Author Topic: The Vengeance of Hushim {Chushim} the son of Dan  (Read 5113 times)

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Offline edu

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The Vengeance of Hushim {Chushim} the son of Dan
« on: August 08, 2013, 01:53:11 AM »
 To quote from the Soncino Translation of the Talmud, tractate Sotah page 13:
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When [the cortege] arrived at the Cave of Machpelah, Esau came and wished to prevent [the interment there], saying to them, Mamre, Kiriath-arba, the
same is Hebron {Gen. XXXV, 27. Kiriath — ‘arba is literally ‘the burial of four’. He claimed that only four couples were to be buried there, and demanded the one remaining sepulchre for himself. The explanatory remark of R. Isaac is interpolated into Esau's words. }

    — Now R. Isaac has said: Kiriath-arba [is so called] because four couples [were buried there], viz. Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob and Leah — [Jacob] had buried Leah in his portion and what remains belongs to me’.

    They replied to him, ‘Thou didst sell it’.

    He said to them, ‘Granted that I sold my birth-right, but did I sell my plain heir's right!’

    They replied: ‘Yes, for it is written: In my grave which I [Jacob] have digged for me’,{Gen. L, 5.} and R. Johanan has said in the name of R. Simeon b. Jehozadak: The word kirah [dig] means nothing else than ‘sale’ [mekirah], and thus in the coast-towns they use kirah as a term for ‘sale’.

    — He said to them, ‘Produce a document [of sale] for me’.

    They replied to him, ‘The document is in the land of Egypt.

    Who will go for it? Let Naphtali go, because he is swift as a hind’; for it is written: Naphtali is a hind let loose, he giveth goodly words{Gen. XLIX, 21.}

— R. Abbahu said: Read not ‘goodly words’ [imre shefer] but imre sefer [words of a document].

    Among those present was Hushim, a son of Dan, who was hard of hearing; so he asked them, ‘What is happening?’ They said to him, ‘[Esau] is preventing
[the burial] until Naphtali returns from the land of Egypt’. He retorted: ‘Is my grandfather to lie there in contempt until Naphtali returns from the land of Egypt!’ He took a club and struck [Esau] on the head so that his eyes fell out and rolled to the feet of Jacob. Jacob opened his eyes and laughed; and
that is what is written: The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance; he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.{Ps. LVIII, 11.}

    At that time was the prophecy of Rebekah fulfilled, as it is written: Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?{Gen. XXVII, 45.} Although the death of the two of them did not occur on the one day, still their burial took place on the same day.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2013, 02:42:59 AM by edu »

Offline edu

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Re: The Vengeance of Hushim {Chushim} the son of Dan
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2013, 03:01:42 AM »
Throughout Sefer Bereishit, Ramban writes Maaseh Avot Siman Labanim, the actions of our forefathers is a sign to their children, to explain why the Torah, which is a book of laws, tells us the stories of our ancestors.
The Hushim son of Dan story also involves Yosef (Joseph) who was the main backer of the mission to bury his father at the Cave of Machpelah and had the Egyptian army backing him if any trouble with the local population would break out.
Excerpts from  http://www.vilnagaon.org/book/yosef.htm about the significance of Yosef for future history.
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In Kol Hator, (a book by a disciple of the Vilna Gaon, - chapter 2 , part 2) we discover that:
The two Messiahs of the generations are miraculous forces that sustain the existence of Israel and strengthen them in all the days of the exile and they are the miraculous assistants in the footsteps of the Messiah. Messiah son of Yosef is the miraculous force used for sustaining and strengthening the materialistic and Messiah son of Dovid is the miraculous force used for sustaining and strengthening the spiritual in Israel in both a general and detailed way. The tasks of the two Messiahs are in many aspects as explained in the writings of our Rabbi, of blessed memory.
In the commentary there, it is explained:

