In Parshat Vayechi, the final portion of the Book of Genesis, we learn about the final 17 years of Jacob’s life, and we read the special blessings that Jacob bestows upon his children just before he dies. Each son receives a unique blessing, and each blessing tells us important things about the individual in question.
When it comes to blessing Joseph, Jacob does something odd: He asks Joseph to bring his sons, Menashe and Ephraim, in order to give his grandsons a special blessing. In one of the most powerful moments in the entire book of Genesis, Jacob crosses his hands in order to place his right hand on the head of Ephraim (the younger brother) and places his left hand on the head of first-born Menashe. It’s a strange scenario – normally you would expect Jacob to place his right hand (which is usually considered the stronger hand) on the head of the older brother. But Jacob deliberately crosses his hands, as a signal that Ephraim would actually be greater than his older brother. Why does he do this?
You may recall the book of Genesis is filled with stories of brothers who can’t get along. Specifically, the book is filled with stories of older brothers fighting with younger brothers about who is greater. Think about it: Cain killed Abel, Yishmael got kicked out of Abraham’s house because of Isaac, Eisav threatened to kill Jacob, Leah’s kids threw their younger brother Joseph into a pit and sold him into slavery.
Now, on the last day of Jacob’s life, it seems like we are doomed to repeat the sad story with Menashe and Ephraim. In fact, Joseph tried to correct his father and to guide Jacob’s right hand to Menashe’s head, but Jacob insisted that he knew what he was doing.
Perhaps Jacob was testing Ephraim and Menashe. On one hand, Jacob knew that the good life in Egypt was about to end and the Jews were about to become slaves. That’s a terrible situation, and the founder of the Jewish nation (Jacob) knew that the Jews would have to stick together and protect one another in order to make it through. And he also knew that after the slavery ended, the children of Ephraim and the children of Menashe would have to live in peace together as part of the Jewish people.
And so Jacob places his right hand on Ephraim’s head and indicates that yet again, the younger brother will outshine his older sibling. But this time, Menashe does not object. By remaining silent, Menashe accepts the fact that his younger brother will be greater than he is. In Hebrew, this is called a tikkun – a correction for all the fighting brothers in history.
With this realization, Jacob understands that the family is complete. There will be no more fighting between brothers, and Jewish history can now begin. The Torah can now conclude the book of Genesis on a positive note, and the stage is set not only for slavery in Egpyt, but also for the birth of Moses, the 10 plagues, the crossing of the Red Sea, Mount Sinai and the Land of Israel!
Shabbat Shalom.
