"Gad, raiders shall maraud him"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yisa explains the name Gad indicates that many hosts and legions are dependent on him, and that armies will issue from him and engage in war. The name Gad also signifies the sustenance that the water of the river flowing from the Garden of Eden provides to the poor and the needy. Indeed, if not for his lineage, Gad would have risen higher than all the tribes because of his name. We learn that, similar to Reuben, he was born at a propitious time. However, perfection later departed from him, and also like Reuben, he thus did not receive a portion in the Holy Land, but instead dwelt on the other side of the river Jordan.

Relevance

The spiritual strength and fortitude to wage war on our own Evil Inclination is instilled within us. Additionally, we awaken the spiritual Light that brings forth sustenance into our lives, helping to remove both spiritual and physical poverty from the landscape of human civilization.

Gad Hosts War

726. "Gad, raiders shall maraud him, but he shall overcome at the last" (Beresheet 49:19). Rabbi Yisa said, From THE NAME Gad, we understand that armies will issue from him and engage in war. This is derived from the spelling of Gad, which is always spelled Gimel and Dalet, YESOD AND MALCHUT, from which UNION armies come forth, as Gimel gives, BEING YESOD, and Dalet receives, BEING MALCHUT. From this we understand how many hosts and legions come from them. HENCE IT SAYS, "GAD, RAIDERS SHALL MARAUD HIM..."

726. גָּד גְּדוּד יְגוּדֶנוּ וְהוּא יָגוּד עָקֵב. רִבִּי יֵיסָא אֲמַר, מִגָּד אִשְׁתְּמַע, דְּהָא חֵילִין יִפְקוּן לַאֲגָחָא קְרָבָא, מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִיב גָּד, בְּכָל אֲתַר גימ"ל דל"ת, חֵילִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין נָפְקֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ. דְּהָא גימ"ל יָהֵיב, וְדל"ת לָקֵיט. וּמֵהָכָא כַּמָּה חֵילִין, וְכַמָּה מַשִּׁירְיָין, תַּלְיָין בְּהוֹ.

Angels Chassadim Flow Gad Garden of Eden Hosts Light Nukva Rivers Water

727. Come and see, the water of that river which comes out and flows from the Garden of Eden, BINAH, never stops flowing. It supports the poor BY GIVING THE LIGHT OF CHASSADIM THROUGH GIMEL WHICH IS YESOD TO MALCHUT, WHICH IS DALET, THAT IS POOR (HEB. DALA) AND NEEDY. Hence, hosts and legions wait here for sustenance FROM BINAH, THE SECRET OF THE SAID RIVER. THIS UNION is therefore CALLED BY THE NAME OF Gad, THE GIMEL taking out FROM BINAH to give and DALET accepting and receiving from it. The house, THE NUKVA, is sustained together with the household men, THE HOSTS AND LEGIONS OF ANGELS THAT EXTEND FROM HER.

727. תָּא חֲזֵי, הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגֵיד וְנָפֵיק מֵעֵדֶן, לָא פָּסְקִין מֵימוֹי לְעָלְמִין, וְהוּא אַשְׁלֵים לְמִסְכְּנֵי, וְעַל דָּא, קָיְימֵי כַּמָּה חֵילִין, וְכַמָּה מַשִּׁירְיָין, וְאִתְּזָנוּ מֵהָכָא. וְעַל דָּא גָּד, דָּא אַפֵּיק וְיָהֵיב, וְדָא לָקֵיט וְנָקֵיט, וְאִתְּזָן בֵּיתָא, וְכָל אַנְשֵׁי בֵּיתָא.

Birth Flow Gad Holy Land Job Rivers Tribes

728. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Were Gad not of the sons of a handmaids, WHO ARE CONSIDERED HINDER PARTS, he would have succeeded in rising higher than all the tribes, BECAUSE OF THE HIGH AND PERFECT ORIGIN OF THE NAME GAD. It is written "Ba Gad (Eng. 'Fortune comes')" (Beresheet 30:10), but spelled "Bagad (Eng. 'betrayed')" without Aleph, since the hour of his birth was propitious, but later PERFECTION departed from him. This is the meaning of the words, "My brethren have dealt deceitfully (Heb. bagdu) like a river" (Iyov 6:15), since the flowing river, WHICH IS BINAH CALLED RIVER, turned away at that time, SINCE GAD WAS OF THE HINDER PARTS, UPON WHICH THE RIVER BINAH DOES NOT FLOW, AND GIMEL HAD NOTHING TO POUR UPON DALET. HENCE, it says "bagad" without Aleph, WHICH ALLUDES TO THE LACK OF BINAH'S ABUNDANCE. He therefore did not receive a portion in the Holy Land, BUT DWELT ACROSS THE JORDAN.

728. א"ר יִצְחָק, אִלְּמָלֵא דַּהֲוֵי גָד מִבְּנֵי שְׁפָחוֹת, שַׁעְתָּא קַיְימָא לֵיהּ לְאַשְׁלָמָא יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָא, הה"ד בָּא גָד קְרִי, וּכְתִיב בָּגָד חָסֵר אָלֶ"ף, דְּהָא שַׁעְתָא קָיְימָא בִּשְׁלִימוּ, וְאִסְתַּלַּק מִנֵּיהּ, הה"ד, אַחַי בָּגְדוּ כְמוֹ נָחַל, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגֵיד, אִסְתַּלַּק בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָא, וּכְתִיב בָּגָד חָסֵר אָלֶ"ף, וְעַל דָּא, לָא זָכָה בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא וְאִסְתַּלַּק מִינָהּ.

Asher Birthright Bread Flow Gad Grades Holy Land Jacob Joseph Lights Rachel Reuben Thought Water

729. Rabbi Yehuda said, Whence do we know that the same happened to Reuben, WHO WAS AT FIRST OF A GREATER GRADE, WHICH LATER DEPARTED FROM HIM? From the verse, "Unstable as water, you shall not excel" (Beresheet 49:4), WHICH MEANS that the water, THE LIGHTS OF BINAH, departed and did not flow. His deficiency was already explained THAT JACOB THOUGHT OF RACHEL, AND THEREFORE HIS BIRTHRIGHT WAS TAKEN FROM HIM AND GIVEN TO JOSEPH. Both REUBEN AND GAD did not receive a portion in the Holy Land, BUT ACROSS THE JORDAN, but they sent armies and troops AS THE VANGUARD BEFORE THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL, to deliver the land to them. Come and behold, the flaw in Gad was made good in Asher, as it is written, "Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal delicacies" (Ibid. 20). Now Gimel perfects Dalet.

729. ר' יְהוּדָה אֲמַר, מִנַּיִן לִרְאוּבֵן דַּהֲוָה כְּהַאי גַוְונָא, כְּדִכְתִיב פַּחַז כַּמַּיִם אַל תּוֹתַר דְּאִסְתַּלְּקוּ מַיִין, וְלָא נְגִידוּ, וְהָא אִתְּמָר בַּמֶּה אַפְגֵים. וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ לָא זָכוּ בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְחֵילִין וּמַשִּׁירְיָין אֲפִיקוּ לְאַחְסָנָא לְהוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אַרְעָא. תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה דְאִתְּפַגִים בָּגָד, אִשְׁתְּלֵים בְּאָשֵׁר, הה"ד מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ וְהוּא יִתֵּן מַעֲדַנֵּי מֶלֶךְ. הַשְׁתָּא אַשְׁלֵים גימ"ל לְדל"ת.