Difference between revisions of "Yaakov's Blessing of Yosef/2"
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<p>Yaakov told Yosef that despite his brothers' enmity, he had prevailed and managed to rise above them.</p> | <p>Yaakov told Yosef that despite his brothers' enmity, he had prevailed and managed to rise above them.</p> | ||
<mekorot><multilink><a href="IbnEzraBereshit49-22-26" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra<multilink data-aht=""></multilink></a><a href="IbnEzraBereshit49-22-26" data-aht="source">Bereshit 49:22-26</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink></mekorot> | <mekorot><multilink><a href="IbnEzraBereshit49-22-26" data-aht="source">Ibn Ezra<multilink data-aht=""></multilink></a><a href="IbnEzraBereshit49-22-26" data-aht="source">Bereshit 49:22-26</a><a href="R. Avraham ibn Ezra" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham ibn Ezra</a></multilink></mekorot> | ||
| − | <point><b>בֵּן פֹּרָת יוֹסֵף בֵּן פֹּרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן</b> – Ibn Ezra understands "בֵּן פֹּרָת" to mean a "fruitful branch", with "פֹּרָת" being a poetic form of the word "פורה".‎<fn>Ibn Ezra points to <a href="Tehillim80-16" data-aht="source">Tehillim 80:16</a> as evidence that "בֵּן" can refer to some sort of flora. In all the many other instances of the word, however, it refers to either a person or age, or is used to reference one thing to another.</fn>  The doubling is simply Tanakh's way to express continuity or permanence.</point> | + | <point><b>בֵּן פֹּרָת יוֹסֵף בֵּן פֹּרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן</b> – Ibn Ezra understands "בֵּן פֹּרָת" to mean a "fruitful branch", with "פֹּרָת" being a poetic form of the word "פורה".‎<fn>Ibn Ezra points to <a href="Tehillim80-16" data-aht="source">Tehillim 80:16</a> as evidence that "בֵּן" can refer to some sort of flora. In all the many other instances of the word, however, it refers to either a person or age, or is used to reference one thing to another.</fn>  The doubling is simply Tanakh's way to express continuity or permanence (suggesting that Yosef will continuously bears fruit).</point> |
| − | <point><b>בָּנוֹת צָעֲדָה עֲלֵי שׁוּר</b> – This phrase expands on the first blessing of progeny, and means that Yosef's branches will | + | <point><b>בָּנוֹת צָעֲדָה עֲלֵי שׁוּר</b> – This phrase expands on the first blessing of progeny, and means that Yosef's branches will make others which will climb like a vine over the walls.  The word "שׁוּר" might be related to the Aramaic "שורא" (wall).<fn>However, the word does not appear in Biblical Hebrew with this meaning except perhaps in this verse and in <a href="ShemuelII22-30" data-aht="source">Shemuel II 22:30</a></fn></point> |
| − | <point><b>"...וַיְמָרְרֻהוּ וָרֹבּו"</b> – This verse describes the brothers plot to sell Yosef.  | + | <point><b>"...וַיְמָרְרֻהוּ וָרֹבּו"</b> – This verse describes the brothers plot to sell Yosef.   The siblings are described metaphorically as archers who set Yosef's gallbladder (מְרֵרָה) as a target to shoot (רבה) at.<fn>For similar usage see <a href="Iyyov16-12-13" data-aht="source">Iyyov 16:12-13</a>.</fn></point> |
| − | <point><b>וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵיתָן קַשְׁתּוֹ וַיָּפֹזּוּ זְרֹעֵי יָדָיו</b></point> | + | <point><b>וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵיתָן קַשְׁתּוֹ וַיָּפֹזּוּ זְרֹעֵי יָדָיו</b> – Yosef proved too strong for the brothers who could not prevail over him.  Yaakov expresses this by describing Yosef's bow as sitting in a place of strength and his arms as being mighty (וַיָּפֹזּוּ)‎.<fn>The root פזז also appears in Shemuel II 6, where David is "מְפַזֵּז וּמְכַרְכֵּר" before the ark.  Two verses earlier there is a similar description, "וְדָוִד מְכַרְכֵּר בְּכׇל עֹז".  Ibn Ezra learns from the parallel that פזז relates to strength.<br/><br/></fn></point> |
<point><b>מִידֵי אֲבִיר יַעֲקֹב מִשָּׁם רֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל</b></point> | <point><b>מִידֵי אֲבִיר יַעֲקֹב מִשָּׁם רֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל</b></point> | ||
</opinion> | </opinion> | ||
Version as of 14:30, 23 December 2015
Yaakov's Blessing of Yosef
Exegetical Approaches
Individual Blessing for the Present
Yaakov's blessing was aimed at Yosef the individual and related to events that transpired in his lifetime. The sources disagree regarding which incidents are alluded to and form the focus of the blessing:
Conflict with the Brothers
Yaakov told Yosef that despite his brothers' enmity, he had prevailed and managed to rise above them.
Sources:Ibn Ezra
בֵּן פֹּרָת יוֹסֵף בֵּן פֹּרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן – Ibn Ezra understands "בֵּן פֹּרָת" to mean a "fruitful branch", with "פֹּרָת" being a poetic form of the word "פורה".1 The doubling is simply Tanakh's way to express continuity or permanence (suggesting that Yosef will continuously bears fruit).
בָּנוֹת צָעֲדָה עֲלֵי שׁוּר – This phrase expands on the first blessing of progeny, and means that Yosef's branches will make others which will climb like a vine over the walls. The word "שׁוּר" might be related to the Aramaic "שורא" (wall).2
"...וַיְמָרְרֻהוּ וָרֹבּו" – This verse describes the brothers plot to sell Yosef. The siblings are described metaphorically as archers who set Yosef's gallbladder (מְרֵרָה) as a target to shoot (רבה) at.3
וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵיתָן קַשְׁתּוֹ וַיָּפֹזּוּ זְרֹעֵי יָדָיו – Yosef proved too strong for the brothers who could not prevail over him. Yaakov expresses this by describing Yosef's bow as sitting in a place of strength and his arms as being mighty (וַיָּפֹזּוּ).4
מִידֵי אֲבִיר יַעֲקֹב מִשָּׁם רֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל
Mrs. Potiphar's Attempted Seduction
Sources:Rashbam