The two Messiahs of the generations are Messiah son of Yosef and Messiah son of Dovid and they are "Sheivet and Mechokek" (listed in the blessing of Yehuda, Genesis 49:10) [see the commentary of the Vilna Gaon to Tikunei Zohar, 36b "Sheivet and Mechokek" are the two Messiahs.] A "Sheivet" shall not depart from Yehuda - this is Messiah son of Dovid and a "Mechokek" from his descendants [A euphemism, literally "from between his legs."] - this is Messiah son of Yosef. [from the Zohar section 1, page 25b] And they strengthen the existence and the salvation of Israel in all the generations by the means of the sparks of their souls that dresses upon the righteous men of action, that engage in an actual way with the salvation of Israel and the preparation of the redemption until the final redemption, for then the two Messiahs, "the stick of Yosef" and the "stick of Yehuda" will be unified and the eternal Messiah will be revealed.
And in chapter 2 section 39 we learn:
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"And Yosef (Joseph) recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him (Genesis chapter 42). - This is one of the charachteristics of Yosef not just in his generation but in every generation, since Messiah son of Yosef recognizes his brothers, but they do not recognize him. And it is an action of Satan that hides the charachteristics of Messiah son of Yosef, that they do not recognize the footsteps of the Messiah and also ridicule them, in our great iniquities...For if not for this, there would have already have been an end to our troubles. Now if Israel were to recognize Yosef, that is to say the footsteps of Yosef the Messiah, which are the ingathering of the exiles, etc., we would be redeemed already with a full redemption.
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The author of Kol Hator cites the tenth midrash in Parshat Tanchuma as the source for his outlook on history.

There 26 comparisons are brought between Yosef and Zion. For example, concerning Yosef it was written "And Israel loved Yosef". Concerning Zion it was written - "Hashem (G-d) loves the gates of Zion" (Psalms 87:2). Concerning Yosef it was written "And Yosef became beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance". While concerning Zion - "Beautiful in landscape, the joy of the whole earth" (Psalms 48:3).

The conclusion of the Midrash is - "All the troubles that occurred to Yosef, occurred to Zion and the good things that occurred to Yosef, occur to Zion".
Based on this it would appear to me that some type of future Hushim {Chushim} son of Dan event will play a major role in shaping the ingathering of the exiles.
The timing and the actual way this will occur in its fine details is something I can not predict. But at least if we have our eyes open for it, we will know better how to react and interpret events when it does take place.

Offline edu

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Re: The Vengeance of Hushim {Chushim} the son of Dan
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2013, 04:19:20 AM »
One of the questions against the theory that the Vengeance of Hushim {Chushim} the son of Dan is an omen for the future comes from the Biblical Book of Ovadia.
Verse 1:18 states: And the house of Jacob (Yaakov) will be fire and the house of Joseph (Yosef) flame, and the house of Esau {Eisav} for stubble and they shall kindle in them and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau {Eisav}, for Hashem has spoken it.

Here the house of Joseph {Yosef} is being given the credit for destroying the house of Esau {Eisav} in the future and seemingly not someone connected to Hushim {Chushim} the son of Dan.

One way to resolve this contradiction, is that a Hushim-like figure will start off the process, but the house of  Joseph {Yosef} finishes it. Or maybe the main political or religious credit is given to Joseph {Yosef} because the success of extreme actions is often dependent on what label the political and/or religious leadership put on it.
A future Messiah son of Joseph {Yosef} from the house of Joseph {Yosef} will put a positive label on certain extreme actions for the salvation of the Jewish people, which will cause those actions to be successful.

Offline Ephraim Ben Noach

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Re: The Vengeance of Hushim {Chushim} the son of Dan
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2013, 08:03:40 PM »


Here the house of Joseph {Yosef} is being given the credit for destroying the house of Esau {Eisav} in the future and seemingly not someone connected to Hushim {Chushim} the son of Dan.

Could it not still come from Chushim? Beings the tribe of Dan was a lost tribe, and the tribe of Ephraim came to be the leader and the tribe that represents all the northern tribes of Israel...


http://m.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16135

" Say to them, So says the Lord God: Behold I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim and the tribes of Israel his companions, and I will place them with him with the stick of Judah, and I will make them into one stick, and they shall become one in My hand."
« Last Edit: August 08, 2013, 08:14:16 PM by אפרים בן נח »
Ezekiel 33:6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the horn, and the people be not warned, and the sword do come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

Offline edu

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Re: The Vengeance of Hushim {Chushim} the son of Dan
« Reply #4 on: August 09, 2013, 06:19:37 AM »
Answer to אפרים בן נח
Who suggested:
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Could it not still come from Chushim? Beings the tribe of Dan was a lost tribe, and the tribe of Ephraim came to be the leader and the tribe that represents all the northern tribes of Israel...
I can't reject your answer completely, but there are other Biblical sources that point in another direction.
Our sages in the midrash identify the tribes who descended from Rachel as the youngest of the flock, who are the ones who in the book of Yirmiyahu {Jeremiah} chapter 49 verse 20 are given the credit for defeating Edom. Although some of our sages to be honest, disagree and identify the youngest of the flock as being the Persians (who according to Rashi was the youngest of the children of Yefet).
There is another verse in Yechezkel {Ezekiel} 25:14 that specifically gives the credit to the nation of Israel as the ones who will perform the vengeance against Edom, which supports the midrashic view of Yirmiyahu {Jeremiah} chapter 49 verse 20 in contrast to the explanation that the verse refers to Persians.
Although as I said at the beginning it is not a "Knockout proof" because there are ways to interpret Yirmiyahu {Jeremiah} chapter 49 verse 20 as referring to the Persians without outright contradicting Yechezkel {Ezekiel} 25:14

