Vayechi | Menasheh and Ephraim: More Than Just a Hand-Switch

Vayechi | Menasheh and Ephraim: More Than Just a Hand-Switch, by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom.  The description of Yaakov's deathbed blessing of Yosef/Ephraim-Menasheh is riddled with difficulties. Why does Yaakov mention God's blessing at Beit-El? Why does he bring up Rachel's sudden death and burial on the road? Why doesn't Yaakov recognize his grandsons - whom he had just "upgraded" to "sons" by name? Above all - what's behind that change of status, and the hand-switch that prefers Ephraim? We explore all of these in a special shiur given in memory of Rav Etshalom's mother, MIriam bat Yitzhak veRivkah z"l, whose yahrzeit is on 9 Tevet. יהי זכרה ברוך Shiur given at SCY HIGH in San Diego on Wednesday Dec 16. Source sheet >>