THE SCEPTER HAS NOT MOVED

 

By Ashirah Yosefah

 

 

 

“The scepter shall not turn aside from Yehudah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him is the obedience of the peoples.” (Bereshith 49:10)

 

This is probably the most common English translation of Bereshith 49:10, the famous blessing of Yaakov/Yisrael upon his son Yehudah.  The blessing confers specific and clear authority in the areas of kingship, the interpretation of Torah and the issuing of edicts concerning the Torah.  In recent years, a contrary doctrine has developed among certain groups in the West that Yehudah’s authority was lifted and transferred to descendents of the Tribe of Gad.  The focus of this article will be to examine the wording of this blessing and the blessing Moshe Rabbeinu gave to Gad’s descendents in Devarim 33:20-21 which forms the basis of the doctrine that has developed concerning the descendents of Gad.  The article will show that Yehudah’s blessing remains in full effect.

 

There are some Hebrew idioms used in Yisrael’s blessing to Yehudah which need to be explained; such as ‘scepter’, ‘law-giver’, ‘between his feet’, and ‘Shiloh.’

 

Scepter/Sheivet:  The Hebrew word ‘sheivet’, translated ‘scepter’, is without question is a reference to authority.  Sovereigns wield scepters as symbols of their rule and authority.  This is an indication of kings to be descended from Yehudah.  History bears record of this with Kings David and Solomon and their descendents. 

 

Rashi explains that Yaakov is not saying that rulership would never depart from Yehudah from the moment of the blessing on.  The Children of Israel lived in the Land for centuries before Saul of the Tribe of Benjamin was anointed as their first king.  However, Rashi points out that the intent of the prophecy is that from King David onward, “for as long as there will be temporal authority among the Jewish people, the authority will be in the hands of the Tribe of Judah.”[1]  Referencing Gur Aryeh as his source, Rashi points out that even during the period when the Hasmoneans ruled (Cohanim of the Tribe of Levi) the Tribe of Judah was still recognized by the people as the tribe of permanent rulership.

 

Law-giver/Chokeik:  The most common English translations of the Hebrew word ‘chokeik’ are law-giver, rod, ruler’s staff.  Rashi notes that ‘law-giver’ or ‘ruler’s staff’ indicates a lesser form of authority that that of ‘sheivet’ which connotes sovereignty in the blessing upon Yehudah.   Sanhedrin 5a explains that ‘chokeik/law-giver’ implies a person in a position of authority, one who issues edicts, but it is a lesser position of authority than implied by ‘sheivet’ or scepter.

 

From between his feet/ Mi’bayn ragleicha:  ‘Mi’bayn ragleicha’ translates into English as ‘from between his feet’ or ‘from between his legs.’  It is a Hebraic idiom referring to physical descendents.  Rashi explains, “Judah will have descendants who will teach Torah to the students who will sit at their feet.”

 

Shiloh/Shiloh:  ‘Shiloh’ is an interesting word which must be carefully examined.  Shiloh is a place name in the Shomron, near the boundary between the tribal allocations to Binyamin and Ephraim.  The Mishkan stood there for 369 years.  A few translators see ‘Shiloh’ as a poetic form of the word ‘shalom’ – peace.  Other commentators consider it to be the name or title of a person.  Sanhedrin 98b discusses ‘Shiloh’ as a name for Messiah, as do Bereshis Rabbah 98:8 and 99:8.  Rashi concurs with this opinion; however, one must understand how the interpretation is arrived at.

 

‘Shiloh’ is seen as a form of ‘shelo’, the Hebrew pronoun for ‘his’.  In most modern versions of Tanach, ‘Shiloh’ is written shin-yud-lamed-heh’; however, in the older Jewish versions it is written without the yud, simply ‘shin-lamed-heh’ which is the archaic form of the pronoun ‘his’.  Commentators of the Septuagint, Targums, Saadyah and Rashi all agree that this is the case.  Rashi’s commentary on this verse explains:

 

“Shiloh is seen as a form of shelo, ‘his’.  The verse indicates that the kingship, which is represented by the [scepter], will remain with Judah until the one to whom the [scepter] belongs will appear.”[2]

 

Rashi quotes numerous sources which concur with his interpretation.  J.H. Hertz, former Chief Rabbi of the British Empire, in his commentary The Pentateuch and the Haftorahs’, notes that the phrase in which the word ‘Shiloh’ appears, ‘ad ki yavo shiloh’ , is very difficult to explain.  Hertz is of the opinion that the simple translation ‘until Shiloh comes’ is best rendered ‘until that which is his shall come’, meaning “Judah’s rule shall continue till he comes to his own, and the obedience of all the tribes is his.”  Hertz also explains that the phrase could mean that “when the tribe of Judah has come into its own, the scepter shall be taken out of its hands.” 

