Seder Yomi

Chapter Previewהַקְדָּמָה

In this aliyah, Moshe Rabbeinu continues his final berachos to the shevatim, turning his focus to Yosef HaTzaddik. Moshe bestows a beautiful and rich berachah upon Yosef's portion of Eretz Yisrael, wishing him a land blessed with the finest bounty of the heavens and the earth.

All introductions, summaries, and contextual notes are the editor's commentary and are not part of the original text.אַלע הַקְדָּמוֹת, סִכּוּמִים, און הערות זענען דעם רעדאַקטאָר'ס באַמערקונגען און זענען נישט קיין טייל פונעם אָריגינעלן טעקסט.

פָּסוּק א

Pasuk 1

וּלְיוֹסֵףAnd of Yosefאָמַרhe saidמְבֹרֶכֶתblessed ofיְהֹוָהHashemאַרְצוֹbe his landמִמֶּגֶדwith the bounty ofשָׁמַיִםheavenמִטָּלfrom dewוּמִתְּהוֹםand from the deepרֹבֶצֶתthat couchesתָּחַת׃below

רַשִׁ״י

מברכתFrom the blessing ofה'Hashemארצו.is his landשֶׁלֹּאthat notהָיְתָהwas thereבְנַחֲלַתin the inheritance ofהַשְּׁבָטִיםthe tribesאֶרֶץa landמְלֵאָהfull ofכָלallטוּבgoodnessכְּאַרְצוֹlike the land ofשֶׁלofיוֹסֵףYosefעי'seeספריSifrei:

רַשִׁ״י

ממגד.From the sweetnessלְשׁוֹןan expression ofעֲדָנִיםdelicaciesוּמֶתֶק:and sweetness

רַשִׁ״י

ומתהום.and from the deepשֶׁהַתְּהוֹםfor the deepעוֹלֶהascendsוּמְלַחְלֵחַand moistensאוֹתָהּitמִלְּמַטָּה;from belowאַתָּהyouמוֹצֵאfindבְכָלin all ofהַשְּׁבָטִיםthe tribesבִּרְכָתוֹthe blessing ofשֶׁל·מֹשֶׁהMosheמֵעֵיןsimilar toבִּרְכָתוֹthe blessing ofשֶׁל·יַעֲקֹב:Yaakov

פָּסוּק ב

Pasuk 2

וּמִמֶּגֶדand from the sweetnessתְּבוּאֹתof the crops ofשָׁמֶשׁthe sunוּמִמֶּגֶדand from the sweetnessגֶּרֶשׁof the yield ofיְרָחִים׃the moons

רַשִׁ״י

וממגדand from the sweetnessתבואתof the yieldשמש.of the sunשֶׁהָיְתָהfor wasאַרְצוֹhis landפְּתוּחָהopenלַחַמָּהto the sunוּמְמַתֶּקֶתand it sweetenedהַפֵּרוֹתthe fruitsספריSifrei:

רַשִׁ״י

גרשthe yield ofירחים.the moonsיֵשׁthere areפֵּרוֹתfruitsשֶׁהַלְּבָנָהthat the moonמְבַשַּׁלְתָּןripens themוְאֵלּוּand theseהֵןare theyקִשּׁוּאִיןcucumbersוּדְלוּעִין;and melonsדָּ"אַanother explanation—גרשthe yield ofירחים.the moonsשֶׁהָאָרֶץthat the earthמְגָרֶשֶׁתputs forthוּמוֹצִיאָהand producesמֵחֹדֶשׁfrom monthלְחֹדֶשׁ:to month

פָּסוּק ג

Pasuk 3

וּמֵרֹאשׁand from the bestהַרְרֵיof the mountains ofקֶדֶםoldוּמִמֶּגֶדand from the bountyגִּבְעוֹתof the hills ofעוֹלָם׃eternity

רַשִׁ״י

ומראשAnd from the firstהרריof the hills ofקדם.ancient timesוּמְבֹרֶכֶתand it is blessedמֵרֵאשִׁיתfrom the earliestבִּשּׁוּלripening ofהַפֵּרוֹת,the fruitsשֶׁהֲרָרֶיהָbecause its hillsמַקְדִּימִיןare earliestלְבַכֵּרto bring first-fruitsבִּשּׁוּלthe ripening ofפֵּרוֹתֵיהֶם.their fruitsדָּ"אַanother explanation—מַגִּידthis tellsשֶׁקָּדְמָהthat was priorבְּרִיאָתָןtheir creationלִשְׁאָרto the rest ofהָרִיםthe hillsשםthere:

