"Tribal Blueprints. Twelve Brothers and the Destiny of Israel," Book Review.
Book Review.
Nechama Price, "Tribal Blueprints. Twelve Brothers and the Destiny of Israel," ca. 289 pages, Jerusalem, 2020. hardcover.
The authoress analyses each of the individual Tribes and Tribal heroes giving her own opinion in the light of Classical Rabbinical Commentaries. This review will be given piece-meal as we go. The authoress is a senior academician and instructress at Stern College and Yeshivah University. The work appears to be well-written giving succint informative discussions on each of the Tribes. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Reuben.
Reuben was the firstborn but he was replaced by Joseph. Perhaps this was related to his untoward behavior with Bilhah concubine of his father, and mother of Dan and Naphtali?
Reuben keeps on trying to play a leadership role but is never fully accepted as such by the others.
Descendants of Reuben, Datan and Aviram, attempted to take over from Moshe (Numbers 16:1-3). They joined the rebellion of Korach against Moshe. Korach was from the Tribe of Levi but most participants came from Reuben.
The Prophet Hosea was a descendant of Reuben. The Rabbis saw Hosea as attempting to rectify the transgressions and failings of Reuben.
Reuben and Gad were suspected mistakenly of wishing to leave the main body of Israel (Joshua 22).
The Tribe of Reuben east of the Jordan suffered depredations by Moab and the Midianites. The other Tribes did not help.
Reuben and Gad were the first Tribes to be exiled by Assyria (1-Chronicles 5:26).
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Simeon and Levi
Simeon and Levi are described as brothers sons of Jacob through their mother Leah. Their sister, Dinah, was kidnapped and raped by Shechem son of Hamor ruler of the city of Shechem. Simeon and Levi kill Shechem and Hamor, take Dinah back, wipe out all the males of the city and take the rest captive. Jacob rebukes them and says their actions place them all in danger.
Price discusses this and different opinions concerning it as she does in other matters throughout the book.
In this:
The citizens of Schechem had transgressed by condoning kidnapping and rape by their prince and scheming to take the flocks and possession of the family of Jacob for themselves. S. R. Hirsch says that the action was necessary to warn all the other surrounding peoples.
Simeon and Levi are described as brothers sons of Jacob through their mother Leah. Their sister, Dinah, was kidnapped and raped by Shechem son of Hamor ruler of the city of Shechem. Simeon and Levi kill Shechem and Hamor, take Dinah back, wipe out all the males of the city and take the rest captive. Jacob rebukes them and says their actions place them all in danger.
Price discusses this and different opinions concerning it as she does in other matters throughout the book.
In this:
The citizens of Schechem had transgressed by condoning kidnapping and rape by their prince and scheming to take the flocks and possession of the family of Jacob for themselves. S. R. Hirsch says that the action was necessary to warn all the other surrounding peoples.
Price claims that Simeon bore resentment against his father Jacob.
One of the wives of Simeon was a Canaanite woman. Some opinions say that such marriages were forbidden to the family of Jacob. Later Zimri a prince of the Tribe of Simeon had sexual relations in public with a Midianite princess. The couple were killed in flagrant delicto by Pinchas (Phineas) from the Tribe of Levi (Numbers 25:6).
When the Land was divided among the Tribes Simeon received an area surrounded by Judah as if Judah was to keep watch over him. Levi was scattered throughout all the other Tribes in order to be a good influence on them.
Each of the Tribes produced Judges and leaders who ruled over all Israel except Simeon who did not.
In Deuteronomy 33 a census of the Tribes is given. Simeon is not counted. There were actually13 tribes since Joseph was divided into two. A quorum of 12 is however maintained. The number 12 is kept by ione of 3 ways:
One of the wives of Simeon was a Canaanite woman. Some opinions say that such marriages were forbidden to the family of Jacob. Later Zimri a prince of the Tribe of Simeon had sexual relations in public with a Midianite princess. The couple were killed in flagrant delicto by Pinchas (Phineas) from the Tribe of Levi (Numbers 25:6).
When the Land was divided among the Tribes Simeon received an area surrounded by Judah as if Judah was to keep watch over him. Levi was scattered throughout all the other Tribes in order to be a good influence on them.
Each of the Tribes produced Judges and leaders who ruled over all Israel except Simeon who did not.
In Deuteronomy 33 a census of the Tribes is given. Simeon is not counted. There were actually13 tribes since Joseph was divided into two. A quorum of 12 is however maintained. The number 12 is kept by ione of 3 ways:
(1) the two tribes of Joseph are counted as One Tribe, or
(2) Levi is not counted since it was to be scattered among the other tribes.
OR (3) In Deuteronomy 33 Ephraim and Manasseh are each numbered as separate Tribes, Levi is included, Simeon is omitted. Thus the quorum of 12 is maintained.
Both Levi and Simeon were zealous but Levi applied this attribute in a positive manner. Price suggest (based partly on a comparison of census numbers) that the majority of sinners at the sin of the Golden calf were from the Tribe of Simeon.
All the Priests (Cohens) were part of the Tribe of Levi. Elijah the Prophet was a Cohen.
Levi in Egypt was the only Tribe not to worship idols and not to intermingle with Egyptian society. When the other Israelites were enslaved in Egypt members of the Tribe of Levi were free to come and go as they pleased.
OR (3) In Deuteronomy 33 Ephraim and Manasseh are each numbered as separate Tribes, Levi is included, Simeon is omitted. Thus the quorum of 12 is maintained.
