דברים, פרק ל״ג, פסוק י״ז

Moses' blessing to the tribe of Joseph merges agricultural abundance with military and royal might. Joseph, the great provider who sustained the world, is compared to an ox, an animal representing fertility, strength, and a multitude of crops. Just as the lion rules the wild beasts, the ox reigns supreme among domesticated animals [ספורנו, מלבי״ם, רא״ש, רבינו בחיי]. The imagery of a firstborn ox points directly to Joseph, who inherited the firstborn status originally belonging to Reuben [ספורנו, ביאור שטיינזלץ, The Torah]. Alternatively, this refers to the first great leader to emerge from his lineage [חזקוני, הדר זקנים]. The primary approach among commentators identifies this leader as Joshua, the first ruler from the tribe of Ephraim [רש״י, רמב״ן, בכור שור]. Others suggest it hints at Gideon, who descended from Manasseh [אור החיים], or even points to a future era, anticipating the Messiah from the line of Joseph who will lead the ultimate battles at the end of days [רלב״ג, שפתי כהן, אדרת אליהו].

Accompanying this strength is a distinct sense of majesty and splendor. This reflects the royal glory bestowed upon Joshua, which Moses transferred to him from his own spirit [רש״י, רמב״ן, אדרת אליהו]. Another perspective suggests this beauty originates from Joseph's inherently generous nature, as his acts of kindness and good deeds were received with widespread grace and admiration [העמק דבר]. This majesty is further illustrated through the horns of a legendary, massive, and ancient creature known as the Re'em [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. By combining the ox and the Re'em, the blessing unites two distinct advantages. While an ox possesses immense physical power, its horns are short and lack visual appeal. Conversely, the Re'em boasts beautiful, towering horns that can be seen from afar, yet it lacks the sheer brute force of the ox. Joseph’s descendants are blessed with the best of both: the unyielding, hard power of the ox combined with the majestic, far-reaching impact of the Re'em [רש״י, רמב״ן, העמק דבר]. Throughout the prophets, a horn serves as a universal symbol of power, governance, and an endless flow of inner abundance [אם למקרא].

With these powerful horns, Joseph's descendants are portrayed as goring nations, an action that symbolizes overwhelming military conquest and victory. Although Joshua's territorial conquests were limited to the land of Canaan, the victory is described as reaching the ends of the earth. Because the land of Israel was of central global importance, kings from all over the world maintained palaces and estates there. Therefore, when Joshua defeated thirty-one kings in Canaan, it was the equivalent of conquering the world's greatest superpowers [רש״י, שפתי חכמים]. Another view explains that this simply means their power would successfully push their enemies far away, all the way to the edges of the earth [העמק דבר, רש״ר הירש].

The true identity of these massive horns lies in the two tribes that descended from Joseph. The primary approach among commentators is that the right horn represents Ephraim, while the left horn represents Manasseh [רמב״ן, ביאור יש״ר]. The specific numbers associated with them reflect their distinct historical military achievements. The tens of thousands refer to the multitudes defeated by Joshua of the tribe of Ephraim, while the thousands represent the Midianites struck down by Gideon of the tribe of Manasseh [רש״י, חזקוני, אור החיים]. The fact that the younger Ephraim achieved tens of thousands, while his older brother Manasseh achieved only thousands, serves as the exact fulfillment of Jacob's earlier decree that the younger brother would rise to become greater than the firstborn [אבן עזרא, רא״ש, ביאור שטיינזלץ].