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[VEZOS HABERACHAH]

33 And this is the brocha, wherewith Moshe the Ish HaElohim blessed the Bnei Yisroel before moto (his death).

And he said, Hashem came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; He shined forth from Mt Paran, and He came with ten thousands of kodesh; from His right hand went a fiery law for them.

Yea, He loved the amim; kol kedoshav (all His holy ones) are in Thy hand: and they sat down at Thy feet; every one shall receive of Thy devarot.

Moshe charged us with a torah, even the morashah kehillat Ya’akov (heritage of the Congregation of Ya’akov).

And He was Melech in Yeshurun, when the Rashei Am and the Shivtei Yisroel were gathered together.

Let Reuven live, and not die; and let not his men be few.

And this to Yehudah: and he said, Shema, Hashem, the voice of Yehudah, and bring him unto his people; let his hands contend for him; and be Thou an ezer (help) to him from his enemies.

And of Levi he said, Let Thy Tummim and Thy Urim be with Thy chasid, whom Thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom Thou didst strive at the waters of Merivah;

Who said unto his av and to his em, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own banim; for they [Levi’im] have been shomer over Thy word, and Thy Brit they have preserved.

10 They shall teach Ya’akov Thy mishpatim, and Yisroel Thy torah; they shall put ketorah before Thee, and kalil (whole burnt offerings) upon Thine mizbe’ach.

11 Bless, O Hashem, his resources, and accept the work of his hands; strike through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.

12 And of Binyamin he said, Yedid Hashem shall dwell in safety by Him; and Hashem shall hover over him all day long, and he (Yedid Hashem, beloved of Hashem) shall rest between His shoulders.

13 And of Yosef he said, Mevorekhet Hashem (Blessed of Hashem) be his land, for the precious things of Shomayim, for the tal, and for the tehom (deep waters) that coucheth below,

14 With the choice fruits brought forth by the shemesh, and choice crops put forth by the yarei’ach,

15 And with the choicest of the harrei kedem (eternal mountains), and for the precious things of the everlasting hills,

16 And for the precious things of ha’aretz and fulness thereof, and for the good will of Him whose [shechinah] dwelling is in the [burning] bush; let the blessing come upon the head of Yosef, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.

17 His glory is like the bechor of his shor, and his horns are like the horns of a wild ox; with them he shall push the people together to the ends of ha’aretz; and they are the ten thousands of Ephrayim, and they are the thousands of Menasheh.

18 And of Zevulun he said, Rejoice, Zevulun, in thy going out; and, Yissakhar, in thy oholim.

19 They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer zivkhei tzedek; for they shall draw out of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.

20 And of Gad he said, Baruch be he that enlargeth Gad; he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the zero’a as well as the crown of the head.

21 And he provided the reshit for himself, when the chelkat mechokek (lawgiver’s chelek) was assigned. When the Rashei Am came, he executed the Tzidkat Hashem, and His mishpatim with Yisroel.

22 And of Dan he said, Dan is a gur aryeh (lion’s whelp); he shall leap from Bashan.

23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with ratzon, and full with the Birkat Hashem; possess thou the west and the south.

24 And of Asher he said, Baruch be Asher with banim; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him tovel (dip, immerse as in tevilah) his foot in shemen.

25 Thy bars shall be barzel (iron) and nechoshet (bronze); and as thy yamim, so shall thy strength be.

26 There is none like unto El Yeshurun, who rideth upon Shomayim to be thy ezer (help), and on the sky in His majesty.

27 Elohei Kedem is thy me’onah (dwelling place), and underneath are the Zero’ot Olam (Everlasting Arms): and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Make them shmad.

28 Yisroel then shall dwell in safety alone; the fountain of Ya’akov shall be upon an eretz dagan (land of grain) and tirosh (new wine); also His heavens shall drop down tal.

29 Happy art thou, O Yisroel; who is like unto thee, O people saved by Hashem, the mogen of thy ezer and the cherev of thy majesty! Thine enemies shall come fawning unto thee; and thou shalt trample down their high places.

