וַיְכַ֤ל יַעֲקֹב֙ לְצַוֺּ֣ת אֶת־בָּנָ֔יו וַיֶּאֱסֹ֥ף רַגְלָ֖יו אֶל־הַמִּטָּ֑ה וַיִּגְוַ֖ע וַיֵּאָ֥סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו׃
און װי יעקב האָט געענדיקט זײַן צַװָאֶה צו זײַנע זין, אַזױ האָט ער אַרײַנגענומען זײַנע פֿיס אין בעט, און איז פֿאַרגאַנגען, און איז אײַנגעזאַמלט געװאָרן צו זײַן פֿאָלק.
Midrash Tannaim
Rabbi Shimon said, "It is the fortune of the righteous that they do not depart from the world until they command their children after them concerning the words of the Torah. As so have we found with Abraham our father, who did not depart from the world until he commanded his children and his household that they should keep the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He. As it is stated, I have known him, in order that he may command his children, etc. (Genesis 18:19). Likewise did Isaac command Jacob. As it is stated, And Issac called to Jacob and blessed him and commanded him (Genesis 28:2). So too did Jacob command his sons. As it is stated, And Jacob finished commanding his sons (Genesis 49:33). Likewise did David, the king of Israel, command Solomon his son. As it is stated, And the days for David to die approached, so he commanded Solomon his son, saying (I Kings 2:1). And so too, Moses our teacher did not depart from the world until he rebuked the Jewish people about the sins that fell into their hands and he commanded them to keep the commandments of the Holy One, blessed be He. As it is stated, These are the words, etc.." What is [the meaning of] These are the words? Rabbi Yishamael said, "These words (devarim) are equal to the Ten Commandments (dibbarot) that the Jewish people received from Mount Sinai. And not only that, but with the Ten Commandments, they did not wait much until they rebelled against them and said, These are your gods, O Israel (Exodus 32:4), whereas these words brought the Jewish people back to the good and made them cling to the Holy One, blessed be He, and to His Torah. As it is stated, But you, who clung to the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 4:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, 'Since the Jewish people have clung to Me through these words, [the words] will only be called by your name. As it is stated, These are the words that Moses spoke to all of Israel. It does not state, "These are the words that the Lord spoke," but rather These are the words Moses spoke.'"
Kohelet Rabbah
“I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, and the war is not to the valiant; also bread is not to the wise, and also wealth is not to the clever, and also favor is not to the knowledgeable, but rather, time and chance befalls them all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11).
“That the race is not to the swift” – this is Jacob our patriarch; yesterday: “Jacob lifted his feet [and went to the land of the children of the east]” (Genesis 29:1), and today it is written: “He gathered his feet onto the bed [and expired]” (Genesis 49:33). “And the war is not to the valiant” – this is Jacob; yesterday, “he rolled the stone off the mouth of the well” (Genesis 29:10), and Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Like a person removing the stopper from the mouth of a flask,61This demonstrates Jacob’s great strength, as the stone was heavy enough that generally multiple people had to lift it together (see Genesis 29:8). and today, “the sons of Israel transported Jacob their father” (Genesis 46:5), his body, and he could not be carried even [sitting] in a litter.62Jacob was so weak that his sons had to carry him themselves as they traveled.
“Also bread is not to the wise” – this is Jacob; yesterday, “Jacob sacrificed an offering on the mountain…[and called his brethren to eat bread] and they ate bread” (Genesis 31:54). Were they his brethren? He had one brother, and if only he had buried him.63His only brother, Esau, wanted to kill him; it would have been better for Jacob had Esau died. Were they not his sons? Rather, once they reached his shoulders he likened them to himself and called them brethren. Today, “Return and purchase a little food for us…” (Genesis 43:2).64Jacob asked his sons to return to Egypt to purchase food. Instead of him providing for them, he asked them to provide food for him.
“And also wealth is not to the clever” – this is Jacob; “the man became exceedingly prosperous [vayifrotz]” (Genesis 30:43). Rabbi Simon teaches in the name of Rabbi Shimon that he had a microcosm of the World to Come, as it is stated: “The one who breaks through [haporetz] will have ascended before them” (Micah 2:13).65Just as the Messiah, the subject of that verse, will break the laws of nature, God broke the laws of nature in causing Jacob’s flocks to multiply in order to grant him wealth. But today, “Joseph sustained his father and his brothers…” (Genesis 47:12).
