What are the implications of "Baruch Marchiv Gad!"?
Rashi (citing the Sifri) and Ramban #1: It implies that the border gets wider as it goes eastwards.
Ramban #2 (citing the Ibn Ezra): Having compared Gad to a lioness, he blesses him with spaciousness (comfort), because whoever sees him runs away from him and there is nobody to disturb him.
Ramban #3 and Seforno and Hadar Zekenim 1 : This implies that Gad received the largest portion of land 2 - in Eiver ha'Yarden - of all the tribes.
Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: It means simply 'Blessed be the One who gave Gad wide borders!' 3
Ramban: Moshe gave Reuven and Gad the territory of Sichon and Og without drawing lots. See Ramban who elaborates as to why the Torah only mentions this in connection with Gad and not with Reuven. See also Oznayim la'Torah, who elaborates, adding another dimention to the answer.
Da'as Zekenim and Rosh also explain the Pasuk like this, only there is a printing mistake in the Pasuk. Hadar Zekenim: Because it was grazing-ground, the term 'Harchavah' is appropriate. As in Yeshayah 30:23 "Yir'eh Mikn'cha
Why does Moshe compare Gad to a lioness?
Rashi: Because, due to the fact that they lived on the border, they needed to be exceptionally strong. 1
Seforno: Because they dwell among the nations like a (ferocious) lioness to 'devour' their surroundings
And the lion is a symbol of strength - as in Avos, 5:25.
What is the significance of the phrase "Vetaraf Zero'a Af Kadkod"?
Rashi and Targum Yonasan, 1 Da'as Zekenim, Hadar Zekenim and Rosh: It teaches us that, due to the incredible strength of the tribe of Gad, 2 one could recognize the corpses that they had killed, inasmuch as they would sever their heads together with one arm in one stroke (when the victim would raise his arm to avoid being struck on the head 3 - Da'as Zekenim, Hadar Zekenim and Rosh).
Targum Onkelos: 'And they kill rulers and kings'.
Targum Yonasan also explains the phrase like Targum Onkelos - see answer #2, only he reverses the order - See Na'ar Yonasan.
Which explains why they led the troops into battle (Rashi, in Devarim, 3:18).
Which explains why the Torah mentions the arm before the head. See also Oznayim la'Torah.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes that the B'nei Gad would sever the enemy's head with an arm in one stroke. Why did the Torah need to tell us this?
Kol Eliyahu and Divrei Eliyahu: Because it was Midah ke'Neged Midah, since the B'nei Gad were meticulously careful not to interrupt between the Tefilin shel Yad and the Tefilin shel Rosh - a sin which disqualifies a person from serving in the army. 1
No one who joined the army transgressed this, so why does the Torah mention it sepcifically with regard to Gad? Perhaps it is because no-one in the entire tribe transgressed it. (PF).
