Chumashחומש

גד גדוד יגודנו. כֻּלָּם לְשׁוֹן גְּדוּד הֵם, וְכָךְ חִבְּרוֹ מְנַחֵם; וְאִם תֹּאמַר, אֵין גְּדוּד בְּלֹא שְׁנֵי דַּלְתִי"ן, יֵשׁ לוֹמַר גְּדוּד שֵׁם דָּבָר צָרִיךְ שְׁנֵי דַּלְתִי"ן, שֶׁכֵּן דֶּרֶךְ תֵּבָה בַּת שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת לִכְפֹּל בְּסוֹפָהּ, וְאֵין יְסוֹדָהּ אֶלָּא שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת, וְכֵן אָמַר כַּצִּפּוֹר לָנוּד (משלי כ"ו), מִגִּזְרַת שָׂבַעְתִּי נְדֻדִים (איוב ז'), שָׁם נָפַל שָׁדוּד (שופטים ה'), מִגִּזְרַת יָשׁוּד צָהֳרָיִם (תהלים צ"א), אַף יָגֻד, יְגוּדֶנּוּ וּגְדוּד מִגִּזְרָה אַחַת הֵם; וּכְשֶׁהוּא מְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁון יִפְעֹל אֵינוֹ כָפוּל, כְּמוֹ יָגוּד, יָנוּד, יָרוּם, יָשׁוּד, יָשׁוּב, וּכְשֶׁהוּא מִתְפַּעֵל אוֹ מַפְעִיל אֲחֵרִים הוּא כָפוּל, כְּמוֹ יִתְגּוֹדֵד, יִתְרוֹמֵם, יִתְבּוֹלֵל, יִתְעוֹדֵד; וּבִלְשׁוֹן מַפְעִיל, יָתוֹם וְאַלְמָנָה יְעוֹדֵד (תהילים קמ"ו), לְשׁוֹבֵב יַעֲקֹב אֵלָיו (ישעיה מ"ט), מְשֹׁבֵב נְתִיבוֹת (שם נ"ח), יְגוּדֶנּוּ הָאָמוּר כָּאן אֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן שֶׁיִּפְעֲלוּהוּ אֲחֵרִים, אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ יָגוּד הֵימֶנּוּ, כְּמוֹ בָּנַי יְצָאֻנִי (ירמיהו י') – יָצְאוּ מִמֶּנִּי. גד גדוד יגודנו, גְּדוּדִים יָגוֹדּוּ הֵימֶנּוּ שֶׁיַּעַבְרוּ הַיַּרְדֵּן עִם אֲחֵיהֶם לַמִּלְחָמָה כָּל חָלוּץ עַד שֶׁנִּכְבְּשָׁה הָאָרֶץ:

גד גדוד יגודנו GAD, AN ASSAILING TROOP SHALL ASSAIL HIM — all the words in this verse which have, the letters גד are connected in meaning with the word גדוד and so also did Menachem ben Seruk classify them. Should you say, however, that גדוד has always two ד’s and these words have only one, the answer is: The word גדוד is a noun and therefore requires two ד’s, for it is the way of a biliteral root to have the second letter doubled when used as a noun; the root proper, however, consists only of two letters. Thus it says, (Proverbs 26:2) כצפור לנוד “the wandering sparrow”, (לנוד a verb, infinitive) of the same derivation as נדודים in (Job 7:4) “I am full of גדודים wanderings” (a noun); (Judges 5:27) ‘‘there he fell down (שדוד) dead”, a noun in meaning, which is of the same derivation as the verb in (Psalms 41:6) “that wasteth (ישוד) at moon-day”. So, also, יגודנו ,יגוד and גדוד have the same derivation. When, also, one uses such biliteral roots in the future tense Kal, it (the second letter) is not doubled. For example: יגוד he will troop, ינוד he will wander, ירום he will be high, ישוד he will devastate, ישוב he will come back. When, however, such a root is used in a reflexive sense (Hithpael) or in a causative-transitive sense the second letter is doubled Examples are: יתעודד ,יתרומם ,יתבולל ,יתגודד. Examples of the causative-transitive sense are: (Psalms 146:9) “He strengtheneth (יעודד) the fatherless and the widow”; (Isaiah 49:5) “To bring Jacob back (לשובב) to Him”; (Isaiah 48:12) “The restorer (משובב) of paths”. The form יגודנו which is used here has not the force that others will make him do something (i.e. it has not this causative-transitive sense with the direct accusative suffix נוּ) but it means “a troop will troop out from him”, exactly the same as (Jeremiah 10:20) בני יצאוני which means “my children have gone forth from me”, (as we might say “have left me”). (Cf. Rashi on Genesis דברו לשלום 37:4, and on תמלאמו Exodus 15:9.). גד גדוד יגודנו accordingly means, “troops will troop out of him” signifying that they (the Gadites) will cross the Jordan with their brethren, all armed, and remain with them until the land will have been conquered.

