[(Gen. 49:1:) THEN JACOB CALLED HIS SONS AND SAID: GATHER TOGETHER.] R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest and R. Judah bar Shallum the Levite said: What is the meaning of GATHER TOGETHER (rt.: 'SP)? Be purified, even as you say (in Numb. 12:14 with reference to Miriam's uncleanness from leprosy): LET HER BE SHUT UP SEVEN DAYS OUTSIDE OF THE CAMP, AND THEN LET HER BE BROUGHT IN (rt.: 'SP).⁴⁴

footnotes: ⁴⁴ Gen. R. 96, New Version, on Gen. 49:1 (= p. 1204 in the Theodor-Albeck edition; cf. Gen. R. 98:2).

Another interpretation (of Gen. 49:1): GATHER TOGETHER (rt.: 'PR). Become individual study groups (rt.: 'PR). What did they do? When they entered, he began reproaching⁴⁵, i.e., “to strike with a goad.” them.⁴⁶

footnotes: ⁴⁵ Gk.: kentroun ⁴⁶ For simply entering without forming study groups.

(Gen. 49:3:) REUBEN, YOU ARE MY FIRST-BORN. One said it was to his discredit, and another said it was to his credit. To his discredit: He said to him: REUBEN, YOU ARE MY FIRST-BORN.⁴⁷ You are a first-born, and I am a firstborn.⁴⁸ R. Judah b. R. Shallum said: For eighty-four years Jacob never saw a nocturnal pollution.⁴⁹, Gen. 12:9; see also Gen. R. 68:5; Meg. 17a and Rashi, ad loc. I am a first-born, and you are a first-born.⁵⁰, Gen. 12:9.

footnotes: ⁴⁷ Gen. R. 98(99):4. ⁴⁸ By virtue of having bought Esau’s birthright. ⁴⁹ Gen. R. 97, New Version, on 49:3 (= p. 1204 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); cf. Gen. R. 99 (another version):6 (= p. 1277 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); Tanh. ⁵⁰ Gen. R. 98(99):4 explains that Reuben did not follow his father’s example, but (according to Gen. 35:22, 49:4) slept with his father’s concubine and thereby lost his birthright, his priesthood, and his right to kingship. See also below; Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Gen. 49:3; Tanh.

(Gen. 49:3, cont.:) MY MIGHT AND THE FIRST FRUIT OF MY STRENGTH, EXCELLING IN ELEVATION, in that the high priesthood had been designated for you, and there is no ELEVATION but the high priesthood. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 9:22): THEN AARON ELEVATED HIS HANDS TOWARD THE PEOPLE AND BLESSED THEM.⁵¹

footnotes: ⁵¹ Gen. R. 99 (another version):6 (= p. 1277 in the Theodor-Albeck edition).

(Gen. 49:3, cont.:) AND EXCELLING IN POWER, in that the kingship had been designated for you, and there is no power but kingship. Thus it is stated (in I Sam. 2:10): AND HE SHALL GIVE POWER TO HIS KING. And another said it (i.e., Gen. 49:3) was to his credit. REUBEN, YOU ARE MY FIRST-BORN. You are suitable for the birthright, even though you desecrated it. He had been filled with jealousy for his mother.⁵² Why? All the days that Rachel lived, Jacob's bed was with her. When she died, Jacob took his bed and put it with Bilhah. What did Reuben do? He became jealous for his mother. He pretended to be asleep on that bed so that Jacob would put his bed with Leah.⁵³ It therefore is praising⁵⁴, i.e., “beautifully.” him (in Gen. 49:3): REUBEN, YOU ARE MY FIRST-BORN, MY MIGHT AND THE FIRST FRUIT OF MY STRENGTH. You were the first drop (of semen) that came out of me.

footnotes: ⁵² See Gen. R. 97, New Version, on 49:4 (= p. 1205 in the Theodor-Albeck edition) ⁵³ See Gen. R. 97, New Version, on 49:3 (= p. 1205 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); Gen. R. 98:4. ⁵⁴ The root of this verb is similar to the Greek kalos