Saadia's Tafsir on Bereshit 49 (Parashat Vayechi)

Bereshit 49:1

וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב אֶל-בָּנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הֵאָסְפוּ וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם אֵת אֲשֶׁר-יִקְרָא אֶתְכֶם בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים

. .

Then Jacob called for his sons, and said: 'Gather, that I may tell you what shall meet you in the end of days.

Bereshit 49:2

הִקָּבְצוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב וְשִׁמְעוּ אֶל-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיכֶם

.

Gather and hear this, O sons of Jacob; and listen to Israel your father.

Bereshit 49:3

רְאוּבֵן בְּכֹרִי אַתָּה כֹּחִי וְרֵאשִׁית אוֹנִי--יֶתֶר שְׂאֵת וְיֶתֶר עָז

. .

O Reuben, you are my firstborn — and my strength, and the first of my produce — preeminent in honor, and preeminent in might.

Bereshit 49:4

פַּחַז כַּמַּיִם אַל-תּוֹתַר כִּי עָלִיתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵי אָבִיךָ אָז חִלַּלְתָּ יְצוּעִי עָלָה

. .

And now — by an [unstable] flowing, you shall not be preeminent; since you went up to your father's bed — at that time, since my couch was profaned, you were cut off.

Bereshit 49:5

שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי אַחִים--כְּלֵי חָמָס מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם

.

Simeon and Levi are brothers — in instruments of injustice, their rulings.

Bereshit 49:6

בְּסֹדָם אַל-תָּבֹא נַפְשִׁי בִּקְהָלָם אַל-תֵּחַד כְּבֹדִי כִּי בְאַפָּם הָרְגוּ אִישׁ וּבִרְצֹנָם עִקְּרוּ-שׁוֹר

. .

Into their counsel let my soul not enter; and in their assembly let my essence not be gathered. For in their wrath they slew a [whole] community, and at their pleasure they uprooted its wall.

Bereshit 49:7

אָרוּר אַפָּם כִּי עָז וְעֶבְרָתָם כִּי קָשָׁתָה אֲחַלְּקֵם בְּיַעֲקֹב וַאֲפִיצֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל

. . .

Cursed therefore is their wrath — how strong! — and their fury — how hard! I shall divide them in Jacob, and disperse them in Israel.

Bereshit 49:8

יְהוּדָה אַתָּה יוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ--יָדְךָ בְּעֹרֶף אֹיְבֶיךָ יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ בְּנֵי אָבִיךָ

. .

And you, O Judah — your brothers shall make you their lord; and your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; and your father's sons shall bow before you.

Bereshit 49:9

גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה מִטֶּרֶף בְּנִי עָלִיתָ כָּרַע רָבַץ כְּאַרְיֵה וּכְלָבִיא מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ

. . .

You, O Judah, shall be as the cub of a lion — for you have delivered my son from being killed — which, when he crouches and lies down, like a lion or lioness, who shall rouse him?

Bereshit 49:10

לֹא-יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה וּמְחֹקֵק מִבֵּין רַגְלָיו עַד כִּי-יָבֹא שִׁילֹה וְלוֹ יִקְּהַת עַמִּים

. . .

The staff of royalty shall not depart from Judah, nor the lawgiver from under his command — until he comes to whom it belongs; and to him shall the peoples be gathered.

Bereshit 49:11

אֹסְרִי לַגֶּפֶן עִירֹה וְלַשֹּׂרֵקָה בְּנִי אֲתֹנוֹ כִּבֵּס בַּיַּיִן לְבֻשׁוֹ וּבְדַם-עֲנָבִים סוּתֹה

. . .

Binding to the vine his foal, and to the chosen-stock his she-ass's young; washing his garment in wine, and his robe in the blood of grapes.

Bereshit 49:12

חַכְלִילִי עֵינַיִם מִיָּיִן וּלְבֶן-שִׁנַּיִם מֵחָלָב

More dazzling are the eyes than wine, and whiter are the teeth than milk.

Bereshit 49:13

זְבוּלֻן לְחוֹף יַמִּים יִשְׁכֹּן וְהוּא לְחוֹף אֳנִיֹּת וְיַרְכָתוֹ עַל-צִידֹן

. .

And Zebulun shall dwell upon the shore of the sea, and upon its coast — ships; and the end of his border shall be by Sidon.

Bereshit 49:14

יִשָּׂשכָר חֲמֹר גָּרֶם--רֹבֵץ בֵּין הַמִּשְׁפְּתָיִם

.

And Issachar is like a separate-bodied [one] — crouching between the camps.

Bereshit 49:15

וַיַּרְא מְנֻחָה כִּי טוֹב וְאֶת-הָאָרֶץ כִּי נָעֵמָה וַיֵּט שִׁכְמוֹ לִסְבֹּל וַיְהִי לְמַס-עֹבֵד

. . .

Then he sees that rest is good, and the land is pleasant; and he stretches out his neck for carrying, and becomes like a tribute-paying servant.

Bereshit 49:16

דָּן יָדִין עַמּוֹ--כְּאַחַד שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

.

And Dan shall judge his people, as a whole tribe among the tribes of Israel.

Bereshit 49:17

יְהִי-דָן נָחָשׁ עֲלֵי-דֶרֶךְ שְׁפִיפֹן עֲלֵי-אֹרַח--הַנֹּשֵׁךְ עִקְּבֵי-סוּס וַיִּפֹּל רֹכְבוֹ אָחוֹר

. .

And Dan shall be like a serpent upon the way, and like a striker upon the path — biting the horse's heel, that its rider falls backward.