“And also favor is not to the knowledgeable” – this is Jacob. Yesterday, “I know my son, I know” (Genesis 48:19). I know about the incident of Judah and Tamar, the incident of Reuben and Bilha. If the matters that were not revealed to you, were revealed to me, the matters that were revealed to you, all the more so. But today, he said to him: “If I have found favor in your eyes…do not bury me in Egypt (Genesis 47:29).66Jacob was more knowledgeable than Joseph, as indicated in Genesis 48:19, yet he had to ask for Joseph’s favor so that he could be buried in the land of Israel.
Another matter, “the race is not to the swift” – this is Asael, as it is stated: “Asael was light on his feet, like one of the antelopes…” (II Samuel 2:18). How was his lightness manifest? He would run over the awns of the stalks and they would not break. Yesterday, “Asael was light on his feet,” and today, “Avner struck him with the back of the spear” (II Samuel 2:23).
“And the war is not to the valiant” – this is Avner, as it is written: “Are you not a man? Who is your equal in Israel…” (I Samuel 26:15). As Rabbi Asi said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: It is easier for a person to move a six-cubit-wide wall than one of Avner’s legs; but today, “shall Avner die the death of a scoundrel?” (II Samuel 3:33).67David said this after Yoav tricked Avner and killed him.
“Also bread is not to the wise” – this is Solomon. Yesterday, “Solomon’s daily provision was thirty kor of fine flour and sixty kor of flour” (I Kings 5:2), and it is written: “Ten fattened bulls…” (I Kings 5:3). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Likewise, each and every day, and likewise each and every one of his wives would prepare a meal for him, under the impression that he would dine with her. But today, “this was my portion from all my toil” (Ecclesiastes 2:10). There is one who says: [All he had was] his bowl, there is one who says: [All he had was] his walking stick, and there is one who says: [All he had was] his belt.68This is an allusion to the midrash (Kohelet Rabba 2:10) that Solomon was displaced from his throne and made to wander as a commoner with almost nothing.
“And also wealth is not to the clever” – this is Job. Yesterday, “his livestock was seven thousand sheep…” (Job 1:3), “and his livestock spread [paratz] in the land” (Job 1:10). Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: He breached [paratz] the boundaries of the world. Everywhere, the way of the world is that wolves kill the goats; however, with Job, the goats would kill the wolves. But today, “pity me, pity me, you are my friends…” (Job 19:21).
“And also favor is not to the knowledgeable” – this is Joshua. Rabbi Aḥva son of Rabbi Zeira said: There are two matters that Joshua spoke before Moses, but they did not find favor in his eyes, and these are: One regarding the appointment of the elders, and one in the incident of the [Golden] Calf. In the appointment of the elders, as it is written: “My lord Moses, incarcerate them [kela’em]” (Numbers 11:28); he said to him: Put an end to them [kalem] and remove them from the world. “Moses said to him: Are you zealous on my behalf?” (Numbers 11:29). [Moses] said to him: ‘Joshua, am I jealous of you?69According to rabbinic tradition, Joshua’s statement to Moses about two elders, Eldad and Medad, was made after the latter prophesied that Moses would die and Joshua would lead the nation in the land of Israel (Sanhedrin 17a). That is the backdrop of this midrash, in which Joshua demanded that these elders be punished for their lack of respect toward Moses, and Moses responded that he was not insulted by their prophecy (Rabbi David Luria). If only my son could be like you, if only all Israel could be like you, “would that all the people of the Lord would be prophets” (Numbers 11:29).’
And one regarding the [Golden] Calf, as it is stated: “Joshua heard the sound of the people in their uproar [and he said to Moses: There is a sound of war in the camp]” (Exodus 32:17). Moses said to him: ‘A person who is destined to assert authority over six hundred thousand [men] does not know to distinguish between one sound and another sound? “It is not the sound of a cry of strength [gevura]” (Exodus 32:18),’ as it is stated: “Israel prevailed [vegavar]” (Exodus 17:11); ‘“and it is not the sound of a cry of weakness” (Exodus 32:18),’ as it is stated: “Joshua weakened [Amalek]” (Exodus 17:13); ‘“the sound of a cry, I hear” (Exodus 32:18).’ Rabbi Asi said: It is the sound of praise of idol worship, I hear. Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Asi: You do not have any generation that did not take one ounce of the calf.70The punishment for this sin is distributed over all the generations.