והוא יגוד עקב. כָּל גְּדוּדָיו יָשׁוּבוּ עַל עֲקֵבָם לְנַחֲלָתָם שֶׁלָּקְחוּ בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן, וְלֹא יִפָּקֵד מֵהֶם אִישׁ:

והוא יגד עקב means all his troops will return in their own tracks back to their territory which they will receive on the other side of the Jordan and not one of them will be missing.

עקב. בְּדַרְכָּן וּבִמְסִלּוֹתָם שֶׁהָלְכוּ, יָשׁוּבוּ, כְּמוֹ וְעִקְּבוֹתֶיךָ לֹא נֹדָעוּ (תהילים ע"ז), וְכֵן בְּעִקְבֵי הַצֹּאן (שיר א'), בִּלְשׁוֹן לַעַז טרצי"אם:

עקב This means: By the same roads and paths upon which they had traveled shall they return. The word עקב has the same meaning as in (Psalms 128:20) “And thy foot-steps (עקבותיך) were not known”; (Song of Songs 1:8) “by the footsteps (עקבות) of the flock”. In old French traces; English, tracks.

מאשר שמנה לחמו. מַאֲכָל הַבָּא מֵחֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל אָשֵׁר יְהֵא שָׁמֵן, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ זֵיתִים מְרֻבִּים בְּחֶלְקוֹ וְהוּא מוֹשֵׁךְ שֶׁמֶן כְּמַעְיָן; וְכֵן בֵּרְכוֹ מֹשֶׁה וְטֹבֵל בַּשֶּׁמֶן רַגְלוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ בִמְנָחוֹת (דף פ"ה) פַּעַם אַחַת הֻצְרְכוּ אַנְשֵׁי לוּדְקִיָּא לְשֶׁמֶן וְכוּ':

מאשר שמנה לחמו OUT OF ASHER COMETH HIS FAT BREAD —The food that will come from the territory of Asher will be fat, for there will be numerous olive-trees in his territory so that it will flow with oil like a fountain. Moses blessed him in a like manner: (Deuteronomy 33:24) “and he will dip his foot in oil”. So we learn in the Treatise of Menachot 85b: once the people of Laodicia were in need of oil. Their agent was able to obtain the very large quantity they required only at a city in Asher, having failed at Jerusalem and other cities.

אילה שלחה. זוֹ בִקְעַת גִּינוֹסַר שֶׁהִיא קַלָּה לְבַשֵּׁל פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ כְּאַיָּלָה זוֹ שֶׁהִיא קַלָּה לָרוּץ. אַיָּלָה שְׁלֻחָה – אַיָּלָה מְשֻׁלַּחַת לָרוּץ:

אילה שלחה is symbolical of the valley of Gennesareth which ripens its fruits very quickly, just as a hind runs rapidly (Genesis Rabbah 99:12). אילה שלחה means A HIND LET LOOSE that it may run where it pleases.

