Judah's Blessing

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The Lion of Judah

TANAKH

Judah's blessing in Genesis highlights his preeminence and enduring leadership, symbolized by the scepter and ruler's staff, as well as his strength and prosperity. Jacob's blessing to his son Judah uses vivid imagery of a lion and abundant wine to depict Judah's dominance and future reign.

You, O Judah, your brothers shall praise;
Your hand shall be on the nape of your foes;
Your father’s sons shall bow low to you.
Judah is a lion’s whelp;
On prey, my son, have you grown.
He crouches, lies down like a lion,
Like a lioness —who dare rouse him?
The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet;
So that tribute shall come to him
And the homage of peoples be his.
He tethers his ass to a vine,
His ass’s foal to a choice vine;
He washes his garment in wine,
His robe in blood of grapes.

Genesis 49:8-11

Moses' Prayers for Judah

TALMUD

Moses' prayers for Judah reveal a profound journey of spiritual and intellectual elevation. The Talmudic tractate Sotah, in its discussion of various rituals, includes Moses' detailed prayers for Judah's spiritual ascent as recorded in Deuteronomy 33:7.

Immediately after Moses prayed, the verse states: “Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah” (Deuteronomy 33:7). His bones then entered their sockets [shafa], and his skeleton was reassembled. But the angels still did not elevate him into the heavenly study hall. Moses then prayed: “And bring him in unto his people” (Deuteronomy 33:7), i.e., those in the heavenly study hall. This prayer was accepted, but he still did not know how to deliberate in Torah matters with the heavenly sages…

Sotah 7b:11

Judah's Path to Redemption

COMMENTARY

Judah's confession and repentance, especially in his relationship with Tamar, led to his spiritual ascent and redemption. Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar, in his 18th-century commentary Or HaChaim, explores Judah's journey to spiritual greatness through his actions and repentance.

שמע ה׳ קול יהודה, "Hearken, O Lord, to the voice of Yehudah." Seeing that Yehudah had sinned in his relationship with Tamar and had confessed his guilt (Genesis 38,26) when he said: "she is more righteous than I," Moses prayed that G'd should accept his confession. He mentioned this only in order to be able to continue with ואל עמו תביאנו. We have explained in our commentary on Genesis 49,9 (page 424) how the union of Yehudah and Tamar enabled Yehudah to qualify for the description אריה, a fully grown lion…

Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy 33:7:1

The Bow of Judah

TALMUD

Judah's blessing in Genesis 49:8 is interpreted as an allusion to teaching the sons of Judah the use of the bow, a form of warfare requiring skill and precision. The Gemara, in its exposition on the book of Yashar, connects this verse to the patriarchs and explains the significance of the bow in Judah's blessing.

The Gemara cites another exposition with regard to the book of Yashar. It is written: “And said: To teach the sons of Judah the bow. Behold, it is written in the book of Yashar” (II Samuel 1:18). The Gemara again asks: What is the book of Yashar? Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: This is the book of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were called righteous [yesharim], as it is written with regard to them: “Let me die the death of the righteous [yesharim] and let my end be like his” (Numbers 23:10)…

Avodah Zarah 25a:11-12

The Authority of Judah in Exile

TALMUD

The verse “The scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet until Shiloh comes” (Genesis 49:10) is interpreted as delineating the authority of Jewish rulers during the exile. The Talmudic tractate Sanhedrin explains the roles of Jewish leaders during the exile, identifying the Exilarchs in Babylonia and the descendants of Hillel the Elder as the bearers of this authority.

This is as it is taught in a baraita: The verse states: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet until Shiloh comes” (Genesis 49:10). The term “Shiloh” is understood as a reference to the Messiah, and therefore the verse is interpreted as delineating the authority of Jewish rulers during the exile, before the Messiah comes. “The scepter shall not depart from Judah”; these are the Exilarchs in Babylonia, who are empowered by the government and consequently subjugate the Jewish people as with a scepter…

Sanhedrin 5a:6

The Enduring Legacy of Judah's Act

MUSAR

Judah's act of saving Joseph from death resulted in a divine reward that ensured the continuity of the kingdom of Judah until the destruction of the Temple. Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, in his ethical work Shemirat HaLashon, uses Judah's actions towards Joseph to illustrate the divine reward for good deeds and the enduring legacy of the Davidic dynasty.

And see further that the Holy One Blessed be He does not withhold [any] reward [that is due]. We have already mentioned above that in the counsel of Judah there was also great good for Joseph, for he rescued him from death. It was in this regard that Jacob said about him (Bereshith 49:8): "Judah — you, will your brothers praise" (see Rashi there). Our sages of blessed memory have said that because he saved Joseph from death the L-rd pitied the kingdom of the house of Judah, not destroying their seed until the destruction of the Temple, unlike the other kings of Israel, who were all temporary…

Shemirat HaLashon, Book II 12:7

The Abundance of Judah

COMMENTARY

The imagery of Judah's blessing paints a vivid picture of abundance and prosperity, with wine and milk so plentiful that they will visibly affect the people of Judah. Jacob ben Asher, in his 14th-century commentary, Tur HaArokh, elaborates on the prophetic blessings given to Judah in Genesis 49, highlighting the future prosperity of Judah's territory.

