Levi's Zeal and the Path to Priesthood

הָאֹמֵ֞ר לְאָבִ֤יו וּלְאִמּוֹ֙ לֹ֣א רְאִיתִ֔יו וְאֶת־אֶחָיו֙ לֹ֣א הִכִּ֔יר וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖ו לֹ֣א יָדָ֑ע כִּ֤י שָֽׁמְרוּ֙ אִמְרָתֶ֔ךָ וּבְרִיתְךָ֖ יִנְצֹֽרוּ׃ יוֹר֤וּ מִשְׁפָּטֶ֙יךָ֙ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְתוֹרָתְךָ֖ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יָשִׂ֤ימוּ קְטוֹרָה֙ בְּאַפֶּ֔ךָ וְכָלִ֖יל עַֽל־מִזְבְּחֶֽךָ׃

Who said of his father and mother, “I consider them not.” His brothers he disregarded, Ignored his own children. Your precepts alone they observed, And kept Your covenant. They shall teach Your laws to Jacob And Your instructions to Israel. They shall offer You incense to savor And whole-offerings on Your altar.

באו שבטו של שמעון אצל שבטו של לוי: וכי בן בתו של פוטי היה מבקש לעקור שבט אחד מישראל? וכי אין אנו יודעים בן מי הוא? כיון שראה המקום שהכל מזלזלים בו – התחיל מייחסו בשבח, שנאמר "פינחס בן אלעזר בן אהרן הכהן השיב את חמתי מעל בני ישראל". כהן בן כהן, קנאי בן קנאי, משיב חימה בן משיב חימה, השיב את חמתי מעל בני ישראל: והיתה לו ולזרעו אחריו ברית כהונת עולם. אלו כ"ד מתנות כהונה שניתנו לכהנים: תחת אשר קנא לאלהיו ויכפר על בני ישראל. (ישעיהו נ״ג:י״ב) "תחת אשר הערה למות נפשו". לכפר על בני ישראל לא נאמר כאן אלא ויכפר על בני ישראל, שעד עכשיו לא זזו, אלא עומד ומכפר עד שיחיו המתים:

ומיני ההגדלות אשר נצטוינו בבית השם ובכליו מהכבוד והיראה וקדושת משרתיו שהם השבט הנבחר לעבודתו וכבוד אוהביו אשר הם חכמים בתורה ובמוראם.