הנתן אמרי שפר. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ. דָּ"אַ עַל מִלְחֶמֶת סִיסְרָא נִתְנַבֵּא – וְלָקַחְתָּ עִמְּךָ עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי נַפְתָּלִי וְגוֹ' (שופטים ד'), וְהָלְכוּ שָׁם בִּזְרִיזוּת, וְכֵן נֶאֱמַר שָׁם לְשׁוֹן שִׁלּוּחַ בָּעֵמֶק שֻׁלַּח בְּרַגְלָיו:

הנותן אמרי שפר Understand this as the Targum does: They (the people of Naphtali) will give thanks to and will praise God for them (for the fruits). Another explanation of the verse is: He prophesied about the war with Sisera, with regard to which Scripture says, (Judges 4:6) “and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali etc.” — and they marched thither most rapidly. There, too, is the expression שלח used: (v.15) “into the valley they rushed (שלח) at his feet”.

הנתן אמרי שפר. עַל יָדָם שָׁרוּ דְּבוֹרָה וּבָרָק שִׁירָה. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דְּרָשׁוּהוּ עַל יוֹם קְבוּרַת יַעֲקֹב כְּשֶׁעִרְעֵר עֵשָׂו עַל הַמְּעָרָה, בְּמַסֶּכֶת סוֹטָה (דף י"ג); וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ יִתְרְמֵי עַדְבֵהּ – יִפֹּל חֶבְלוֹ, וְהוּא יוֹדֶה עַל חֶלְקוֹ אֲמָרִים נָאִים וְשֶׁבַח:

הנתן אמרי שפר HE GIVETH SAYINGS OF PLEASANTNESS — Due to them (to the ten thousand men of Naphtali) Deborah and Barak sang the song of praise (Judges ch. 5). Our Teachers explained the verse as an allusion to what happened on the day when Jacob was buried, when Esau claimed the cave of Machpelah. They were compelled to delay the burial whilst Naphtali ran rapidly back to Egypt and brought the title-deed of the cave etc. as is related in Treatise Sotah 13a. The words in the Targum יתרמי עדביה mean “his lot shall fall”, so that the second half of the verse would mean according to the Targum, “he will give thanks for his lot with pleasing words and with praise”.

בן פרת. בֶּן חֵן, וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי, אַפִּרְיָן נַמְטְיֵהּ לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, בְּסוֹף בָּבָא מְצִיעָא (דף קי"ט):

בן פרת means a graceful son. It is an expression used in Aramaic: אפרין נמטיה “Let us treat gracefully (literally, let us make a triumphal procession for) R. Simeon”, and may be found at the end of Bava Metzia 119a.

בן פרת עלי עין. חִנּוֹ נָטוּי עַל הָעַיִן הָרוֹאָה אוֹתוֹ:

בן פרת עלי עין means his gracefulness attacks the eye that looks at him.

בנת צעדה עלי שור. בְּנוֹת מִצְרַיִם הָיוּ צוֹעֲדוֹת (עַל הַחוֹמָה) לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בְּיָפְיוֹ, בָּנוֹת הַרְבֵּה, צָעֲדָה כָּל אַחַת וְאַחַת, בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁתּוּכַל לִרְאוֹתוֹ מִשָּׁם:

בנות צעדה עלי שור DAUGHTERS TREAD ON THE WALL — The daughters of Egypt used to climb up to gaze at his beauty בנות is plural — many daughters, whilst צעדה is singular, but the words should be translated thus: many daughters climbed, each of them to any place from which she could best obtain a glimpse of him.

עלי שור. עַל רְאִיָּתוֹ, כְּמוֹ אֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ וְלֹא קָרוֹב (במדבר כ"ד), וּמִ"אַ יֵשׁ רַבִּים, וְזֶה נוֹטֶה לְיִשּׁוּב הַמִּקְרָא. פֹּרָת תָּי"ו שֶׁבּוֹ הוּא תִּקּוּן הַלָּשׁוֹן, כְּמוֹ עַל דִּבְרַת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם (קהלת ג'):

עלי שור means for the purpose of looking at him, similar to (Numbers 24:17) I behold him (אשורנו) but not nigh”. There are many Midrashic explanations but this inclines nearest to the literal sense of the verse פרת — The ת in this word is added for elegance of style (i.e. it is not a sign of the feminine), as the ת in דברת which is instead of דבר in (Ecclesiastes 3:18) “It is because of (על דברת) the sons of men”.

שור. כְּמוֹ לָשׁוּר:

שור is an infinitive the same as לשור, to look.