הכלילי עינים מיין, “red-eyed from wine;” due to the large quantities of wine he consumes his eyes will reflect the redness of that wine. Similarly, the amounts of milk consumed will be reflected in the whiteness of his teeth. Other commentators understand the word שנים as referring to the crags of a rock, suggesting that milk will be flowing from between crags in the rocks. Still other commentators interpret the word חכלילי as a comparative mode, meaning that the eyes will be even redder than wine, and the teeth even whiter than milk…

Tur HaArokh, Genesis 49:12:1

The Enduring Kingship of David

JEWISH THOUGHT

The kingdom of Judah, once established, would never completely depart from its lineage, even though there might be instances where kings from other tribes would arise. Rabbi Nissim of Gerona, in his 14th-century collection of sermons, Derashot HaRan, discusses the enduring nature of the Davidic dynasty and Judah's kingship.

And, indeed, all the days of the first Temple the kings were from Judah and the kingdom did not depart from them. The kingdom of Saul, too, presents no difficulty to us, though in his days there was no regent from the tribe of Judah. For the assurance was not that there would never arise a king in Israel who was not from the tribe of Judah, as we have explained, but that once their kingdom began it would never depart from them and never break off from them entirely.

Derashot HaRan 7:38

The Divine Quality of Kingship

KABBALAH

The unique Divine quality of Kingship (Malchut) requires maintaining purity and holiness. In the 13th-century Kabbalistic text Sha'arei Orah, Rabbi Joseph Gikatilla explores the ten Sefirot, focusing on the significance of Malchut and the necessity of purity in its observance.

Moreover, this Divine quality is uniquely special to Kingship-Malchut-מלכות, which was merited by Yehudah, as it states, “And this-v’Zot-וזאת is to Yehudah.” HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, warns the Jewish people, informing them to be zealous in guarding this quality, and conducting themselves in it with purity, as it states, “So that your camp should be holy, so that He will not see a shameful thing amongst you and turn away from behind you.” It similarly states, “If only they were wise, they would comprehend this-Zot-זאת…

Sha'arei Orah, First Gate, Tenth Sefirah 156

The Distinct Blessings of Judah and Jacob

MIDRASH

The blessings given to Judah and Jacob reveal insights into the familial dynamics and the number of wives each patriarch had. Midrash Tanchuma, an early medieval collection of midrash, explores the nuanced differences in the blessings given by Jacob and Isaac.

When Jacob came to bless Judah, he said to him (in Gen. 49:8): AND MAY YOUR FATHER'S CHILDREN BOW DOWN TO YOU, because he had a lot of wives. But Isaac, because he only had Rebekah, said to Jacob (in Gen. 27:29): AND MAY YOUR MOTHER'S CHILDREN BOW DOWN TO YOU.

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Toldot 17:1

Lion's Prayer for Mercy

LITURGY

The plea for divine compassion and the restoration of leadership to the descendants of Judah is a powerful expression of hope and faith. This Ashkenazi Selichot prayer, recited during the Ten Days of Penitence, invokes the symbol of the lion to represent Judah and seeks divine intervention for the Jewish people.

Let the lion [engraved] on the right implore the Presence of God to spare and be compassionate to the seed which were to be [as the stars]; may He be our deliverance and revive us, and restore the kingdom to descendants of the lion cub [Judah].

Selichot Nusach Ashkenaz Lita, Second Day of the Ten Days of Penitence 12:4

Divine Support in Battle

TARGUM

Judah's blessing includes a prayer for his safe return from war and divine support in battle. The Targum Jonathan, an Aramaic translation and interpretation of the Hebrew Bible, provides a unique perspective on the tribal blessings, emphasizing the importance of divine protection.

And this is the benediction of the tribe of Jehudah, conjoined with the portion and benediction of his brother Shemeon; and thus he spake: Receive, O Lord, the prayer of Jehudah when he goeth forth unto war, and bring Thou him back from war unto his people in peace. Let his hand take vengeance on his enemies, and be Thou his help and support against his foes.

Targum Jonathan on Deuteronomy 33:7

Judah's Path to Leadership

MIDRASH

Judah's acknowledgment of his guilt concerning Tamar is the reason his brothers will acknowledge him as king over them. Midrash Tanchuma, an early medieval collection of midrash, highlights Judah's repentance and leadership qualities, which are pivotal in Jewish tradition.

Next he began to call out: Judah, thee shall thy brothers praise (Gen. 49:8). Because you acknowledged your guilt concerning what happened to Tamar, your brothers will acknowledge you as king over them.

Midrash Tanchuma, Vayechi 10:6

Stamp of Israel - Tribes, Inscription on tab: "Judah is a lion’s... " Genesis 49, 9. Israeli postage stamp catalog, Catalog Number: 146, Issued on January 10, 1956, Designer: G. Hamori.

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