Tribes

The sons of Jacob, founders of the tribes.

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Jacob's Prophetic Farewell

TANAKH

Jacob's final blessings to his twelve sons reveal the unique characteristics and destinies of each tribe, offering profound insights into their roles in the history and future of Israel. In the book of Genesis, Jacob's prophetic farewell to his sons provides a detailed and symbolic portrayal of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
In the morning he consumes the foe,
And in the evening he divides the spoil.” All these were the tribes of Israel, twelve in number, and this is what their father said to them as he bade them farewell, addressing to each a parting word appropriate to him.

Genesis 49:27-28

The Wisdom of Issachar

CHASIDUT

The children of Issachar possessed a unique spiritual and temporal awareness, enabling them to discern the times and understand what Israel should do. Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov’s Bnei Yissaschar delves into the mystical insights of the Jewish calendar and holidays, drawing on the tribe of Issachar’s profound connection to Torah study and time.

The children of Issachar are those who possess understanding to discern the times and know what Israel should do (1 Chronicles 12:32). They were consecrated for specific times (Berakhot 49a), and they serve as vessels to receive their sanctity. Therefore, their souls are keenly aware of the changing times for the better, and their souls are filled with pleasant and harmonious bonds that flow with the abundance of holiness according to the beloved and pleasant order of times.

Bnei Yissaschar, Introduction 1

The Seventy Nations and Jacob's Descendants

COMMENTARY

The divine allocation of lands and characteristics to nations is intricately linked to the number of Jacob's descendants, indicating a possible correspondence between the seventy nations and the seventy individuals who went to Egypt. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s commentary on Deuteronomy 32:8 explores the significance of the number seventy in Jewish tradition and its connection to the division of nations.

When the Most High bequeathed the various lands and characteristics to the nations, when He separated the children of man into tribes and nations, He set the borders of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. God divided mankind into seventy nations; seventy is also the number of individuals who descended with Jacob to Egypt. Other commentaries explain that Canaan and his sons, who inhabited the land of Canaan, numbered twelve, corresponding to the sons of Jacob.

Steinsaltz on Deuteronomy 32:8

The Exile of the Ten Tribes

MIDRASH

The exile of the Ten Tribes of Israel by the Assyrian Empire is a pivotal event in Jewish history, shrouded in mystery and speculation. Judah David Eisenstein’s early 20th-century work provides a detailed historical context and timeline of the events leading to their exile.

The Ten Tribes: there are various tales told of the Ten Tribes which were exiled from Eretz Yisroel before the exile of the children of the Tribe of Yehudah, part of the Tribe of Binyamin, the Kohanim and the Levi'im. In the days of Pekach, the king of Yisroel, Tiglas-Peleisar, the king of Assyria, came and captured the cities of the Gilead and the land of Naphtali and exiled the people to Assyria (II Kings 15:29). In the days of Hoshea ben Eila, Shalmaneser, the king of Assyria, arose and besieged Shomron (Samaria) for three years…

Otzar Midrashim, Midrashim on the Ten Lost Tribes, Introduction 1

The Unique Privilege of the Tribe of Levi

SECOND TEMPLE

The tribe of Levi was uniquely privileged among the tribes of Israel, receiving the priesthood instead of a territorial inheritance. Philo of Alexandria, a first-century Jewish philosopher, explores the special status of the Levites, emphasizing their heavenly rather than earthly possession.

[63] For he deemed it meet and right that a whole tribe, which had taken refuge at God’s footstool, should be allotted no part of the country, like the other eleven tribes, but should receive the pre-eminent privilege of the priesthood, a possession not earthly but heavenly. “The tribe of Levi,” he says, “shall have no lot or portion among the children of Israel, for the Lord is their portion” (Deut. 10:9); and there is an utterance rung out on this wise by the holy oracles in the name of God, “I am thy portion and inheritance” (Numb. 18:20):

Concerning Noah's Work as a Planter 15:2

The Maritime Tribe and the Prophet

MIDRASH

The tribe of Zebulun has a unique connection to the sea and maritime activities, and it may have also been the tribe of the sea-faring prophet Jonah, though there is also reason to say that he was from the tribe of Asher. The early medieval midrash Bereshit Rabbah, a talmudic-era midrashic work on the book of Genesis, offers rabbinic interpretations and debates on the tribal lineage of Jonah.

“Zebulun will dwell at the shore of seas, and he will be a shore for ships, and his border will be upon Sidon” (Genesis 49:13).
“Zebulun will dwell at the shore of seas” – Rabbi Yehuda bar Naḥman and Rabbi Levi would receive two sela each Shabbat to gather Rabbi Yoḥanan’s congregation. Rabbi Levi entered and said: That Jonah was from Zebulun; that is what is written: “The third lot arose [for the children of Zebulun].… from there it passed eastward [to Gat Ḥefer]” (Joshua 19:10, 13)…

Bereshit Rabbah 98:11

The Strategic Significance of Tel Dan

COMMENTARY

The city of Laish, later renamed Tel Dan, was a strategically significant and prosperous location for the tribe of Dan due to its ample water resources and position at the crossroads of trade routes. This text delves into the geographical and strategic importance of Tel Dan, highlighting its attractiveness and historical significance.