עלי שור. בִּשְׁבִיל לָשׁוּר, וְתַרְגּוּם שֶׁל אֻנְקְלוֹס, בָּנוֹת צָעֲדָה עֲלֵי שׁוּר תְּרֵין שִׁבְטִין יִפְּקוּן מִבְּנוֹהִי וְכוּ' וְכָתַב בָּנוֹת עַל שֵׁם בְּנוֹת מְנַשֶּׁה, בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד, שֶׁנָּטְלוּ חֵלֶק בִּשְׁנֵי עֶבְרֵי הַיַּרְדֵּן, בְּרִי דְּיִסְגֵּי יוֹסֵף, פֹּרָת לְשׁוֹן פִּרְיָה וּרְבִיָּה; וְיֵשׁ מִ"אַ בּוֹ הַמִּתְיַשְּׁבִים עַל הַלָּשׁוֹן, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא עֵשָׂו לִקְרַאת יַעֲקֹב, בְּכֻלָּן קָדְמוּ הָאִמָּהוֹת לָלֶכֶת לִפְנֵי בְּנֵיהֶם לְהִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת, וּבְרָחֵל כְּתִיב נִגַּשׁ יוֹסֵף וְרָחֵל וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ, אָמַר יוֹסֵף רָשָׁע הַזֶּה עֵינוֹ רָמָה, שֶׁמָּא יִתֵּן עֵינָיו בְּאִמִּי, יָצָא לְפָנֶיהָ וְשִׁרְבֵּב קוֹמָתוֹ לְכַסּוֹתָהּ, וְהוּא שֶׁבֵּרְכוֹ אָבִיו בֵּן פֹּרָת – הִגְדַּלְתָּ עַצְמְךָ יוֹסֵף עֲלֵי עַיִן שֶׁל עֵשָׂו, לְפִיכָךְ זָכִיתָ לִגְדֻלָּה:

עלי שור consequently means in order to look (i.e. עלי, a poetical form of על, means “for the purpose of”). The translation of Onkelos of בנות צעדה עלי שור is: two tribes will come out of his sons etc., and according to this Scripture writes בנות (though one would expect בנים) with reference to the women of Manasseh — the daughters of Zelophehad — who received a portion of land on both sides of the Jordan (Midrash Tanchuma, Pinchas 9). And in accordance with this paraphrase the Targum translated the preceding words בן פרת by ברי דיסגי יוסף, Joseph is a son who shall increase and become, two tribes connecting פרת with the expression [פריה [ורביה “fruitfulness and increase”. There are Midrashim (Genesis Rabbah 78:9) that fit in with the text: When Esau came to meet Jacob all the other matriarchs walked in front of their children to prostrate themselves but of Rachel it states (33:7) “[and afterwards] came Joseph near and Rachel (i.e. Joseph before Rachel) and they bowed down”. Joseph said, “This wicked man has a haughty look (is bold and impudent) he may set his fancy upon my mother”. He therefore stepped in front of her, drawing himself up to his full height, in order to hide her from Esau’s eyes. It was in reference to this that his father when blessing him called him a בן פורת, a son who grew in size: You, Joseph, stretched yourself to a great height to protect your mother against Esau’s glance, therefore you deserved to become great. (This has reference to the distinguished position he attained in Egypt.).

בנות צעדה עלי שור. לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בְּךָ בְּצֵאתְךָ עַל מִצְרַיִם, וְעוֹד דְּרָשׁוּהוּ לְעִנְיָן שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁלֹט בְּזַרְעוֹ עַיִן הָרָע; וְאַף כְּשֶׁבֵּרֵךְ מְנַשֶּׁה וְאֶפְרַיִם בֵּרְכָם כַּדָּגִים, שֶׁאֵין עַיִן הָרָע שׁוֹלֶטֶת בָּהֶם:

In accordance with this Midrash the words בנות צעדה עלי שור mean they climbed up to get a good view of you when you went forth in the procession as Viceroy over Egypt. They (the Rabbis) gave a further interpretation of it, taking עלי עין as עוּלֵי עין ,“raised above the eye”, in the sense that the Evil Eye would have no effect on his children (Berakhot 20a). So, too, when he blessed Manasseh and Ephraim he blessed them, praying that they should become as fishes on which the Evil Eye has no effect.

