(Devarim 33:13) "And of Joseph he said: 'Blessed of the L-rd is his land'" — whence we are taught that the land of Joseph was the most blessed of all the lands.
"of the sweet things of the heaven, of the dew" — whereby we are taught that dew was ever present there. "and of the deep, lying below" — whereby we are taught that it was watered by springs.
(Ibid. 14) "And of the sweet things brought forth by the sun" — whereby we are taught that it was "open" to the sun. And it was, similarly "open" to the moon, viz. (Ibid. 14) "and of the sweet things (like melons) quickened by the moon."
(Ibid. 15) "And of the first (ripened fruits) of the mountains of "yore," and of the sweet things of the eternal (i.e., eternally fruitful) hills — whereby we are taught that the (fruits of) the mountains of Joseph are the first (to ripen) of those of Eretz Yisrael; and those of Eretz Yisrael are the first of the mountains of all the lands.
Variantly: "And of the first of the mountains of yore and of the sweet things of the eternal hills" — (the first of) the blessings of the (fore-) fathers and mothers, who are called "mountains" and "hills," viz. (Song of Songs 4:6) "I will go to Mount Moriah and to the hill of frankincense"
(Devarim, Ibid. 16) "And of the sweet things of the earth and its fullness" — whereby we are taught that the land of Joseph is "full," and not lacking in any blessing. R. Shimon b. Yochai says: If a man anchors his boat in the portion of Joseph, he needs nothing outside of it.
It (the blessing) shall come upon the head of Joseph": He came first to Egypt, and he shall come first (for blessing) in time to come. "upon the head of him (Joseph) "sundered" by his brothers": He was "distanced" by his brothers.
(Ibid. 17) "The grandeur of his (Joseph's) 'ox' (Joshua, the strong, who came from Joseph) is accorded ("hadar") him": We are hereby taught that "hod" (glory) was accorded Moses, and "hadar" was accorded Joshua; the entire world could not withstand him.
(Devarim, Ibid.) "and the horns of a re'em are his horns": The strength of an ox is great, but its horns are not beautiful, whereas the horns of a re'em are beautiful, but its strength is not great. Joshua received the strength of an ox and the horns of a re'em.
"With them he shall gore peoples as one, the ends of the earth": How many peoples did Joshua conquer? How many lands did he conquer? (The meaning is) that all the Kings that he conquered ruled from one end of the world to the other.
R. Yehudah says; Now were all of the thirty-one kings that Joshua conquered in Eretz Yisrael? But just as it is with Rome now, that any king or ruler who has not acquired palaces and dependencies in Rome says "I have done nothing!" — so, every king or ruler who did not acquire palaces and dependencies in Eretz Yisrael said "I have done nothing!"
We are not told explicitly of the greatness of the Canaanites, but it may be readily inferred from the following (Judges 1:7) "And Adoni-bezek (a Canaanite king) said: 'Seventy kings, their thumbs and big toes cut off used to glean under my table.'" (Devarim, Ibid.) "And they (the descendants of Joseph) are the thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Menasheh": We are hereby taught that they were blessed with thousands and with ten thousands, viz. (Bamidbar 10:36) "the ten thousands thousands of Israel."
(דברים לג יג) וּלְיוֹסֵף אָמַר מְבֹרֶכֶת ה׳ אַרְצוֹ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאַרְצוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף מְבֹרֶכֶת מִכָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת.
(Devarim 33:13) "And of Joseph he said: 'Blessed of the L-rd is his land'" — whence we are taught that the land of Joseph was the most blessed of all the lands.
מִמֶּגֶד שָׁמַיִם מִטָּל, שֶׁיְּהֵא טַל מָצוּי לָהּ בְּכָל שָׁעָה. וּמִתְּהוֹם רוֹבֶצֶת תָּחַת, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִיא מְרַבֶּצֶת מַעְיָנוֹת.
"of the sweet things of the heaven, of the dew" — whereby we are taught that dew was ever present there. "and of the deep, lying below" — whereby we are taught that it was watered by springs.
(דברים לג יד) וּמִמֶּגֶד תְּבוּאֹת שָׁמֶשׁ, מַגִּיד שֶׁאַרְצוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף פְּתוּחָה לַחַמָּה, וְאֵין לְךָ פֵּרוֹת יָפִים וּמְתוּקִים בָּעוֹלָם אֶלָּא הָרוֹאִים אֶת הַחַמָּה. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁפְּתוּחָה לַחַמָּה כָּךְ פְּתוּחָה לַלְּבָנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּמִמֶּגֶד גֶּרֶשׁ יְרָחִים.
