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

EXTRA — Vezos Haberachah 33:8 | Of Levi he said

Parashas Vezos Haberachah

The Complete Passuk

וּלְלֵוִי אָמַר תֻּמֶּיךָ וְאוּרֶיךָ לְאִישׁ חֲסִידֶךָ אֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתוֹ בְּמַסָּה תְּרִיבֵהוּ עַל מֵי מְרִיבָה׃

And of Levi he said: Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your faithful one, whom You tested at Massah, with whom You contended at the waters of Merivah.

Source Citation

Sifrei / midrashim on the testing of Levi

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תֻּמֶּיךָ וְאוּרֶיךָ לְאִישׁ חֲסִידֶךָ – אֵלּוּ הָאוּרִים וְתֻמִּים שֶׁנִּתְּנוּ לְכֹהֵן. אֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתוֹ בְּמַסָּה – בְּמַסָּה וּבִמְרִיבָה נִתְבַּחֵן הַשֵּׁבֶט, וְלֹא נִמְצָא בּוֹ דֹּפִי. תְּרִיבֵהוּ עַל מֵי מְרִיבָה – אַף בִּשְׁעַת הַמְּרִיבָה עָמַד בְּצִדְקוֹ.

English: “Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your faithful one” — these are the Urim and Thummim given to the Kohen. “Whom You tested at Massah” — at Massah and Merivah the tribe was tested and no fault was found in it. “With whom You contended at the waters of Merivah” — even at the time of the contention he stood in his righteousness.

The midrash links the privilege of the Urim ve-Tummim to Levi’s proven loyalty in the episodes of testing and strife.

Type of Learning

Custom (historical testing as the ground for priestly privilege).

What Is Learned

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