 

It is clear from Tanach that Judah will not ‘come into its own’ and assume its full role in relation to the world until Moshiach comes.  At that time, the descendent of Judah and King David will usher in world Redemption and assume his role as Hashem’s anointed, the leader of the world throughout the Messianic Era.  From this it is clear that Judah’s descendants, namely the Jewish nation, still have the two Divinely ordained roles:  Sovereignty as represented by the ‘scepter’ and law giving/teaching authority as represented by the ‘rod’ or ‘law-giver’.  The ‘law’ being referred to is Torah.  This authority has not been suspended or transferred to another, contrary to teachings among some messianic groups in the West that claim that the law-giver’s rod passed to Gad after the crucifixion of the Christian messiah.  They base their erroneous teaching on Moshe’s blessing on the descendents of Gad in Devarim 33:20-21.  The proper interpretation of the pronouns used in the Hebrew text are inserted in parentheses:

 

“And of Gad he [Moshe] said, ‘Blessed is He [Hashem] Who broadens Gad; he [Gad] dwells like a lion, he will tear off an arm as well as a head.  He [Gad] saw the beginning for himself, for there is the hidden plot of the lawgiver; and he [Gad] came at the heads of the people; he [Gad] carried out the righteousness of Hashem and his [Gad’s] ordinances with Israel..” (Devarim 33:20-21)

 

Rashi states that these verses are prophecies of Gad’s decision, prior to entering the Promised Land, that they wished to settle on the other side of the Jordan in the verdant pasture lands of Bashan.  The men of Gad were herdsmen.  The abundant vegetation of Bashan appealed to them.  The tribe of Reuven and half the tribe of Manasseh decided to join them.  Moshe was not pleased with their decision but consented to it only on the condition that the men of Gad, Reuven and Manasseh would accompany the rest of the tribes when they entered into and took possession of Canaan.  Once conquest of the Land was secure, then and only then were they to return to their families and herds settled on the other side of the Jordan.

 

A verse by verse analysis of the prophetic blessing follows:

 

“He who broadens Gad” is a reference to Hashem’s blessing upon Gad that with time they would expand their territory in the area of Bashan, which they did.

 

According to Rashi, “He who dwells like a lion” refers to Gad’s need to be mighty in battle because of his decision to dwell adjacent to, but outside of the boundaries of his countrymen.  Gad would need to be lion-like in defending his borders.  This phrase has been erroneously interpreted by ‘rod-to-Gad’ adherents as suggesting that since Yehudah was likened to a crouching lion in Bereshith 49:9 immediately prior to the ‘scepter and rod prophecy’, this later ‘lion’ reference to Gad suggests that Yehudah’s Torah authority was transferred to Gad.  A liberal interpretation to say the least.

 

“He will tear off an arm as well as a head” is interpreted by Rashi to refer to the manner in which Gad would defeat the adversaries who contested their occupancy of Bashan.  It does not imply a future dismantling of Torah authority as suggested by ‘rod-to-Gad’ proponents.

 

According to Rashi and other commentators, the phrase “He saw the beginning for himself’ refers to the fact that the tribe of Gad saw their opportunity to avail themselves of the rich pasturelands of Sihon and Og.  Their conquest of land on the other side of the Jordan was the beginning of Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land.  It does not refer to a ‘new beginning’ or any change in G-d’s mind with respect to where sovereignty and Torah authority vest within the people and nation of Israel.

