are necessary to achieve through them the final perfection that cannot be attained without them, but the end of his words concerned the promise of the World to Come, saying, Fortunate are you, Israel. And so it concludes in the Yalkut here (964) that this entire verse speaks of the true happiness in the World to Come: “Fortunate are you, Israel, what is prepared and stored for you for the World to Come, etc.” And similarly, what is written, And the Lord showed him all the land… to the Distant Sea (Deuteronomy 34:1–2), they interpreted as “until the distant day” (Sifrei 31:2), meaning the World to Come. If so, he was the opposite of Jacob, from whom the end [of days] was concealed, while to Moses it was revealed. Therefore, he began from where Jacob ended, because the end of Jacob’s blessings were only about the promises of this world, but Moses, although the beginning of his blessings were about the promises of this world, their conclusion was about the promises of the World to Come, as stated.