by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com The Sidra of vezos habracha has ten sections. Moshe Blesses the Shvatim and begins with Reuvain. The Sidrah begins with “And this is the blessing.” But why did Moshe Rabbeinu choose to bless them at this particular point?  The Abarbanel answers that previously he ended with a “shira” that spoke of punishments and reproving.  Moshe Rabbeinu does not want them to give up hope.  He wishes to imbue them with a sense of endurance and to be able to persevere.  He therefore gave them a blessing to inspire them.  A leader must also look to imbue his charges with this. Blessing Yehuda – Moshe said, “And this for Yehudah.” And he said, “O Hashem, listen to Yehudah’s voice and bring him to his people; may his hands do battle for him, and may You be a help against his enemies.”  What voice of Yehudah did Moshe Rabbeinu ask Hashem to listen to? The Ohr HaChaim explains that it is the voice of Yehudah admitting fault.  Self-justification distorts reality and Yehudah’s doing so reflected humility. Taking responsibility allows for better decision-making. Yehudah paved the way for all of Klal Yisroel to do this (Sfas Emes).  This earned Yehudah the remarkable bracha listed here. Blessing Levi – The pasuk tells us, “And of Levi he said: Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your holy one, whom You did prove at Massah…at the waters of Meribah.How did Hashem test or prove them? Rashi explains that the tribe of Levi did not complain with the other murmurers.  We see here a remarkable insight.  Neither did Shaivet Levi complain nor did they join with other murmurers.  There appears to be a special even stronger yetzer hara to join in with others in murmuring and complaining.  Shaivet Levi didn’t do that.  They remained davuk bashem.  Many meforshim explain that it was because of this quality that they earned the Urim v’Tumim and the title of “ish chasidecha.” Blessing Binyomin – And of Benjamin he said, “Hashem’s beloved one shall dwell securely beside Him; He protects him all day long, and He dwells between his shoulders.”  What does “and He dwells between his shoulders” mean? The Midrash Tanchuma Miketz (37) explains that Binyomin received these blessings in the merit of his being accused of stealing the goblet and being struck between the shoulders and bearing with it without complaint – not taking revenge.  He let their behavior slide.  This is a lesson for all of us to let things slide. Blessing Yoseph – Moshe says regarding Yoseph: And with the sweetness of the land and its fullness.. may it come upon Yoseph’s head and upon the crown of the one separate from his brothers.  What is the significance of Yoseph being separate from his brothers? The Abarbanel explains that of all the brothers – Yoseph was the one most removed from gashmius.  It is for this reason that he obtained these blessings.  We can make two observations here.  The first is that even though the brothers were on a very high spiritual plane – there are still very high steps that one can achieve when one is removed from the physical.  The second observation is that Yoseph is being rewarded in the very area that he was so removed from!  […]

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