בֵּ֤ן פֹּרָת֙ יוֹסֵ֔ף בֵּ֥ן פֹּרָ֖ת עֲלֵי־עָ֑יִן בָּנ֕וֹת צָעֲדָ֖ה עֲלֵי־שֽׁוּר׃
אַ פֿרוכטיק בײמל איז יוֹסף, אַ פֿרוכטיק בײמל בײַ אַ קװאַל; די צװײַגן שפּרײַזן איבער דער מױער.
Kli Yakar
And the reason why he called Joseph [specifically] a congregation more than the other tribes is because the term “congregation” [kahal] indicates that many people are gathered in one place. And in a place where there is a large gathering, the evil eye is especially prevalent; therefore, people typically refrain from gathering. However, the tribe of Joseph is an exception, as gathering does not harm them because the evil eye has no effect on them, as [the Sages] learned (Berachot 20a) from the verse Joseph is a fruitful son, a fruitful son above the eye (Genesis 49:22) — read it as “those who transcend the eye.”
Rabbeinu Bahya
Nachmanides rejects Rashi’s approach arguing that it is impossible to say that Joseph was given only part of the birthright, i.e. that he would be two of the twelve tribes without inheriting accordingly in the land of Israel. He quotes 49,22 as proof that Joseph became two tribes and uses the plural in the words יקראו בנחלתם, “they will be called such in their respective inheritances” as proof that Joseph’s birthright included the extra share of the inheritance. This is also in accordance with the translation of Onkelos who renders the words בנות צעדה עלי שור in 49,22 as תרין שבטין יפקון מבנוהי יקבלון חול'קא ואחסנתא as “two tribes from my sons will receive חולקא and אחסנתא” (different categories of land shares respectively).
Ramban
FOR IN THEIR ANGER THEY SLEW A MAN AND IN THEIR SELF-WILL THEY DISABLED AN OX (‘SHOR’). The meaning of this is that they committed violence in their wrath in that they were angry at Shechem, and it was to satisfy their own desire and not because of the guilt or sins of the slain.
Now Onkelos says that the word shor (ox) should be understood as shur (wall) with a shuruk,111The phonetic equivalent oo. Thus the word should be understood as shur (wall) rather than shor (ox). The Torah-script has no vowel signs, and for the sake of interpretation, a difficult word may sometimes be interpreted as if it were vowelled differently than the traditional reading. as in the verse, Daughters treaded on the wall (‘shur’).112Verse 22 here. Thus Onkelos translated the word shor in the present verse as “the wall of the enemy,” similar in expression to the verse: Mine eye also hath gazed on them that lie in wait for me (‘b’shuroi’).113Psalms 92:12. Ramban is thus suggesting that the enemy lies in wait for me behind his fortified walls. The meaning of the verse is thus: “and they uprooted a city surrounded with a wall, slaying their children and women after having killed the men of the city.” The word ikru (disabled) would then be similar in use to the verse, Ekron shall be rooted up (‘tei’akeir’).114Zephaniah 2:4.
Others115Mentioned in the commentary of R’dak in the name of Rabbi Yaakov the son of Rabbi Elazar. have explained that the ox, which is the largest of cattle, is an allusion to Hamor and his son Shechem, the prince of the country,116Above, 34:2. just as in the verses: His firstling bull, majesty is his;117Deuteronomy 33:17. Ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria.118Amos 4:1. Similarly do the verses surname the great princes “rams”119Exodus 15:15. Eilei Moab is generally translated, “the mighty men of Moab,” but literally it means “the rams of Moab.” and “he-goats.”120Isaiah 14:9. Atudei eretz is generally translated, “the chief ones of the earth,” but literally it means “the he-goats of the earth.”
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the verse is to be understood in its usual sense as stating that in their anger they killed each man of whom they were wrathful; and in their self-will, after their anger had been calmed by the slaying of the men, they uprooted all oxen, this being an allusion to their cattle and their possessions, including everything that was in the home and everything in the field. Now Jacob mentioned this in order to state that he had no part in all these secret deliberations of theirs, even in the removal of the cattle and possessions, or any aspect of the spoiling and plundering of the people of the city of Shechem. The word ikru [in the expression, ikru shor], has the same meaning as in the verse: Thou shalt hemstring (‘te’akeir’) their horses.121Joshua 11:6. But the expression and purport is all one.
Now Onkelos says that the word shor (ox) should be understood as shur (wall) with a shuruk,111The phonetic equivalent oo. Thus the word should be understood as shur (wall) rather than shor (ox). The Torah-script has no vowel signs, and for the sake of interpretation, a difficult word may sometimes be interpreted as if it were vowelled differently than the traditional reading. as in the verse, Daughters treaded on the wall (‘shur’).112Verse 22 here. Thus Onkelos translated the word shor in the present verse as “the wall of the enemy,” similar in expression to the verse: Mine eye also hath gazed on them that lie in wait for me (‘b’shuroi’).113Psalms 92:12. Ramban is thus suggesting that the enemy lies in wait for me behind his fortified walls. The meaning of the verse is thus: “and they uprooted a city surrounded with a wall, slaying their children and women after having killed the men of the city.” The word ikru (disabled) would then be similar in use to the verse, Ekron shall be rooted up (‘tei’akeir’).114Zephaniah 2:4.
Others115Mentioned in the commentary of R’dak in the name of Rabbi Yaakov the son of Rabbi Elazar. have explained that the ox, which is the largest of cattle, is an allusion to Hamor and his son Shechem, the prince of the country,116Above, 34:2. just as in the verses: His firstling bull, majesty is his;117Deuteronomy 33:17. Ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria.118Amos 4:1. Similarly do the verses surname the great princes “rams”119Exodus 15:15. Eilei Moab is generally translated, “the mighty men of Moab,” but literally it means “the rams of Moab.” and “he-goats.”120Isaiah 14:9. Atudei eretz is generally translated, “the chief ones of the earth,” but literally it means “the he-goats of the earth.”
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the verse is to be understood in its usual sense as stating that in their anger they killed each man of whom they were wrathful; and in their self-will, after their anger had been calmed by the slaying of the men, they uprooted all oxen, this being an allusion to their cattle and their possessions, including everything that was in the home and everything in the field. Now Jacob mentioned this in order to state that he had no part in all these secret deliberations of theirs, even in the removal of the cattle and possessions, or any aspect of the spoiling and plundering of the people of the city of Shechem. The word ikru [in the expression, ikru shor], has the same meaning as in the verse: Thou shalt hemstring (‘te’akeir’) their horses.121Joshua 11:6. But the expression and purport is all one.
Tur HaArokh
צוטריטלעך נאָר פֿאַר פּרעמיום־מיטגלידערRabbeinu Bahya
צוטריטלעך נאָר פֿאַר פּרעמיום־מיטגלידערRashi
To the grapevine. This refers to Gidon,6Yalkut, ibid. a descendant of Yoseif, of whom it is said, "A flourishing son"—"like a grapevine positioned, etc."7“A flourishing son over a wellspring”. (Bereishis, 49:22). Targum Onkelos there interprets, “like a grapevine positioned over a wellspring.”