EXTRA Derasha — not cited by Torah Temimah on this passuk; supplied for completeness of the SKIP range.

EXTRA — Vezos Haberachah 33:5 | He became King in Yeshurun

Parashas Vezos Haberachah

The Complete Passuk

וַיְהִי בִישֻׁרוּן מֶלֶךְ בְּהִתְאַסֵּף רָאשֵׁי עָם יַחַד שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

And He became King in Yeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, the tribes of Israel together.

Source Citation

Sifrei / midrashim on 33:5

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וַיְהִי בִישֻׁרוּן מֶלֶךְ – כְּשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל בְּיֹשֶׁר, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נַעֲשֶׂה מַלְכָּם. בְּהִתְאַסֵּף רָאשֵׁי עָם – כְּשֶׁרָאשֵׁי הָעָם מִתְאַסְּפִים יַחַד וְאֵין מַחֲלֹקֶת בֵּינֵיהֶם. יַחַד שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל – כְּשֶׁהֵם אֲגֻדָּה אַחַת, וְלֹא אֲגֻדּוֹת אֲגֻדּוֹת.

English: “And He became King in Yeshurun” — when Israel is upright, the Holy One becomes their King. “When the heads of the people were gathered” — when the heads of the people assemble together and there is no division among them. “The tribes of Israel together” — when they are one band, and not many separate bands.

The midrash conditions the kingship of Hashem on the unity and uprightness of Israel; the gathering of the heads is the visible sign of that unity.

Type of Learning

Custom (conditional reading of divine kingship based on Israel’s unity).

What Is Learned

See the Core Text and context note for the specific point derived from the verse.