וְטַעַם וַיַּעֲמֹד מֹשֶׁה בְּשַׁעַר הַמַּחֲנֶה דָּבֵק בְּמָה שֶׁאָמַר, כִּי כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אֶת הָעָם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְשִׁמְצָה וּלְקַלָּסָה בְּאוֹיְבֵיהֶם, וְזֶה חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם, עָמַד בְּשַׁעַר הַמַּחֲנֶה וְקָרָא בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל מִי לַה' אֵלָי, וְהָרַג בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא כָּל עוֹבְדֵי הָעֵגֶל כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשָּׁמַע הַדָּבָר בְּקָמֵיהֶם, וְיִתְקַדֵּשׁ שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם בָּהֶם תַּחַת הַחִלּוּל שֶׁעָשׂוּ: וְטַעַם כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁחָשְׁבוּ עוֹבְדֵי הָעֵגֶל לִזְבּוֹחַ לֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהִנֵּה מִדַּת הַדִּין פּוֹגַעַת בָּהֶן בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁקִּצְּצוּ בַּנְּטִיעוֹת. וְעוֹד, כִּי הַמִּשְׁפָּט לֵאלֹהִים הוּא (דברים א יז). וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה אָמַר בַּלְּוִיִּים "כִּי הִבְדִּיל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶתְכֶם מֵעֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל" (במדבר טז ט), כִּי הָעֲבוֹדָה לֵאלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלִשְׁמוֹ נִבְדְּלוּ בַּזְּכוּת הַזֹּאת: שִׂימוּ אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ עַל יְרֵכוֹ הָיוּ עוֹבְדֵי הָעֵגֶל רַבִּים וְלֹא יוּכְלוּ לַהֲבִיאָם לְב"ד, עַל כֵּן צִוָּה לְכָל בְּנֵי לֵוִי לַחְגֹּר חַרְבָּם, עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַה שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (סנהדרין מה:) שֶׁאִם אֵין אַתָּה יָכוֹל לַהֲמִיתוֹ בְּמִיתָה הָאֲמוּרָה בּוֹ אַתָּה יָכוֹל לַהֲמִיתוֹ בְּכָל מִיתָה שֶׁתּוּכַל. וְהִנֵּה זֶה הוֹרָאַת שָׁעָה לְקַדֵּשׁ הַשֵּׁם, שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה בָּהֶם הַתְרָאָה, כִּי מִי הִתְרָה בָּהֶם, אֲבָל הָיוּ בְּנֵי לֵוִי מַכִּירִים בְּאֵלּוּ הַנֶּהֱרָגִים שֶׁהֵם הָיוּ עוֹבְדָיו: וְעַל דַּעַת הָאוֹמֵר (יומא סו:) עֵדִים וְהַתְרָאָה בִּידֵי אָדָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על שמות ל"ב:כ'), נֹאמַר שֶׁצִּוָּה אוֹתָם לַחְגֹּר חַרְבָּם לִתְפֹּשׂ אוֹתָם וְלַהֲבִיאָם לִפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה אוֹ סַנְהֶדְרִין, וַאֲשֶׁר מְצָאוּהוּ בְּעֵדִים וְהַתְרָאָה הֲרָגוּהוּ בִּסְקִילָה כְּמִשְׁפַּט עוֹבְדֵי ע"ז, אוֹ שֶׁהָיְתָה מִיתָתָם בְּסַיִף כְּעִיר הַנִּדַּחַת. וְהִנֵּה כָּל בְּנֵי לֵוִי הָיוּ לַה' וּמַתְרִים בָּעָם שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ וְלֹא יִזְבְּחוּ לוֹ, כִּי אַהֲרֹן לֹא צִוָּה לָחֹג בִּלְתִּי לַה' לְבַדּוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי. וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי כְּדִבְרֵי הָאוֹמֵר (יומא שם) זִבַּח וְקִטֵּר בְּסַיִף, גִּפֵּף וְנִשֵּׁק בְּמִיתָה, שָׂמַח בְּלִבּוֹ בְּהִדְרוֹקָן, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת יוֹמָא. וְהִנֵּה הַכֹּל מַעֲשֵׂה שָׁעָה, כִּי אֵין מְגַפֵּף וּמְנַשֵּׁק בְּמִיתָה לְדוֹרוֹת (סנהדרין ס:):

