V’zot Ha’bracha is not the first time in Chumash where we find that each tribe receives a blessing. Recall that back in Parshat Vayechi, Yaakov Avinu blesses each tribe before his death. Unlike Moshe, however, Yaakov addresses his children in almost exact age order: Reuven, Shimon, Levi, Yehuda, Zevulun & Yissachar [note slight deviation], Dan (first born of Bilhah), Gad (first born of Zilpah), Asher, and Naftali. Although Gad & Asher precede Naftali, they may very well have been born first, depending on how one understands Bereishit 30:5-10.
The reason why Yaakov blesses his children in age order is quite simple. Yaakov (prior to his death) blesses each son according to his individual potential, as exhibited and manifest throughout each respective son’s life. Therefore, whereas these blessings relate to personal destiny, it is only reasonable that they follow (more or less) the order of the sons’ births.
Moshe, by contrast, is not the ‘dying father’ of twelve sons. He is rather the ‘departing leader’ of twelve tribes to whom he has given the Torah and who are about to conquer and occupy the Land of Israel. As we would expect, his blessings accurately reflect the setting and circumstances in which they are administered.
Aware of the geographic division of the tribes in the land and their respective military capabilities, Moshe blesses each tribe prior to his death to encourage them to achieve their fullest potential in occupying the Land of Israel.
Moshe introduces his brachot with a four-pasuk ‘opener’ (33:2-5) and a corresponding four-pasuk ‘closer’ (33:26-29). The introductory psukim – the precise translation of which requires further discussion beyond the scope of this shiur – clearly point to Ma’amad Har Sinai and Moshe’s role as the transmitter of the laws commanded at Har Sinai.
Moshe’s closing remarks focus on God as the Protector of Israel, Who provides close supervision (33:26), assistance in battle (26:27,29), and agricultural and economic prosperity (26:28).
Rabbi Menachem Leibtag explains: Not only do these opening and closing remarks form the appropriate framework for the individual blessings, they also directly relate to primary theme of Sefer Devarim (and, for that matter, Chumash as a whole). God has chosen the Jewish nation to represent Him as His model nation to guide mankind in the proper direction. To that end, He gave them the Torah (see 33:2-5), which contains the specific laws whose observance in the Promised Land leads to the realization of that goal. Now, before his death, Moshe blesses Bnei Yisrael that they fulfill that potential, that God assist them in their achievement of these goals, in the “nachala” they are about to conquer and occupy.
Prepared by: Devorah Abenhaim
