1
R. Judah began: AND HE BLESSED THEM ON THAT DAY, SAYING: IN THEE SHALL ISRAEL BLESS, SAYING.
2
The expression that day” has an esoteric meaning, and signifies the grade which is in charge of blessings above, the “day” from the supernal place which is called “That” (HU). Hence we translate “by the day of That”, indicating that there is no separation between “day” and “That”. The two signify an upper grade and a lower grade in conjunction.
3
Thus Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph with the union of upper and lower in order that the blessings might be unalterable. He then completed the conjunction by saying, “in thee shall Israel bless”.
4
The name Israel here refers to the patriarch Israel. This Israel receives blessings from above and then blesses all through this lower grade.
5
Hence he said “God make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh”, putting Ephraim first because Ephraim were called Israel, as it is written: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel” (Ezek. 37, 11), where the reference according to tradition is to the members of the tribe of Ephraim who were killed when they tried to break out of the captivity of Egypt before the time. For that reason, too, the tribe of Ephraim in the wilderness journeyed on the west.1Which was regarded as the side of the Shekinah.
6
Note that Israel blessed the sons of Joseph before he blessed his own sons, which shows that a man loves his grandchildren more than his children.’
7
R. Jose said: ‘It is written: “The Lord hath remembered us, he will bless, he will bless the house of Israel.” The first “he will bless” refers to the men, and the “house of Israel” to the women, because the women derive blessings only from the blessings of the men. Alternatively, this lesson may be derived from the verse: “He shall make atonement for himself and for his house” (Lev. 16, 6)-for himself first and for his house afterwards.’
8
In this case we may interpret the words “He shall bless the house of Israel” to mean that God gives extra blessings to a man who is married, in order that his wife may be blessed through him, and so he receives two portions, one for himself and one for his wife.’