רַשִׁ״י

גבעותhills ofעולם.eternityגְּבָעוֹתhillsהָעוֹשׂוֹתthat makeפֵּרוֹתfruitsלְעוֹלָםforeverוְאֵינָןand they do notפּוֹסְקוֹתceaseמֵעֹצֶרfrom withholding ofהַגְּשָׁמִים:the rains

פָּסוּק ד

Pasuk 4

וּמִמֶּגֶדand from the bounty ofאֶרֶץearthוּמְלֹאָהּand its fullnessוּרְצוֹןand the favor ofשֹׁכְנִיthe One Who dwells inסְנֶהthe bushתָּבוֹאתָהmay it comeלְרֹאשׁupon the head ofיוֹסֵףYosefוּלְקָדְקֹדand upon the crown ofנְזִירthe separated ofאֶחָיו׃his brothers

רַשִׁ״י

ורצוןand the favor ofשכניHe Who dwells inסנה.the thorn-bushכְּמוֹlikeשׁוֹכֵןHe Who dwells inסְנֶה;the thorn-bushוּתְהֵאand may it beאַרְצוֹhis landמְבֹרֶכֶתblessedמֵרְצוֹנוֹfrom the favorוְנַחַתand satisfactionרוּחוֹof the spiritשֶׁלofהַקָּבָּ"הthe Holy One blessed be HeהַנִּגְלֶהWho revealed Himselfעָלַיto meתְּחִלָּהinitiallyבַּסְּנֶה:in the thorn-bush

רַשִׁ״י

רצון.Willנַחַתsatisfactionרוּחַof spiritוּפִיּוּס,and appeasementוְכֵןand soכָּלeveryרָצוֹןwillשֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא:that is in Scripture

רַשִׁ״י

תבואתה.let it comeבְּרָכָהblessingזוֹthisלראשon the head ofיוסףYosef:

רַשִׁ״י

נזירthe crown ofאחיו.his brothersשֶׁהֻפְרַשׁwho was separatedמֵאֶחָיוfrom his brothersבִּמְכִירָתוֹby his saleעי'seeספריSifrei:

פָּסוּק ה

Pasuk 5

בְּכוֹרThe firstborn ofשׁוֹרוֹhis bullהָדָרmajesty isלוֹto himוְקַרְנֵיand the horns ofרְאֵםa wild ox areקַרְנָיוhis hornsבָּהֶםwith themעַמִּיםpeoplesיְנַגַּחhe shall goreיַחְדָּוtogether toאַפְסֵיthe ends ofאָרֶץthe earthוְהֵםand they areרִבְבוֹתthe myriads ofאֶפְרַיִםEphraimוְהֵםand they areאַלְפֵיthe thousands ofמְנַשֶּׁה׃Manasseh

רַשִׁ״י

בכורThe firstborn ofשורו.his oxיֵשׁthere isבְכוֹרfirstbornשֶׁהוּאthat it isלְשׁוֹןan expression ofגְּדֻלָּהgreatnessוּמַלְכוּת,and sovereigntyשֶׁנֶּאֱמַרas it is said"אַףevenאָנִיIבְּכוֹרa firstbornאֶתְּנֵהוּ"will make himתהיליםTehillimפ"ט89,וְכֵןand similarly"בְּנִיmy sonבְכֹרִיmy firstbornיִשְׂרָאֵל"is YisraelשמותShemosד'4—מֶלֶךְthe kingהַיּוֹצֵאwho emergesמִמֶּנּוּ,from himוְהוּאand he isיְהוֹשֻׁעַYehoshuaשֶׁכֹּחוֹwhose strength isקָשֶׁהmightyכְּשׁוֹרlike an oxלִכְבֹּשׁto conquerכַּמָּהmanyמְלָכִים:kings

רַשִׁ״י

הדרSplendorלו.to himנָתוּןis givenלוֹ,to himשֶׁנֶּאֱמַרas it is said"וְנָתַתָּהand you shall placeמֵהוֹדְךָof your majestyעָלָיו"upon himבמדברBamidbarכ"ז27:

