Vezot Habrachah וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה

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Torah Portion: Deuteronomy 33.1—34.12

Deuteronomy 33.5: “Thus the Lord became king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.” The Septuagint (the ancient Jewish Greek translation of the Old Testament) understands the first verb to be a request for the future, “may it be,” similar to verse 6 (“Let Reuben live”). The Jerusalem targum understands it the same way. In this way a connection is made between the hope for a future king and the blessings coming to Israel.

Deuteronomy 33.7: “Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him in to his people. With your hands contend for him, and be a help against his adversaries.” In blessing Joseph (Deuteronomy 33.13-16) Moses quotes from the blessing Jacob gave to Joseph (Genesis 49.22-26). It is reasonable to assume that here Moses also had in mind Jacob’s blessing of Judah. In this verse Moses prays for the coming of the Messiah, who will come to fight for his people. [LM]

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Deuteronomy 33.17: “His firstling bull has majesty, and his horns are the horns of a wild ox.” “His firstling bull has majesty.” This passage is quoted in connection with Genesis 32.5, “And I have oxen and asses.” According to the rabbis, ox denoted the anointed of the war, for it is said, “His glory is like the firstling of his bullock”; ass denotes the King Messiah, for it is said, “Lowly, and riding upon an ass” (Zechariah 9.9). [Midrash Genesis, sec. 75] [BP]

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Haftarah: Joshua 1.1-18; 6.27

Shabbat Shalom!