וימררהו ורבו. וַיְמָרְרוּהוּ אֶחָיו, וַיְמָרְרוּהוּ פּוֹטִיפַר וְאִשְׁתּוֹ, לְאָסְרוֹ; לְשׁוֹן וַיְמָרְרוּ אֶת חַיֵּיהֶם:

וימררהו ורבו AND THEY EMBITTERED HIM — His brothers dealt bitterly with him; Potiphar and his wife dealt bitterly with him, putting him into the dungeon. וימררהו is the same metaphor as וימררו 'וגו in (Exodus 1:14) “They made their lives bitter (וימררו )” (Genesis Rabbah 98:19).

ורבו. נַעֲשׂוּ לוֹ אֶחָיו אַנְשֵׁי רִיב. וְאֵין הַלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה לְשׁוֹן פָּעֲלוּ, שֶׁאִם כֵּן הָיָה לוֹ לִנָּקֵד "וָרָבוּ", כְּמוֹ הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה אֲשֶׁר רָבוּ וְגוֹ' (במדבר כ'), וְאַף אִם לְשׁוֹן רְבִיַּת חִצִּים הוּא כָּךְ הָיָה לוֹ לִנָּקֵד; אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן פּוֹעֲלוּ, כְּמוֹ שֹׁמּוּ שָׁמַיִם (ירמיהו ב'), שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן הוּשַׁמּוּ; וְכֵן רוֹמּוּ מְּעַט, שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן הוּרְמוּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁלְּשׁוֹן הוּרְמוּ וְהוּשַׁמּוּ עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים, וּלְשׁוֹן שֹׁמּוּ, רֹמּוּ, רֹבּוּ מֵאֵלֵיהֶם הוּא – מְשׁוֹמְמִים אֶת עַצְמָם, נִתְרוֹמְמוּ מֵעַצְמָם, נַעֲשׂוּ אַנְשֵׁי רִיב, וְכֵן דֹּמּוּ יֹשְׁבֵי אִי, כְּמוֹ נִדְמוּ, וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס, וְנַקְמוֹהִי:

ורבו means his brothers became his adversaries (literally, men of strife). This verb is not a Kal form meaning they strove (with him) for were it so it should have been punctuated וְרָבוּ (from the root ריב), as in (Numbers 20:13) “These are the waters of Meribah, where the children of Israel strove (רָבוּ)”. And even if its meaning were “shooting arrows” (from the root רבה) it would have been punctuated in exactly the same way. It really has a passive force like (Jeremiah 2:12) שֹׁׁמּוּ שמים “Be astonished, O ye heavens” which is as much as הושמו; and likewise (Job 24:24) “They are exalted (רֹמּוּ) for a little while” which has the same meaning as הורמו except that הורמו and הושמו mean they are made to be exalted and astonished by others, whilst שמו and רמו and רבו denote that the actions arise out of the persons themselves: they make themselves to be astonished, they are exalted of their own accord, רבו means they became men of strife. A similar form is (Isaiah 23:2) “Be still (דֹּמּוּ) ye inhabitants of the isle” where דמו has the same meaning as the Nipal of נִדְמוּ ,דום. In this sense does Onkelos also translate it: ונקמהו “and they avenged themselves on him”.

בעלי חצים. שֶׁלְּשׁוֹנָם כַּחֵץ, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ לְשׁוֹן וַתְּהִי הַמֶּחֱצָה, אוֹתָן שֶׁהָיוּ רְאוּיִים לַחֲלֹק עִמּוֹ נַחֲלָה:

בעלי חצים THE ARCHERS (literally, men who have arrows) — they were so called because their tongues were as arrows (Genesis Rabbah 98:19) (cf. Psalms 120:4). Onkelos translates it (חצים) by פלגותא taking it to be of the same root as המחצה in (Numbers 31:36) “And the half (המחצה) was” thus he takes בעלי חצים to mean “those who were destined to share with him the inheritance”.

