On his deathbed, Yaakov gives brachos to his children. He begins with his firstborn son and tells him: “Reuven, you are my firstborn... Yeser s’ais v’yeser az (greater by raising and greater by might).” (Bereshis 49:3).
What do the words “yeser s’ais v’yeser oz” mean? Rashi interprets, “You were potentially fit to be greater than your brothers by having the kehunah, as indicated by the word s’ais which is related to the expression “nesias kapayim” (“lifting of the palms,” which takes place during Birkas Kohanim). Rashi also interprets the expression “v’yeser oz” as implying that Reuven should have also had the leadership role in Klal Yisrael – malchus (monarchy). Rashi infers this from the similar expression “v’yiten oz l’malko” (Shmuel I 2:10).
What caused Reuven to lose this greatness, for which he had been destined? Yaakov continues his blessing to Reuven in the next pasuk: “Pachaz k’mayim al tosar olisa mishkivay ovicha” (Haste like water – do not take more, because you mounted your father’s bed...) (Bereshis 49:4). Rashi interprets “Pachaz k’mayim” – your impetuousness, which caused you to react impulsively when you felt your mother was slighted (in the incident in which Reuven shifted Yaakov’s bed from the tent of Rochel’s handmaiden to the tent of his mother, Leah, following the death of Rochel). The impulsiveness you demonstrated on that occasion disqualified you from being the king. Rashi says the expression “pachaz k’mayim” connotes fast flowing water that is in an apparent hurry to get to its destination. “You are like a quick flowing stream – too quick, too trigger-happy. Therefore, you are ineligible to receive all these extra benefits (kehuna and malchus), which you were destined to receive.”
On the other hand, by the bracha of Yehuda – who does receive the monarchy – the pasuk says: “A lion cub is Yehudah; from prey my son, you ascended (m’teref b’nee alisa)” What does that mean? Rashi interprets: You, Yehuda, were part of the conspiracy to kill Yosef. You were the one who came up with the supposed story that Yosef was killed by a wild animal. You were part of all that. But what happened, Yehuda? You changed your mind. You withdrew and you said “What gain will there be if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? (Bereshis 37:26) You argued, let’s not kill him, but rather throw him into a pit. We can sell him to the Yishmaelim.
According to Rashi, Yaakov further noted that this is not the only time Yehuda changed his mind and regretted an earlier statement. He also initially issued a decree that Tamar should be executed (when he suspected her of being unfaithful and having illicit relations outside her family). But upon seeing her evidence to the contrary, he said “She is more righteous than I.” (Bereshis 38:26)
What is Rashi teaching?
Rabbi Buxban from Florida wanted to explain these Rashis as follows: There is one quality that disqualifies a person from being a king or a leader in Klal Yisrael – the quality of impetuousness and impulsiveness. Knee-jerk reactions are unacceptable for a Jewish leader. A leader needs to be able to think things through, and rethink things if necessary. Before carrying out a decision, a king must ask himself “Is this the right way to go?”
Reuven did not rethink his steps. He was offended. He stood up for his mother’s honor – all well and good. But he didn’t say “Hey, wait a minute! Let me think this thing through. What am I doing to my father? I am insulting him.” Because of that quality, Reuven could not be the melech.
Yehudah, on the other hand, also made mistakes. His initial reaction was “Let’s kill Yosef. Let’s kill Tamar.” But then he thought about the matter and said “mah betza” (What is to be gained by this)? He changed his mind and retracted his position. He said, “Maybe I was not right.” That is an attribute needed to be a melech Yisrael.
“Shoot from the hip and ask questions later” is not the quality we want in a Jewish leader. And if a person cannot say the words “I was wrong. I made a mistake” he cannot be the melech.
Reuven ultimately did teshuva. In fact, the Medrash (Bereshis Rabbah 98) says that when Yaakov Avinu explains that Reuven did teshuva, he expresses it as follows: “You have made yourself a mikvah of water and have purified yourself within it.”
Those who know a little about the laws of tahara (ritual purification) know that there are two kinds of bodies of water that can provide tahara to a person. The first is called a “mikvah” which is an accumulation of rainwater. It must be completely still water, so still that if there is any leakage, it is not a mikvah anymore. It is called zochalim (flowing waters), which invalidate a mikvah. The other type of medium of purification is a “ma’ayan,” which is a fast-flowing stream. If a person immerses in the Mississippi River, he has achieved the highest form of tahara. A “ma’ayan” even purifies a Zav (a form of impurity which cannot achieve tahara by immersion in a standard “mikvah“).
Yaakov emphasizes that the way Reuven repented was by immersion in a mikvah. As opposed to “pachaz k’mayim...” (as impetuous as a fast-flowing stream), which was the quality of Reuven that previously caused him to offend his father. Now he immersed in a stationary mikvah. The choice of that mode of tahara is symbolic. Reuven said to himself, “No. Don’t rush. Sometimes we need still waters, like the waters of a mikvah, rather than the fast-flowing waters of a ma’ayan.”
