Vayechi 49:4 · unit 2

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, אֲחֵרִים אוֹמְרִים: שְׁתֵּי מִצָּעוֹת בִּלְבֵּל רְאוּבֵן, אַחַת שֶׁל שְׁכִינָה וְאַחַת שֶׁל אָבִיו, וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב ״אָז חִלַּלְתָּ יְצוּעִי עָלָה״ — אַל תִּקְרֵי יְצוּעִי אֶלָּא יְצוּעַי.

English: It was taught: Others say: Reuven disturbed two couches — one of the Shechinah and one of his father; and that is what is written “then defiledst thou my couch” — read not “my couch” (singular) but “my couches” (plural).

On the daf / in context: The beraisa offers an alternative reading of the vocalization of יצועי to teach a double disturbance.

Type of Learning

Al tikrei — change of vocalization from singular to plural.

What Is Learned

According to the “Others,” Reuven’s act affected both his father’s marital couch and the resting-place of the Shechinah.