Yaakov gathers his sons together. He tells them of the future. He addresses the group, and each son individually.

בראשית מט – (א) וַיִּקְרָ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב אֶל־בָּנָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ וְאַגִּ֣ידָה לָכֶ֔ם אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־יִקְרָ֥א אֶתְכֶ֖ם בְּאַחֲרִ֥ית הַיָּמִֽים׃ (ב) הִקָּבְצ֥וּ וְשִׁמְע֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְשִׁמְע֖וּ אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל אֲבִיכֶֽם׃

Bereisheit 49 – (1) Jacob called for his sons and said, "Gather and I will tell you what will happen to you at the end of days. (2)Gather and listen, sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel, your father.

The names Yaakov and Yisrael both refer to our forefather. There are different theories as to why each is used in a particular verse or circumstance. One possibility is that the name Yaakov is used to describe his personal experiences, when he is acting as an individual. The name Yisrael is used when he is acting for the Jewish people. Here Yaakov gathers his sons together, the sons of Yaakov, but he asks them to listen to Yisrael their father. In the subsequent blessings, Yaakov bridges the gap between the personal experiences of his sons, and the future experiences of the Jewish people their descendants.

בראשית מט – (ג) רְאוּבֵן֙ בְּכֹ֣רִי אַ֔תָּה כֹּחִ֖י וְרֵאשִׁ֣ית אוֹנִ֑י יֶ֥תֶר שְׂאֵ֖ת וְיֶ֥תֶר עָֽז׃ (ד) פַּ֤חַז כַּמַּ֙יִם֙ אַל־תּוֹתַ֔ר כִּ֥י עָלִ֖יתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אָ֥ז חִלַּ֖לְתָּ יְצוּעִ֥י עָלָֽה׃

Bereisheit 49 – (3) Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength and the first of my might. [You should have been] superior in rank and superior in power. (4) [You have] the restlessness of water; [therefore,] you shall not have superiority, for you ascended upon your father's couch; then you profaned [Him Who] ascended upon my bed.

Yaakov begins by addressing his comments to Reuven. He notes he was first and foremost by default, but that he lost his rank. He compares him to water, and apparently references a previous episode. The Radak provides us with further information:

רד"ק בראשית מט – (ג-ד) ראובן בכרי אתה – ושנה ושלש ואמר כחי וראשית אוני – כי היה ראוי לשלש מעלות, כמו שתרגם אנקלוס: בכרותא כהנתא ומלכותא…פחז כמים – קלות ומהירות היה לך כמו המים הנגרים, כן מהרת לעשות תאותך וגבר יצרך עליך, ולא עמדת לפניו ולא התבוננת בעצמך, כי עון גדול הוא. לפיכך אל תותר – לא יהיה לך יתרון על אחיך.

Radak Bereisheit 49:3 – (3-4) Reuven you are my firstborn; Yaakov repeated this theme a second and a third time when he continued: my strength and my initial effort. The reason was that theoretically, Reuven was entitled to three advantages as Onkelos translates: 1) birthright; 2) priesthood, and kingship. You were precipitous as water in not restraining your biological urges which led you to mount the couch of your father. You did not stop to consider what a sin with far ranging effects you would make yourself guilty of by your lack of self control. You will no longer enjoy any advantage over your brothers.

The Radak explains that Reuven was entitled to the birthright, priesthood, and kingship. But he forfeited these positions of power. Comparing him to water that flows based on its surroundings and doesn’t chart its own path, Reuven is criticized for following his default inclination, being led by his own predispositions. He failed to be reflective and consider his course of action carefully. But what exactly is the connection to “ascending his bed”? This references an episode in Vayishlach immediately following the passing of Rachel.

בראשית לה – (כב) וַיְהִ֗י בִּשְׁכֹּ֤ן יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֔וא וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ רְאוּבֵ֗֔ן וַיִּשְׁכַּ֕ב֙ אֶת־בִּלְהָ֖ה֙ פִּילֶ֣גֶשׁ אָבִ֑֔יו וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵֽ֑ל וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יַעֲקֹ֖ב שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר׃

Bereisheet 35 – (22) And it came to pass when Israel sojourned in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine, and Israel heard [of it], and so, the sons of Jacob were twelve.

רש"י בראשית לה:כב – אס וישכב את בלהה – מתוך שבילבל משכבו, מעלה עליו כאילו שכבה. ולמה בילבל וחילל יצועיו? שכשמתה רחל, נטל יעקב מיטתו שהיתה נתונה תדיר באהל רחל ולא בשאר האהלים, ונתנה באהל בלהה. בא ראובן ותבע עלבון אמו, אמר: אם אחות אמא הייתה צרתה, שפחת אחות אימא תהא צרתה לאימא?