רַשִׁ״י

וקרניand the horns ofראםa re'emקרניו.are his hornsשׁוֹרan oxכֹּחוֹits strengthקָשֶׁה,is mightyוְאֵיןbut notקַרְנָיוits hornsנָאוֹת,are beautifulאֲבָלbutרְאֵםa re'emקַרְנָיוits hornsנָאוֹתare beautifulוְאֵיןbut notכֹּחוֹits strengthקָשֶׁה,is mightyנָתַןHe gaveלִיהוֹשֻׁעַto Yehoshuaכֹּחוֹthe strengthשֶׁלofשׁוֹרan oxוְיֹפִיand the beauty ofקַרְנֵיthe horns ofרְאֵםa re'emספריSifrei:

רַשִׁ״י

אפסיends ofארץ.the earthשְׁלוֹשִׁיםthirtyוְאֶחָדand oneמְלָכִיםkingsאֶפְשָׁרis it possibleשֶׁכֻּלָּםthat all of themמֵאֶרֶץfrom the land ofיִשְׂרָאֵלYisraelהָיוּ?wereאֶלָּאratherאֵיןthere is notלְךָto youכָּלanyמֶלֶךְkingוְשִׁלְטוֹןand rulerשֶׁלֹּאwho did notקָנָהacquireלוֹfor himselfפַלְטֵרִיןa palaceוַאֲחֻזָּהand a holdingבְּאֶרֶץin the land ofיִשְׂרָאֵלYisraelשֶׁחֲשׁוּבָהbecause esteemedלְכֻלָּםto all of themהִיא,it isשֶׁנֶּאֱמַרas it is saidירמיהוYirmeyahuג'three"נַחֲלַתan inheritance ofצְבִיdesire ofצִבְאוֹתhosts ofגּוֹיִם"nationsעי'seeספריSifrei:

רַשִׁ״י

והםAnd theyרבבותare the myriads ofאפרים.Ephraimאוֹתָםthoseהַמְנֻגָּחִיםwho were goredהֵםthey areהָרְבָבוֹתthe myriadsשֶׁהָרַגwhom slewיְהוֹשֻׁעַYehoshuaשֶׁבָּאwho cameמֵאֶפְרַיִם:from Ephraim

רַשִׁ״י

והםand theyאלפיthe thousands ofמנשה.Manassehהֵםtheyהָאֲלָפִיםthe thousandsשֶׁהָרַגthat killedגִּדְעוֹןGideonבְּמִדְיָןin Midianשֶׁנֶּאֱמַרas it is saidשופטיםShoftimח'eight"וְזֶבַחand Zebahוְצַלְמֻנָּעand Zalmunnaבַּקַּרְקֹרwere in Karkorוְגוֹ'":etcetera

Chapter Summaryסִכּוּם

The aliyah details the specific blessings given to Yosef, including the dew of the heavens, the deep waters below, the sweet fruits ripened by the sun and the moon, and the ancient mountains and hills. Moshe invokes the favor of Hashem Who appeared in the burning bush, wishing these blessings upon Yosef, the leader of his brothers. The berachah concludes by praising Yosef's strength, comparing his power to a mighty wild ox that will gore the nations to the ends of the earth, representing the tens of thousands of Ephraim and the thousands of Menashe.

לְמַעֲשֶׂהWhat To Take Home

The Torah is coming to be mechadesh a beautiful yesod in the berachah of Yosef HaTzaddik. Moshe Rabbeinu blesses Yosef's land with the ultimate bounty, mentioning the sun, the moon, the ancient mountains, and the fullness of the earth. But then, right in the middle of all this physical abundance, the pasuk adds a crucial phrase: "u'retzon shochney sneh", and the favor of Hashem Who dwells in the bush. Rashi explains that this refers to Hashem's goodwill and desire, which was first revealed to Moshe in the burning bush.

Lichoira, we have to ask, what is the connection between the physical wealth of Yosef's land and the burning bush? The teretz is that Yosef's special koach was always the ability to take the physical world and connect it directly to the Ruchniyus of Hashem. Yosef was in Mitzrayim, running the entire economy of the superpower of the world, yet he remained Yosef HaTzaddik. The Torah is teaching us that the real berachah of physical abundance is only when it is saturated with "retzon shochney sneh", when we remember Hashem in the middle of our daily business, our food, and our material success.

Mimeila, when we go out to work, eat a good meal, or enjoy the physical comforts of this world, we cannot let it become a separate, cold existence. We have to bring the warmth of the burning bush, the fire of Torah and dveykus in Hashem, into our physical endeavors. The physical is just a vessel to reveal Hashem's presence in the world.

Today, when you sit down to eat or engage in your daily business, take ten seconds before you start to think: "I am doing this to have the strength to serve Hashem." Bring the fire of the "sneh" into your physical day.