(Ibid. 14) "And of the sweet things brought forth by the sun" — whereby we are taught that it was "open" to the sun. And it was, similarly "open" to the moon, viz. (Ibid. 14) "and of the sweet things (like melons) quickened by the moon."
(דברים לג טו) וּמֵרֹאשׁ הַרְרֵי קֶדֶם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהַרְרֵי יוֹסֵף קוֹדְמִים לְהַרְרֵי מִקְדָּשׁ, וְהַרְרֵי מִקְדָּשׁ קוֹדְמִים לְהַרְרֵי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל.
(Ibid. 15) "And of the first (ripened fruits) of the mountains of "yore," and of the sweet things of the eternal (i.e., eternally fruitful) hills — whereby we are taught that the (fruits of) the mountains of Joseph are the first (to ripen) of those of Eretz Yisrael; and those of Eretz Yisrael are the first of the mountains of all the lands.
וּמִמֶּגֶד גִּבְעוֹת עוֹלָם, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאָבוֹת וְאִמָּהוֹת קְרוּיִם הָרִים וּגְבָעוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ד ו): ״אֵלֶךְ לִי אֶל הַר הַמּוֹר וְאֶל גִּבְעַת הַלְּבוֹנָה״.
Variantly: "And of the first of the mountains of yore and of the sweet things of the eternal hills" — (the first of) the blessings of the (fore-) fathers and mothers, who are called "mountains" and "hills," viz. (Song of Songs 4:6) "I will go to Mount Moriah and to the hill of frankincense"
(דברים לג טז) וּמִמֶּגֶד אֶרֶץ וּמְלֹאָהּ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאַרְצוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף מְלֵאָה וְאֵינָהּ חֲסֵרָה כָּל בְּרָכָה. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַי אוֹמֵר: אָדָם מַעֲמִיד סְפִינָתוֹ בְּחֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף אֵין צָרִיךְ חוּץ מִמֶּנָּה כְּלוּם.
(Devarim, Ibid. 16) "And of the sweet things of the earth and its fullness" — whereby we are taught that the land of Joseph is "full," and not lacking in any blessing. R. Shimon b. Yochai says: If a man anchors his boat in the portion of Joseph, he needs nothing outside of it.
וּרְצוֹן שׁוֹכְנִי סְנֶה, שֶׁעָשָׂה רְצוֹן מִי שֶׁנִּגְלָה עַל מֹשֶׁה בַּסְּנֶה.
"and the will of the dweller in the bush": (Israel,) who did the will of the One who was revealed in the bush."
תָּבוֹאתָה לְרֹאשׁ יוֹסֵף, הוּא בָּא בָּרֹאשׁ לְמִצְרַיִם, וְהוּא יָבוֹא בָּרֹאשׁ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. וּלְקָדְקֹד נְזִיר אֶחָיו, לְמִי שֶׁרִחֲקוּהוּ אֶחָיו וַעֲשָׂאוּהוּ נָזִיר.
It (the blessing) shall come upon the head of Joseph": He came first to Egypt, and he shall come first (for blessing) in time to come. "upon the head of him (Joseph) "sundered" by his brothers": He was "distanced" by his brothers.
(דברים לג יז) בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ הָדָר לוֹ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּתַּן לוֹ הוֹד לְמֹשֶׁה וְהָדָר לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, שֶׁאִלּוּ נִתַּן הוֹד לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ לֹא הָיָה הָעוֹלָם יָכוֹל לַעֲמוֹד בּוֹ.
(Ibid. 17) "The grandeur of his (Joseph's) 'ox' (Joshua, the strong, who came from Joseph) is accorded ("hadar") him": We are hereby taught that "hod" (glory) was accorded Moses, and "hadar" was accorded Joshua; the entire world could not withstand him.
וְקַרְנֵי רְאֵם קַרְנָיו, שׁוֹר כֹּחוֹ קָשֶׁה אֲבָל אֵין קַרְנָיו נָאוֹת, רְאֵם קַרְנָיו נָאוֹת אֲבָל אֵין כֹּחוֹ קָשֶׁה, נִתַּן לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ כֹּחוֹ שֶׁל שׁוֹר וְקַרְנוֹ שֶׁל רְאֵם.
