Eliyahu HaNavi
Many times, you read passages in the Torah, and they seem pretty straightforward, but I believe there's much more hiding behind everything that is written. Let's look into one of these instances, where much is meant without saying it openly.
In Parashat Matot 32, we are told a story of how the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and a half-tribe of Menashe approached Moshe Rabbenu and asked for permission to settle in the region East of the Jordan River, rather than living with the rest of the Nation in Eretz Yisrael.
Initially, Moshe Rabbenu becomes very angry with them, thinking they were avoiding going into the conquest of the land. But they have reassured him that they will settle only after the whole land is conquered and their brothers are settled there. Only then did Moshe Rabbenu agreed.
This story sounds pretty straightforward, as I have said. But as always, I believe there's much more hidden behind the story. So, with your permission, let's dive into it.
In the Parashat Vezot Haberakha 33:21, Moshe Rabbenu is blessing Gad, he says: "Bless you Gad, G-d should give you abundance...you chose the first portion for yourself, because there was the plot of the lawgiver." Explains Rashi on this word of Mekhokek - the Lawgiver, is Moshe. This is where Moshe Rabbenu's grave was hidden, so Gad didn't want to leave his Rebbe alone, outside of Eretz Yisrael.
But why did Reuven join him?
In Parashat Vayishlach, Reuven moves the bed from Bilha's tent into his mother's tent. As a result of this action, Reuven loses his royal, priestly, and firstborn rights, which are given to his brothers.
In Parashat Shelach, when the spies return from their mission, the representative of Reuven's tribe makes a grave mistake and sides with the majority against Moshe. Years later, the Tribe of Reuven wants to make up to Moshe, or not lose the only thing it has left in their life, the connection with their Rebbe, and that's why the whole Tribe of Reuven stayed in the region East of the Jordan River.
Why did Menashe join them? And why only half a tribe? What happened to the other half?
When Yaakov Avinu blessed the sons of Yosef, at that moment Menashe lost his firstborn status, since it had been given to his brother Efraim, and he accepted it. But now, centuries later, when Moshe Rabbenu is about to leave this world, the tribe has a change of heart. The sons of Yosef were the royal family in Egypt, but they didn't retain that title, since the royalty went to Yehuda. On top of that, the first king comes from Benyamin, not Yosef, which really upset them. So, only half of the tribe of Menashe embraced the Psak, or the decision that Yaakov Avinu had made, and went and stayed outside of Israel with Moshe Rabbenu, since he was the Rebbe, or as if like grandfather Yaakov Avinu. The other half had a change of heart and went into the Land of Israel. That uneasy feeling or division between the sons of Yosef and the sons of Yehudah never changed.
In Ezekiel 37:15-28 says:
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ - The word of GOD came to me:
וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם קַח־לְךָ֙ עֵ֣ץ אֶחָ֔ד וּכְתֹ֤ב עָלָיו֙ לִֽיהוּדָ֔ה וְלִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל חֲבֵרָ֑ו וּלְקַח֙ עֵ֣ץ אֶחָ֔ד וּכְת֣וֹב עָלָ֗יו לְיוֹסֵף֙ עֵ֣ץ אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְכׇל־בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל חֲבֵרָֽו׃ - And you, O mortal, take a stick and write on it, “Of Judah and the Israelites associated with him”; and take another stick and write on it, “Of Joseph—the stick of Ephraim—and all the House of Israel associated with him."
וְקָרַ֨ב אֹתָ֜ם אֶחָ֧ד אֶל־אֶחָ֛ד לְךָ֖ לְעֵ֣ץ אֶחָ֑ד וְהָי֥וּ לַאֲחָדִ֖ים בְּיָדֶֽךָ׃ - Bring them close to each other, so that they become one stick, joined together in your hand.
וְכַֽאֲשֶׁר֙ יֹאמְר֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ בְּנֵ֥י עַמְּךָ֖ לֵאמֹ֑ר הֲלֽוֹא־תַגִּ֥יד לָ֖נוּ מָה־אֵ֥לֶּה לָּֽךְ׃ - And when any of your people ask you, "Won't you tell us what these actions of yours mean?"
דַּבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם כֹּה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִה֒ הִנֵּה֩ אֲנִ֨י לֹקֵ֜חַ אֶת־עֵ֤ץ יוֹסֵף֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיַד־אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְשִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל חֲבֵרָ֑ו וְנָתַתִּי֩ אוֹתָ֨ם עָלָ֜יו אֶת־עֵ֣ץ יְהוּדָ֗ה וַֽעֲשִׂיתִם֙ לְעֵ֣ץ אֶחָ֔ד וְהָי֥וּ אֶחָ֖ד בְּיָדִֽי׃ - answer them, “Thus said the Sovereign GOD: I am going to take the stick of Joseph—which is in the hand of Ephraim—and of the tribes of Israel associated with him, and I will place the stick of Judah upon it and make them into one stick; they shall be joined in My hand.”
וְהָי֨וּ הָעֵצִ֜ים אֲֽשֶׁר־תִּכְתֹּ֧ב עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם בְּיָדְךָ֖ לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃ - You shall hold up before their eyes the sticks that you have inscribed,
וְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם כֹּה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִה֒ הִנֵּ֨ה אֲנִ֤י לֹקֵ֙חַ֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִבֵּ֥ין הַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָֽלְכוּ־שָׁ֑ם וְקִבַּצְתִּ֤י אֹתָם֙ מִסָּבִ֔יב וְהֵבֵאתִ֥י אוֹתָ֖ם אֶל־אַדְמָתָֽם׃ - and you shall declare to them: Thus said the Sovereign GOD: I am going to take the Israelite people from among the nations they have gone to, and gather them from every quarter, and bring them to their own land.
וְעָשִׂ֣יתִי אֹ֠תָ֠ם לְג֨וֹי אֶחָ֤ד בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ בְּהָרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמֶ֧לֶךְ אֶחָ֛ד יִהְיֶ֥ה לְכֻלָּ֖ם לְמֶ֑לֶךְ וְלֹ֤א (יהיה) [יִֽהְיוּ־]עוֹד֙ לִשְׁנֵ֣י גוֹיִ֔ם וְלֹ֨א יֵחָ֥צוּ ע֛וֹד לִשְׁתֵּ֥י מַמְלָכ֖וֹת עֽוֹד׃ - I will make them a single nation in the land, on the hills of Israel, and one king shall be king of them all. Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.
וְלֹ֧א יִֽטַּמְּא֣וּ ע֗וֹד בְּגִלּֽוּלֵיהֶם֙ וּבְשִׁקּ֣וּצֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְכֹ֖ל פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֑ם וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּ֣י אֹתָ֗ם מִכֹּ֤ל מוֹשְׁבֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטְא֣וּ בָהֶ֔ם וְטִהַרְתִּ֤י אוֹתָם֙ וְהָיוּ־לִ֣י לְעָ֔ם וַאֲנִ֕י אֶהְיֶ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ - Nor shall they ever again defile themselves by their fetishes and their abhorrent things, and by their other transgressions. I will save them in all their settlements where they sinned, and I will purify them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
וְעַבְדִּ֤י דָוִד֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וְרוֹעֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד יִהְיֶ֣ה לְכֻלָּ֑ם וּבְמִשְׁפָּטַ֣י יֵלֵ֔כוּ וְחֻקּוֹתַ֥י יִשְׁמְר֖וּ וְעָשׂ֥וּ אוֹתָֽם׃ - My servant David shall be king over them; there shall be one shepherd for all of them. They shall follow My rules and faithfully obey My laws.
וְיָשְׁב֣וּ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָתַ֙תִּי֙ לְעַבְדִּ֣י לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָֽשְׁבוּ־בָ֖הּ אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וְיָשְׁב֣וּ עָלֶ֡יהָ הֵ֠מָּה וּבְנֵיהֶ֞ם וּבְנֵ֤י בְנֵיהֶם֙ עַד־עוֹלָ֔ם וְדָוִ֣ד עַבְדִּ֔י נָשִׂ֥יא לָהֶ֖ם לְעוֹלָֽם׃ - Thus they shall remain in the land that I gave to My servant Jacob and in which your ancestors dwelt; they and their children and their children’s children shall dwell there forever, with My servant David as their prince for all time.
וְכָרַתִּ֤י לָהֶם֙ בְּרִ֣ית שָׁל֔וֹם בְּרִ֥ית עוֹלָ֖ם יִהְיֶ֣ה אוֹתָ֑ם וּנְתַתִּים֙ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֣י אוֹתָ֔ם וְנָתַתִּ֧י אֶת־מִקְדָּשִׁ֛י בְּתוֹכָ֖ם לְעוֹלָֽם׃ - I will make a covenant of friendship with them—it shall be an everlasting covenant with them—I will establish them and multiply them, and I will place My Sanctuary among them forever.