ותשב באיתן קשתו. נִתְיַשְּׁבָה בְּחֹזֶק:

ותשב באיתן קשתו means his power (i.e. his rule as viceroy) was strongly (באיתן) established.

קשתו. חָזְקוֹ:

קשתו means his power.

ויפזו זרעי ידיו. זוֹ הִיא נְתִינַת טַבַּעַת עַל יָדוֹ, לְשׁוֹן זָהָב מוּפָז, זֹאת הָיְתָה לוֹ מִידֵי הַקָּבָּ"ה שֶׁהוּא אֲבִיר יַעֲקֹב, וּמִשָּׁם עָלָה לִהְיוֹת רֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל – עִקָּרָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְשׁוֹן הָאֶבֶן הָרֹאשָׁה, לְשׁוֹן מַלְכוּת; וְאֻנְקְלוֹס אַף הוּא כָךְ תִּרְגְּמוֹ ותשב – וְתָבַת בְּהוֹן נְבִיאוּתֵהּ, הַחֲלוֹמוֹת אֲשֶׁר חָלַם לָהֶם – עַל דְּקַיֵּם אוֹרַיְתָא בְּסִתְרָא, תּוֹסֶפֶת הוּא, וְלֹא מִלָּשׁוֹן עִבְרִי שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא, – וְשַׁוִּי תוּקְפָא רוֹחֲצָנֵהּ תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל בְּאֵיתָן קַשְׁתּוֹ, וְכָךְ לְשׁוֹן הַתַּרְגּוּם עַל הָעִבְרִי: וַתֵּשֶׁב נְבוּאָתוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֵיתָנוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּבָּ"ה הָיְתָה לוֹ לְקֶשֶׁת וּלְמִבְטָח, בְּכֵן יִתְרְמָא דְּהַב עַל דְּרָעוֹהִי – לְכָךְ וַיָּפֹזּוּ זְרֹעֵי יָדָיו, לְשׁוֹן פָּז:

ויפזו זרעי ידיו — This refers to the placing of the king’s signet-ring on his hand, יפזו being connected in meaning with the expression (1 Kings 10:18) זהב מופז “the finest gold”, so that the translation would be “his hands were made golden”. This happened to him from the hands of (i.e. through the instrumentality of) the Holy One, blessed be He, who is the Mighty One (אביר) of Jacob. From here (from his position as Viceroy) he rose to become the Feeder of the Foundation Stone of the Israelites, i.e. of the Originator of the tribes of Israel (Jacob). The word אבן, stone, has here the same sense as in (Zechariah 4:7) אבן הראשה, “the chief stone”, where it denotes high position. Onkelos also translates it in this manner: His translation of the verse is as follows: ותשב he translates by “and the prophecy returned upon (was fulfilled in) them (the brethren) i.e. the prophecy contained in the dreams which he dreamed regarding them was fulfilled, “because he observed the Law in secret” — this is an addition made by Onkelos, having no words in the Hebrew text to correspond to it. “And he put in “The Might his trust” is the translation of the Hebrew words באיתן קשתו. The following is how the wording of the Targum fits in with the Hebrew text: “His prophecy was fulfilled (וַתָּשָׁב) because the might (איתן) of the Holy One, blessed be He, served him as his bow (קשתו) and trusty weapon; therefore gold was placed on his arms” — the last words being the Targum of לכך] ויפזו זרועי ידיו], taking ויפזו as connected in meaning with פז, fine gold.

אבן ישראל. לְשׁוֹן נוֹטָרִיקוֹן אָב וּבֵן, אֲבָהָן וּבְנִין – יַעֲקֹב וּבָנָיו. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵיתָן קַשְׁתּוֹ עַל כְּבִישַׁת יִצְרוֹ בְּאֵשֶׁת אֲדֹנָיו, וְקוֹרְאוֹ קֶשֶׁת, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהַזֶּרַע יוֹרֶה כַּחֵץ:

אבן ישראל Onkelos takes אבן as an abbreviation of אב ובן and therefore renders it by אבהן ובנין the fathers and children meaning Jacob and his sons. And our rabbis expounded, AND HE BROUGHT BACK HIS BOW WITH STRENGTH, as being about the suppressing of his impulse with the wife of his master. And it calls it a bow, because the seed shoots out like an arrow.