Therefore, north we head, to Tel Dan, the conquered city of Laish, renamed for the tribe. What an attractive location this must have been for the ancients! Based at the foot of Mount Hermon, Laish was built around ample springs whose waters eventually flowed together into a strong river. An important road from the Galilee to Damascus passed this city in antiquity, enriching the place and heightening its importance. No wonder then that the men of Dan coveted Laish: “The land was very good…expansive…where there was no shortage of anything you could possibly want.… ” (Judges 18:9–10).

Tribal Lands, Chapter 8; Dan 80

The Impact of Individual Actions on the Tribe

COMMENTARY

An individual's actions can bring either shame or praise to their entire tribe. Rashi, the renowned 11th-century French biblical commentator, elaborates on the significance of tribal affiliation in the biblical narrative of Leviticus.

למטה דן OF THE TRIBE OF DAN — This mention also of the parent and tribe of the woman teaches us that the wrong doer brings shame upon himself, shame upon his parent, shame upon his whole tribe. Similarly we find the name of the tribe Dan mentioned to express praise; (Exodus 31:6) “Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan”, where the details of Oholiab’s descent imply praise for him, praise for his father and praise for his tribe (Sifra, Emor, Section 14 4).

Rashi on Leviticus 24:11:5

Flags of the Tribes

JEWISH THOUGHT

The encampment of the Israelite tribes in the wilderness, with their distinct flags and colors, highlights tribal identity. Dr. Erica Brown cites Rashi, the renowned medieval Jewish commentator, to provide insights into the symbolism of the flags and their correspondence to the gemstones on the high priest’s breastplate.

Beyond discussing who was included in the encampment, the text also sets forth guidelines regarding the structure of the encampment itself. Each tribe had to have a flag or banner to demarcate itself: “The Israelites shall camp each with his sign, under the flags of their ancestral house; they shall camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance” (Num. 2:2). One medieval commentator proposes that the demarcations on each flag – or literally “letters,” as the Hebrew translates – are the letters of the names of the ancestral tribes that should appear on each flag…

Leadership in the Wilderness; Authority and Anarchy in the Book of Numbers, Part I, Chapter 3; The Organization of Organization 13

Unequal Land Distribution Explained

TALMUD

The division of land was done equally among the groups as a whole, regardless of the number of people in each group, with each individual within the group receiving a different amount of land. The Talmudic tractate Bava Batra discusses the division of land, highlighting the equal distribution among groups and the varying amounts received by individuals.

The Gemara suggests: Come and hear a proof. The verse states: “According to the lot shall their inheritance be divided between the more and the fewer” (Numbers 26:56). Evidently, whether the tribe had many or few people, the tribe as a whole received a portion equal to that of every other tribe, and each individual within the tribe received a different amount of land than those in other tribes.

Bava Batra 122a:1

Issachar's Humble Wisdom

KABBALAH

Issachar's humility and dedication to Torah study serve as a profound example of commitment and acceptance of hardship for the sake of spiritual growth. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, uses the metaphor of a donkey to illustrate Issachar's unwavering dedication and humility in his pursuit of Torah study.

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…

Zohar, Vayechi 68:681

Order in the Wilderness

COMMENTARY

The meticulous organization and structure of the Israelite camp highlight the precise formation and designated roles of the tribes and Levites, as well as the laws and offerings that maintain order and purity within the camp. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks' commentary on the book of Numbers, offers a contemporary and insightful analysis of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness, emphasizing themes of order and chaos.

Numbers is precisely structured to dramatise, in a way unique in Torah, the counterpoint between order and chaos. It is divided into three sections. The first, chapters 1–10, as the Israelites prepare to begin the second half of their journey, is a remarkable portrayal of order within the camp. The tribes are numbered. They are encamped, in precise formation, around the Sanctuary, each with their distinctive banners. The Levites are likewise divided into groups, each with their carefully designated tasks…

Covenant and Conversation; Numbers; The Wilderness Years, Numbers; Then and Now 75

The Role of the Levites

TANAKH

The tribe of Levi had a unique and crucial role in assisting Aaron the priest and safeguarding the Tabernacle. The Book of Numbers details the special duties and responsibilities assigned to the Levites in their service to the priesthood and the Tabernacle.

Advance the tribe of Levi and place its [men] in attendance upon Aaron the priest to serve him. They shall perform duties for him and for the whole community before the Tent of Meeting, doing the work of the Tabernacle. They shall take charge of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting—a duty on behalf of the Israelites—doing the work of the Tabernacle. You shall assign the Levites to Aaron and to his sons: they are formally assigned to him from among the Israelites.

Numbers 3:6-9

The Twelve Stones of the Tribes

TANAKH

The twelve tribes of Israel are symbolically represented through the engraving of their names on stones, likening them to seals. The book of Exodus describes how each of the twelve stones on the high priest's breastpiece was engraved with the name of one of the twelve tribes, signifying their connection to the priestly garments.

The stones corresponded [in number] to the names of the sons of Israel: twelve, corresponding to their names; engraved like seals, each with its name, for the twelve tribes.

Exodus 39:14

Judah's Roar of Leadership

TARGUM

Judah's moral integrity and leadership are highlighted through his actions involving Joseph and Tamar, likening him to a lion. The Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, an Aramaic translation and interpretation of the Hebrew Bible, elaborates on Jacob's blessings to his sons, particularly Judah.

I will liken thee, my son Jehuda, to a whelp, the young of a lion; for from the killing of Joseph my son thou didst uplift thy soul, and from the judgment of Tamar thou wast free. He dwelleth quietly and in strength, as a lion; and as an old lion when he reposeth, who may stir him up?

Targum Jonathan on Genesis 49:9