וְהָיָ֤ה מִשְׁכָּנִי֙ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִ֑ים וְהֵ֖מָּה יִהְיוּ־לִ֥י לְעָֽם׃ - My Presence shall rest over them; I will be their God and they shall be My people.
וְיָֽדְעוּ֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם כִּ֚י אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה מְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בִּהְי֧וֹת מִקְדָּשִׁ֛י בְּתוֹכָ֖ם לְעוֹלָֽם׃ - And when My Sanctuary abides among them forever, the nations shall know that I, G-d, do sanctify Israel."
Although our Sages tell us that Pinchas is Eliyahu. I have found a different opinion and would like to take that for a spin.
In the Book of Me'am Loez, Parashat Vayechi (**for more sources see footnotes), it says, and I quote: "The actual order of birth of these brothers was Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. Still, Yaakov Avinu blessed Gad, right after Dan, skipping over Naphtali. When, in Dan's blessing, Jacob said, "For Your Help I Hope Oh G-d" (49:18), he had a prophetic experience and saw the redemption of Israel. At this time, he saw that Eliyahu, the herald or the messenger of Mashiach, would be a descendant of Gad. Therefore, he blessed Gad immediately after Dan."
Yaakov Avinu continues his blessing for Gad, or, later, for a descendant, Eliyahu HaNavi, in Parashat Vezot Haberakha 33:21: "...he came at the head of the nation, carrying out Hashem's justice and His law with Israel."
The Prophet Malachi 3:23 says:"הִנֵּ֤ה אָנֹכִי֙ שֹׁלֵ֣חַ לָכֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת אֵלִיָּ֣ה הַנָּבִ֑יא לִפְנֵ֗י בּ֚וֹא י֣וֹם יְהֹוָ֔ה הַגָּד֖וֹל וְהַנּוֹרָֽא׃ - Behold, I will send Eliyahu HaNavi to you before the coming of the awesome, fearful day of GOD."
The Prophet Isaiah 52:6-10 says:
לָכֵ֛ן יֵדַ֥ע עַמִּ֖י שְׁמִ֑י לָכֵן֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא כִּֽי־אֲנִי־ה֥וּא הַֽמְדַבֵּ֖ר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ - For sure, My people shall learn My name, For sure [they shall learn] on that day, That I, the One who promised, Am now at hand.
ה־נָּאו֨וּ עַל־הֶהָרִ֜ים רַגְלֵ֣י מְבַשֵּׂ֗ר מַשְׁמִ֧יעַ שָׁל֛וֹם מְבַשֵּׂ֥ר ט֖וֹב מַשְׁמִ֣יעַ יְשׁוּעָ֑ה אֹמֵ֥ר לְצִיּ֖וֹן מָלַ֥ךְ אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ׃ - How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger of good news. That announcer of peace, the forerunner of good news. That announces salvation; That says unto Zion: "Your G-d is King!
ק֥וֹל צֹפַ֛יִךְ נָ֥שְׂאוּ ק֖וֹל יַחְדָּ֣ו יְרַנֵּ֑נוּ כִּ֣י עַ֤יִן בְּעַ֙יִן֙ יִרְא֔וּ בְּשׁ֥וּב ה׳ צִיּֽוֹן׃ - Your scouts raise their voices and sing together, for they shall see G-d's return to Zion with their own eyes.
פִּצְח֤וּ רַנְּנוּ֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו חׇרְב֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם כִּֽי־נִחַ֤ם ה׳ עַמּ֔וֹ גָּאַ֖ל יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ - Break out in song, together, the ruins of Jerusalem! For G-d has consoled His people and redeemed Jerusalem!
חָשַׂ֤ף ה׳ אֶת־זְר֣וֹעַ קׇדְשׁ֔וֹ לְעֵינֵ֖י כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וְרָאוּ֙ כׇּל־אַפְסֵי־אָ֔רֶץ אֵ֖ת יְשׁוּעַ֥ת אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ - G-d shall reveal His holy arm before all nations and all ends of the earth shall see salvations of our G-d.
Behold, I sent Eliyahu HaNavi to you for the coming of the awesome, and fearful day of G-d.
Shmuel Katanov
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** Eliyahu HaNavi is a descendant of Gad: Tzror Hamor, Bereshit Rabah 99:11, Bereshit Rabah 71:9, maintained so by Rabbi Nehorai. Eliyahu came from Gilead (1 Kings 17:1), and Gilead was a city of Gad (Joshua 13:25).