 

“For there is the hidden plot of the lawgiver”.  This part of the blessing on Gad has been seriously misinterpreted by ‘rod-to-Gad’ teachers.  According to their interpretation, these words imply a concealed matter within the Torah wherein Yehudah’s prophetic appointment as the tribe of Torah authority and interpretation would be set aside in the future in favor of Gad’s descendants.  First, Gad’s descendants are impossible to identify given that they, together with the other nine tribes of the Northern Kingdom, were exiled into Assyria.  They disappeared into the nations of their subsequent migrations with such totality that the Prophet Hoshea, prophesying their fate before their exile, declared that they would be “swallowed up” (Hoshea 8:8).  More importantly, however, is the total misinterpretation of the words ‘hidden plot’ and ‘lawgiver’.  In the context of this passage in the Torah, ‘lawgiver’ is not referring to the blessing conferred in Bereshith 49:10.  ‘Lawgiver’ in the context of Devarim 33:21 is referring to the greatest lawgiver that Israel has ever known … none other that Moshe Rabbeinu to whom the Torah of Hashem was given and who, in turn, taught it to the Children of Israel and inscribed the Written Torah as an inheritance for all generations to come.  ‘Hidden plot’ does not refer to a concealed agenda.  One must always remember that symbolic interpretations of Torah must never set aside the ‘peshat’ or literal context of the verse or passage.  The ‘hidden plot’ being referred to here is the burial place of Moshe which is hidden on Mt. Nebo which just happens to be located in the lands of Sihon and Og conquered and settled by Gad.

 

“He came at the heads of his people” refers to the fact that the tribe of Gad led the vanguard in the conquest of the Land of Israel.

 

“He carried out the righteousness of Hashem and his ordinances with Israel” explains that Gad fulfilled their words and kept their promise to battle in unity with the rest of Israel until they had conquered the Land.  It does not imply that the descendents of Gad would assume Torah authority in place of Yehudah.

 

These two blessings have been examined in detail for a reason best explained in the words of Rabbis Chaim Clorfene and Yaakov Rogalsky in their book, The Path of the Righteous Gentile: 

 

“The hurdle that must be cleared away in preparation for observing the Seven Noahide Commandments is the acceptance of the idea that mankind’s way to the Father is through the rabbis.  Rebellion against the sanctity of rabbinic authority and tradition has been with us since those first days in the wilderness of Sinai when the followers of Korach led a revolt against absolute rabbinic authority, as we learn in the Torah, ‘And they assembled themselves against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, ‘You assume too much; for the whole of the congregation are all holy, and [Hashem] is among them; wherefore then will you lift yourselves up above the congregation of [Hashem]?’ (Numbers 16:3)” [3]

 

The assumption referred to by Rabbis Clorfene and Rogalsky is not unique to Israel.  The nations, particularly within Christianity and the various Messianic movements, also reject and rebel against the authority of the Rabbis to interpret and issue edicts concerning proper observance of the Torah.  The Karaites, a sect within Judaism that rejects the Oral Torah and rabbinic authority, has had a significant influence in recent years on the Messianic movements in the West.  Man, by nature, since Gan Eden, has struggled to accept authority.  Rabbis Clorfene and Rogalsky note:

 

“When G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai, the people all accepted the written Torah willingly, but G-d had to lift the mountain over their heads and threaten to drop it on them to persuade them to accept the Oral Torah (Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 88a), that is, the rabbinic interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures.  If the Jews had difficulty in accepting the Oral Torah, how much more difficult must it be for the non-Jews.  But accept the rabbis they must, for the source of understanding the Seven Noahide Commandments is found in the Talmud and the later rabbinic teachings, and nowhere else.”[4]

 

As evident within Yisrael’s blessing upon Yehudah in Bereshith 49:10, the descendants of Yehudah, the Jews, have a unique and specific responsibility to interpret and to teach Torah.  One might argue that not all Rabbis today are of the Tribe of Judah.  This is true, but “Judah” became the dominant tribe into which all other tribes merged if they chose to align themselves with Torah and remain within the nation and people of Israel. 

 

The Northern Kingdom, the House of Israel, was exiled and for all intents and purposes disappeared for centuries.  In recent years, various people groups have been identified as their probable descendants, but a conclusive identification has not been fully and authoritatively confirmed and cannot be until Moshiach is here because only Moshiach, with the assistance of Eliyahu the Prophet, will be able to decisively identify the origin of an individual’s soul. 

