ISSACHAR IS A STRONG
ASS COUCHING DOWN BETWEEN THE SHEEPFOLDS. R. Eleazar said: ‘Why should
Issachar, because he studied the Torah, be called an ass, rather than a horse,
or a lion, or a leopard? The answer given is that the ass bears a burden patiently
and does not kick like other animals, and is not fastidious and will lie down
anywhere. So Issachar bears the burden of the Torah and does not kick against
the Almighty, and is not fastidious and cares not for his own honour but for
the honour of his Master. He therefore “couches between the sheepfolds”, as we
say of the student of the Torah that he is “willing to sleep on the ground”. He
also, in explanation of this verse, quoted the text: “To David. The Lord is my
light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life,
of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps. XXVV, 1). ‘Those who study the Torah’, he
said, ‘are beloved before God, so that they have no fear of evil hap, being
protected above and below. Nay more such a one subdues all evil haps and casts
them down into the great abyss. At nightfall the doors are closed, and dogs and
asses commence to roam about the world with permission to do damage. Men sleep
on their beds and the souls of the righteous ascend to the bliss above. When the
north wind awakes at midnight, then there is a holy stirring in the world, as
has been explained in many places. Happy is he who rises at that hour and studies
the Torah. For as soon as he begins, all those evil beings are cast by him into
the great abyss and he binds the ass and throws him down into the dung-heap.
Therefore Issachar, who was a student of Torah, bound the ass and brought him
down from the latter which he had mounted to do injury to the world, and made
him abide between the sheepfolds, that is, in the dung-heap.’ (Vayeḥi 242a-b in
The Zohar [trans. Harry Sperling and Maurice Simon; London: The Soncino
Press, 1934], 2:369-70)
JOSEPH IS A FRUITFUL
BOUGH, A FRUITFUL BOUGH BY A FOUNTAIN. The words “fruitful bough” are repeated
to show that he is such both above and below. Observe that the holy kingdom
does not attain its perfection as holy kingdom until it is joined with the
patriarchs. Then its structure is completed from the upper world, which is the
world of the male. The upper world is called “seven years” because all the “seven
years” are in it. The mnemonic of this is “and be built it seen years” (I Kings
VIII, 66), the first seen being male and the second female. It is written: “Many
daughters have done virtuously” (Prov. XXXI, 29). These are the twelve tribes
who did valiantly. Hence it is written here: “The daughters advanced upon the
wall”; that is to say, the daughter took part in the adornment of the Shekinah,
but not the sons.
BUT HIS BOW ABODE IN STRENGTH.
This means that the bow which was his mate clothed him with strength and kept
him firm, knowing that he would not go astray right or left in regard to his
own proper grade of the sign of the covenant. AND THE ARMS OF HIS HANDS WERE
MADE STRONG: the word vayaphozu (were made strong) is akin to the word paz
(fine gold), and indicates that his arms were adorned with precious jewels. BY
THE HANDS OF THE MIGHTY ONE OF JACOB: these are the two sides of which Jacob held
fast. FROM THENCE HE FED THE STONE OF ISRAEL: by him was supported that
precious stone, as we have said. Or again, it may mean that that precious
stones was sustained by these two sides which are north and south, and between
which it was placed by the hands of the Righteous One.
Observe that Joseph
received an extra blessing, as it is written: EVEN FROM THE GOD OF THY FATHER,
HE SHALL HELP THEE. Jacob gave Joseph and inheritance above and below. The inheritance
above was given in these words: “from the God of the father”, the place called “heaven”.
He added: “And he shall help thee”, to show that this place would not be
exchanged for any other place, and his support would be from this place and
from no other. AND WITH THE ALMIGHTY: this signifies another and lower grade,
indicated by the word eth (with), from which issue blessings to the
world.
Up to this point the
blessings were given in general; they were not particularized with the words:
BLESSINGS OF HEAVEN ABOVE, ETC. THE BLESSINGS OF THY FATHER HAVE PREVAILED
ABOVE THE BLESSINGS OF MY PROGENITORS. This was so because Jacob inherited the
cream of all more than the other patriarchs, he being perfect in all, and he
gave all to Joseph. This was fitting, because the Righteous One takes all and
inherits all, and all blessings are deposited with him. He first dispenses
blessings above, and all the limbs of the body are disposed so as to receive
them, and thus is brought into being the “river which goes forth from Eden”. Why
Eden (lit. delight)? Because whenever all the limbs are knit together in
harmony and in mutual delight, from top to bottom, then they pour blessings
upon it, and it becomes a river which flows forth, literally from “delight”. Or
again, the word “Eden” may refer to the supreme Wisdom, from which the whole
flows forth like a river until it reaches this grade, where all is turned to
blessing. The two interpretations are practically the same.
UNTO THE UTMOST
BOUNDS OF THE EVERLASTING HILLS. Or better, “unto the desire (ta’avath)
of, etc.” These everlasting hills are two females, one above and one below,
each of whom is called ‘olam (a world). The desire of all the limbs of
the Body is for those two Mothers, from below to suck from the higher Mother,
and from above to be linked with the lower Mother, both desires being in essence
the same. Therefore, THEY SHALL ALL BE ON TH HEAD OF JOSEPH, so that the grade
of the Righteous One should be blessed and receive all as befits. Happy are
they who are called righteous, for only he is so called who observes this
grade, this sign of the holy covenant. Happy are they in this world and in the
world to come.
They now went out of
the cave. Said R. Simeon: ‘Let each one of us give some exposition as we go
along.’ (Vayeḥi 246a-247b in Ibid., 2:382-84)