The 12 Tribes of Israel Collection
Gad from the 12 Tribes of Israel
|
Gad - The Warrior“And Leah said, ‘Fortune has come.’” (Gen. 30:11)
Leah named the first child of her maidservant Zilpah, Gad: a name that indicates an appreciation of good fortune. The soaring eagles draw us into the painting, reminding us of the way we were lead out of Egyptian bondage al kanfei nesharim, “on the wings of eagles.” After hundreds of years of slavery, and decades of travel through the desert, G-d guided us to our Land. Overlooking the Jordan Valley, the soaring eagles lift us above the valley of our common concerns into an uplifting birds-eye-view of our priorities and an appreciation of what we have. Gad is also the warrior archetype who, expanding on the theme of justice exemplified by Dan, recognizes what is important and fights to protect our beliefs and values.
The purple shadows, cast by the hills of the landscape, reflect the tribe of Gad’s gemstone, amethyst. |
Detailed Explanation
- Essential Quality - Fortune
- Birth Mother - Zilphah, Leah's maidservant
- Birth Order - Nineth
- Mother's Naming - Zilphah, Leah's maidservant, bore Jacob a son. And Leah declared, "Good luck has come!" So she called his name Gad. (Genesis, 30:10-11)
- Landscape - A view of the Jordan Valley from Mount Moab, the area where the Israelites first saw the land of Canaan. This expansive view north captures a view of the most northern tip of the Great Rift Valley between the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee. It also includes a view of the northern part of Israel.
- Gemstone - Amethyst
- Father (Jacob) Blessing - "Gad will recruit a regiment and it will retreat on its heel." (Genesis, 49:19)
- Kabbalah - Gad is the warrior archetype. Expanding on the justice of Dan, Gad is ready to fight for his beliefs. The warrior is necessary to both defend our cherished values and to protect our freedoms. (Jacobson, Simon from Twelve Tribes - Twelve Paths) When the Israelites finally got a view of the Promised Land, they could finally appreciate how fortunate they were. The perspective from the wings of eagles is a necessary one, because it allows the observer to see far into the metaphorical distance. Only then is one able to diligently guard one's fortunes.