Offline edu

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Re: The Vengeance of Hushim {Chushim} the son of Dan
« Reply #5 on: August 09, 2013, 10:56:23 AM »
Tehillim {Psalms} 80:3 "Before Ephraim and Binyamin {Benjamin} and Menashe, stir up your might and come  as a salvation to us".
מלבי"ם תהלים פרק פ

 ותפס ג' שבטים אלה שהם מבני יוסף, שהם העומדים נגד בני עשו, כמ"ש בית יוסף להבה ובית עשו לקש:

Malbim says these three tribes were emphasized because they are from the sons of Yosef {Joseph} for they stand against the sons of Eisav {Esau} as it is written "the house of Joseph (Yosef) flame, and the house of Esau {Eisav} for stubble".
One question to raise against the Malbim is that Binyamin although a descendant of Rachel was the brother and not the son of Yosef. Perhaps, and I say perhaps, he is an ideological son of Yosef even if not a literal son, since Yosef calls Binyamin "my son" Breishit/Genesis 43:29.
It could be there is a better answer to this question that I have not brought up.
In any case according to the midrashic sources, that the young of the flock who in the future defeat Edom based on Yirmiyahu {Jeremiah} chapter 49 verse 20 are Ephraim, Binyamin, and Menashe, the verse in Tehillim {Psalms} 80:3 makes perfect sense.

Offline edu

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Re: The Vengeance of Hushim {Chushim} the son of Dan
« Reply #6 on: August 11, 2013, 01:58:15 AM »
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Tehillim {Psalms} 80:3 "Before Ephraim and Binyamin {Benjamin} and Menashe, stir up your might and come  as a salvation to us".
מלבי"ם תהלים פרק פ

 ותפס ג' שבטים אלה שהם מבני יוסף, שהם העומדים נגד בני עשו, כמ"ש בית יוסף להבה ובית עשו לקש:

Malbim says these three tribes were emphasized because they are from the sons of Yosef {Joseph} for they stand against the sons of Eisav {Esau} as it is written "the house of Joseph (Yosef) flame, and the house of Esau {Eisav} for stubble".
One question to raise against the Malbim is that Binyamin although a descendant of Rachel was the brother and not the son of Yosef. Perhaps, and I say perhaps, he is an ideological son of Yosef even if not a literal son, since Yosef calls Binyamin "my son" Breishit/Genesis 43:29.

Perhaps another connection of the tribe of Binyamin to Yosef is based on the following.
It says in the Talmud tractate Sotah 36b (Soncino Translation)
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It has been taught: Joseph was worthy that twelve tribes should issue from him as they issued from his father Jacob, as it is said: These are the generations of Jacob, Joseph;{23}but his lust came out from between his finger-nails.{24} Nevertheless they {25} issued from his brother Benjamin and were given names on his own account; as it is said: And the sons of Benjamin: Bela and Becher and Ashbel etc.{26} [He was called] Bela, because [Joseph] was swallowed up [nibla’] among the peoples. [He was called] Becher, because [Joseph] was the firstborn [bekor] of his mother. [He was called] Ashbel, because God sent [Joseph] into captivity [sheba'o el]. [He was called] Gera, because [Joseph] dwelt [gar] in lodgings [in a strange land]. [He was called] Naaman, because he was especially beloved [na'im]. [They were called] Ehi and Rosh, because [Joseph] is my brother [ahi] and chief [rosh].
[They were called] Muppim and Huppim, because [Benjamin said: Joseph] did not see my marriage-canopy [huppah] and I did not see his.{27} [He was called] Ard, because [Joseph] descended [yarad] among the peoples. Others explain [that he was called] Ard, because [Joseph's] face was like a rose [wered].
Soncino Footnotes
(23) Gen. XXXVII, 2.
(24) As mentioned above, and so his power to beget was diminished.
(25) I.e., ten sons, who, added to Joseph's two, made the total of twelve.
(26) Ibid. XLVI, 21.
(27) The derivation of Muppim has fallen out of the text, but is found in Tanhuma to Genesis (ed. Buber, p. 206), viz.,
his mouth (pi) was like that of our father, i.e., he learnt Torah from Joseph as from Jacob.