Rashi on TanakhGenesis 48

Someone said to Yoseif. [“Someone” refers to] one of the tellers of events, this being an elliptical verse. Others say: Ephraim was frequently with Yaakov for study, and when Yaakov took ill in the Land of Goshen, Ephraim went to his father in Egypt to tell him.

He took his two sons with him. So that Yaakov might bless them before his death.

It was told. I.e., the teller told Yaakov, but [the verse] did not specify who [told]. There are numerous such elliptical verses.

Yisrael gathered his strength. He thought, “Though he is my son [nevertheless,] he is a king and I will do him honor.” From here [it can be inferred] that we must honor royalty. Similarly, Moshe did honor to royalty [when he said:] “And your servants will come down to me.” And Eliyohu, too, [did so:] “And he girded his loins” [to do honor to Achav].

And I will make you into an assembly of nations. “He announced to me that it was destined that there yet emanate from me a community of nations [i.e., two more tribes]. Although, He had [earlier] told me: ‘A nation and a community of nations.’” [That is because] גּוֹי —a nation, He said to me, referring to Binyamin [whereas] קְהַל גּוֹיִים —a community of nations, refers to two [tribes] beside Binyamin. And no other son was born to me. I [therefore] inferred that one of my tribes is destined to be divided. And I hereby bequeath that gift to you.”

Who were born to you … before I came to you. [עַד —until is the same as] לִפְנֵי —before I came to you, i.e., that were born after you departed from me, [and] before I came to you.

Are mine. [Meaning:] “They are counted with the rest of my sons, to receive a share in the Land each in accordance with his counterpart.”

But your progeny, etc. “If you will have any more children they will not be counted among my sons, but in the tribes of Ephraim and Menasheh will they be included, and they will not have their own names as tribes regarding their inheritance [of the Land of Israel]. And although the Land was divided according to the head-count [of each tribe,] as is written: “To the greater [tribe] shall you increase his inheritance,” whereby each individual took an equal share, except for the first-born, nevertheless, the only ones to be called Tribes are these [Ephraim and Menasheh], (regarding the casting of lots [to divide the Land] according to the number of the names of the tribes, and regarding the appointing of a prince for each tribe and the banners assigned to each of them.)

And I, when I came from Padan, etc. “And, although I burden you to bring me to burial in the Land of Canaan, and I did not do likewise for your mother, for she died near Beis Lechem.”

A stretch of land. A measure of land—a distance of 2,000 amohs which is the limit for walking on Shabbos. This is like the opinion of R. Moshe Hadarshon. “Do not think that rains prevented me from bringing her for burial in Chevron for it was the dry season when the earth is riddled with holes like a sieve.”

I buried her there. “And I did not carry her even to Beis Lechem in order to bring her to a [settled] land, and I know that you have resentment toward me. But, know that it was by the word [of God] that I buried her there so that she might help her descendants when Nevuzaradon would send them into exile and when they would pass by way [of her grave] Rochel would emerge from her grave and cry and beseech mercy [from God] for them, as it is said: “A voice is heard in Ramah, Rochel is weeping for her children, etc.” And God answers her: “‘There is reward for your toil,’ says God, ‘for your children will return to their border.’” Onkelos translates it [כִּבְרַת־אֶרֶץ] as כְּרוּב אַרְעָא [meaning:] a measure of land which is plowed in one day. It is my opinion that they had a definite measure which they called “the equivalent of one furrow,” charuede, in Old French, as is mentioned: “He plows repeatedly,” [or:] “The amount that a fox carries from a plowed field.”

Yisrael saw Yoseif’s sons. He attempted to bless them, but the Divine Presence departed from him, because Yerovom and Achov were destined to be born from Ephraim and Yehu and his sons from Menasheh.

And he said, “Who are these?” [Meaning:] from whom were these born, that are not fit to be blessed?

In this. He showed him his betrothal and marriage contracts and Yoseif prayed for compassion regarding this and the Divine Spirit returned to him [Yaakov].

He said, “Please take them to me and I will bless them. This is to what Scripture refers when it states: “And I led Ephraim and took them upon his arms.” [Meaning:] “I led My spirit back unto Yaakov for Ephraim’s sake until he [Yaakov] took them into his arms.”

I have never thought. [Meaning:] I did not dare have any thought that I would ever see your face again. The word פִלָּלְתִּי means thought as in: “Give advice, carry on the thought.”

Yoseif brought them out. After he [Yaakov] had kissed them, Yoseif took them out from between his knees so as to seat them, one to the right and one to the left so that he [Yaakov] would place his hands on them and bless them.

And he prostrated himself with his face. When he stepped back from his father.

Ephraim in his right [hand] toward Yisrael’s left. When one approaches another person his right hand is opposite the other’s left. Since he [Menasheh] was the first born he should be placed [on the right] for the blessing.

He deliberately placed his hand so. שִׂכֵּל should be translated as Onkelos does: אַחְכִּימִנּוּן —He put wisdom into them [his hands], [meaning:] deliberately and with wisdom he positioned his hands for this purpose—with full knowledge, for he well knew that Menasheh was the first born and, nevertheless, did not place his right hand on him.

The angel who redeemed me. “The angel who was usually sent to me in my time of affliction,” as it is said: “And the angel of God said to me in a dream, ‘Yaakov, etc. I am the God of Beis Eil.’”

Should bless the lads. Menasheh and Ephraim.

May they be like fish. Just as the fish are fruitful and multiply and are not affected by the evil eye.

He held up his father’s hand. He lifted it from his son’s head and held it up in his own hand.

I know my son, I know. That he is the firstborn.

He, too, will become a people, etc. For Gidon is destined to be born of him through whom God will perform a miracle.

However, his younger brother will be greater than he. For Yehoshua is destined to be born of him, who will take possession of the Land [of Israel] and who will teach the Torah to Israel.

And [the fame] of his descendants will fill the nations. The whole world will be filled when his reputation and name will spread, when he will make the sun stand still at Givon and the moon at the valley of Ayalon.

Through you shall [the people of] Israel bless. Whenever a person will wish to bless his children he will bless them with their blessing and a person will say to his son: “May Elohim make you as Ephraim and Menasheh.”

He placed Ephraim. Insofar as his blessing was concerned. Ahead of Menasheh. To be placed ahead [when the Israelites set up camp in the wilderness] under their banners and at the dedication [of the altar] by the princes. [Each prince brought gifts.]

I have given you. Because you will take the trouble to occupy yourself with my burial therefore, I have also given you an inheritance in which you will be buried. And which was this? It was Shechem, as it is said: “And the bones of Yoseif which the Bnei Yisrael brought up from Egypt, they buried in Shechem.”

One share more than your brothers. שְׁכֶם refers to the actual city of Shechem. This shall be for you one share in excess of your brothers.

With my sword and with my bow. When Shimon and Leivi killed the people of Shechem, the neighboring peoples gathered to join them [against Shimon and Leivi] and Yaakov armed himself against them. Another explanation [of this verse is that:] שְׁכֶם אַחַד refers to the birthright—that his [Yoseif’s] children will receive two shares and שְׁכֶם means a share. There are many such cases in Scripture: “You will make them as portions,” [meaning:] you will scatter my enemies before me, [or:] “I will divide the portion,” [or:] “On the road they murder,” [meaning:] each person [kills] his portion, [or:] “To serve Him as one portion.”

Which I took from the hand of the Emorite. From the hand of Eisov who acted as if he were an Emorite. Another explanation [for referring to Eisov as אֱמֹרִי]: because he would ensnare his father with אִמְרֵי פִיו —the words of his mouth.

With my sword and with my bow. A reference to his wisdom and prayers.