Judah (Biblical figure)

In Genesis (the first book of the Bible) Judah (יְהוּדָה "Praise", Standard Hebrew Yəhuda, Tiberian Hebrew Yəhûḏāh) is the fourth son of Jacob and Leah, born in Padan-aram (Genesis xxix. 35), and the founder of the Hebrew tribe that bears his name.

Preeminence of the Tribe in rabbinic literature

The tribe of Judah had the preeminence over the other tribes in that Elisheba, the mother of all the priests; Othniel, the first judge; Bezaleel, the builder of the Tabernacle; and Solomon, the builder of the First Temple in Jerusalem; and all the pious kings were of the tribe of Judah, as will be the Messiah. This distinction was given to the tribe of Judah as a reward for its zeal in glorifying God at the passage of the Red Sea.

Related Topics:
Elisheba - Othniel - Judge - Bezaleel - Tabernacle - Solomon - Temple in Jerusalem - Messiah - Red Sea

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When the children of Israel were about to cross, a dispute arose among the tribes, each desiring to be the first to enter the water. The tribe of Benjamin sprang in first, for which act the princes of Judah threw stones at it (Talmud Sotah 37a). In Midrash Exodus Rabbah xxiv. 1, it is stated, on the contrary, that the other tribes refused to enter the slimy bed of the sea until the tribe of Judah set them the example by plunging in.

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According to R. Judah, the Temple in Jerusalem was erected on Judah's land — another reward to the tribe (Midrash Genesis Rabbah xcix. 1); but a different opinion is that only the whole eastern side of the edifice, including the courtyards and the altar, was on Judah's ground, while the Temple proper was on land belonging to Benjamin (Talmud Yoma 12a; Zeb. 53b).

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The people of Judah are said to have been versed in the laws of the Torah (bene Torah), because in the wilderness the tribe was placed on the east side of the camp (Num. ii. 3), being thus near to Moses and Aaron (Midrash Numbers Rabbah xviii. 4). It seems that the soil of Judah's territory was remarkable for the excellent quality of its grain, one measure of Judean grain being worth five measures of that produced in Galilee (Talmud B. B. 122a).

Related Topics:
Torah - Moses - Aaron

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