D'var Torah

Before our forefather Jacob dies in this last portion of the book of Genesis, he offers blessings to his sons. The blessings are curious. They are mixed, some filled with love and others with regret and criticism. They are colored by these men’s lives to date and Jacob’s evaluations of their actions.

In addition to his twelve sons, Jacob also blesses two of his grandchildren, Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh. These blessings are special. Far from his quirky statements, colored by the knowledge of his sons’ lives, for his grandchildren, he expresses something different. Not only does Jacob offer words of great promise for them and their offspring – “May they be teeming multitudes upon the earth” – but he also expresses a wish that is followed even today. He says, “By you shall Israel invoke blessing, saying, ‘God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” Judaism encourages us to say these words at the Shabbat table. (The blessing for girls, created later by the rabbis, invokes instead the names of Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. And, today, the Reform movement provides an additional, gender-neutral blessing.)

Of all the heroes in our tradition, from Abraham, to Miriam, to Moses, to Deborah, to David, to Shifra and Pua, why would Torah call on us to bless our children by these two boys? We know virtually nothing about them! To me, this strange fact may be the answer itself. In expressing his hopes for the future of his family, Jacob turns to the newest generation. Unlike his own children, they have yet to face adversity or be tested. Their lives are completely ahead of them, full of possibilities.

For those of us who are parents, perhaps one of our greatest desires is to provide our children with the ability to make good and happy lives for themselves. We all face challenges and we all experience regret, but there is always a possibility to move forward. When we think of our children, we hope that every possibility will be open to them and that every time they may encounter a setback, we can give them the strength to overcome it. When we bless our children, we express that hope for our own children and for generations to come.

If you have children at home, consider saying the blessing over them this Shabbat. You can access it on the Reform Movement’s website, here.

Whether or not we have children, Jacob’s blessing is intended for each one of us. May we all be like the grandchildren of Jacob and Rachel, free to choose, filled with promise, and a blessing to all whose lives we touch.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Jeff Saxe