“That the race is not to the swift” – this is Jacob our patriarch; yesterday: “Jacob lifted his feet [and went to the land of the children of the east]” (Genesis 29:1), and today it is written: “He gathered his feet onto the bed [and expired]” (Genesis 49:33). “And the war is not to the valiant” – this is Jacob; yesterday, “he rolled the stone off the mouth of the well” (Genesis 29:10), and Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Like a person removing the stopper from the mouth of a flask,61This demonstrates Jacob’s great strength, as the stone was heavy enough that generally multiple people had to lift it together (see Genesis 29:8). and today, “the sons of Israel transported Jacob their father” (Genesis 46:5), his body, and he could not be carried even [sitting] in a litter.62Jacob was so weak that his sons had to carry him themselves as they traveled.
“Also bread is not to the wise” – this is Jacob; yesterday, “Jacob sacrificed an offering on the mountain…[and called his brethren to eat bread] and they ate bread” (Genesis 31:54). Were they his brethren? He had one brother, and if only he had buried him.63His only brother, Esau, wanted to kill him; it would have been better for Jacob had Esau died. Were they not his sons? Rather, once they reached his shoulders he likened them to himself and called them brethren. Today, “Return and purchase a little food for us…” (Genesis 43:2).64Jacob asked his sons to return to Egypt to purchase food. Instead of him providing for them, he asked them to provide food for him.
“And also wealth is not to the clever” – this is Jacob; “the man became exceedingly prosperous [vayifrotz]” (Genesis 30:43). Rabbi Simon teaches in the name of Rabbi Shimon that he had a microcosm of the World to Come, as it is stated: “The one who breaks through [haporetz] will have ascended before them” (Micah 2:13).65Just as the Messiah, the subject of that verse, will break the laws of nature, God broke the laws of nature in causing Jacob’s flocks to multiply in order to grant him wealth. But today, “Joseph sustained his father and his brothers…” (Genesis 47:12).
“And also favor is not to the knowledgeable” – this is Jacob. Yesterday, “I know my son, I know” (Genesis 48:19). I know about the incident of Judah and Tamar, the incident of Reuben and Bilha. If the matters that were not revealed to you, were revealed to me, the matters that were revealed to you, all the more so. But today, he said to him: “If I have found favor in your eyes…do not bury me in Egypt (Genesis 47:29).66Jacob was more knowledgeable than Joseph, as indicated in Genesis 48:19, yet he had to ask for Joseph’s favor so that he could be buried in the land of Israel.
Another matter, “the race is not to the swift” – this is Asael, as it is stated: “Asael was light on his feet, like one of the antelopes…” (II Samuel 2:18). How was his lightness manifest? He would run over the awns of the stalks and they would not break. Yesterday, “Asael was light on his feet,” and today, “Avner struck him with the back of the spear” (II Samuel 2:23).
“And the war is not to the valiant” – this is Avner, as it is written: “Are you not a man? Who is your equal in Israel…” (I Samuel 26:15). As Rabbi Asi said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: It is easier for a person to move a six-cubit-wide wall than one of Avner’s legs; but today, “shall Avner die the death of a scoundrel?” (II Samuel 3:33).67David said this after Yoav tricked Avner and killed him.
“Also bread is not to the wise” – this is Solomon. Yesterday, “Solomon’s daily provision was thirty kor of fine flour and sixty kor of flour” (I Kings 5:2), and it is written: “Ten fattened bulls…” (I Kings 5:3). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Likewise, each and every day, and likewise each and every one of his wives would prepare a meal for him, under the impression that he would dine with her. But today, “this was my portion from all my toil” (Ecclesiastes 2:10). There is one who says: [All he had was] his bowl, there is one who says: [All he had was] his walking stick, and there is one who says: [All he had was] his belt.68This is an allusion to the midrash (Kohelet Rabba 2:10) that Solomon was displaced from his throne and made to wander as a commoner with almost nothing.
“And also wealth is not to the clever” – this is Job. Yesterday, “his livestock was seven thousand sheep…” (Job 1:3), “and his livestock spread [paratz] in the land” (Job 1:10). Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: He breached [paratz] the boundaries of the world. Everywhere, the way of the world is that wolves kill the goats; however, with Job, the goats would kill the wolves. But today, “pity me, pity me, you are my friends…” (Job 19:21).
