THE BLESSING OF APPRECIATING LIFE'S CHALLENEGES
Vayechi
Before his father passes away, Yosef brings Efraim and Menashe, to receive his parting blessing. Yaakov places Menashe, the firstborn, facing Yaakov’s right and Efraim on Yaakov’s left.
Yaakov switches his hands, placing his right hand, the primary source of blessing, on the head of Efraim, even though he was the younger brother. The Torah describes this switching of hands a שיכל, meaning that he acted wisely.
Much has been written about the great wisdom and deeper insight in Yaakov’s actions. In his Sefer Kedushas Levi, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev offers a powerful lesson on proper perspective.
In Parshas Vayigash, the Torah explains why Yosef named his sons Menashe and Efraim respectively.
On naming Menashe, Yosef says כִּֽי־נַשַּׁ֤נִי אֱלֹקים֙ אֶת־כָּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי, Hashem has caused me to forget all of my problems and all of my father’s house.
In contrast, the name Efraim was given because Hashem has made be prosperous (lit. fertile) in the land of my affliction - כִּֽי־הִפְרַ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥רֶץ עָנְיִֽי
Yosef suffered greatly for most of his life until this point. He lost his mother as a young boy, was despised by his brothers who betrayed him and sold him as a slave to a foreign land far away from his father’s home. In Egypt he was thrown into prison on false charges before being freed and ultimately elevated.
The name Menashe focuses on the suffering that Yosef had experienced as his ‘firstborn’ in life. In the name Efraim, Yosef focuses not on his suffering and difficulties, but on the personal success and elevation that ultimately ensued and that he finally enjoyed.
Yaakov too suffered in his lifetime. In switching his hands, he was teaching Yosef a lesson in faith and how to view difficulties and challenges of life, when we have to go through them.
When Hashem causes us to experience suffering and challenge, the true intention is not for the challenge itself. The challenge is there to serve as an opportunity for growth; to bring out deeper qualities and strengths within ourselves and lead us to greater success and accomplishment.
Yaakov is telling Yosef that we have to always remember that even when facing the struggles of Menashe, the true and primary intention always was and always will be Efraim. Latent and hidden within the challenge itself is Hashem’s deepest kindnesses. This knowledge strengthens us when we face the challenges of life.
With this, the Kedushas Levi explains a perplexing teaching in the Gemara. Rabb Elazar taught in the name of Rabbi Chanina that the ways of Hashem are not like the ways of man. The Middah of man is to first place the pot on the fire and then pour the water into it. Hashem however, first pours the water into the pot and then places it on the fire.
Water reflects the attribute of Chessed - kindness. Placing the pot on the fire represents the struggles and challenges that a person experiences in life. Fire reflects the attribute of Gevurah.
Our difficulties are not random. When Hashem places the pot on the fire, He only does so because He has first placed the water in it. Hashem wants to bestow His kindness upon us. Sometimes, such kindness can only be achieved through difficulties, with the kindness being the growth and prosperity that comes as a result.
The blessing that Yaakov gives to Efraim and Menashe is that “by you Yisroel (the Jewish people) will bless (their children) saying: may G-d make you like Efraim and Menashe”.
In our lives, the ability to place Efraim before Menashe, to always see the kindness and opportunity within our challenges and how they come from Hashem to help us grow, is the greatest blessing of all.
Yaakov switches his hands, placing his right hand, the primary source of blessing, on the head of Efraim, even though he was the younger brother. The Torah describes this switching of hands a שיכל, meaning that he acted wisely.
Much has been written about the great wisdom and deeper insight in Yaakov’s actions. In his Sefer Kedushas Levi, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev offers a powerful lesson on proper perspective.
In Parshas Vayigash, the Torah explains why Yosef named his sons Menashe and Efraim respectively.
On naming Menashe, Yosef says כִּֽי־נַשַּׁ֤נִי אֱלֹקים֙ אֶת־כָּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי, Hashem has caused me to forget all of my problems and all of my father’s house.
In contrast, the name Efraim was given because Hashem has made be prosperous (lit. fertile) in the land of my affliction - כִּֽי־הִפְרַ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥רֶץ עָנְיִֽי
Yosef suffered greatly for most of his life until this point. He lost his mother as a young boy, was despised by his brothers who betrayed him and sold him as a slave to a foreign land far away from his father’s home. In Egypt he was thrown into prison on false charges before being freed and ultimately elevated.
The name Menashe focuses on the suffering that Yosef had experienced as his ‘firstborn’ in life. In the name Efraim, Yosef focuses not on his suffering and difficulties, but on the personal success and elevation that ultimately ensued and that he finally enjoyed.
Yaakov too suffered in his lifetime. In switching his hands, he was teaching Yosef a lesson in faith and how to view difficulties and challenges of life, when we have to go through them.
When Hashem causes us to experience suffering and challenge, the true intention is not for the challenge itself. The challenge is there to serve as an opportunity for growth; to bring out deeper qualities and strengths within ourselves and lead us to greater success and accomplishment.
Yaakov is telling Yosef that we have to always remember that even when facing the struggles of Menashe, the true and primary intention always was and always will be Efraim. Latent and hidden within the challenge itself is Hashem’s deepest kindnesses. This knowledge strengthens us when we face the challenges of life.
With this, the Kedushas Levi explains a perplexing teaching in the Gemara. Rabb Elazar taught in the name of Rabbi Chanina that the ways of Hashem are not like the ways of man. The Middah of man is to first place the pot on the fire and then pour the water into it. Hashem however, first pours the water into the pot and then places it on the fire.
Water reflects the attribute of Chessed - kindness. Placing the pot on the fire represents the struggles and challenges that a person experiences in life. Fire reflects the attribute of Gevurah.
Our difficulties are not random. When Hashem places the pot on the fire, He only does so because He has first placed the water in it. Hashem wants to bestow His kindness upon us. Sometimes, such kindness can only be achieved through difficulties, with the kindness being the growth and prosperity that comes as a result.
The blessing that Yaakov gives to Efraim and Menashe is that “by you Yisroel (the Jewish people) will bless (their children) saying: may G-d make you like Efraim and Menashe”.
In our lives, the ability to place Efraim before Menashe, to always see the kindness and opportunity within our challenges and how they come from Hashem to help us grow, is the greatest blessing of all.