AND MOSES STOOD IN THE GATE OF THE CAMP. This is connected with what is said in the preceding verse, thus stating that when Moses saw that the people would be a source of derision and disgrace amongst their enemies, and would thereby profane the Name of G-d, he stood in the gate of the camp and called out loudly, Whoso is on the Eternal’s side, let him come unto me; and they killed publicly all those who worshipped the calf, so that the matter be heard about amongst their enemies, and G-d’s Name would thus be sanctified, in place of the profanation that they had caused. THUS SAITH THE ETERNAL, THE G-D OF ISRAEL. The reason for this expression is that since the worshippers of the calf had intended to sacrifice to the G-d of Israel, therefore the attribute of justice extracted punishment from them, because they “mutilated the shoots” [of faith], and besides, for the judgment is G-d’s. It is for this reason that he [Moses], said of the Levites, for the G-d of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, for the Service is to the G-d of Israel, and to His Name they were separated by virtue of this meritorious deed. PUT YE EVERY MAN HIS SWORD UPON HIS THIGH. Since there were many worshippers of the calf, and they could not have all been brought to the court, therefore Moses commanded all the sons of Levi to put on their swords, in a similar way to that which our Rabbis have said, that if you cannot administer to the guilty the specific kind of death mentioned for his case, you may execute him by any means that you can. Now this procedure was a decision only for an emergency, in order to sanctify G-d’s Name, since those who worshipped [the calf] had not been forewarned [of the death penalty], for who had warned them beforehand? The sons of Levi, however, recognized those whom they killed as the worshippers of the calf. And in the opinion of the Sage who says that if there were witnesses [to the act of idolatry] and forewarning of the penalty, the offender’s death was by hand of man, as Rashi wrote, then we shall interpret the meaning of the verse to be that Moses commanded the sons of Levi to put on their swords and take hold of the offenders by force and bring them to court before Moses or before the Sanhedrin. Those who were found to have worshipped the calf in the presence of witnesses and with forewarning, were then put to death by stoning, as is the punishment of those who worship idols, or perhaps their death was by the sword, as is the punishment of a whole city gone astray. Thus all the sons of Levi remained loyal to G-d, and it was they who had warned the people not to worship the calf or sacrifice to it, seeing that Aaron had only commanded to hold a feast to the Eternal alone, as I have explained. The correct interpretation is in accordance with the opinion of the Sage who says: “Those who slaughtered or burnt the sacrificial portions [to the calf] were punished by the sword; those who embraced and kissed it, were punished with death [by the hand of Heaven]; those who merely rejoiced in their heart, were afflicted with dropsy,” as is stated in Tractate Yoma. Thus it was all a decision under circumstances of emergency, because embracing or kissing an idol does not make one liable to death [by the hand of Heaven] in all future generations.

כִּי כָּל אֶחָד מִכֶּם כְּבָר הוּקְדַּשׁ לַה' בִּבְנוֹ, בְּעִנְיַן הַמִּילָה שֶׁעֲשִׂיתֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר, וּבְאָחִיו, בַּהֲרִיגַת הַיּוֹם. וְלָכֵן מִלְאוּ יֶדְכֶם בְּטוֹב הַכַּוָּנָה וְהַשְׁלִימוּ הֲכִנָתְכֶם לַה' לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ.

שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי אַחִים יֹאמַר בַּעֲלֵי אַחְוָה, כִּי יֵחַם לִבָּם עַל אֲחוֹתָם. יְלַמֵּד עֲלֵיהֶם זְכוּת, כִּי בְּקִנְאָתָם עַל הָאַחְוָה עָשׂוּ מָה שֶׁעָשׂוּ, לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵין רְאוּיִים לְעֹנֶשׁ גָּדוֹל, וְלֹא הַחֵטְא רָאוּי לִמָּחֵל, כִּי הוּא חָמָס. וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי, שֶׁאָמַר כִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי אַחִים גְּמוּרִים, דּוֹמִים וּמִתְאַחִים זֶה לָזֶה בַּעֲצָתָם וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם. וּכְבָר פֵּרַשְׁתִּי (בראשית לד יג), כִּי יַעֲקֹב קָצַף עַל שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי בְּהָרְגָם אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁעָשׂוּ חָמָס, כִּי הֵם לֹא חָטְאוּ לָהֶם כְּלָל וּבָאוּ בִּבְרִית וְנִמּוֹלוּ, וְאוּלַי יָשׁוּבוּ אֶל ה' וְיִהְיוּ כֻּלָּם בִּכְלַל אַנְשֵׁי בֵּית אַבְרָהָם, וּמִן הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן. וְעוֹד חָרָה לוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ כִּי בַּעֲצָתוֹ נַעֲשָׂה הַדָּבָר, וְיִהְיֶה חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הַנָּבִיא חָמָס וָשֹׁד. וְזֶה טַעַם בְּסֹדָם אַל תָּבֹא נַפְשִׁי הִתְנַצְּלוּת שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה בְּסוֹדָם בַּעֲנוֹתָם בְּמִרְמָה, וּבִקְהָלָם לֹא נִתְיַחֵד כְּשֶׁבָּאוּ עַל הָעִיר וַהֲרָגוּם. וְלָכֵן יְקַלֵּל אַפָּם וְעֶבְרָתָם. וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם אוּנְקְלוֹס: "בְּרָזֵיהוֹן לָא הֲוָת נַפְשִׁי בְּאִיתְכַּנֹּשֵׁיהוֹן לִמְהָךְ" וְכוּ'. וְטַעַם כִּי בְאַפָּם הָרְגוּ אִישׁ וּבִרְצֹנָם עִקְּרוּ שׁוֹר שֶׁעָשׂוּ הֶחָמָס בְּאַפָּם שֶׁכָּעֲסוּ עַל שְׁכֶם, וּבִרְצוֹנָם שֶׁהֵם חֲפֵצִים בּוֹ, לֹא פֶּשַׁע הַמּוּמָתִים וְלֹא חַטָּאתָם. וְאָמַר אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על בראשית מ"ט:ו') כִּי טַעַם שׁוֹר כְּמוֹ שׁוּר בְּשׁוּרֻק, מִן "בָּנוֹת צָעֲדָה עֲלֵי שׁוּר" (בראשית מ"ט:כ"ב), וְתִרְגֵּם בּוֹ עוֹד "סָנְאָה", מִן "וַתַּבֵּט עֵינֵי בְּשׁוּרָי" (תהלים צב יב), וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁעָקְרוּ עִיר מֻקֶּפֶת חוֹמָה אֶת טַפָּם וְאֶת נְשֵׁיהֶם אַחֲרֵי הָרְגָם אֲנָשֶׁיהָ, וְיִהְיֶה "עִקְּרוּ" מִן "וְעֶקְרוֹן תֵּעָקֵר" (צפניה ב ד). וַאֲחֵרִים פֵּרְשׁוּ (רד"ק בשם ריב"א) כִּי שׁוֹר, גָּדוֹל בַּבְּהֵמוֹת, רֶמֶז לַחֲמוֹר וּשְׁכֶם בְּנוֹ נְשִׂיא הָאָרֶץ, כְּמוֹ "בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ הָדָר לוֹ" (דברים לג יז), "פָּרוֹת הַבָּשָׁן אֲשֶׁר בְּהַר שֹׁמְרוֹן" (עמוס ד א), וְכֵן יְכַנּוּ הַכְּתוּבִים הַשָּׂרִים הַגְּדוֹלִים בְּאֵילִים וְעַתּוּדִים. וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי שֶׁהַכָּתוּב כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, אָמַר כִּי בְּאַפָּם הָרְגוּ כָל אִישׁ אַפָּם, וּבִרְצוֹנָם אַחֲרֵי שֶׁשָּׁכְכָה חֲמָתָם בַּהֲרִיגַת הָאֲנָשִׁים עִקְּרוּ כָּל שׁוֹר, רֶמֶז לְמִקְנֵיהֶם וְקִנְיָנָם כָּל אֲשֶׁר בַּבַּיִת וְכָל אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׂדֶה. וְהִזְכִּיר זֶה לוֹמַר כִּי בְּסוֹדָם לֹא בָּאָה נַפְשׁוֹ בְּכָל אֵלֶּה, אֲפִלּוּ לַעֲקֹר לָהֶם מִקְנֶה וְקִנְיָן וְלָבֹז שְׁלָלָם כְּלָל, וְ"עִקְּרוּ" מִן "וְאֶת סוּסֵיהֶם תְּעַקֵּר" (יהושע יא ו), אַךְ הַכֹּל לָשׁוֹן אֶחָד וְעִנְיָן אֶחָד:

