The Younger Before the Elder

Not sure if I can make it to my goal tonight, but I think you'll be able to tell from my time stamp that these posts are all one after the other. If not, I'll fiddle with it a bit and work it out so you can.

Beresheet (Genesis) 48:1-8 "Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, 'Indeed your father is sick'; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And Jacob was told, 'Look, your son Joseph is coming to you'; and Israel strengthened himself and sat up on the bed. Then Jacob said to Joseph: 'Elohim Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, and said to me, "Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession." And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. Your offspring whom you beget after them shall be yours; they will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. But as for me, when I cam from Padan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).' Then Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, 'Who are these?'"

Yes, Israel did just call Joseph's sons by name and claim them as his own. No, he apparently had no idea what they looked like. Maybe he was going blind. Maybe he had Alzheimer's. I have no explanation for what happens to the human body when it passes the age of one-hundred and thirty. I don't really think anyone else does either, considering no one's been that old in a LONG time.

Beresheet 48:9-11 "Joseph said to his father, 'They are my sons, whom Elohim has given me in this place.' And he said, 'Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.' Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said to Joseph, 'I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, Elohim has also shown me your off-spring!'"

Maybe Israel thought the boys were a lot younger than they actually were. He obviously knew they existed, but maybe his vision was just too blurry to know what they looked like.

Beresheet 48:12-16 "So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near him. Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph, and said: 'Elohim, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, / The Elohim who has fed me all my life long to this day, / The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, / Bless the lads, / Let my name be named upon them, / And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; / And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.'"

Why do you suppose he crossed his arms, putting his right hand on the younger brother's head when he blessed them? It's not traditionally done, but Jacob was the youngest, and Joseph was the second-youngest. Maybe he wanted to mix things up? Make a little mischief? I suppose we might find out.

Beresheet 48:17-22 "Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father's hand to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. And Joseph said to his father, 'Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.' But his father refused and said, 'I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.' So he blessed them that day, saying, 'By you Israel will bless, saying, "May Elohim make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!"' And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh. Then Israel said to Joseph, 'Behold, I am dying, but Elohim will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.'"

Even today, when blessing male family members or friends, we say "May Elohim make you like Ephraim and Manasseh." We also have a blessing for the girls, and it goes "May Elohim make you like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah."