14a (י״ד:א׳)

And he is king among beasts-who is it that will have the strength to raise him? (וְהוּא מֶלֶךְ בַּחַיּוֹת, מִי הוּא שֶׁיְּהִיֶּה בּוֹ כֹּחַ לְהֱקִימוֹ), therefore “The scepter shall not depart from Yehudah” (Bereshit 49:10) (לָכֵן ״לֹא־יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה).

Meaning: kingship will not be exclusively yours, for kings will always arise from the seed of Yosef (פֵּרוּשׁ: לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ לְבַדְּךָ הַמְּלוּכָה כִּי תָּמִיד יִמְלְכוּ מְלָכִים מִזֶּרַע יוֹסֵף). And if David and Shlomo ruled over all Yisrael (וְאִם דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה מָלְכוּ עַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל), already there were adversaries and challengers to David regarding kingship (כְּבָר הָיוּ לָהֶם צוֹרְרִים וּמְקַטְרְגִים לְדָוִד עַל הַמְּלוּכָה), and also to Shlomo at the end of his days (וְגַם לִשְׁלֹמֹה לְסוֹף יָמָיו), and the matter of Rechav‘am and Yerav‘am is well known (וְדִבְרֵי רְחַבְעָם וִירַבְעָם יְדוּעִים). And this will continue “until Shiloh comes” (Bereshit 49:10) (וְזֶה יִמָּשֵׁךְ "עַד כִּי יָבוֹא שִׁילֹה), and then all the nations and all of Yisrael as one will gather to him and accept him as king (שֶׁאָז יֵאָסְפוּ אֵלָיו כָּל הַגּוֹיִם וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּאֶחָד וִיקַבְּלוּהוּ עֲלֵיהֶם לְמֶלֶךְ).

As Yechezkel the prophet prophesied, who said: “And you, son of man, take for yourself one stick…” (Ezekiel 37:16) (כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְנַבֵּא יְחֶזְקֵאל הַנָּבִיא שֶׁאָמַר: "וְאַתָּה בֶן אָדָם קַח־לְךָ עֵץ אֶחָד), meaning: that the government and kingship that was divided between the tribe of Yehudah and the tribe of Yosef will be united as one (פֵּרוּשׁ: שֶׁהַמֶּמְשָׁלָה וְהַמְּלוּכָה שֶׁנֶּחְלְקָה בֵּין שֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה וְשֵׁבֶט יוֹסֵף יִתְחַבְּרוּ כְּאֶחָד).

See the explanation of the parashah from “Take for yourself one stick” until “My Sanctuary shall be in their midst forever” (Ezekiel 37:16–28) (עֲיֵן בְּפֵירוּשׁ הַפָּרָשָׁה מִ"קַח־לְךָ עֵץ אֶחָד" עַד "מִקְדָּשִׁי בְּתוֹכָם לְעוֹלָם), and you will find it like a prepared table before you (וּתְמְצָאֵהוּ כְּשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ לְפָנֶיךָ).

