Vayechi 5783 - Shine On, Young Ones

(8) Noticing Joseph’s sons, Israel asked, “Who are these?” (9) And Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” “Bring them up to me,” he said, “that I may bless them.” (10) Now Israel’s eyes were dim with age; he could not see. So [Joseph] brought them close to him, and he kissed them and embraced them. (11) And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see you again, and here God has let me see your children as well.”

(13) Joseph took the two of them, Ephraim with his right hand—to Israel’s left—and Manasseh with his left hand—to Israel’s right—and brought them close to him. (14) But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head—thus crossing his hands—although Manasseh was the first-born.

(17) When Joseph saw that his father was placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he thought it wrong; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s. (18) “Not so, Father,” Joseph said to his father, “for the other is the first-born; place your right hand on his head.” (19) But his father objected, saying, “I know, my son, I know. He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great. Yet his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall be plentiful enough for nations.” (20) So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you shall Israel invoke blessings, saying: God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.” Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

בך יברך ישראל BY YOU SHALL ISRAEL INVOKE BLESSINGS — When one wishes to bless [their] sons [they] will bless them by reciting the formula with which they were blessed — a man will say to his son, “God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.”

(1) BY YOU SHALL ISRAEL INVOKE BLESSINGS. All the Israelites.

(2) THUS HE PUT EPHRAIM BEFORE MANASSEH. In the enunciation of the blessing.

ויברכם. He bestowed an additional blessing on them on the same day, saying: בך יברך ישראל, whenever an Israelite wants to bestow a blessing on his son, [they] will preface it with the words: ישימך אלוקים כאפרים ומנשה. “May the Lord make you to be like Ephraim and Manasseh.”

May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.

May God make you like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.

May Adonai bless you and keep you.

May Adonai's face shine toward you and treat you graciously.

May Adonai's face lift toward you and grant you peace.

(Numbers 6:24-26)