Yaakov's Parting Words to Shimon and Levi/1
Yaakov's Parting Words to Shimon and Levi
Introduction
A Harsh Address
Sefer Bereshit closes with what might be referred to as Yaakov's "Last Will and Testament" to his sons. The tone of most of Yaakov's speech is fairly positive, as he blesses children with rich land, luscious vines, swiftness of feet and victory in battle. Yehuda is compared to a lion, Naftali to a doe and Binyamin to a wolf devouring his prey. Asher is told that he will serve food fit for royalty and Yosef is blessed with fruit of the womb and heavenly favor.
When Yaakov addresses Shimon and Levi, however, all this positive imagery is absent. Yaakov speaks instead of violent tempers and murder, says that he wishes to have no part in the brothers' council, and even curses their wrath. Why do Yaakov's parting words to Shimon and Levi appear so harsh? What leads to the change in tone? And perhaps most importantly, to what is Yaakov referring anyway? To which events in the lives of Shimon and Levi is he alluding?
Textual Difficulties
As Yaakov's speech is poetic, not all of the terms he uses are easily defined, making several phrases difficult to understand, and leaving the intent and meaning of many of Yaakov's statements ambiguous. Almost every phrase raises questions:
- "שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי אַחִים" – What does Yaakov mean by addressing Shimon and Levi as brothers? Is this an expression of their similarity, solidarity or something else?
- "כְּלֵי חָמָס מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם" – The words "כְּלֵי חָמָס" are generally translated as weapons or vessels of violence, with the word "חָמָס" carrying a negative connotation of unjust brutality. What, though, does "מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם" mean? Is it related to the word למכר (to sell), the word להכיר (to recognize), or does it stem from a different root? Either way, how does it affect the meaning of the metaphor?
- "בְּסֹדָם אַל תָּבֹא נַפְשִׁי בִּקְהָלָם אַל תֵּחַד כְּבֹדִי" – How should the word "תֵּחַד" be translated? Is it related to "חדוה", happiness, or to the root "יחד", to be united or come together? Regardless, to what secret and congregation is Yaakov referring? Are these two distinct things or is Yaakov simply making use of poetic parallelism and expressing the same idea twice in different words?
- "כִּי בְאַפָּם הָרְגוּ אִישׁ וּבִרְצֹנָם עִקְּרוּ שׁוֹר" – Is Yaakov referring to a specific killing, or to a general tendency towards murder? What does he mean by saying that Shimon and Levi "hamstrung an ox"? Why is that worthy of mention? Might the word "שׁוֹר" have some secondary connotation which makes the act more significant?
- "אָרוּר אַפָּם כִּי עָז וְעֶבְרָתָם כִּי קָשָׁתָה" – Is Yaakov cursing his sons for their fiery temperament? How would such a curse be compatible with the narrator's later statement, "וַיְבָרֶךְ אוֹתָם אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר כְּבִרְכָתוֹ בֵּרַךְ אֹתָם" (v. 28), which suggests that each of the brothers were blessed, not cursed?
- "אֲחַלְּקֵם בְּיַעֲקֹב וַאֲפִיצֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל" – Finally, how should this promise of dispersal be viewed? Is this a punishment, a corrective, or a blessing? Does it express Yaakov's personal desires or a prophetic vision of the future?
Sons or Tribes?
A last set of questions relates to Yaakov's blessings as a whole. Yaakov prefaces his speech by telling his sons that he will speak of events that will befall them "בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים" (lit. "the ends of days"). Does this refer to experiences during Yaakov's sons' own lives, events which will occur to their descendants upon their return to the Land of Israel, or what will transpire to the nation as a whole in Messianic times? As such, is Yaakov addressing his sons as individuals, or as progenitors of future tribes? And finally, should Yaakov's parting speech be viewed as a collection of blessings or of prophecies? The answers to these questions will obviously impact how one understands each of Yaakov's blessings, including his address to Shimon and Levi.