Bereshit 49:18

לִישׁוּעָתְךָ קִוִּיתִי יְהוָה

He says: I hope for Your deliverance, O God.

Bereshit 49:19

גָּד גְּדוּד יְגוּדֶנּוּ וְהוּא יָגֻד עָקֵב

.

Gad — whatever troop musters against him, he shall pursue at their heels.

Bereshit 49:20

מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ וְהוּא יִתֵּן מַעֲדַנֵּי-מֶלֶךְ

.

And Asher — his food is rich; and he yields royal delicacies.

Bereshit 49:21

נַפְתָּלִי אַיָּלָה שְׁלֻחָה--הַנֹּתֵן אִמְרֵי-שָׁפֶר

.

Naphtali is like a doe sent forth — bringing back fine words.

Bereshit 49:22

בֵּן פֹּרָת יוֹסֵף בֵּן פֹּרָת עֲלֵי-עָיִן בָּנוֹת צָעֲדָה עֲלֵי-שׁוּר

. . .

And Joseph is a fruit-bearing son — like a fruit-bearing bough by a spring of water, whose roots have spread over a wall.

Bereshit 49:23

וַיְמָרְרֻהוּ וָרֹבּוּ וַיִּשְׂטְמֻהוּ בַּעֲלֵי חִצִּים

And the masters of arrows embittered him, and shot at him, and threatened him.

Bereshit 49:24

וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵיתָן קַשְׁתּוֹ וַיָּפֹזּוּ זְרֹעֵי יָדָיו מִידֵי אֲבִיר יַעֲקֹב מִשָּׁם רֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל

. .

But his bow remained firm in strength, and his arms were made strong, by the obedience to the Mighty One of Jacob; and from there — He shepherded the essence of Israel.

Bereshit 49:25

מֵאֵל אָבִיךָ וְיַעְזְרֶךָּ וְאֵת שַׁדַּי וִיבָרְכֶךָּ בִּרְכֹת שָׁמַיִם מֵעָל בִּרְכֹת תְּהוֹם רֹבֶצֶת תָּחַת בִּרְכֹת שָׁדַיִם וָרָחַם

. . . .

Ask of your father's Power, that He may help you; and of the Sufficient One, that He may bless upon you — blessings of the sky from above, blessings of the deep crouching below, blessings of breasts and womb.

Bereshit 49:26

בִּרְכֹת אָבִיךָ גָּבְרוּ עַל-בִּרְכֹת הוֹרַי עַד-תַּאֲוַת גִּבְעֹת עוֹלָם תִּהְיֶיןָ לְרֹאשׁ יוֹסֵף וּלְקָדְקֹד נְזִיר אֶחָיו

. . . .

And the blessings of your father shall be added to the blessings of my forefathers — up to what the bounds of eternity desire. May all be upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the one set apart from his brothers.

Bereshit 49:27

בִּנְיָמִין זְאֵב יִטְרָף בַּבֹּקֶר יֹאכַל עַד וְלָעֶרֶב יְחַלֵּק שָׁלָל

.

And Benjamin is like a tearing wolf — in the morning he eats spoil, and in the evening he divides plunder.'

Bereshit 49:28

כָּל-אֵלֶּה שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר וְזֹאת אֲשֶׁר-דִּבֶּר לָהֶם אֲבִיהֶם וַיְבָרֶךְ אוֹתָם--אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר כְּבִרְכָתוֹ בֵּרַךְ אֹתָם

. .

These are all the tribes of Israel — twelve; and this is what their father said to them, and blessed them. Each man according to his worth he blessed.

Bereshit 49:29

וַיְצַו אוֹתָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם אֲנִי נֶאֱסָף אֶל-עַמִּי--קִבְרוּ אֹתִי אֶל-אֲבֹתָי אֶל-הַמְּעָרָה--אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׂדֵה עֶפְרוֹן הַחִתִּי

. . . .

Then he commanded them, and said to them: 'I am being gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers, in the cave which is in the field of Ephron the Hittite.

Bereshit 49:30

בַּמְּעָרָה אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׂדֵה הַמַּכְפֵּלָה אֲשֶׁר עַל-פְּנֵי-מַמְרֵא--בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן אֲשֶׁר קָנָה אַבְרָהָם אֶת-הַשָּׂדֶה מֵאֵת עֶפְרֹן הַחִתִּי--לַאֲחֻזַּת-קָבֶר

. . .

It is the cave which is in the doubled field over against Mamre, in the land of Canaan — which Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial-place.

Bereshit 49:31

שָׁמָּה קָבְרוּ אֶת-אַבְרָהָם וְאֵת שָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ שָׁמָּה קָבְרוּ אֶת-יִצְחָק וְאֵת רִבְקָה אִשְׁתּוֹ וְשָׁמָּה קָבַרְתִּי אֶת-לֵאָה

. .

There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

Bereshit 49:32

מִקְנֵה הַשָּׂדֶה וְהַמְּעָרָה אֲשֶׁר-בּוֹ מֵאֵת בְּנֵי-חֵת

.

The field, and the cave which was in it, was bought from the sons of Heth.'

Bereshit 49:33

וַיְכַל יַעֲקֹב לְצַוֹּת אֶת-בָּנָיו וַיֶּאֱסֹף רַגְלָיו אֶל-הַמִּטָּה וַיִּגְוַע וַיֵּאָסֶף אֶל-עַמָּיו

. .

And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he gathered his feet onto the bed; and he expired, and was gathered to his people.