The Torah refers to Yaakov's speeches on his deathbed as "blessings": "This is what their father told them, and he blessed them – each according to his blessing, he blessed them," and they do indeed give the impression of being blessings. But the concept of "blessing" is itself somewhat opaque; the question is, what exactly is the status of Yaakov's blessings, and what was Yaakov's intention in blessing his children?

A blessing can be a wish or prayer. On the other hand, it may also be a sort of division of inheritance or roles. Another possibility is to perceive Yaakov's words here as a sort of prophecy or Divinely-inspired vision. Indeed, at the outset Yaakov says: "Gather yourselves and I shall tell you what will befall you at the end of days."

By examining some key aspects of the content of Yaakov's blessings we can glean some insights into their status and intention.

Yaakov on his deathbed
Blessings of Yaakov
Yehuda's Blessing of Leadership
Courtesy of the Virtual Beit Midrash, Yeshivat Har Etzion