Philippson finding patterns and meaning in the Torah

[lethargic_man]

I've posted before about Rabbi Ludwig Philippson's 1844 commentary on the Torah, which I have been reading my way through since Simchas Torah in 2017, and am now nearly finished.

One of the things I didn't mention in my previous post is his ability to find patterns in what seems an arbitrary sequence. I've been meaning for a while to translate and post two extended essays of his on these lines, one pulling an overarching Divine plan out of the entire historical sequence from the beginning of the Torah up to the revelation at Sinai, and another finding meaning and pattern out of the design of the portable Tabernacle, but these are going to take a huge amount of effort and time which I don't really have, so I've been displacing from them for a long time.

However, I recently came across a much shorter example, so I would like to post it now. It's from Moses' farewell blessing in Deuteronomy 33, specifically his blessing of the tribe of Levi. The Torah text reads:

8. And of Levi he said: Let Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your pious one, whom You tested at Massah, and with whom You strove at the waters of Meribah; 9. who said of his father and to his mother "I have not seen them"; who neither acknowledged his brothers, nor knew his own children; for they have observed Your word, and kept Your covenant. 10. They shall direct Jacob in Your judgments, and Israel in Your law. They shall put incense before Your nose, and whole sacrifices upon Your altar. 11. Bless, Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands; shatter the loins of those that rise against him, and of those that hate him, so that they cannot rise again.

וּלְלֵוִי אָמַר תֻּמֶּיךָ וְאוּרֶיךָ לְאִישׁ חֲסִידֶךָ אֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתוֹ בְּמַסָּה תְּרִיבֵהוּ עַל־מֵי מְרִיבָה׃ הָאֹמֵר לְאָבִיו וּלְאִמּוֹ לֹא רְאִיתִיו וְאֶת־אֶחָיו לֹא הִכִּיר וְאֶת־בָּנָו לֹא יָדָע כִּי שָׁמְרוּ אִמְרָתֶךָ וּבְרִיתְךָ יִנְצֹרוּ׃ יוֹרוּ מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ לְיַעֲקֹב וְתוֹרָתְךָ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל יָשִׂימוּ קְטוֹרָה בְּאַפֶּךָ וְכָלִיל עַל־מִזְבְּחֶךָ׃ בָּרֵךְ ה׳ חֵילוֹ וּפֹעַל יָדָיו תִּרְצֶה מְחַץ מָתְנַיִם קָמָיו וּמְשַׂנְאָיו מִן־יְקוּמוּן׃

And here is Philippson's commentary:

In order to understand the sense of the blessing for Levi correctly, we must read it back to front. Moshe expresses the wish for the wellbeing of the tribe in v. 11. The reason for this lies in the tribe's double office of teaching and priesthood (v. 10). It gained this through its loyalty to the divine covenant, by means of renouncing all material considerations (v.9), so that the much-tested tribe is also characterised through the spiritual and religious element (v.8).		Um den Sinn des Segens für Levi recht zu verſtehen, kehren wir ihn um. Moſcheh ſpricht den Wunſch für das Wohlergehen des Stammes aus V. 11. Der Grund hiefür liegt in ihrem Doppelamte des Lehr- und Prieſteramtes V. 10, dies überkamen ſie durch ihre Treue gegen den Gottesbund, in der ſie aller irdischen Rückſichten entſagten V. 9, so daß der vielgeprüfte auch durch das geiſtig religiöſe Element ausgezeichnet daſteht V. 8.
In תמיך ואוריך the religious and spiritual element is comprehended, which should especially be the vital element of the tribe of Levi. However the choice of these words is not coincidental, but indicates the Urim and Tumim in Aharon's breastplate, which were the symbol of the educational and priestly office.		Unter תמיך ואוריך iſt das religiös geiſtige Element begriffen, welches das Lebenselement des Stammes Levi vorzugsweise ſein ſollte. Indeß iſt die Wahl dieſer Wörter nicht zufällig, ſondern ſoll auf die Urim und Thummim in Ahron's Bruſtſchild hindeuten, welche das Symbol des Lehr- und Prieſteramtes waren.
In איש חסיד the tribe of Levi, loyally devoted to God, is to be understood, as he also continues in the simple count in V.9 [?? not sure about this translation], albeit that this on the other hand refers at the same time to Aharon as the personification and acme of the tribe of Levi. The tests at Massah and Meribah (Ex. 17:4–7, Numbers 20:1–13) touch in particular upon Moshe and Aharon, though in them at the same time the whole tribe of Levi, which had to take the side of Moshe and Aharon.		Unter dem איש חסידך iſt der, Gott treu anhängliche Stamm Levi ſelbſt zu verſtehen, wie auch von ihm noch V. 9 in der einfachen Zahl fortgefahren wird, obſchon darin wiederum zugleich auf Ahron, als die Perſonifikation und Spitze des Stammes Levi hingedeutet wird. Die Prüfungen bei Maſſah und Meribah (2 M. 17, 4-7. 4 M. 20, 1-13.) berührten nun zwar beſonders Moſcheh und Ahron, aber in ihnen zugleich den ganzen Stamm Levi, der mit Moſcheh und Ahron fallen mußte.
The ninth verse visibly extends this test and proving to the entire tribe, since it alludes unmistakable to what happened with the golden calf, like how כי שמרו also is spoken unconcealedly about the whole of Levi.		Der 9. Vers dehnt dieſe Prüfung und Bewährung ſichtlich auf den ganzen Stamm aus, da unverkennbar auf die Vorgänge beim goldnen Kalbe angeſpielt wird, wie denn auch mit כי שמרו unverhüllt von ganz Levi geſprochen wird.

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