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    30 Dec VAYECHI: THE ESSENCE OF A JEW: “I HAVE MORE THAN MY SHARE”

    Posted at 14:22h in by
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    In this week’s
    Parsha, the
    blessing given to
    Yehuda reads,
    [Bereishis 49:8]
    “Yehuda — your
    brothers will praise you…”
    (yoducha achecha). This is the
    simple translation of the verse, that
    the word ‘yoducha’ comes from
    ‘l-hodos,’ meaning to thank or to
    give honor.
    However, the Daas Zekeinim
    m’baalei HaTosfos bring an
    alternative interpretation of these
    words. They say that the blessing
    of Yaakov was that “All Jews will
    be called after your name” — i.e.
    Jews (Yehudim) from Judah
    (Yehuda).
    As we all know, this is true in many
    languages. The name for Jew in

    German, which unfortunately was
    rubbed in our faces, is Jud — from
    Judah. The name ‘Yid’, is from
    Yehuda. The name ‘Jew’ is from
    Judah, as well.
    The question, however, is: why?
    What is it about the name Yehuda,
    and the nature of this name, that it
    should be chosen to define what
    the essence of a Jew is for all
    eternity?
    If we look in Parshas Vayetze
    [29:35] when the children were
    born, we find, “she conceived
    again and bore a son and declared
    ‘This time let me gratefully praise
    Hashem (O-deh es Hashem),’
    therefore she called his name
    Yehuda…” [from the same root as
    O-deh].
    Rash”i asks, “What does Leah

    mean, ‘let me praise Hashem’?”
    He explains that she received more
    than her “fair” allotment of sons. If
    the Twelve Tribes were destined to
    descend from four Matriarchs,
    based on an equal share basis each
    mother would have had 3 sons.
    Leah, who was already the mother
    of Reuvein, Shimeon, and Levi
    said that with the birth of Yehudah,
    “I now have more than my share.”
    The Chidushei HaRim says that
    the statement, “I have taken more
    than my share,” sums up the Jewish
    attitude to life. “I have more than I
    deserve” is the essence of what a
    Jew is supposed to be. That is why
    we are called by the name Yehuda.
    Esav said “I have a lot” [33:9].
    That means there is always more
    to have. The philosophy of Yaakov
    is “I have everything” [33:11]. If

    one has everything, there is nothing
    more to have. This is to be the
    Jewish philosophy — I have more
    than I deserve; I don’t deserve
    even this. That is why we are called
    by the name Yehuda.