ויפזו זרעי ידיו. כְּמוֹ וַיָּפוֹצוּ, שֶׁיָּצָא הַזֶּרַע מִבֵּין אֶצְבְּעוֹת יָדָיו:

ויפזו זרעי ידיו AND HIS FOREARMS WERE GILDED (VAYAFOZU) — (is read) like, 'and they were spread' (vayafotsu), since his seed went out from between the fingers of his hands.

מידי אביר יעקב. שֶׁנִרְאֲתָה לוֹ דְמוּת דְּיוֹקְנוֹ שֶׁל אָבִיו וְכוּ', כִּדְאִיתָא בְּסוֹטָה (דף ל"ו, ב'):

מידי אביר יעקב FROM THE HANDS OF THE STRENGTH OF JACOB — As an image of the replica of his father was shown to him, etc., as it is found in Sotah 36b.

מאל אביך. הָיְתָה לְךָ זֹאת וְהוּא יַעְזְרֶךָּ:

מאל אביך means FROM THE GOD OF THY FATHER did this happen to you AND HE WILL HELP YOU also in the future (Genesis Rabbah 87:7).

ואת שדי. וְעִם הַקָּבָּ"ה הָיָה לִבְּךָ כְּשֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַעְתָ לְדִבְרֵי אֲדוֹנָתְךָ, וְהוּא יְבָרְכֶךָּ:

ואת שדי means AND WITH THE ALMIGHTY was your heart when you did not hearken to the words of your mistress AND therefore HE WILL BLESS YOU.

ברכת שדים ורחם. בִּרְכָתָא דְּאַבָּא וּדְאִמָּא, כְּלוֹמַר, יִתְבָּרְכוּ הַמּוֹלִידִים וְהַיּוֹלְדוֹת, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַזְּכָרִים מַזְרִיעִין טִפָּה הָרְאוּיָה לְהֵרָיוֹן, וְהַנְּקֵבוֹת לֹא יְשַׁכְּלוּ אֶת רֶחֶם שֶׁלָּהֶן לְהַפִּיל עֻבָּרֵיהֶן:

ברכת שדים ורחם Onkelos renders this by: blessings for father(s) and mother(s) i.e. may the men and the women be blessed in that they may not prove sterile and barren.

שדים. יָרֹה יִיָּרֶה מְתַּרְגְּמִינַן אִשְׁתְּדָאָה יִשְׁתְּדִי, אַף שָׁדַיִם כָּאן עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהַזֶּרַע יוֹרֶה כַּחֵץ:

שדים BREASTS (SHADAYIM) — "He will surely be cast down" (Exodus 19:13), we translate (in Onkelos) as eeshtedaah yishtedi. Also shadayim here is [to be understood that way,] because the seed shoots out like an arrow.

ברכת אביך גברו וגו'. הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁבֵּרְכַנִי הַקָּבָּ"ה גָּבְרוּ וְהָלְכוּ עַל הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֶת הוֹרַי:

'ברכת אביך גברו וגו THE BLESSING OF THY FATHER HAVE PREVAILED etc. — The blessings which the Holy One, blessed be He, bestowed upon me are mighty beyond the blessings wherewith He blessed my progenitors

עד תאות גבעת עולם. לְפִי שֶׁהַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁלִּי גָּבְרוּ עַד סוֹף גְּבוּלֵי גִּבְעוֹת עוֹלָם, שֶׁנָּתַן לִי בְּרָכָה פְרוּצָה בְּלִי מְצָרִים, מַגַּעַת עַד אַרְבַּע קְצוֹת הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּפָרַצְתָּ יָמָּה וָקֵדְמָה וְגוֹ', מַה שֶּׁלֹּא אָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ וּלְיִצְחָק; לְאַבְרָהָם אָמַר שָׂא נָא עֵינֶיךָ וּרְאֵה צָפוֹנָה וְגוֹ' כִּי אֶת כָּל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה רֹאֶה לְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה, וְלֹא הֶרְאָהוּ אֶלָּא אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְבָד; לְיִצְחָק אָמַר לְךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת כָּל הָאֲרָצֹת הָאֵל וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת הַשְּׁבֻעָה וְגוֹ', וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר יְשַׁעְיָה (ישעיהו נ"ח) וְהַאֲכַלְתִּיךָ נַחֲלַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִיךָ, וְלֹא אָמַר נַחֲלַת אַבְרָהָם:

