We often think of the eldest as holding a special place, but Jewish tradition sometimes flips that script in fascinating ways. Let's look at the tale of Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, and how their grandfather Jacob changed their destinies.

The story goes that Jacob, nearing the end of his life, declared, "Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simon, shall be mine." Joseph, noticing his father's apparent preference for the younger Ephraim, became anxious about the birthright of his older son, Manasseh. So, he carefully positioned his sons before Jacob, intending for Manasseh to be in the place of honor, opposite Jacob's right hand, and Ephraim opposite his left.

But fate, or perhaps something more divine, had other plans.

Ephraim, because of his modesty, was destined for greater things than his older brother. And, as the story is told, God inspired Jacob, moved by the ruach hakodesh, the holy spirit, to bestow the birthright upon Ephraim. When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim's head, he tried to correct what he perceived as a mistake, attempting to move Jacob's hand to Manasseh's head.

But Jacob refused. "What," he said, "thou wouldst displace my hand against my will, the hand that overcame the prince of the angel hosts, who is as large as one-third of the world!" It's a powerful image, isn't it? Jacob, in this moment, isn't just an old man. He's a figure of immense spiritual strength.

He then tells Joseph, "I know things not known to thee—I know what Reuben did to Bilhah, and what Judah did to Tamar. How much more do I know things known to thee! Thinkest thou I know not what thy brethren did to thee, because thou wouldst betray nothing whenever I asked thee?" According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, Jacob possessed profound insight, knowing things both hidden and revealed.

Jacob continues, "I know it, Manasseh also shall become great, the judge Gideon shall descend from him, but his younger brother will be the ancestor of Joshua, who will bring the sun and the moon to a standstill, though they have dominion over the whole earth from end to end."

And so, Jacob set Ephraim, the younger, above Manasseh, the older, and according to tradition, that decision resonated throughout history. In genealogical lists, Manasseh follows Ephraim. In the allocation of land in the Holy Land, Ephraim took precedence. Even in the arrangement of the camps and standards of the tribes, and in the dedication of the Tabernacle, Ephraim was always mentioned first. We see this mirrored throughout the Torah.

What does this story tell us? Perhaps it's about more than just birth order. Maybe it's about the qualities that elevate us, the potential for greatness that exists in everyone, regardless of age or position. Maybe it is about destiny and faith. Maybe it's about the idea that sometimes, the seemingly less significant among us are destined for extraordinary things.