For as long as the serpent is found within Yisrael, the kingship is divided to a tribe other than Yehudah (כִּי כָּל זְמַן שֶׁנִּמְצָא הַנָּחָשׁ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל נֶחְלְקָה הַמְּלוּכָה לְשֵׁבֶט אַחֵר זוּלַת יְהוּדָה), as it is written: “At that time, Yerav‘am went out from Jerusalem” (I Kings 11:29) (דִּכְתִיב: "בָּעֵת הַהִיא וְיָרָבְעָם יָצָא מִירוּשָׁלַיִם), and it is written: “And the one tribe shall be his, for the sake of David My servant…” (I Kings 11:36) (וְכָתוּב ״וְהַשֵּׁבֶט הָאֶחָד יִהְיֶה לוֹ לְמַעַן דָּוִד עַבְדִּי), and it said: “and for Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen…” (I Kings 11:36) (וְאָמַר ״וּלְמַעַן יְרוּשָׁלִַם הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתִּי בָהּ מִכָּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). This hints that the Holy One Blessed Be He desired to cause His Shekhinah to dwell in the portion of Binyamin (רֶמֶז שֶׁרָצָה הקב״ה לְהַשְׁרִות שְׁכִינָתוֹ בְּחֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל בִּנְיָמִין), for even though Jerusalem was in the portion of Yehudah (שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיְרוּשָׁלִַם הָיְתָה בְּחֶלְקִי שֶׁל יְהוּדָה), the place where the Ark was set, the Holy of Holies, was in the portion of Binyamin (הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁהֻנַּח בּוֹ הָאָרוֹן, קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, הָיָה מֵחֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל בִּנְיָמִין). This is what the verse says: “And between his shoulders it dwells” (Deuteronomy 33:12) (זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: ״וּבֵין כְּתֵפָיו שָׁכֵן), for from there goes forth Divine influence to the whole world (שֶׁמִּשָּׁם יוֹצֵאת הַשְּׁפָעָה הָאֱלוֹהִית לְכָל הָעוֹלָם). “A man like me” (Bereshit 44:15) (״אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר כָּמוֹנִי), meaning: the influence comes into the world through Yosef the tzaddik (פֵּרוּשׁ: כִּי הַשְּׁפָעָה יָבוֹא לָעוֹלָם בִּשְׁבִיל יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק), or through the merit of a righteous man like him (אוֹ בִּזְכוּת אִישׁ צַדִּיק כָּמוֹהוּ). And this is what troubled Ya'akov Avinu when he wished to go down to Egypt (וְזֶה מַה שֶּׁהָיָה מִצְטַעֵר יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ כְּשֶׁרָצָה לֵרֵד מִצְרַיְמָה), for the Holy One Blessed Be He said to him: “Do not fear to go down to Egypt” (Bereshit 46:3) (כִּי אָמַר לוֹ הקב״ה: ״אַל תִּירָא מֵרְדָה מִצְרָיְמָה), for such is said only to one who is afraid (כִּי אֵין אוֹמְרִים כֵּן אֶלָּא לְמִי שֶׁהוּא מִתְיָרֵא).

For he said: how is it possible that I will be sustained by others? (שֶׁהָיָה אוֹמֵר: אֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁאֶהְיֶה נִזּוֹן עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים) The Holy One Blessed Be He said to him: do not fear (אָמַר לוֹ הקב״ה: אַל תִּירָא), and do not think you will be sustained through others (וְאַל תַּחְשֹׁב שֶׁתִּהְיֶה נִזּוֹן עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים), for it is Yosef who stands over the spring (כִּי יוֹסֵף הוּא שֶׁעוֹמֵד עַל הַמַּעְיָן), from which flows the Divine influence to the whole world (שֶׁמִּשָּׁם הַמְשֶׁךְ הַשְּׁפָעָה הָאֱלוֹהִית עַל כָּל הָעוֹלָם). And this is “and Yosef shall place his hand upon your eyes” (Bereshit 46:4) (וְזֶהוּ ״וְיוֹסֵף יָשִׁית יָדוֹ עַל עֵינֶיךָ), meaning: his trait, which is Yesod, is upon your trait, which is Malkhut (פֵּרוּשׁ: מִדָּתוֹ שֶׁהִיא יְסוֹד עַל מִדָּתְךָ שֶׁהִיא מַלְכוּת), which is the eye of Yisrael (שֶׁהִיא עֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל), meaning: that spring mentioned earlier (פֵּרוּשׁ: מַעְיָן זֶה שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ לְעֵיל): “Drink water from your cistern…” (Proverbs 5:15) (״שְׁתֵה מַיִם מִבּוֹרֶךָ״ וגו׳). And this is what Ya'akov hinted in Yosef’s blessing: “A fruitful son is Yosef” (Bereshit 49:22) (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁרָמַז יַעֲקֹב בִּבְרַכַּת יוֹסֵף: "בֵּן פֹּרָת יוֹסֵף), Porat is written (Poret), “over the eye” (כְּתוּב ״פֹּרָת״ – ״עֲלֵי עָיִן), which is the spring called Perat, which is the trait of Malkhut (שֶׁהוּא מַעְיָן שֶׁנִּקְרָא פְּרָת וְהִיא מִדַּת מַלְכוּת). “The daughters stepped over the wall” (Bereshit 49:22) (״בָּנוֹת צָעֲדָה עֲלֵי שׁוּר), meaning: it is the sefirah that surrounds Yesod, which is the sefirah of Yosef (פֵּרוּשׁ: הִיא הַסְּפִירָה הַסוֹבֶבֶת יְסוֹד, שֶׁהִיא סְפִירַת יוֹסֵף). And what is Shur? It is the trait of Chidekel (וּמַהוּ ״שׁוּר״ הִיא מִדַּת חִדֶּקֶל), which is the trait of Yesod, as it says: “It goes toward the east of Ashur” (Bereshit 2:14) (שֶׁהִיא מִדַּת יְסוֹד שֶׁכָּתוּב שָׁם ״הַהֹלֵךְ קִדְמַת אַשּׁוּר), toward Kadmono shel Olam [Ancient One of the World] (לְקַדְמוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם), which is blessed (Me’ushar) (שֶׁהִיא מְאֻשָּׁר), from which Perat is nourished (שֶׁמִּשָּׁם נִזּוֹן פְּרָת), and of him it is said: “From there the Shepherd of the Stone of Yisrael” (Bereshit 49:24) (וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר ״מִשָּׁם רֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל). And when Yisrael are meritorious, they are influenced from her (וּכְשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל זַכָּאִין מֻשְׁפָּעִים מִמֶּנָּה), but when they sin, the Divine influence is withheld from them (וּכְשֶׁהֵם חוֹטְאִים נִטְּלָה מֵהֶם הַשְּׁפָעָה הָאֱלוֹהִית).

