Prophecies of Jacob & Moses (pdf)
VeZot HaBracha Slides (pdf)
Vezot Habrachah Notes (pdf)
Overview of Vezot HaBracha (“And This is the Blessing”) Deuteronomy 33:1 – 34:12
This is the final Portion of Torah; Moses blesses the 12 Tribes just as Jacob (four generations earlier) blessed his 12 sons at the end of the Book of Genesis. It is interesting to compare these two men’s prophecies: some are remarkably similar… and some are remarkably different.
Chapter 33 – Moses Prophecies
Reuben: Moses said: “Let Reuben live and not die” — Long live Reuben! Earlier, Jacob, on the other hand, had chastised Rueben for his sin with Bilhah and said he would not excel.
Judah: Moses said: “Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah., and bring him to the hands of his people.” As the leader of the tribes, may Judah be victorious over Israel’s enemies. Jacob spoke the same idea when he said of Judah that the scepter (of the king) shall not depart from him.
Simeon: Simeon’s blessing was missing from Moses’ Blessing but possibly included in his blessing of Judah (since Simeon would be dispersed among Judah); or possibly he was deliberately excluded due to his actions at Ba’al Pe’or.
Levi: Moses said that Levi would be the Tribe of Priests because they were tested (and passed that test) at Masseh & Meribah. They will make no distinction as they carry out God’s covenant; they will be the Torah teachers. Jacob, on the other hand, described Levi and Simeon as “instruments of cruelty”, presumably referring to their roles in the slaughter of Shechem (Genesis 34)
Benjamin: “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him.” The Temple was located in Benjamin’s territory. Jacob favored Benjamin as a warrior and he is favored by God.
Joseph: Moses said: “Let the blessing come on the head of Joseph.” He blessed Joseph with a fertile land, bountiful crops, and many descendants. This is the same blessing that Jacob gave to Joseph.
Ephraim (& Manasseh) shall be dispersed to the ends of the earth
Zebulun: Jacob said he would dwell near the Sea, near Sidon. Moses confirmed Jacob’s blessing by saying: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out.” (as mariners).
Issachar: Jacob said he would be a servant; Moses said he would dedicate his time to “tents” of Torah study (a servant of Torah). “Treasures hidden in the sand” possibly referred to oil.
Gad: Jacob said that Gad would overcome. Moses confirmed this blessing when he said, “Blessed is he who enlarges Gad; he dwells as a lion.” Gad occupied the largest area east of Jordan & was first defender of the western-dwelling tribes from attack. “He administered the justice of the LORD”. He fought alongside the other Tribes in conquest of the Land even though his territory east of the Jordan had already been conquered.
Dan: Jacob’s blessing said he would be a “serpent by the way…that bites the horse’s heels so that the rider shall fall backward.” Moses, on the other hand, said: “Dan is a lion’s whelp” His land was located on the coast and he was a defender of Israel.
Naphtali: Jacob said, “he is a deer let loose; he uses beautiful words.” Moses expands upon this brief blessing be saying he would be “satisfied with favor, and full of the blessing of the LORD.” His land was located in the Galilee Region, the most fertile farmland
Asher: Jacob gave a curious blessing: “Bread from Asher shall be rich, and he shall yield royal dainties.” Moses perhaps fills in some blanks in Jacob’s blessing when he said that Asher would be “most blessed of sons….and let him dip his foot in oil” The oil referred to here could be olives….or petroleum; in either case, he would be prosperous.
Chapter 34 The Death of Moses
Yehovah took Moses to the top of Mt Pisgah, which is East of the Jordan and directly across from Jericho, and showed him all of the Promised Land – from north to south and from east to west. And then Moses died. He was 120 years old, “His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished.” And Israel mourned him for 30 days.
The Book of Deuteronomy (and Torah) finishes with: “But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.”
As we finish reading these final verses of the Book of Deuteronomy, we say: “Chazak, chazak, ve-nitchazek!” “Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened!”
And we reroll the Torah scroll back to the beginning and read the first verses of Genesis!
Haftarah Reading (Joshua 1:1-18))
This week’s Haftarah reading describes Joshua’s succession of , whose passing is discussed in the Torah reading. Yehovah appointed Joshua as Moses’ successor and instructed him to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. He gave him His promise of the Land:
“Every place on which the soles of your feet will tread I have given to you, as I have spoken to Moses. From this desert and Lebanon to the great river, the Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the great sea westward shall be your boundary.”
Yehovah assures Joshua that He will be with him just as He was with Moses and encourages him to be strong and brave; it is from this verse (9) that we get the “Chazak, chazak…” that we just recited as we finished reading this Book of Deuteronomy. Yehovah also charged Joshua with keeping he Book of the Law; this was Yehovah’s promise for them to enter and to occupy the Land. (Remember, Israel’s right to possess the Land was given as an unconditional covenant to Abram). Joshua orders the tribal leaders to prepare the Israelites to cross the Jordan River. He then tells the members of the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh, who had chosen to settle on the eastern bank of the Jordan, to go and assist their brothers in the conquest of the Land. The people Pledge their allegiance to Joshua:
“Just as we obeyed Moses in everything, so shall we obey you. Only that Yehovah your God be with you as He was with Moses.”
Brit Chadashah (John 7:37-44)
The Brit Chadashah reading highlights this season of Sukkot, where we see Yeshua’s participation in the Sukkot celebrations. We read from John 7:37-44:
“On the last day, that great day of the feast [of Sukkot], Yeshua stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Yeshua was not yet glorified. Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But some said, “Will the Messiah come out of Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Messiah comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” So there was a division among the people because of Him. Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.”