Geography and Geology and Tribal Character, Issachar, Zebulon, Dan, Naftali, Gad.
Contined from Tamar Weissman-1.
Book Review.
Tamar Weissman, "Tribal Lands. The Twelve Tribes of Israel in their Ancestral Territories," ca. 350 pages, Jerusalem, 2019. hardcover, illustrated.
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Issachar.
Issachar was highly proficient in astronomical computations and in computing Calendar dates.
The Land of Issachar was blessed with exceedingly large fruits in order to advertise to the Gentiles the benefits of learning Torah (BR, 98;12).
Issachar was noted as a farmer. He understood the earth and land and the value of work. This is discussed by Rashbam (see RABBIS QUOTED), and by Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch. The ability to apply Torah Principles to everyday needs in business, etc, was a quality of Issachar. .
Issachar was called a donkey. Just as the bones of a donkey are well-defined so too the Torah of Issachar was clear and well-defined. BR. Alternately, just as a donkey breaks his bones under his load, so too the Tribe of Issachar "broke Israel" (schooled Israel) in Halachah (Lekah Tov, Gen. 49;14).
Tiberias was in the area of Issachar.
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Zebulon
The name Zevulun connotes feriliser, fertility, source of wealth .
Moshe Held connects the name Zebulon to the UGARITIC Z-B-L "To elevate or rise up."
Sons of Zebulon inlcuded Eliav (ship,) son of Helon (meaing "sand") (Midrash Aggadah Numbers 1:9).
cf. Netherlands, elevate land, sand beneath soil.
Zebulon controlled sea ports.
Jonah from Zebulon.
12 cities of Zebulon.
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Dan
# Dan represented startling contrasts at at once attracted and repelled. To him belonged raw power and tremendous self-reliance, but dangerous vulnerability and isolationist disquiet menaced those strengths. #
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Naftali
"naturally agreable and content character. ,,,, Naftali counterbalanced the isolation and coldness of his older brother, Dan."
Naphtali - petil -wick - intertwined , union.
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Gad
Military prowess, liminality (borderline tendencies), "begad" treachery!
Genesis (NKJV) 30:
9 When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob as wife. 10 And Leah's maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, "A troop comes!" So she called his name Gad.
The expression translated as "a troop comes" in Hebrew is "Begad" also connoting treachery. The Midrash describes Leah as going to some length to deceive Jacob when she entered the nuptial bed in place of her sister Rachel.
Among other things she is described as dressing Zilpah (her handmaiden and future mother of Gad) in the clothes of Bilhah handmaiden of Rachel.
Moses suspected Reuben and Gad of treachery when they requested the Lands east of the Jordan prior to the conquest of the Rest of Canaan being complete (Numbers 32:6-15).
Gad had the ability to fight and to lead.
The root of the name Gad is GEDUD connoting "troops" or "slayers" (Iben Ezra, Genesis 30:1).
Other explanations of the name Gad:
"Fortune has come" (Rashi, Rashbam).
From GDD connoiting "sever" - the boy was born already circumcised (Rashi on Genesies 30:11 quoting a Midrash).
# Gad shall be raided by raiders
but he shall raid at their heels # (Genesis 30:11).
Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsch: Gad were shock troops.
The tribal gem of Gad was the achlamah (amethyst) representing courage (Rabbeinu BaChai).
Colors of the flag of Gad described (Midrash Rabah, BaMidbar 7) as "neither black nor white but a mixture of white and black," [Maybe grey or] simply both colors intermixed representing a certain ambivalence in his character.
#... the blessing indicated that the descendants of Gad would lead the ranks of Israel into battle, and they would be sure to protect the rear when the nation retreated."
A semi-apocryphal work "The Testament of Gad" says that as a youth Joseph misunderstood an action of Gad and reported this to his father. Consequently Gad hated Joseph.
Gad was promised wealth, military success, primacy, and leadership (Deuteronomy 33:20-21).
Eliyahu (Elijah) was a Cohen (Priest from the Tribe of Levi) who lived in Gilead in an area belonging to Gad and he had some of the qualities of Gad.
cf.
Malachi (NKJV) 4:
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
6 And he will turn
The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.
In Rabbinical tradition Eliyahu is destined to resolve unsolved conundrums.
Continued at Tamar Weissman-3.