Rashi – Since he (Reuben) disarranged his (Jacob’s) bed, Scripture considers it as if he had lain with her. Now why did he disarrange and profane his bed? [It was] because when Rachel died, Jacob took his bed, which had been regularly placed in Rachel’s tent and not in the other tents, and moved it into Bilhah’s tent. Reuben came and protested his mother’s humiliation. He said,“If my mother’s sister was a rival to my mother, should my mother’s sister’s handmaid [now also] be a rival to my mother?” For this reason, he disarranged it. — [from Shab. 55b]

Based on the Gemara in Shabbat (55b), Rashi insists that Reuven did not actually sleep with Bilhah. However, he moved his father’s bed. This was apparently an act that challenged his father’s authority, the consequences so profound it was as if he slept with her. This episode is referenced not only by Yaakov in his final blessings, but also by the Midrash Rabbah (84:19) and Rashi (37:29) during the sale of Yosef:

בראשית לז – (כט) וַיָּ֤שׇׁב רְאוּבֵן֙ אֶל־הַבּ֔וֹר וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵין־יוֹסֵ֖ף בַּבּ֑וֹר וַיִּקְרַ֖ע אֶת־בְּגָדָֽיו׃ (ל) וַיָּ֥שׇׁב אֶל־אֶחָ֖יו וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַיֶּ֣לֶד אֵינֶ֔נּוּ וַאֲנִ֖י אָ֥נָה אֲנִי־בָֽא׃

Bereisheit 37 – (29) And Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he rent his garments. (30) And he returned to his brothers and said, "The boy is gone! And I where will I go?”

רש"י בראשית לז:כט – וישב ראובן – ובמכירתו לא היה שם, שהגיע יומו לילך ולשמש את אביו. דבר אחר: עסוק היה בשקו ותעניתו על בילבול יצועי אביו.

Rashi – And Reuben returned: But when he (Joseph) was sold, he (Reuben) was not there, for his day to go and serve his father had arrived (Gen. Rabbah 84:15). Another explanation: He was busy with his sackcloth and his fasting for disarranging his father’s bed (Peskikta d’Rav Kahana ch. 25).

Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik - Mesoras HaRav Chumash - Bereisheit 37:29

Why did Reuben choose this specific occasion to repent for that earlier act? Because only now did Reuben finally realize the staggering implications of his sin. After the brothers witnessed Reuben acting in a disrespectful manner toward their father in the Bilhah incident, their own respect for Jacob declined. While from the perspective of the deed itself Reuben's infraction was minor, the consequence of the deed was devastating. Reuben undermined Jacob's authority in his own household, and the ensuing loss of respect for Jacob by Reuben's brothers ultimately resulted in their proposal to kill Joseph. Reuben finally understood the full implications of his earlier actions, and therefore, immediately after hearing their threat to kill Joseph, he was taken up with his fasting and sackcloth. (Mipeninei Harav, pp. 398-399; Boston, undated)

After the passing of Rachel, Reuven viewed Yaakov’s personal decision of where to sleep as an insult and threat. He acted independently against Yaakov’s wishes. This erosion of Yaakov’s authority led to the sale of Yosef, and the subsequent strife among the brothers. Yaakov’s opening message to the brothers as a unit, regarding the future of the Jewish people, focuses on this erosion of authority.

There is a balance between freedom and authority. Freewill, freedom of action, and liberty are important cornerstones of society. But a degree of authority is essential to operate in a coordinated fashion. We are indeed called a “stiff necked people (Shemot 32:9), and we don’t always listen well to instructions (Ibn Ezra ad loc.). But we can’t operate collectively without a degree of centralization. That being said, those in power must act with care, self-reflection, and precision. Reuven relinquished his authority because of his rash decision-making, failure to be measured and self-reflective, and his role in eroding a central authority. Yaakov’s blessings not only highlight our people’s positive characteristics, but the errors and tendencies of our predecessors, which require our consideration and correction. A true leader values the unique contribution of each member of the community, while simultaneously promoting the health of the collective enterprise.

References

Rosenberg, A. (1980). A new English translation of the Hebrew Bible text and Rashi, with a commentary digest. New York: Judaica Press. Retrieved from: https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/

Soloveitchik, J. D. & Lustiger, A. (2013). Chumash Mesoras Harav. New York, NY: OU Press/Ohr Publishing.

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