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THE TWELVE TRIBES: BIRTHDAYS AND YAHRZEITS
1. The birth dates of the twelve tribes are recorded in Midrash Tadshe (Chapter 8) and the beginning of Yalkut Shemoni Shemos as follows:Reuven: 14 Kislev. He lived until age 125 (others say 155).
2. Shimon: 21 Teves (28 Teves according to the Yalkut). He lived 120 years.
3. Levi: 16 Nissan. He lived 137 years.
4. Dan: 9 Elul. He lived 125 years.
5. Yehudah: 15 Sivan; 119 yearsNaftali: 5 Tishrei (according to the Aishel Avraham, based on Rabbeinu Bachaye, Seder HaDoros, Siddur Nehora and Yalkut). Others say he was born in Sivan. He lived 133 years.
6. Gad: 10 MarCheshvan (according to the Aishel Avraham, based on Rabbeinu Bachaye, Seder HaDoros, Nehora and Yalkut). Others say he was born in Tishrei. He lived for128 (125) years.
7. Yissachar: 10 Av; 122 years.
8. Asher: 20 Adar (other say 20 or 22 Shevat, based on Yalkut or Shalshales Kabbalah). He lived 123 years (others say 126 years; see Seder Olam Zuta).
9. Yosef: 21 of Tishrei (1 Tammuz according to Zayis Raanan); 110 years.
10. Zevulun: 7 Tishrei; 114 (or 110) years (missing in Tadshe, added by Aishel Avraham based on Rabbeinu Bachaye. Also appears in Yalkut)
11. Binyamin: 11 MarCheshvan; 109 years (others say 111 (115 years old) (missing in Tadshe, added by Aishel Avraham based on Rabbeinu Bachaye and Seder Olam Zuta. Also appears in Yalkut).
Their dates of death were not recorded because we assume that they surely died on the same date as their birthdays, as it says, “Hashem ensures (and fulfills that) the days of the tzaddikim are full from day to day,” [Rosh Hashanah 11a (cited by gloss of Aishel Avraham; see Midrash Tadshe as well as Rav Yaakov Emden in his Siddur].
The Ya’avetz adds there that whenever an event in Tanach takes place in a designated month with no date noted, the rule is that we refer to the first of the month since, “the pasuk always explains and reveals, rather than hides,” (Rashi, Vayeira 21:34). As mentioned above, for example, Yosef is noted as born and passed away on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz.
The Midrash Yalkut Shemos concludes that, “Iyar and Shevat are for Ephraim and Menashe.”
Zayis Ra’anan comments there that Yosef was born in Tammuz and Asher in Adar.
The Midrash Tadshe concludes: “Levi was the eldest and Yosef the youngest, and all of the tribes had descendants that were judges and kings except for Shimon, who had Zimri as a descendant and whose immoral, licentious act of sin caused them to be punished and have no judges or kings as descendants. This comes to teach us the severity of immoral behavior and zenus.”
1. The birth dates of the twelve tribes are recorded in Midrash Tadshe (Chapter 8) and the beginning of Yalkut Shemoni Shemos as follows:Reuven: 14 Kislev. He lived until age 125 (others say 155).
2. Shimon: 21 Teves (28 Teves according to the Yalkut). He lived 120 years.
3. Levi: 16 Nissan. He lived 137 years.
4. Dan: 9 Elul. He lived 125 years.
5. Yehudah: 15 Sivan; 119 yearsNaftali: 5 Tishrei (according to the Aishel Avraham, based on Rabbeinu Bachaye, Seder HaDoros, Siddur Nehora and Yalkut). Others say he was born in Sivan. He lived 133 years.
6. Gad: 10 MarCheshvan (according to the Aishel Avraham, based on Rabbeinu Bachaye, Seder HaDoros, Nehora and Yalkut). Others say he was born in Tishrei. He lived for128 (125) years.
7. Yissachar: 10 Av; 122 years.
8. Asher: 20 Adar (other say 20 or 22 Shevat, based on Yalkut or Shalshales Kabbalah). He lived 123 years (others say 126 years; see Seder Olam Zuta).
9. Yosef: 21 of Tishrei (1 Tammuz according to Zayis Raanan); 110 years.
10. Zevulun: 7 Tishrei; 114 (or 110) years (missing in Tadshe, added by Aishel Avraham based on Rabbeinu Bachaye. Also appears in Yalkut)
11. Binyamin: 11 MarCheshvan; 109 years (others say 111 (115 years old) (missing in Tadshe, added by Aishel Avraham based on Rabbeinu Bachaye and Seder Olam Zuta. Also appears in Yalkut).
Their dates of death were not recorded because we assume that they surely died on the same date as their birthdays, as it says, “Hashem ensures (and fulfills that) the days of the tzaddikim are full from day to day,” [Rosh Hashanah 11a (cited by gloss of Aishel Avraham; see Midrash Tadshe as well as Rav Yaakov Emden in his Siddur].
The Ya’avetz adds there that whenever an event in Tanach takes place in a designated month with no date noted, the rule is that we refer to the first of the month since, “the pasuk always explains and reveals, rather than hides,” (Rashi, Vayeira 21:34). As mentioned above, for example, Yosef is noted as born and passed away on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz.
The Midrash Yalkut Shemos concludes that, “Iyar and Shevat are for Ephraim and Menashe.”
Zayis Ra’anan comments there that Yosef was born in Tammuz and Asher in Adar.
The Midrash Tadshe concludes: “Levi was the eldest and Yosef the youngest, and all of the tribes had descendants that were judges and kings except for Shimon, who had Zimri as a descendant and whose immoral, licentious act of sin caused them to be punished and have no judges or kings as descendants. This comes to teach us the severity of immoral behavior and zenus.”
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