(Devarim, Ibid.) "and the horns of a re'em are his horns": The strength of an ox is great, but its horns are not beautiful, whereas the horns of a re'em are beautiful, but its strength is not great. Joshua received the strength of an ox and the horns of a re'em.
בָּהֶם עַמִּים יְנַגַּח, וְכִי כָל הָעַמִּים כִּבֵּשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ? וַהֲלֹא לֹא כָבַשׁ אֶלָּא שְׁלֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד מְלָכִים! מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּבַשׁ מְלָכִים וְשֻׁלְטוֹנִים שֶׁהָיוּ מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ.
"With them he shall gore peoples as one, the ends of the earth": How many peoples did Joshua conquer? How many lands did he conquer? (The meaning is) that all the Kings that he conquered ruled from one end of the world to the other.
יַחְדָּיו אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ, וְכִי כָל הָאֲרָצוֹת כִּבֵּשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ? וַהֲלֹא לֹא כָּבַשׁ אֶלָּא פַּרְטוֹס זֶה קָטָן! אֶלָּא כָּל מְלָכִים שֶׁשִּׁעְבֵּד הָיוּ מְלָכִים וְשֻׁלְטוֹנִים, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: וְכִי שְׁלֹשִׁים וְאֶחָד מְלָכִים שֶׁעִיבֵּד כֻּלָּם הָיוּ בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁעוֹשִׂים בְּרוֹמִי עַכְשָׁיו, שֶׁכָּל מֶלֶךְ וְשִׁלְטוֹן שֶׁלֹּא קָנָה בְּרוֹמִי פַּלְטוֹרִיּוֹת וַחֲוִילוֹת אוֹמֵר לֹא עָשִׂיתִי כְּלוּם, כָּךְ כָּל מֶלֶךְ וְשִׁלְטוֹן שֶׁלֹּא קָנָה פַּלְטִירוֹת וַחֲוִילוֹת בָּאָרֶץ אוֹמֵר לֹא עָשִׂיתִי כְּלוּם.
R. Yehudah says; Now were all of the thirty-one kings that Joshua conquered in Eretz Yisrael? But just as it is with Rome now, that any king or ruler who has not acquired palaces and dependencies in Rome says "I have done nothing!" — so, every king or ruler who did not acquire palaces and dependencies in Eretz Yisrael said "I have done nothing!"
וְהֵם רִבְבוֹת אֶפְרַיִם, לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא מְפֹרָשׁ לָנוּ עָשְׁרָם שֶׁל כְּנַעֲנִיִּים מֶה הָיָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שופטים א ז): ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֲדֹנִי בֶזֶק שִׁבְעִים מְלָכִים בְּהֹנוֹת יְדֵיהֶם וְרַגְלֵיהֶם מְקֻצָּצִים הָיוּ מְלַקְּטִים תַּחַת שֻׁלְחָנִי״. וַהֲלֹא דְּבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר, וּמָה אֲדֹנִי בֶזֶק שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לְהִמָּנוֹת עִם מַלְכֵי כְנַעַן הָיוּ לוֹ שִׁבְעִים מְלָכִים מְלַקְּטִים תַּחַת שֻׁלְחָנוֹ, הָא לְמוֹד וּרְאֵה מֶה הָיָה עָשְׁרָם שֶׁל כְּנַעֲנִיִּים. וְהֵם אַלְפֵי מְנַשֶּׁה, שֶׁאֵין מְפֹרָשׁ לָנוּ כַּמָּה הָרַג יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּכְּנַעֲנִיִּים, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שופטים ח י): ״וְזֶבַח וְצַלְמֻנָּע בַּקַּרְקֹר וּמַחֲנֵיהֶם עִמָּם כַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר אֶלֶף כָּל הַנּוֹתָרִים מִכֹּל מַחֲנֵה בְנֵי קֶדֶם וְהַנֹּפְלִים מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף״, הֲרֵי מֵאָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אֶלֶף, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהֵם רִבְבוֹת אֶפְרַיִם וְהֵם אַלְפֵי מְנַשֶּׁה.
We are not told explicitly of the greatness of the Canaanites, but it may be readily inferred from the following (Judges 1:7) "And Adoni-bezek (a Canaanite king) said: 'Seventy kings, their thumbs and big toes cut off used to glean under my table.'" (Devarim, Ibid.) "And they (the descendants of Joseph) are the thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Menasheh": We are hereby taught that they were blessed with thousands and with ten thousands, viz. (Bamidbar 10:36) "the ten thousands thousands of Israel."