Vayechi

In the beginning of Parshas Vayechi Yaakov delivers the famous brachos to his grandchildren, Efraim and Menashe. There are several questions in the Torah's description of this episode.

The Pasuk tells us that Yosef brings his children to Yaakov for a blessing. The pasuk seems to go out of its way to detail the placement of Efraim and Menashe not only in relation to Yaakov but also in relation to Yosef. Es Efraim bimino mismol Yisrael v'es Menashe bismolo mimin Yisrael - Efraim is on Yosef's right which is the left of Yaakov (as they were facing each other) and Mensahe was on Yosef's left, the right of Yaakov. If Yaakov is giving the brachos to Efraim and Mensahe, what difference does it make where they are standing in relationship to Yosef? Yosef is inconsequential here.

Then we are told that Yaakov places his right hand on Efraim even though he was on Yaakov's left and -v'hu hatza'ir - he was younger, and his left hand on Menashe. The Pasuk states seekail es yadav ki Menashe habechor - Yaakov switched his hands BECAUSE Menashe was the bechor. Rashi explains that even though Menashe was the bechor, Yaakov switched his hands. However, a simple reading of the pasuk implies that Yaakov switched his hands specifically BECAUSE Menashe was the bechor, not in spite of that fact.

After Yaakov has placed his hands on Efraim and Menashe, the pasuk tells us Vayevorech es Yosef - Yaakov blesses Yosef. What happened to the bracha for Efraim and Menashe? If we are to assume that the bracha for Yosef IS the bracha for Efraim and Menashe - his children - then why does Yaakov place his hands on Efraim and Menashe and not Yosef?

After Yaakov finishes the bracha of hamalach hagoel osi, the Pasuk tells us that Yosef saw that Yaakov switched his hands - vayera b'einav - and he was bothered by this and attempts to switch Yaakov hands so that his right hand will be on Menashe. Where was Yosef until now? Did he just wake up and notice that Yaakov's hands were switched? Why did this not bother him earlier when it initially happened? In addition, what benefit will switching them now have? The bracha of hamalach hagoel osi has already been given.

Additionally, the word the pasuk uses to describe what Yosef was disturbed by is Vayashis - and Yaakov will put (his hands). Yaakov already put his hands on their respective heads. The pasuk should have said vayar Yosef ki shas - Yosef saw that Yaakov already put his hands...

In actuality, Yaakov gave Efraim and Menashe two distinct brachos. The first bracha was hamalach hagoel osi. The second bracha was becha yevareich Yisrael. These blessings were very different.

The first blessing was given to Efraim and Menashe not in their own merit but rather in the merit of their father, Yosef. Just as the Priestly blessings are given from Hashem through the Kohanim to Bnei Yisrael, so too, these blessings were given from Yaakov through Yosef to Menashe and Efraim. As such, they had to abide by the standards of family law, requiring the bechor to receive certain right over other children. (Bechor rights can only be violated through Divine command/intervention, like the command regarding Yitzchak over Yishmael and Yaakov over Eisav.) Since this blessing was given in the merit of and through Yosef, it was as if Yosef was giving the blessing he received from Yaakov to his children. Therefore, it was essential that Menashe be on YOSEF's right side since he was the bechor. Therefore, the Pasuk states where Efraim and Menashe are in relation to Yosef. However, Yosef assumed that the blessings would come directly from Yaakov. Therefore, he switched them so that Menashe was on his left, which was Yaakov's right.

Yaakov, recognizing this mistake decided to switch his hands since, acting as Yosef, he needed Menashe to switch sides of Yosef. Switching his hands symbolized the switching of Menashe to Yosef's right side. Therefore,the pasuk states seekail es yadav KI Menashe habechor. Yaakov switched his hands BECAUSE Menashe was the bechor and, therefore, was entitled to receive the bracha on Yosef's right.

It is right after this that we are told vayevarech es Yosef because the blessing was Yosef's and then transferred to his children. The blessing is v'yikaray vahem shmi...Efraim u'Menashe ki'Reuven v'Shimon yihyu li. Efraim and Menashe would be considered as part of the twelve tribes. Yosef received this bracha as the bechor of Rachel since Reuven had forfeited these rights previously. This first blessing was the traditional method with all the respective bechora rights attached. Therefore, the pasuk does not say here: vayasem es Efraim lifnei Menashe. For these brachos, Efraim was not placed ahead of Menashe.

Yosef understood what Yaakov was telling him in regard to this first bracha. Therefore, he was not yet disturbed by the switching of Yaakov's hands. However, the second blessing was different. This was a blessing given by a grandfather to his grandchildren. This blessing did not require strict adherence to the laws of bechora. This blessing would be given based on the merits of the children, not the meirts of Yosef. When Yosef saw that Yaakov will CONTINUE to keep his hands switched even though this blessing is directly from Yaakov, he became upset. As a direct blessing from Yaakov, Yaakov needed to adjust his hands so that Yaakov's right hand would be on Menashe. Yosef was not upset with Yaakov's original placement of his hands since he understood Yaakov's message and the structure of the original blessing. However, he is upset ki yashis - that he will continue to place Efraim ahead of Menashe.

Therefore, Yaakov must explain to Yosef that although Menashe has great merits achiv hakaton yigdal mimenu - Efraim had greater merits and, therefore deserved to continue to have Yaakov's right hand upon his head. It is only after this blessing that the Torah states vayasem es Efraim lifnei Menashe.