SIMEON AND LEVI ARE BRETHREN. Jacob is saying that they possess the attribute of kinship for their hearts were inflamed concerning their sister. He is thus stating in their defense that they acted as they did out of their brotherly zeal, thus suggesting [that were it not for this extenuating circumstance], they would have been deserving of great punishment and their sin would have been unforgivable since what they did to the people of Shechem was an act of violence. The correct interpretation appears to me to be that he is saying that Simeon and Levi are real brothers, uniting in fraternity and brotherhood in counsel and deed. Now I have already explained that Jacob was angry with Simeon and Levi for having committed violence when they killed the people of the city of Shechem, for they had not sinned against them at all. They even made a covenant with them and they were circumcised, thus being enabled to return to G-d and become included within the people of the household of Abraham, part of the souls that they had gotten in Haran. Jacob was additionally angry with them lest people say that the matter was done at his suggestion, thus creating a profaning of G-d’s Name, as people will say that the prophet has committed violence and plunder. This is the intent of the verse, Let my soul not come into their council— this is an excuse for he was not in their council when they answered the people of Shechem with subtlety, and he was not united in their assembly when they came upon the people of the city and killed them. It was for this reason that he cursed their anger and wrath. And so did Onkelos translate: “My soul was not in their council when they assembled to strike, etc.” FOR IN THEIR ANGER THEY SLEW A MAN AND IN THEIR SELF-WILL THEY DISABLED AN OX (‘SHOR’). The meaning of this is that they committed violence in their wrath in that they were angry at Shechem, and it was to satisfy their own desire and not because of the guilt or sins of the slain. Now Onkelos says that the word shor (ox) should be understood as shur (wall) with a shuruk, as in the verse, Daughters treaded on the wall (‘shur’). Thus Onkelos translated the word shor in the present verse as “the wall of the enemy,” similar in expression to the verse: Mine eye also hath gazed on them that lie in wait for me (‘b’shuroi’). The meaning of the verse is thus: “and they uprooted a city surrounded with a wall, slaying their children and women after having killed the men of the city.” The word ikru (disabled) would then be similar in use to the verse, Ekron shall be rooted up (‘tei’akeir’). Others have explained that the ox, which is the largest of cattle, is an allusion to Hamor and his son Shechem, the prince of the country, just as in the verses: His firstling bull, majesty is his; Ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria. Similarly do the verses surname the great princes “rams” and “he-goats.” The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the verse is to be understood in its usual sense as stating that in their anger they killed each man of whom they were wrathful; and in their self-will, after their anger had been calmed by the slaying of the men, they uprooted all oxen, this being an allusion to their cattle and their possessions, including everything that was in the home and everything in the field. Now Jacob mentioned this in order to state that he had no part in all these secret deliberations of theirs, even in the removal of the cattle and possessions, or any aspect of the spoiling and plundering of the people of the city of Shechem. The word ikru [in the expression, ikru shor], has the same meaning as in the verse: Thou shalt hemstring (‘te’akeir’) their horses. But the expression and purport is all one.