And these secrets the Torah hinted to us (וְהַסּוֹדוֹת הָאֵלֶּה רָמְזָה לָנוּ הַתּוֹרָה), as it is written: “And the stone was great upon the mouth of the well” (Bereshit 29:2) (כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״וְהָאֶבֶן גְּדוֹלָה עַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר), there it hinted to us the providence that is withheld from Yisrael when they are not righteous (שָׁם רָמַז לָנוּ הַהַשְׁגָּחָה שֶׁנִּטְּלָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל כְּשֶׁאֵינָם צַדִּיקִים). That in the time when Yisrael gathered together and improved their deeds (שֶׁבִּזְמַן שֶׁנִּקְהֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל יַחַד וְהֵיטִיבוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם), then the Holy One Blessed Be He bestowed upon them (אָז הִשְׁפִּיעַ עֲלֵיהֶם הקב״ה), as it is said: “And they rolled the stone from upon the mouth of the well” (Bereshit 29:3) (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְגָלְלוּ אֶת הָאֶבֶן מֵעַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר). And after a short time they sinned (וְאַחַר זְמַן מְעַט חָטְאוּ), “and they returned the stone upon the mouth of the well to its place” (Bereshit 29:3) (וְהֵשִׁיבוּ אֶת הָאֶבֶן עַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר לִמְקוֹמָהּ), and because of their sins the fountains of influence were sealed above them (וּבִגְלַל עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם נִסְתַּמּוּ מַעְיְנֵי הַשְּׁפָעָה מֵעֲלֵיהֶם): “And they returned the stone…” etc (וְהֵשִׁיבוּ אֶת הָאֶבֶן״ וגו׳).

Until Rachel comes, who is the Shekhinah (עַד שֶׁתָּבוֹא רָחֵל שֶׁהִיא הַשְּׁכִינָה), and the kingship of Ya'akov will arrive (וְתָגִיעַ מֶמְשֶׁלֶת יַעֲקֹב), and the gates of influence will open (וְיִפָּתְחוּ שַׁעֲרֵי הַשְּׁפָעָה), as hinted in: “And Ya'akov drew near and rolled the stone from upon the mouth of the well” (Bereshit 29:10) (כְּמוֹ שֶׁרָמַז: ״וַיִּגַּשׁ יַעֲקֹב וַיָּגֶל אֶת הָאֶבֶן מֵעַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר). And this will endure forever (וְזֶה יִתְמַיֵּד לְעוֹלָם), for it is not written afterwards: “And they returned the stone” (שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא כָּתוּב אַחַר כָּךְ ״וְהֵשִׁיבוּ אֶת הָאֶבֶן). And then the Shekhinah will dwell in the Beit HaMikdash (וְאָז תִּשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָה בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ), this is what the verse said: “A fixed place for Your dwelling” (Exodus 15:17) (זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: ״מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ). And our days will be renewed as of old (וְיִתְחַדְּשׁוּ יָמֵינוּ כְּקֶדֶם), as it is said: “A dwelling of the God of the East, and beneath, everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27) (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מְעוֹנֶה אֱלֹקֵי קֶדֶם וּמִתָּחַת זְרֹעֹת עוֹלָם). At that time we will find refuge in the shadow of His wings (שֶׁאָז נַחְסֶה בְּצֵל כְּנָפָיו שֶׁל הקב״ה).