 

The Southern Kingdom of Judah returned from their own exile in Babylon, rebuilt the Temple and resettled in the Land of Israel.  From that point on, the nation of Israel, the people of Israel, have been identified as Jews, whether the term is etymologically precise or not.  It is clear from Tanach that a small number of the exiles from the Northern Kingdom, the House of Israel, did return to Israel together with the Jews when they returned from Babylon. Modern Jews are a mixture of the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin and smatterings of all the other tribes.  Concise proof of tribal identity is almost impossible today with the exception of the Cohanim and some Levites. 

 

The prophecies contained in the Tanach tell us that Hashem has promised that the exiled descendants of the Lost Ten Tribes will be awakened by Him, gathered and brought back to Torah observance and to the Land of Israel.  Chazal tell us that this ingathering is one of the primary roles of Moshiach, so we will not see its fulfillment until his arrival on the scene.  The best we can do today is to acknowledge the reality of history as Hashem has allowed it to unfold, recognize that Jews have a Divinely appointed role in relation to Torah, and accept that the Rabbis have a specific responsibility to interpret and teach Torah that is inherent in the responsibilities they accept when they are given smicha (ordination).  Not every Rabbi is a direct descendent of Yehudah, but they have all united within the descendents of the ancient Kingdom of Yehudah and are identified with them. 

 

Until such time as Moshiach is here and clarifies true tribal descent, anyone who wishes to be identified as part of the people of Israel must undergo a sincere Orthodox conversion and mikveh.  This requires full acceptance of both Written and Oral Torah and the authority of the Rabbis in relation to matters of Torah.  Any other teaching to the contrary is misleading and harmful.

 

Samson Raphael Hirsch’s has an interesting translation and commentary of Yisrael’s blessing on Yehudah:

 

“The scepter will not depart from Yehudah nor the law-inscribing stylus from between his feet, until his sprout, seemingly the last, and weak, will come, and then it will be to him, the one of manly strength, that the nations, dulled with age, will fall.”[5]

 

Hirsch’s commentary on ‘ad ki yavo Shiloh’, which he translates as ‘until his sprout, seemingly the last, and weak, shall come’ goes as follows:

 

“Here we see Jacob, lying upon his deathbed at the time of the nation’s early beginnings, when the cornerstone for that nation had barely been laid, looking down through the ages, contemplating the ultimate scion of the tribe of Judah.  … By referring to this last generation as Shiloh, Jacob means to say: ‘the time will come when the kingdom of the House of David will be seen at its nadir, when Judah will appear not as an ari, not strong as a lion, but effeminately weak, so that it will look as if he were about to draw his last breath.  Judah’s might and virility will have virtually vanished.  But just at this point, when the gravediggers of world history will already have ordered a coffin to enclose Judah’s remains, ‘lo yi’k’hat amim’, he will rise again in manly strength and the peoples, dulled with age, will fall to him.”[6]

 

Regarding the words ‘yi’k’hat amim’, Hirsch explains:

 

“The time will come when the Jewish spirit will appear close to death; at that point mankind, grown old and dull, having tested and experienced everything else, will sense that the time has come for a new, reviving spirit, and it is this renewed spirit which will borne by the ultimate scion of Judah.’[7]

 

With all that is happening politically and spiritually in Eretz Yisrael and the nations, Samson Raphael Hirsch’s words offer food for thought.

 

There are also a number of verses in the Books of the Prophets that might lead one to think that the ‘renewed spirit’ spoken of by Rabbi Hirsch is beginning to exert its influence in the world:

 

“Thus said HASHEM of hosts, ‘Peoples shall yet come, inhabitants of many cities, and the inhabitants of the one go to another, saying, “Let us earnestly go and pray before HASHEM, and seek HASHEM of hosts. I myself am going.” ‘And many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek HASHEM of hosts in Yerushalayim, and to pray before HASHEM.’ Thus said HASHEM of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all languages of the nations take hold, yea, they shall take hold of the edge of the garment of a man, a Yehudite, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that G-d is with you.” (Zekaryah 8:20-23)

 

“Because HASHEM has compassion on Ya’aqob, and shall again choose Yisra’el, and give them rest in their own land. And the strangers shall join them, and they shall cling to the House of Ya’aqob.” (Yeshayahu 14:1)

 

It is abundantly clear that the prophetic blessing given by Yisrael to Yehudah and his descendents has not been transferred to Gad or in any other manner changed or rescinded.