Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Deuteronomy 33:7/רמב"ן על דברים ל״ג:ז׳
אוְזֹאת לִיהוּדָה, וְכֵן אָמַר לִיהוּדָה שֶׁיִּחְיֶה וְלֹא יָמוּת, וְהוֹסִיף לוֹ עוֹד שְׁמַע ה' קוֹל יְהוּדָה, דַּעַת רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם (אבן עזרא על דברים ל"ג:ז'). וְזֶה אֵינֶנּוּ נָכוֹן עַל פֵּרוּשֵׁנוּ, כִּי אֵין יְהוּדָה בַּכָּרֵת הַזֶּה שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל עָלָיו כֵּן כַּאֲשֶׁר לֹא הִזְכִּיר זֶה בִּשְׁאָר הַשְּׁבָטִים. אֲבָל הוּא כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ, וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה אֲשֶׁר לִיהוּדָה. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמֶת יִחֵד הַמִּדָּה הַזֹּאת לִיהוּדָה בַּעֲבוּר כִּי לָהֶם הַמִּלְחָמָה וּמִמֶּנּוּ הַמַּלְכוּת לְעוֹלָם, וְהִיא הָעֵזֶר מִצָּרָיו, וְהוּא סוֹד הַכָּתוּב שֶׁאָמַר (א יח) לְלַמֵּד בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה קָשֶׁת הִנֵּה כְתוּבָה עַל סֵפֶר הַיָּשָׁר, כִּי הוּא הַקֶּשֶׁת הַנִּרְאֶה בֶּעָנָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהּ (בראשית ט יז) זֹאת אוֹת הַבְּרִית:
1AND THIS FOR JUDAH. “And for Judah he said likewise that he live and not die, and further added for him, hear, Eternal, the voice of Judah.” This is the opinion of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra. But this is not correct in accordance with our interpretation [above on the blessing of Reuben], for Judah was not involved in this [punishment of] extinction150 [making it necessary for] Moses to pray for him, just as he did not mention this in the blessing of the remaining tribes. But the verse is to be understood in its plain meaning: “and this is the blessing for Judah.” And by way of the Truth, [the mystic teachings of the Cabala], he singled out the attribute of zoth (this) for Judah because his is the conduct of war and from him shall be royalty forever,151 this being the help against his adversaries. This is the secret of the verse stating, To teach the sons of Judah the bow. Behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar,152 for this is the bow which is seen in the cloud concerning which it is said, ‘Zoth’ (this) is the token of the covenant.153
בשְׁמַע ה' קוֹל יְהוּדָה, יִתְפַּלֵּל עָלָיו בְּצֵאתוֹ לַמִּלְחָמָה, כִּי הוּא יַעֲלֶה בַּתְּחִלָּה וּלְנָגִיד מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁיִּלָּחֵם בְּאוֹיְבֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְכֵן אָמַר יַעֲקֹב (שם מט ח) יָדְךָ בְּעֹרֶף אוֹיְבֶיךָ:
2HEAR, ETERNAL, THE VOICE OF JUDAH. He prayed for him when he goes out to fight, for it was Judah who was first to go up to fight122 and of him came he that is the prince121 to fight the enemies of Israel. And so also did Jacob say, thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies.154, 49:8.
גוְאֶל עַמּוֹ תְּבִיאֶנּוּ, שֶׁיָּשׁוּב לְשָׁלוֹם. יָדָיו רָב לוֹ, יִהְיוּ יָדָיו רַב לוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יִצְטָרֵךְ לְעֵזֶר אַחֵר זוּלָתִי עֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם שֶׁיַּעֲנֵהוּ בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ, כְּכָל הַכָּתוּב בְּדִבְרֵי אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על דברים ל"ג:ז'), וְכֵן דַּעַת הַמְּפָרְשִׁים. וְעַל דַּעְתִּי עוֹד יִרְמֹז לְמִלְחַמְתּוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹנָה אֶל הַכְּנַעֲנִי, שֶׁאָמַר הַשֵּׁם יְהוּדָה יַעֲלֶה בַּתְּחִלָּה (שופטים א ב), וְאָמַר יָדָיו רָב, שֶׁיִּקַּח מִצָּרָיו וְיִכְבֹּשׁ מֵהֶם אֲרָצוֹת רַבּוֹת יוֹתֵר מִן הָרָאוּי לוֹ בְּנַחֲלָתוֹ, יִרְמֹז שֶׁיַּנְחִיל מִנַּחֲלָתוֹ לְשִׁמְעוֹן אָחִיו, הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע יט ט) מֵחֶבֶל בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה נַחֲלַת בְּנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן כִּי הָיָה חֵלֶק בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה רַב מֵהֶם וַיִּנְחֲלוּ בְנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּתוֹךְ נַחֲלָתָם. וְהִנֵּה הִזְכִּיר שִׁמְעוֹן בְּרֶמֶז עִם יְהוּדָה:
3AND BRING HIM IN INTO HIS PEOPLE — that he should return [from the fighting] in peace. HIS HANDS SHALL ‘RAV’ FOR HIM. His hands shall “be sufficient” for him, so that he need no other help except for the help of G-d Who will answer him when he prays, all as written in the words of Onkelos.155 So also is the opinion of the commentators.156In my opinion he [Moses] further alludes to Judah’s first war against the Canaanite concerning which G-d said, Judah shall go up122 first. And he states his hands shall ‘rav’ meaning that he will annex and conquer from his foes “many” lands, more than are due him as his inheritance. He intimates that Judah will give part of his inheritance to his brother Simeon, this being what is stated, Out of the allotment of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon, for the portion of Judah was too much for them; therefore the children of Simeon had inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.157 Thus Moses mentioned Simeon by allusion together with Judah.