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָעַזּוּת וְקַשְׁיוּת עֹרֶף מִדָּה רָעָה, מִכָּל מָקוֹם יֵשׁ בָּהֶם צַד לְטוֹבָה, כְּאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (אבות ה כה) ״הֱוֵי עַז כַּנָּמֵר כוּ׳ לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן אָבִיךָ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם״, וְכֵן קַשְׁיוּת הָעֹרֶף אַךְ טוֹב הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּעַמְדוּ בְּדָתָם וְלֹא יָשׁוּבוּ מִפְּנֵי כֹּל לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל זָרִים. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר יַעֲקֹב ״שֶׁאַפָּם כִּי עָז״, וְ״עֶבְרָתָם״ דְּהַיְנוּ הָעֵבֶר הַשֵּׁנִי לְאַפָּם ״כִּי קָשָׁתָה״, וְזֶה בְּוַדַּאי מִדָּה רָעָה. וּכְדָת מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת בָּהֶם לְהָפְכָם לְטוֹבָה? ״אֲחַלְּקֵם בְּיַעֲקֹב וַאֲפִיצֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל״, רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר אֲחַלֵּק וְאָפִיץ הָעַזּוּת וְקַשְׁיוּת עֹרֶף אֶל עוֹשֵׂי מַעֲשֵׂה יַעֲקֹב וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּהַיְנוּ לְהַפֵּךְ פְּעֻלָּתָם לְטוֹבָה כָּאָמוּר. וּמַה שֶּׁכְּלָלָם יַעֲקֹב וּמֹשֶׁה הִפְרִידָם, לְפִי שֶׁכְּבָר אָמַר ״אֲחַלְּקֵם״ וְגוֹ׳ עַל כֵּן לֹא הָיָה מֹשֶׁה רַשַּׁאי לְצָרְפָם. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם בֵּרְכָם קְצָת מֵעֵין בִּרְכָתוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב, כִּי אָמַר ״בָּרֵךְ ה׳ חֵילוֹ״ (דברים לג, יא), פֵּרֵשׁ אֻנְקְלוֹס עַל הַנְּכָסִים, כִּי לֹא הָיָה לְלֵוִי חֵלֶק וְנַחֲלָה כִּי אִם הַמַּתָּנוֹת הָרְאוּיוֹת לוֹ. כָּךְ אָמַר יַעֲקֹב ״אֲחַלְּקֵם בְּיַעֲקֹב״, רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר אֲחַלֵּק לוֹ בֵּין כָּל יַעֲקֹב, כִּי מִכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל יִקְחוּ הֵמָּה חֶלְקָם. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבַּעֲבוּר הֱיוֹת ״כְּלֵי חָמָס מְכֵרֹתֵיהֶם״ (בראשית מט, ה) דְּהַיְנוּ לִגְזֹל מָמוֹן כָּל הָעִיר, נוֹתֵן הַדִּין לְקָנְסָם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כֻּלָּם עֲנִיִּים, מִכָּל מָקוֹם ״אֲחַלְּקֵם בְּיַעֲקֹב״ לְקַבֵּל מֵהֶם מַתְּנוֹתָם, וְשֵׁבֶט שִׁמְעוֹן ״אֲפִיצֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל״ לִהְיוֹת סוֹפְרִים וּמְלַמְּדִים. וְעַל כֵּן רָמַז מֹשֶׁה בְּרָכָה לְשִׁמְעוֹן תּוֹךְ בִּרְכַת יְהוּדָה, כִּי גַּם מִיהוּדָה מוֹשְׁכִים בְּשֵׁבֶט סוֹפֵר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב ״וּמְחֹקֵק מִבֵּין רַגְלָיו״ (בראשית מט, י), וּמְחֹקֵק הַיְנוּ סוֹפֵר.

Another interpretation: Even though brazenness and stubbornness are negative traits, nevertheless they have a positive aspect, as our Sages said (Avot 5:25), “Be bold as a leopard… to carry out the will of your Father in Heaven.” Similarly, stubbornness is actually good for Israel, enabling them to stand firm in their faith and not turn away to listen to the voice of strangers. This is what Jacob meant when he said for their anger was fierce — and their wrath, meaning the other side of their anger, was cruel. This is certainly a negative trait, so what should be done with them to transform them for good? I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel. That is to say, I will divide and scatter their brazenness and stubbornness among those who perform the deeds of Jacob and Israel, meaning to transform their actions for good as mentioned. And whereas Jacob combined them, Moses separated them, because Jacob had already said I will divide them, therefore Moses was not permitted to unite them. Nevertheless, he blessed them somewhat similar to Jacob’s blessing, saying Bless, O Lord, his resources. Onkelos interpreted this as referring to possessions, since Levi had no portion or inheritance except for the gifts due to him. This is what Jacob meant by I will divide them in Jacob — meaning I will divide him among all of Jacob, for they will take their portion from all of Israel. And even though because instruments of violence are their weapons — meaning they robbed the wealth of the entire city — justice would dictate punishing them by making them all poor, nevertheless I will divide them in Jacob to receive their priestly gifts, and the tribe of Simeon I will scatter in Israel to be scribes and teachers. This is why Moses alluded to Simeon’s blessing within Judah’s blessing, because from Judah also came those who wielded the scribe’s staff, as it is written and a staff from between his feet — where staff means scribe.