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Why does Asher's blessing focus on oil and beautiful daughters rather than sons? The shiur develops a yesod connecting Asher to the number eight (shemona), representing things in this world that touch eternality beyond nature (mehalech l'maalah min hateva). Oil symbolizes this because it transforms completely into light without residue, and Asher's daughters possess an ethereal quality—living in a world of ideals rather than materialism—making them fitting for royalty and priesthood.
This shiur explores Yaakov's blessing to Asher in Parshas Vayechi, focusing on the unique nature of this blessing which emphasizes material prosperity (rich land producing oil) and daughters rather than sons. The central question addressed is why Asher's blessing centers on oil (shemen) and daughters when typically sons are considered more valuable (olam mishi benav nekeivos). Rabbi Zweig begins by examining the Midrashim on Asher's blessing. The first Midrash explains "Asher shemenah lachmo" as referring to Asher's land producing abundant oil, which was used for the Menorah lighting (shemen hamenorah) and for royal delicacies (kaplius). The second Midrash interprets "shemenah lachmo" as "shebnosav nafos"—his daughters were beautiful and therefore married into royalty and priesthood (ro'uyos lamalchus).
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Bereishis 49:20 (Parshas Vayechi - Yaakov's blessing to Asher)
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