Moses Blesses the Tribes(A)

33 This is the blessing(B) that Moses the man of God(C) pronounced on the Israelites before his death. He said:

“The Lord came from Sinai(D)
    and dawned over them from Seir;(E)
    he shone forth(F) from Mount Paran.(G)
He came with[a] myriads of holy ones(H)
    from the south, from his mountain slopes.[b]
Surely it is you who love(I) the people;
    all the holy ones are in your hand.(J)
At your feet they all bow down,(K)
    and from you receive instruction,
the law that Moses gave us,(L)
    the possession of the assembly of Jacob.(M)
He was king(N) over Jeshurun[c](O)
    when the leaders of the people assembled,
    along with the tribes of Israel.

“Let Reuben live and not die,
    nor[d] his people be few.”(P)

And this he said about Judah:(Q)

“Hear, Lord, the cry of Judah;
    bring him to his people.
With his own hands he defends his cause.
    Oh, be his help against his foes!”

About Levi(R) he said:

“Your Thummim and Urim(S) belong
    to your faithful servant.(T)
You tested(U) him at Massah;
    you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.(V)
He said of his father and mother,(W)
    ‘I have no regard for them.’
He did not recognize his brothers
    or acknowledge his own children,
but he watched over your word
    and guarded your covenant.(X)
10 He teaches(Y) your precepts to Jacob
    and your law to Israel.(Z)
He offers incense before you(AA)
    and whole burnt offerings on your altar.(AB)
11 Bless all his skills, Lord,
    and be pleased with the work of his hands.(AC)
Strike down those who rise against him,
    his foes till they rise no more.”

12 About Benjamin(AD) he said:

“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,(AE)
    for he shields him all day long,(AF)
    and the one the Lord loves(AG) rests between his shoulders.(AH)

13 About Joseph(AI) he said:

“May the Lord bless his land
    with the precious dew from heaven above
    and with the deep waters that lie below;(AJ)
14 with the best the sun brings forth
    and the finest the moon can yield;
15 with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains(AK)
    and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;
16 with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness
    and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush.(AL)
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
    on the brow of the prince among[e] his brothers.(AM)
17 In majesty he is like a firstborn bull;
    his horns(AN) are the horns of a wild ox.(AO)
With them he will gore(AP) the nations,
    even those at the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim;(AQ)
    such are the thousands of Manasseh.(AR)

18 About Zebulun(AS) he said:

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
    and you, Issachar,(AT) in your tents.
19 They will summon peoples to the mountain(AU)
    and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous;(AV)
they will feast on the abundance of the seas,(AW)
    on the treasures hidden in the sand.”

20 About Gad(AX) he said:

“Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain!(AY)
    Gad lives there like a lion,
    tearing at arm or head.
21 He chose the best land for himself;(AZ)
    the leader’s portion was kept for him.(BA)
When the heads of the people assembled,
    he carried out the Lord’s righteous will,(BB)
    and his judgments concerning Israel.”

22 About Dan(BC) he said:

“Dan is a lion’s cub,
    springing out of Bashan.”

23 About Naphtali(BD) he said:

“Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord
    and is full of his blessing;
    he will inherit southward to the lake.”

24 About Asher(BE) he said:

“Most blessed of sons is Asher;
    let him be favored by his brothers,
    and let him bathe his feet in oil.(BF)
25 The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze,(BG)
    and your strength will equal your days.(BH)

26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,(BI)
    who rides(BJ) across the heavens to help you(BK)
    and on the clouds(BL) in his majesty.(BM)
27 The eternal(BN) God is your refuge,(BO)
    and underneath are the everlasting(BP) arms.
He will drive out your enemies before you,(BQ)
    saying, ‘Destroy them!’(BR)
28 So Israel will live in safety;(BS)
    Jacob will dwell[f] secure
in a land of grain and new wine,
    where the heavens drop dew.(BT)
29 Blessed are you, Israel!(BU)
    Who is like you,(BV)
    a people saved by the Lord?(BW)
He is your shield and helper(BX)
    and your glorious sword.
Your enemies will cower before you,
    and you will tread on their heights.(BY)

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 33:2 Or from
  2. Deuteronomy 33:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  3. Deuteronomy 33:5 Jeshurun means the upright one, that is, Israel; also in verse 26.
  4. Deuteronomy 33:6 Or but let
  5. Deuteronomy 33:16 Or of the one separated from
  6. Deuteronomy 33:28 Septuagint; Hebrew Jacob’s spring is