his berachos: like a snake; like a lion cub

In Yaakov Avinu’s beracha to Dan in Parshas Vayechi (Bereishis 49:16-18), he states: Dan will avenge his people, the shevatim of Yisroel will be united as one. Dan will be a serpent on the highway, a viper by the path, that bites a horse’s heels so that its rider falls backwards. For your salvation I await O Hashem!

Rashi explains that Yaakov alludes in these pesukim to Shimshon Hagibor, the descendant of Dan who fought the Philistines and brought unity to the Jewish people. Shimshon attacked with guerilla warfare and then afterwards, slithered stealthily like a snake back to its lair. He had his final victory when he pulled down the two pillars of the Philistines’ idolatrous temple, killing three thousand. (Shoftim 16:29). His final prayer to Hashem at that time, after his eyes were put out and he was chained (ibid 16:28), is alluded to in the blessings in Bereishis 49:18.

Moshe Rabbeinu’s beracha in parshas V’zos Habrachah (Devarim 33:22) states: Dan is like a lion cub, leaping forth from the Bashan.

According to most opinions, Dan’s stone (the first one in the third row) in the Choshen was the Leshem. Targum Yerushalmi and Rabbeinu Bachaya in Parshas Tetzaveh 28:15 state that the stones corresponding to tribes were arranged and grouped according to each mother: the six children of Leah; the two of Bilhah; the two of Zilpah; and the two of Rachel. Rabbeinu Bachaya also holds that seventy-two were letters divided among the twelve stones of the Choshen. These correspond to the seventy-two letter Divine Name of G-d and to the seventy-two hours that it took to create the world. Each of the twelve stones had engraved upon them six letters each; the name of its particular tribe, plus, according to how many ‘spaces’ remained, the letters of the names of the three avos, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, as well as the words Shivtei Yeshurun. These six letters correspond to the six days of Creation that are dependent on the tribes. Dan’s stone was engraved with his two-letter name, (Daled, Nun), as well as the additional four letters ‘Kuf’ from Yitzchak, and ‘Yud’, ‘Ayin’, ‘Kuf’ from Yaakov, for a total of six letters.

According to Rabbeinu Bachaya, the Leshem stone of the tribe of Dan reflected an upside-down image, because the tribe of Dan placed such a stone in the idol of Micah, turning the people ‘upside-down’ as it were, away from Hashem.

The sefer, Bigdei Kehuna identifies the Leshem as Ligure in Latin or Tirkiyas in Greek. He cites the Shiltei Giborim of Rav Avraham HaRofeh that its color is clear like an egg white. The author of Seder Hadoros says that he saw such a stone and that it is naturally round.

The Midrash Talpiyos tells of the Leshem stone that its beauty and brilliance diminish from when its wearer or carrier passes away until a new owner acquires it. It has the additional segulos of safeguarding its owner from all harm, as well as strengthening his heart and eyesight. It also imparts its owner with happiness and a joyful heart.

The Midrash Talpiyos goes on to say that all of these segulos correspond to Shimshon, who was descended from the tribe of Dan. Shimshon was a judge, and as such, needs to travel, as we see concerning Shmuel HaNavi. Since traveling is dangerous and diminishes the light of the eyes, Shimshon carried the Leshem stone to benefit from its segulos of protection from harm, good eyesight and a strong heart. Judges also always worry whether they have adjudicated properly, and although Chazal testify that Shimshon properly judged Bnei Yisroel like their Father in Heaven, nevertheless, the stone allayed Shimshon’s worries, imbuing him with joy and gladness. When Shimshon died, the Philistines’ hatred towards the Jews increased because they were now considered ugly and diminished, since their gibbor was gone; this corresponds to the Leshem’s property of diminishing in beauty once its owner has died.

[According to Targum Yonason Ben Uziel’s opinion, that the order of names on the Choshen was according to the tribes’ birth-order, Dan’s stone would be the fifth stone, the Sapir.]

THE TWELVE TRIBES: BIRTHDAYS AND YAHRZEITS

1.   The birth dates of the twelve tribes are recorded in Midrash Tadshe (Chapter 8) and the beginning of Yalkut Shemoni Shemos as follows:Reuven: 14 Kislev. He lived until age 125 (others say 155).

2.   Shimon: 21 Teves (28 Teves according to the Yalkut). He lived 120 years.

3.   Levi: 16 Nissan. He lived 137 years.

4.   Dan: 9 Elul. He lived 125 years.

5.   Yehudah: 15 Sivan; 119 yearsNaftali: 5 Tishrei (according to the Aishel Avraham, based on Rabbeinu Bachaye, Seder HaDoros, Siddur Nehora and Yalkut). Others say he was born in Sivan. He lived 133 years.

6.   Gad: 10 MarCheshvan (according to the Aishel Avraham, based on Rabbeinu Bachaye, Seder HaDoros, Nehora and Yalkut). Others say he was born in Tishrei. He lived for128 (125) years.

7.   Yissachar: 10 Av; 122 years.

8.   Asher: 20 Adar (other say 20 or 22 Shevat, based on Yalkut or Shalshales Kabbalah). He lived 123 years (others say 126 years; see Seder Olam Zuta).

9.   Yosef: 21 of Tishrei (1 Tammuz according to Zayis Raanan); 110 years.

10.   Zevulun: 7 Tishrei; 114 (or 110) years (missing in Tadshe, added by Aishel Avraham based on Rabbeinu Bachaye. Also appears in Yalkut)

11.   Binyamin: 11 MarCheshvan; 109 years (others say 111 (115 years old) (missing in Tadshe, added by Aishel Avraham based on Rabbeinu Bachaye and Seder Olam Zuta. Also appears in Yalkut).

Their dates of death were not recorded because we assume that they surely died on the same date as their birthdays, as it says, “Hashem ensures (and fulfills that) the days of the tzaddikim are full from day to day,” [Rosh Hashanah 11a (cited by gloss of Aishel Avraham; see Midrash Tadshe as well as Rav Yaakov Emden in his Siddur].

The Ya’avetz adds there that whenever an event in Tanach takes place in a designated month with no date noted, the rule is that we refer to the first of the month since, “the pasuk always explains and reveals, rather than hides,” (Rashi, Vayeira 21:34). As mentioned above, for example, Yosef is noted as born and passed away on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz.

The Midrash Yalkut Shemos concludes that, “Iyar and Shevat are for Ephraim and Menashe.”

Zayis Ra’anan comments there that Yosef was born in Tammuz and Asher in Adar.

The Midrash Tadshe concludes: “Levi was the eldest and Yosef the youngest, and all of the tribes had descendants that were judges and kings except for Shimon, who had Zimri as a descendant and whose immoral, licentious act of sin caused them to be punished and have no judges or kings as descendants. This comes to teach us the severity of immoral behavior and zenus.”