Vayechi 49:4 · unit 1

Parashas Vayechi · Passuk 49:4

The Complete Passuk

פַּ֤חַז כַּמַּ֙יִם֙ אַל־תּוֹתַ֔ר כִּ֥י עָלִ֖יתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אָ֥ז חִלַּ֖לְתָּ יְצוּעִ֥י עָלָֽה׃

Unstable as water, have not thou the excellency; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it — he went up to my couch.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Shabbos 55b.

Sefaria — Shabbos 55b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הַמּוֹדָעִי אוֹמֵר: הֲפֹךְ אֶת הַתֵּיבָה וּדְרֹשָׁהּ — פַּחַז: זִעְזַעְתָּהּ, הִרְתַּעְתָּ, פָּרְחָה חֵטְא מִמְּךָ.

English: It was taught: R’ Eliezer the Modai says: Invert the word and expound it — “Pachaz”: you caused it to tremble, you recoiled, the sin flew from you.

On the daf / in context: The beraisa offers several readings of the word פחז. R’ Eliezer the Modai’s letter-rearrangement is singled out later in the sugya as still needed.

Type of Learning

Notarikon / letter rearrangement of the word פחז.

What Is Learned

According to R’ Eliezer the Modai, Reuven began to act but recoiled, and the sin departed from him.