עד תאות גבעות עולם EVEN TO THE BOUNDARIES OF THE EVERLASTING HILLS — Because my blessings have prevailed, extending to the very ends of the bounds of the everlasting hills, for He gave me a blessing that bursts all bounds, one that has no limits, that reaches even unto the four corners of the world, as it is stated, (Genesis 28:14) “[God said to Jacob] and thou shalt spread abroad to the West and to the East [and to the North and to the South]”, an unqualified promise that was made neither to Abraham nor to Isaac. For to Abraham He said, (Genesis 13:14) “Lift up thine eyes and look northwards etc. … for all the land which thou seest to thee will I give it”, and He showed him only the Land of Israel. To Isaac He said, (Genesis 26:3) “for unto thee and unto thy seed will I give all these lands, and I will establish the oath [which I swore unto Abraham thy father]”. It is to this that Isaiah alludes when he said, (Isaiah 58:14) “And I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father” (Shabbat 118b), and he did not say, “with the heritage promised to Abraham”.

הורי. לְשׁוֹן הֵרָיוֹן, שֶׁהוֹרוּנִי בִּמְעֵי אִמִּי, כְּמוֹ הֹרָה גָבֶר (איוב ג'):

הורי is from a root meaning to conceive. The singular denotes “my father”, the one who made my mother conceive me. We find a similar use of the verb in (Job 3:3) “A man is causing a woman to conceive (הוֹרָה).”

עד תאות. עַד קְצוֹת, כְּמוֹ וְהִתְאַוִּיתֶם לָכֶם לִגְבוּל קֵדְמָה (במדבר ל"ד), תְּתָאוּ לְבֹא חֲמָת (שם):

עד תאות means UNTO THE ENDS — The word is connected with the verbs in (Numbers 36:10) “And ye shall mark out the ends (והתאויתם) for the east border”, and (Numbers 5:8) “you shall mark out the ends (תתאו) unto the entrance of Hamath”.

תאות. אשׁמו"לץ בְּלַעַז, כָּךְ חִבְּרוֹ מְנַחֵם בֶּן סָרוּק. וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם תַּאֲוַת עוֹלָם לְשׁוֹן תַּאֲוָה וְחֶמְדָה, וְגִבְעוֹת לְשׁוֹן מְצֻקֵי אֶרֶץ שֶׁחִמְּדַתָּן אִמּוֹ וְהִזְקִיקַתּוּ לְקַבְּלָם:

תאות means in old French émoulis. Thus (i.e. with these words) did Menachem ben Seruk classify it (תאות). Onkelos translates (תאות (גבעת עולם in the sense of desire (תאוה) and longing and takes גבעת as a figurative expression for “the great ones”, like (1 Samuel 2:8) “the pillars of the earth”, meaning the righteous of the earth — viz., he renders it by “the blessings for which the great ones of the earth longed”, referring to the blessings which his mother so much desired that she forced him to take steps to obtain them

תהיין. כֻּלָּם לְרֹאשׁ יוֹסֵף:

תהיין THEY — all — SHALL BE ON THE HEAD OF JOSEPH.

נזיר אחיו. פְּרִישָׁא דַּאֲחוֹהִי, שֶׁנִּבְדַּל מֵאֶחָיו, כְּמוֹ וְיִנָּזְרוּ מִקָּדְשֵׁי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (ויקרא כ"ב), נָזֹרוּ אָחוֹר (ישעיהו א'):

נזיר אחיו means what the Targum has: פרישא דאחוהי. i.e. the one who was separated from his brothers. The word נזיר is of a root signifying separation, as in (Leviticus 22:2) “that they separate themselves (וינזרו) from the holy things of the children of Israel”; (Isaiah 1:4) “they have separated themselves from God (נזרו) turning backward”.