When Did Yaakov Bless Ephraim and Menashe/2

When Did Yaakov Bless Ephraim and Menashe?

Exegetical Approaches

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On His Deathbed

Yaakov blessed Ephraim and Menashe close to his death, when they were already in their early twenties..

Sources:RashiBereshit 48:8About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, RashbamBereshit 48:8About R. Shemuel b. Meir, Ibn EzraBereshit First Commentary 48:8Bereshit Third Commentary 48:8About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RalbagBereshit Beur HaMilot 48:8About R. Levi b. Gershom, SefornoBereshit 48:8About R. Ovadyah Seforno, ShadalBereshit 48:8-10About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto, NetzivBereshit 48:8About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin

Chronology – All of these sources maintain the order of the verses and assume that Yaakov's blessing took place where told, close to the end of Yaakov's life.  The chapter is filled with allusions to his upcoming death, telling the reader that Yaakov was sick, his eyesight was failing due to "old age", and that he himself says to Yosef, "הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי מֵת".

"מִי אֵלֶּה" – These sources offer several different explanations as to why Yaakov did not recognize his grandsons:

• Poor eye-sight – Most of these commentators¹ assume that Yaakov's poor eyesight (and maybe simply old age)² prevented him from recognizing Menashe and Ephraim.³ Shadal explains that this is the reason that verse 10 shares, "וְעֵינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּבְדוּ מִזֹּקֶן לֹא יוּכַל לִרְאוֹת".‎⁴‎ 
• Utilitarian question – Netziv maintains that Yaakov did know his grandchildren, but simply wanted Yosef to mention them by name since loving and naming of the object of a blessing helps channel the Divine spirit towards that object.
• Egyptian garb – Malbim suggests that Yaakov did not recognize Menashe and Ephraim since they wore Egyptian garb.  One might go even further to suggest that this dress was indicative of a larger difference in lifestyle.  Having grown up in Egyptian society, Yosef's sons might have begun to assimilate, preferring Egyptian culture to Yaakov' company.⁵  If so, it is possible that Yaakov did not recognize his grandchildren because he did not have much of a relationship with them.⁶

"מֵעִם בִּרְכָּיו" – It is possible that Yosef's sons, despite being almost men, still fit between Yaakov's legs.⁷  Alternatively, it is possible that the verse is not meant to be read literally and simply means that Menashe and Ephraim had been standing close to Yaakov's thighs (or perhaps, even sitting upon them) as he embraced them.⁸

"וַיַּגֵּשׁ אֹתָם" and "וַיּוֹצֵא יוֹסֵף אֹתָם" – Yosef's continuous positioning of Menashe and Ephraim gives the impression that they were too young to know where to go on their own.  These sources might respond that their passivity stemmed not from youth but respect, as they waited for their father's cue before acting.

Upon Arrival in Egypt

Yaakov blessed his grandchildren when he first met them, soon after arriving in Egypt.

Sources:R. Yoel b. Nun⁹

Chronology – R. Yoel b. Nun maintains that the entire chapter is recorded out of chronological order and really took place seventeen years earlier when Yaakov had just arrived from Canaan.  He explains that the Torah changed the order in order to juxtapose Yaakov's blessing to Yosef's sons with the blessings to the tribes.

"מִי אֵלֶּה" – Yaakov's question is understandable as Yaakov had never before met his grandchildren.

"רְאֹה פָנֶיךָ לֹא פִלָּלְתִּי וְהִנֵּה הֶרְאָה אֹתִי אֱלֹהִים גַּם אֶת זַרְעֶךָ" – From this comment, too, it sounds as if Yaakov is first meeting Menashe and Ephraim, and moreover, that it is only recently that he has had a chance to see Yosef again. The emotional response makes sense if this is just a few days after arrival.

"מֵעִם בִּרְכָּיו" – According to this chronology, Yosef's sons are young boys during the encounter, no more than 8 years old, and can easily fit between someone's thighs.

"וַיַּגֵּשׁ אֹתָם" and "וַיּוֹצֵא יוֹסֵף אֹתָם" – Due to the boy's young age, they likely have no sense of what is expected of them and thus Yosef guides them to or away from Yaakov.

"הִנֵּה אָבִיךָ חֹלֶה" and "הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי מֵת" – These statements are somewhat difficult for his position as they suggests an infirm Yaakov, who is on the verge of death.   R. Yoel b. Nun suggests that Yaakov might have become ill over the journey.  He might have personally felt that he was close to death, when in fact he later recuperated and lived many more years.¹⁰

Both on Arrival and Before Death

¹ See Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, Seforno and Shadal.

² See Ibn Ezra's third commentary.

³ When Yosef first arrived by his father the messenger announced him, without mentioning his sons.  As such, it is possible that though Yaakov was aware of Yosef, he did not note his grandchildren's presence until later.

⁴ Though one might have expected this explanatory comment to precede Yaakov's question, Shadal suggests that doing so would only be necessary if there were many aspect of the plot that were dependent on the point. Since here the statement only comes to explain one small point, it follows that point.

⁵ Malbim himself does not say this and in fact suggests that Yosef's response, "בָּנַי הֵם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לִי אֱ-לֹהִים בָּזֶה" comes to reassure his father that despite their clothing, his sons are god-fearing like the rest of Yaakov's descendants and only dress in this manner since they were given to Yosef "here," in Egypt, under circumstances that dictate such garb.

⁶ See R. Z. Weitman,  "ויחי יעקב - בארץ מצרים" (Parashat Vayechi, 5773), that all of Yaakov's words and blessings in this chapter were meant to prevent Yosef and his children from being absorbed into Egyptian society and motivate him to return to the Land of Israel.  For a summary of his approach to the chapter, see Yaakov's Retrospective and Yosef's Double Portion.

⁷ These sources understand the verse to refer to Yaakov's thighs (and not Yosef's) since the previous verse already had Yosef push his children forward towards their grandfather.

⁸ See Seforno.

⁹ See his article, "ברכת יעקב למנשה ואפרים"

¹⁰ See Yitzchak who similarly gives blessings o his children many years before he dies, since "הִנֵּה נָא זָקַנְתִּי לֹא יָדַעְתִּי יוֹם מוֹתִי".