THE ORDER OF THE TRIBESSHEVET MATRIARCH POSITION OF BIRTHReuven Leah 1Yehuda Leah 4Levi Leah 3Binyamin Rachel 12Yosef Rachel 11Zevulun Leah 10Yissachar Leah 9Gad Zilpa 7Dan Bilha 5Naftali Bilha 6Asher Zilpa 8

Reuben and Shimon

Reuben – “May Reuben live and not die and his count should be a [significant] number.” We can infer from this blessing that Reuben’s population was decreasing and was in danger of dying out. However, there is no indication that they were decreasing in numbers in the censuses in Bemidbar 1 and 26. Therefore, these blessing seem to anticipate a future time period when Reuben, located on the east bank of the Jordan, would become weak.This insight, that Moshe’s blessings anticipate a future state of affairs, can help explain why Shimon is absent. We see that Shimon’s numbers decreases more than half in the Bemidbar 26 census. Then we read in Yehoshua 19:1 that Shimon’s allotment “lay inside the portion of Yehudah.” It seems that they were too few in number to have an independent territory and so they are annexed by the strong tribe of Yehudah.

Yehudah, Levi, & Binyamin

Yehudah – “Hear, Hashem, the [battle] cry of Yehudah and restore him to his people. Make his hands strong and help him against his enemies.” This is a blessing that Yehudah should be successful in the upcoming battles. Remember that Yehudah led the nation into battle in Shoftim 1.Levi has a long blessing covering his use of Urim veTumim, his faithfulness, strong principles, role as teachers, performance of sacrificial service. The blessing ends with a wish that they should conquer their enemies. Even though Levi did not take part in the military, they presumably helped behind the scenes.Binyamin is blessed with security. There is also a hint here to the Beit Mikdash being within the territory of Binyamin in that Hashem “rests securely besides him” and “lies between his shoulders.”

Yosef, Zebulun, Yissachar, Gad

Yosef, representing the tribes of Ephraim and Menasheh, is blessed with bountiful crop. The blessing ends with a prayer that their troops will gore enemy nations to the ends of the earth like a bull or an ox.Zebulun and Yissachar are blessed together since they are neighbors and had a strong alliance. The opening blessing “rejoice in your going out” refers to success in going out to war according to Ibn Ezra. The rest of the blessing wishes success in fishing and other maritime resources.Gad is blessed with a large population, success in war, and choice land. The choice land refers to Gad’s choosing land on the east side of the Jordan.

Dan, Naftali, and Asher

Dan is compared to a lion’s offspring, a metaphor for military might. His territory is mentioned as Bashan, a biblical name for the Golan.Naftali is blessed with fertile territory “sated with favor and full of Hashem’s blessing.”Asher is blessed with fertility, especially oil, and the security of iron locks, important for a border territory.

Recurring Themes

Success in war (Yehuda, Levi, Yosef, Dan)

Security from enemies (Binyamin, Aher)

Fertile land (Yosef, Zebulun, Yissachar, Gad, Naftali, Asher). (Reuben does not receive these blessings because it was struggling for existence. Levi does not get a blessing for land because it had no territory but instead gets an extended spiritual blessing.)

THE ORDER OF THE TRIBESSHEVET MATRIARCH REASON FOR POSITIONReuven Leah first to inheritYehuda Leah 4Levi Leah 3Binyamin Rachel 12Yosef Rachel 11Zevulun Leah 10Yissachar Leah 9Gad Zilpa first to inherit from shefachotDan Bilha 5Naftali Bilha 6Asher Zilpa 8