Both Levi and Simeon were zealous but Levi applied this attribute in a positive manner. Price suggest (based partly on a comparison of census numbers) that the majority of sinners at the sin of the Golden calf were from the Tribe of Simeon.
All the Priests (Cohens) were part of the Tribe of Levi. Elijah the Prophet was a Cohen.
Levi in Egypt was the only Tribe not to worship idols and not to intermingle with Egyptian society. When the other Israelites were enslaved in Egypt members of the Tribe of Levi were free to come and go as they pleased.
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Benjamin
Rachel the favorite wife of Jacob died in giving birth to him. Did Jacob somehow blame Benjamin for that?
Benjamin had 2 names (Genesis 35:18).
Genesis (NKJV) 35:
18 And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
Meaning of "Benjamin:"
"Son of my right hand" i.e. son of my strength (Nachmanidies).
"The son that is beloved to me" (Radak).
Brit-Am:
Ben-Oni also has different possible meanings including: "Son of my Misfortune," or "Son of my Prowess."
Benjamin in Genesis seems to be a passive role. Others lover him, are concerned for him, etc, but his own emotions are not registered.
Benjamin had 10 sons and according to a Midrash (quoted by Rashi) they were all named after Joseph.
Benjamin is understood to not have been present at the sale of Joseph. He may have been only 9 years old at the time and 8 years younger than Joseph.
Jaacov was 100 years old when Benjamin was born. Benjamin was ca. 31 years old when Joseph was reconciled to the brothers.
Genesis (NKJV) 49:
27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
In the morning he shall devour the prey,
And at night he shall divide the spoil.
The wolf acts quietly while sneaking up on its prey.
Deuteronomy (NKJV) 33:
12 Of Benjamin he said:
The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by Him,
Who shelters him all the day long;
And he shall dwell between His shoulders.
Benjamin is beloved.
Ehud from the Tribe of Benjamin assassinated Eglon King of Moab through first gaining his confidence (Judges ch.3). Ehud acts in a similar way to Yehonatan son of Saul who also came from Benjamin.
The Concubine at Givah.
A traveling Levite from the land of Ephraim was passing through a village of Benjamin. They men seized his concubine and raped her all night. She died in the morning. The Tribe of Benjamin refused to hand the culprit over for punishment to the other Tribes. A Civil War resulted in which most of the Tribe of Benjamin was wiped out.
King Saul was from the Tribe of Benjamin.
Figures from the Tribe of Benjaim often have a passive-active aspect to their character.
Esther and Mordecai were also from the Tribe of Benjamin.
Benjamin is not a thief.
Benjamin is not avaricious.
Benjamin is not jealous.
Benjamin is loyal.
Benjamin is cool-headed and competent.
Benjamin was the full-brother of Joseph. Benjamin travelled through the Wilderness in the Threesome of Joseph i.e. Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin. Nevertheless when the other Tribes seceded Benjamin remained attached to Judah.
The Temple area was technically partly in the territory of Judah and partly in that of Benjamin but Benjamin had most of it.
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Benjamin
Rachel the favorite wife of Jacob died in giving birth to him. Did Jacob somehow blame Benjamin for that?
Benjamin had 2 names (Genesis 35:18).
Genesis (NKJV) 35:
18 And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
Meaning of "Benjamin:"
"Son of my right hand" i.e. son of my strength (Nachmanidies).
"The son that is beloved to me" (Radak).
Brit-Am:
Ben-Oni also has different possible meanings including: "Son of my Misfortune," or "Son of my Prowess."
Benjamin in Genesis seems to be a passive role. Others lover him, are concerned for him, etc, but his own emotions are not registered.
Benjamin had 10 sons and according to a Midrash (quoted by Rashi) they were all named after Joseph.
Benjamin is understood to not have been present at the sale of Joseph. He may have been only 9 years old at the time and 8 years younger than Joseph.
Jaacov was 100 years old when Benjamin was born. Benjamin was ca. 31 years old when Joseph was reconciled to the brothers.
Genesis (NKJV) 49:
27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
In the morning he shall devour the prey,
And at night he shall divide the spoil.
The wolf acts quietly while sneaking up on its prey.
Deuteronomy (NKJV) 33:
12 Of Benjamin he said:
The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by Him,
Who shelters him all the day long;
And he shall dwell between His shoulders.
Benjamin is beloved.
Ehud from the Tribe of Benjamin assassinated Eglon King of Moab through first gaining his confidence (Judges ch.3). Ehud acts in a similar way to Yehonatan son of Saul who also came from Benjamin.
The Concubine at Givah.
A traveling Levite from the land of Ephraim was passing through a village of Benjamin. They men seized his concubine and raped her all night. She died in the morning. The Tribe of Benjamin refused to hand the culprit over for punishment to the other Tribes. A Civil War resulted in which most of the Tribe of Benjamin was wiped out.
King Saul was from the Tribe of Benjamin.
Figures from the Tribe of Benjaim often have a passive-active aspect to their character.
Esther and Mordecai were also from the Tribe of Benjamin.
Benjamin is not a thief.
Benjamin is not avaricious.
Benjamin is not jealous.
Benjamin is loyal.
Benjamin is cool-headed and competent.
Benjamin was the full-brother of Joseph. Benjamin travelled through the Wilderness in the Threesome of Joseph i.e. Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin. Nevertheless when the other Tribes seceded Benjamin remained attached to Judah.
The Temple area was technically partly in the territory of Judah and partly in that of Benjamin but Benjamin had most of it.
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