In this week’s Sedra we read the Brachos Yaakov Avinu gave the Shivtei Kah before his passing. Before actually giving the brachos to all the brothers, however, Yaakov Avinu chose to bless Yosef individually through the latter’s sons Menashe and Efraim.

The Torah tells us that when Yosef brought Menashe and Efraim to his father, Yaakov Avinu asked Yosef to bring them forward so that he could bless them. Yosef complied and placed Menashe in his left so that he should be on Yaakov Avinu’s right and Efraim on his right so he would be on Yaakov Avinu’s left. Yosef wanted Menashe to be on Yaakov Avinu’s right as he was the Bechor and Efraim on his left as he was younger. Yaakov Avinu, however, crossed his hands so that his right hand would rest on the younger Efraim and his left hand on Menashe. Yosef, seeing this apparent deviation from the expected, tried to correct his father. Yaakov Avinu’s response to this attempt at correcting his act was to explain to Yosef that he well understood that Menashe was older, and nonetheless switched his hands. Yaakov Avinu continued that while Menashe would become great and his descendants would be many, Efraim would be even greater and he would have even more descendants.

There is an obvious question here: why did Yaakov cross his hands? He could have just as easily had the two sons switch sides and yet for some reason he opted to cross his arms. The Noam Elimelech explains that while Yaakov Avinu felt compelled to place Efraim before Menashe he also tried to avoid making a big deal out of it so as not to offend Menashe.

There are two other noteworthy aspects in Yaakov Avinu’s behavior. Yaakov Avinu didn’t explain himself to Yosef or to Efraim and Menashe. He did what he needed to and left it at that. Additionally, after Yosef prompted an explanation, Yaakov Avinu praised Menashe and added that Efraim would be even greater. Yaakov Avinu didn’t say that Menashe wouldn’t be as great as Efraim so as not to imply that there was some sort of flaw in Menashe; rather, Yaakov Avinu emphasized the greatness of both of them.

We are all Yaakov Avinu’s children. Not only are we all Avrohom, Yitzchok, and Yaakov’s children, but we are Hashem’s children. While at times some of us are more right or better than some others among us, we must always bear in mind that all of Bnei-Yisroel are great by virtue of the fact that they are Jews. We must find the positive in every Jew.

A very warm Good Shabbos, Rabbi Y. Dov Krakowski