Shabbos Parashas Vayechi - 5780

Shabbos Parashas Vayechi - 5780

Rabbi Hal Miller

Accursed is their rage, for it is intense, and their wrath, for it is harsh. I will

separate them within Yaakov and I will disperse them within Yisrael. [Bereishis 49:7]

In his deathbed will, Yaakov delivers what appear to be curses to his sons, in the

guise of blessings. Or perhaps we should read it the other way around, that he blessed

them with what sound like curses. Here, speaking of Shimon and Levi, what does the

verse mean by "separate them within Yaakov" and "disperse them within Yisrael"?

Many commentators point out that the verse does not curse Shimon and Levi directly,

rather only their rage and wrath. Saadiah Gaon uses the word despicable instead of

accursed, which makes reference more clearly to behavior as opposed to personality,

an important lesson in how to criticize others. Rav Hirsch goes further by noting that

Yaakov criticized the anger, not the brothers, and even moreso, not the actual efforts

they made in dealing with Dinah's attackers. It is this anger that makes them unfit for

leadership. With Reuven already removed from consideration as leader, the mantle

now falls through to Yehudah, and this is Yaakov's explanation.

In the matter of separation, Bereishis Rabbah teaches that the tribe of Shimon had

poor people, teachers, and scribes, thus they were separated from the rest of Israel

by profession. We also see later that the land Shimon inherited was completely

encircled by that of Reuven, so their access to the other tribes was controlled by

the influence of the less impetuous and far more numerous tribe.

The dispersal applies to Levi. Their assignment was as wandering teachers of

Torah, without an inheritance in the land, who thus must integrate into the regions of

the other tribes rather than remain an independent congregation. Since Levi was to

live by terumos and ma'aser, they had to go far afield to collect.

Sforno sees a commonality between the treatment of Shimon and Levi. Yaakov

intended that both be given difficult assignments to earn their livelihoods, which kept

them busy and without the spare time to get involved in another impetuous act. This

is proof that these verses are not curses, but rather blessings. Because of this kind

of protective ruling, the tribes were able to live in peace and prosperity.