“And also favor is not to the knowledgeable” – this is Joshua. Rabbi Aḥva son of Rabbi Zeira said: There are two matters that Joshua spoke before Moses, but they did not find favor in his eyes, and these are: One regarding the appointment of the elders, and one in the incident of the [Golden] Calf. In the appointment of the elders, as it is written: “My lord Moses, incarcerate them [kela’em]” (Numbers 11:28); he said to him: Put an end to them [kalem] and remove them from the world. “Moses said to him: Are you zealous on my behalf?” (Numbers 11:29). [Moses] said to him: ‘Joshua, am I jealous of you?69According to rabbinic tradition, Joshua’s statement to Moses about two elders, Eldad and Medad, was made after the latter prophesied that Moses would die and Joshua would lead the nation in the land of Israel (Sanhedrin 17a). That is the backdrop of this midrash, in which Joshua demanded that these elders be punished for their lack of respect toward Moses, and Moses responded that he was not insulted by their prophecy (Rabbi David Luria). If only my son could be like you, if only all Israel could be like you, “would that all the people of the Lord would be prophets” (Numbers 11:29).’
And one regarding the [Golden] Calf, as it is stated: “Joshua heard the sound of the people in their uproar [and he said to Moses: There is a sound of war in the camp]” (Exodus 32:17). Moses said to him: ‘A person who is destined to assert authority over six hundred thousand [men] does not know to distinguish between one sound and another sound? “It is not the sound of a cry of strength [gevura]” (Exodus 32:18),’ as it is stated: “Israel prevailed [vegavar]” (Exodus 17:11); ‘“and it is not the sound of a cry of weakness” (Exodus 32:18),’ as it is stated: “Joshua weakened [Amalek]” (Exodus 17:13); ‘“the sound of a cry, I hear” (Exodus 32:18).’ Rabbi Asi said: It is the sound of praise of idol worship, I hear. Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Asi: You do not have any generation that did not take one ounce of the calf.70The punishment for this sin is distributed over all the generations.
Bereshit Rabbah
“Know that the Lord is God” (Psalms 100:3) – Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon and Rabbi Aḥa, Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: “Know that the Lord is God, He made us, and we did not [velo]” (Psalms 100:3) create ourselves, unlike Pharaoh, who said: “My river is mine and I made myself” (Ezekiel 29:3). Rabbi Aḥa said: “Know that the Lord is God, He made us and to Him [velo]” we devote ourselves.1The word velo can be written with an alef, in which case it means “and not,” or it can be written with a vav, in which case it means “and to Him.” Traditionally, the word velo in this verse is written with an alef but read as though it is written with a vav. Rabbi Yehuda’s interpretation is based on the spelling with an alef and Rabbi Aḥa’s interpretation is based on the spelling with a vav.
“Jacob concluded commanding his sons, he drew his feet to the bed, and he expired, and he was gathered to his people” (Genesis 49:33).
“Jacob concluded commanding his sons” – three commands were stated regarding the matter:2This phrase means that there are three verses (Genesis 49:29, 33, 50:12) that describe Jacob’s commands to his sons. The midrash will interpret this to mean that he issued three distinct commands, as explained in the next paragraph. Some commentaries assert that this phrase should not appear here in the text but rather at the beginning of the next paragraph, where the midrash explains what the three commands were (Matnot Kehuna; Yefeh To’ar). “He commanded them and said to them: I am to be gathered to my people” (Genesis 49:29) – if you merit for yourselves, you will merit me.3If you fulfill what I command, I will always be with you. If not, when I depart from the world, I will go to my fathers, as it is stated: “I am to be gathered to my people” (Genesis 49:29). When he departed, immediately: “His sons did to him just as he commanded them” (Genesis 50:12) – they embalmed him and took him up [to Canaan] in his bier.
“Jacob concluded commanding his sons, he drew his feet to the bed, and he expired, and he was gathered to his people” (Genesis 49:33).
“Jacob concluded commanding his sons” – three commands were stated regarding the matter:2This phrase means that there are three verses (Genesis 49:29, 33, 50:12) that describe Jacob’s commands to his sons. The midrash will interpret this to mean that he issued three distinct commands, as explained in the next paragraph. Some commentaries assert that this phrase should not appear here in the text but rather at the beginning of the next paragraph, where the midrash explains what the three commands were (Matnot Kehuna; Yefeh To’ar). “He commanded them and said to them: I am to be gathered to my people” (Genesis 49:29) – if you merit for yourselves, you will merit me.3If you fulfill what I command, I will always be with you. If not, when I depart from the world, I will go to my fathers, as it is stated: “I am to be gathered to my people” (Genesis 49:29). When he departed, immediately: “His sons did to him just as he commanded them” (Genesis 50:12) – they embalmed him and took him up [to Canaan] in his bier.