The Torah tells us, "Joseph saw that his father was placing his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, and it displeased him; he supported his father’s hand, to remove it from the head of Ephraim to the head of Manasseh" (Genesis 48:17). Now, why would Joseph do that? He thought his father was making a mistake, right? Manasseh was the elder, so naturally, he should get the greater blessing.

But, as Bereshit Rabbah, that incredible collection of rabbinic interpretations on Genesis, points out, there’s a lot more simmering beneath the surface. Rabbi Berekhya asks a pretty powerful question: "The hand that overcame one-third of the world… you are seeking to move it?" This refers to Jacob's strength and spiritual prowess. We see elsewhere in Bereshit Rabbah (68:12) that Jacob's strength was seen as immense, almost world-altering. Joseph is essentially challenging his father’s wisdom!

Joseph insists, "Not so, my father, as this is the firstborn; place your right hand upon his head.” But Jacob refuses, saying, "I know, my son, I know; he too will become a people, and he too will be great; however, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will be the plenitude of nations" (Genesis 48:18–19).

What does Jacob mean by "I know, my son, I know"? The Yefe To’ar, a commentary on Bereshit Rabbah, explains that Jacob is saying, “I know that they all acted with pure intentions.” But Bereshit Rabbah suggests he’s alluding to something even deeper: "I know the incident of Reuben and Bilha and the incident of Judah and Tamar; if matters that were not revealed to you were revealed to me, matters that were revealed to you, all the more so.” Jacob is hinting that he possesses insights beyond Joseph's understanding, a profound awareness of the future and the hidden motives of people. He understands the bigger picture. He's saying, "Trust me, I've seen things, Joseph."

And then there's that fascinating line: “He too will become a people, and he too will be great" – is it possible that it will be so? The Midrash is essentially asking, how could one tribe, Ephraim's, be so numerous? The answer it gives is that this greatness is manifested in Joshua, who, as the story goes, stopped the sun and the moon!

Rabbi Yitzḥak even adds a dramatic flourish, saying, "Bad slave, are you not the purchase of my father…". This refers to a story found elsewhere in Bereshit Rabbah (84:11), where Joshua supposedly says to the sun: ‘You prostrated yourself to my father Joseph in his dream; therefore you must obey me.’" Joshua, a descendant of Ephraim, wielded such power that even the sun obeyed him because of Joseph's earlier glory!

So, what’s the takeaway here? This passage isn't just about a grandfather blessing his grandsons. It's about the complexities of leadership, the weight of tradition, and the often-unseen currents of fate. It reminds us that sometimes, the wisdom of the elders—the zeides—goes beyond our immediate understanding. And sometimes, the younger brother really is destined for greatness.