Deuteronomy 33:24

JPS-1917

וּלְאָשֵׁ֣ר אָמַ֔ר בָּר֥וּךְ מִבָּנִ֖ים אָשֵׁ֑ר יְהִ֤י רְצוּי֙ אֶחָ֔יו וְטֹבֵ֥ל בַּשֶּׁ֖מֶן רַגְלֽוֹ׃

And of Asher he said: Blessed be Asher above sons; Let him be the favoured of his brethren, And let him dip his foot in oil.

— Deuteronomy 33:24, JPS 1917

Cite This Verse

Deuteronomy 33:24 (JPS 1917).

"Deuteronomy 33:24." JPS 1917. Web.

Deuteronomy 33:24, JPS 1917.

Rashi Commentary

Rashi — Deuteronomy 33:24
ברוך מבנים אשר. רָאִיתִי בְסִפְרֵי — אֵין לְךָ בְכָל הַשְּׁבָטִים שֶׁנִּתְבָּרֵךְ בְּבָנִים כְּאָשֵׁר, וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ כֵּיצַד: יהי רצוי אחיו. שֶׁהָיָה מִתְרַצֶּה לְאֶחָיו בְּשֶׁמֶן אַנְפִּיקִינוֹן וּבְקַפְּלָאוֹת, וְהֵם מְרַצִּין לוֹ בִּתְבוּאָה. דָּ"אַ — יהי רצוי אחיו שֶׁהָיוּ בְנוֹתָיו נָאוֹת, וְהוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים (דבהי"א ז') "הוּא אֲבִי בִרְזָיִת", שֶׁהָיוּ בְנוֹתָיו נְשׂוּאוֹת לְכֹהֲנִים גְּדוֹלִים וּמְלָכִים הַנִּמְשָׁחִים בְּשֶׁמֶן זַיִת: וטבל בשמן רגלו. שֶׁהָיְתָה אַרְצוֹ מוֹשֶׁכֶת שֶׁמֶן כְּמַעְיָן, וּמַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁנִּצְטָרְכוּ אַנְשֵׁי לוּדְקִיָּא לְשֶׁמֶן, מִנּוּ לָהֶם פּוּלְמוּסְטוּס אֶחָד, וכוּ' כִדְאִיתָא בִמְנָחוֹת (דף פ"ה):

ברוך מבנים אשר LET ASHER BE BLESSED AMONG SONS (or, “on account of sons”) — I have found in the Sifrei Devarim 355:19 the following: You will find none of the tribes who was so blessed with children as Asher, but I do not know how this was so. יהי רצוי אחיו LET HIM BE ACCEPTED OF HIS BRETHREN — and this was so for he pleased (רצה) his brother-tribes with oil of unripe olives (used for anointing the body) and fine fruits, and they paid him (רצה) with grain. — Another explanation of יהי רצוי אחיו HE WILL BE ACCEPTABLE TO HIS BRETHREN — because his daughters were beautiful (and were much sought in marriage), and this is what is stated in Chronicles (1 Chronicles 7:31) [”The sons of Asher … Malchiel] who was the father of ברזית”, which is explained to mean: that his daughters were married to High Priests and Kings who were anointed with olive oil (זית) (Genesis Rabbah 71:10; cf. Rashi on this verse). וטבל בשמן רגלו AND LET HIM DIP HIS FOOT IN OIL — it means that his land flowed with oil as a fountain: once it happened that the people of Laodicia were in need of oil; they appointed an agent (to purchase a large quantity and were able to do so only at a city of Asher; see Rashi on Genesis 49:20), as it is related in Menachot 85b.

Other Translations

MASORETIC

וּלְאָשֵׁ֣ר אָמַ֔ר בָּר֥וּךְ מִבָּנִ֖ים אָשֵׁ֑ר יְהִ֤י רְצוּי֙ אֶחָ֔יו וְטֹבֵ֥ל בַּשֶּׁ֖מֶן רַגְלֽוֹ׃

KOREN

And of Asher he said, Be Asher blessed above sons; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.