Parashat Vezot Haberakhah 5786-11 October 2025 / 23 Tishrei 5786

Mr. Murthy Gaddi
1 day ago
5 min read

GADDI’s Notes from the Sages Writings:

Moses’ Final Blessings to the Tribes of Israel, and the Torah’s Closing Tribute to His Unparalleled Greatness

Outline of Parshat V’Zot HaBerachah with Sages’ Insights

1. Introduction: Moshe the Ish HaElohim (33:1–5)

Text:

“This is the blessing with which Moshe, the man of God (Ish HaElohim), blessed the children of Israel before his death.”

Rashi (33:1):Emphasizes Moshe’s humility — called “Ish HaElohim,” bridging heaven and earth.

Midrash Tanchuma (V’Zot HaBerachah 1):Moshe blessed Israel just as Jacob blessed his sons, showing continuity of covenant.

Ramban:The opening recalls Sinai — “a fiery law from His right hand” — to root the blessings in Torah.

2. Blessings to the Tribes (33:6–25)

a. Reuven (v.6)

Text: “May Reuven live and not die, and may his men be numbered.”

Rashi: Prayer that Reuven’s tribe not be diminished due to his sin with Bilhah.

Midrash Rabbah: Reuven’s teshuvah was accepted, making him a model of repentance.

b. Judah (v.7)

Text: “Hear, Hashem, the voice of Yehudah…”

Rashi: Refers to Yehudah’s prayer in battle and his descendants (King David).

Sefat Emet: Yehudah’s voice =prayer that crowns Hashem, linked to Rosh Hashanah shofar.

c. Levi (vv.8–11)

Text: “Your Thummim and Urim belong to Your pious one…”

Rashi: Levi merited the priesthood by siding with Hashem at the Golden Calf.

Ramban: Emphasizes Levi’s role in teaching Torah.

Zohar: Levi symbolizes the inner fire of Torah and service in the Beit HaMikdash.

d. Binyamin (v.12)

Text: “The beloved of Hashem shall dwell in safety by Him…”

Rashi:Beit HaMikdash located in his portion—Hashem’s dwelling rests“between his shoulders.”

Midrash: Binyamin never sinned with the golden calf, meriting unique closeness.

E. Yosef – Ephraim & Menasheh (vv.13–17)

Text: Abundant blessings of land and strength.

Rashi: Fertility of Yosef’s land.

Zohar, Kol HaTor: Yosef’s blessing foreshadows Mashiach ben Yosef—abundance, defense, preparation for redemption.

Ramban: Yosef’shorn = his strength to lead.

f. Zevulun & Yissachar (vv.18–19)

Text: Zevulun in commerce, Yissachar in Torah.

Rashi: Zevulun is blessed before Yissachar because business enables Torah.

Midrash: Partnership model for all generations— commerce supporting scholarship.

g. Gad (vv.20–21)

Text: “Blessed is He who enlarges Gad…”

Rashi: Gad conquered land east of the Jordan; likened to a lion.

Sifri: Gad is praised for leading in battle and sanctifying the Land.

h. Day (v.22)

Text: “Dan is a lion’s cub, leaping from Bashan.”

Rashi: Refers to Shimshon, from Dan.

Midrash: Dan guards the northern frontier.

i. Naftali (v.23)

Text: “Naftali, satisfied with favor…”

Rashi: His portion was fertile and beautiful.

Zohar: Naftali represents joy and song.

j. Asher (vv.24–25)

Text: “Most blessed of sons is Asher…”

Rashi: Asher’s portion rich in olive oil.

Midrash: His daughters were beautiful and married kohanim.

Chassidut: Oil = wisdom, blessing of illumination.

“Moshe the Man of God: His Final Blessing Before Departure”

This opening verse of V’Zot HaBerachah (Deut. 33:1) is loaded with meaning in the eyes of the sages. Let’s explore it step by step, drawing from Midrash, Talmud, Rashi, Ramban, Zohar, and Chassidut.

“ V'zot HaBerachah Asher Berach Moshe Ish Ha-Elohim ...”

1. Why “V’zot” (And This)?

Rashi: The word “V’zot” connects back to the Torah itself. Just as at Sinai it says, “Zot haTorah asher sam Moshe” (“This is the Torah which Moshe set before Israel”), so too here: the final act of Moshe is a blessing wrapped in Torah.

Midrash Tanchuma (V’Zot HaBerachah 1): “V’zot” teaches that just as Jacob blessed his sons at his death, so Moshe blesses all Israel, completing the circle of patriarchal blessing.

Chassidut (Sefat Emet): “Zot” often signifies the Shechinah (Divine Presence). Moshe draws down blessing not from himself, but through connecting Israel to the Shechinah itself.

2. Moshe as “Ish Ha-Elohim” (Man of God)

Rashi: Moshe is called “Ish” below and “Ha-Elohim” above — he united heaven and earth. He was human in body, but divine in spirit.

Ramban: This title is given here at the end of his life, showing that Moshe had fully reached his potential — a man sanctified until he resembled the angels.

Midrash Rabbah (Devarim 11:4): Moshe’s upper half resembled God (radiant from the Divine), and his lower half was human — he was the bridge between two realms.

Zohar (III, 288a): “Ish Ha-Elohim” means Moshe drew down Divine flow into the physical world. His blessings are not personal wishes but channels of Divine energy.

3. “Before His Death” (Lifnei Moto)

Rashi: Moshe, like Jacob, wanted to bless his children before leaving the world, so that they would enter the land with his words of protection.

Midrash (Sifrei): A tzaddik blesses before his death because at that moment his words carry eternal power — his soul is cleaving to its Source.

Zohar: The blessings before death are called “berachot shel histalkut” — blessings of departure. They are higher than blessings in life, because the soul is already tasting eternity.

Chassidut (Baal Shem Tov): The words of a tzaddik before death are seeds planted in eternity. Moshe’s words are not just historic but everlasting spiritual DNA for Israel.

4. Blessing as Transmission

Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim 3:51): True blessing is not merely words, but the flow of divine influence through a perfected soul. Moshe, as the prophet of unmatched clarity, became a channel to transmit divine vitality to each tribe.

Sefat Emet: Moshe’s blessings correspond to the unique mission of each tribe, helping them draw strength from their root.

Or HaChaim (33:1): Moshe blessed them together as one people before blessing them individually — teaching that Israel’s unity is the vessel for blessing.

5. Parallel with Jacob

Midrash Rabbah (Vayechi): Jacob blessed his sons before dying; Moshe blessed the entire nation.

Jacob = the foundation of tribes, Moshe = the completion of the nation.

Both give blessings before departing, showing that the legacy of a tzaddik is continuity — not in monuments, but in blessings that sustain life after them.