Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 47

28Jacob lived in Egypt for 17 years. Jacob’s days, i.e., the years of his lifetime, totaled 147 years.   כחוַיְחִ֤י יַֽעֲקֹב֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם שְׁבַ֥ע עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה וַיְהִ֤י יְמֵי־יַֽעֲקֹב֙ שְׁנֵ֣י חַיָּ֔יו שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֔ים וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה:
וַיְחִי יַֽעֲקֹב - Jacob lived. Why is this parashah closed up (i.e., doesn’t start at the beginning of a paragraph)? Because when our father Jacob passed away, the eyes and the hearts of the Israelites became closed up, troubled by the indicative signs of the bondage that the Egyptians would later begin to impose on them. Another explanation: Jacob wished to reveal to his sons when the end of the exile would be, but it was concealed from him. Bereshit Rabbah. 1   וַיְחִי יַֽעֲקֹב.  לָמָּה פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ סְתוּמָה? לְפִי שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּפְטַר יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ נִסְתְּמוּ עֵינֵיהֶם וְלִבָּם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִצָּרַת הַשִּׁעְבּוּד, שֶׁהִתְחִילוּ לְשַׁעְבְּדָם; דָּבָר אַחֵר: שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ לְגַלּוֹת אֶת הַקֵּץ לְבָנָיו, וְנִסְתַּם מִמֶּנּוּ. בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה:
29When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph, and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please place your hand under my thigh and swear that, upon my death, you will do for me the following act of genuine kindness: Please do not bury me in Egypt.   כטוַיִּקְרְב֣וּ יְמֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֘ לָמוּת֒ וַיִּקְרָ֣א | לִבְנ֣וֹ לְיוֹסֵ֗ף וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אִם־נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ שִֽׂים־נָ֥א יָֽדְךָ֖ תַּ֣חַת יְרֵכִ֑י וְעָשִׂ֤יתָ עִמָּדִי֙ חֶ֣סֶד וֶֽאֱמֶ֔ת אַל־נָ֥א תִקְבְּרֵ֖נִי בְּמִצְרָֽיִם:
וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לָמוּת - The time drew near for Israel to die. Every person about whom “approaching death” is said did not attain the age of his fathers. Isaac lived 180 years, and Jacob lived 147 years. About David “approaching death” is similarly mentioned; 2 his father lived 80 years and he lived 70.   וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לָמוּת.  כָּל מִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמְרָה בּוֹ קְרִיבָה לָמוּת, לֹא הִגִּיעַ לִימֵי אֲבוֹתָיו (יִצְחָק חָיָה ק"פ, וְיַעֲקֹב קמ"ז, בְּדָוִד נֶאֱמַר קְרִיבָה, אָבִיו חָיָה פ' שָׁנִים וְהוּא חָיָה ע'):
וַיִּקְרָא לִבְנוֹ לְיוֹסֵף - He called for his son Joseph - i.e., the person who had the power to carry out his request.   וַיִּקְרָא לִבְנוֹ לְיוֹסֵף.  לְמִי שֶׁהָיָה יְכֹלֶת בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת:
שִֽׂים־נָא יָֽדְךָ - Please place your hand - and swear.   שִֽׂים־נָא יָֽדְךָ.  וְהִשָּׁבַע:
חֶסֶד וֶֽאֱמֶת - Genuine kindness. A kindness done for the dead is true kindness, because one does not look forward to any payment in return.   חֶסֶד וֶֽאֱמֶת.  חֶסֶד שֶׁעוֹשִׂין עִם הַמֵּתִים הוּא חֶסֶד שֶׁל אֱמֶת, שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְצַפֶּה לְתַשְׁלוּם גְּמוּל:
אַל־נָא תִקְבְּרֵנִי בְּמִצְרָֽיִם - Please do not bury me in Egypt - because ultimately its soil will become lice, which would swarm under my body; and because the dead outside the Land of Israel will be resurrected only after the painful experience of rolling through underground channels to the Land of Israel; and so that the Egyptians not make me an object of idol-worship.   אַל־נָא תִקְבְּרֵנִי בְּמִצְרָֽיִם.  סוֹפָהּ לִהְיוֹת עֲפָרָהּ כִּנִּים, וּמְרַחֲשִׁין תַּחַת גּוּפִי, וְשֶׁאֵין מֵתֵי חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ חַיִּים אֶלָּא בְּצַעַר גִּלְגּוּל מְחִלּוֹת, וְשֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשׂוּנִי מִצְרַיִם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה:
30For I am going to soon lie down with my fathers, i.e., die, and then you must carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” Joseph replied, “I will do as you say.”   לוְשָֽׁכַבְתִּי֙ עִם־אֲבֹתַ֔י וּנְשָׂאתַ֨נִי֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם וּקְבַרְתַּ֖נִי בִּקְבֻֽרָתָ֑ם וַיֹּאמַ֕ר אָֽנֹכִ֖י אֶעֱשֶׂ֥ה כִדְבָרֶֽךָ:
וְשָֽׁכַבְתִּי עִם־אבותי - For I am going to lie down with my fathers. This ו of וְשָׁכַבְתִּי is connected to the beginning of the previous verse: “please place your hand under my thigh” and swear to me, for I will ultimately lie with my fathers, and you must then carry me from Egypt. One cannot say that וְשָׁכַבְתִּי עִם אֲבֹתַי means “lay me down with my fathers in the cave,” because afterwards it is written: “and you must carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” Moreover, we find whenever the expression “lying with one’s fathers” is used, it refers to dying and not to burial, as in “David lay down with his fathers,” and afterwards it says “and he was buried in the City of David.” 3   וְשָֽׁכַבְתִּי עִם־אבותי.  וָי"ו זוֹ מְחֻבָּר לְמַעְלָה לִתְחִלַּת הַמִּקְרָא – שִׂים נָא יָדְךָ תַּחַת יְרֵכִי וְהִשָּׁבַע לִי – וַאֲנִי סוֹפִי לִשְׁכַּב עִם אֲבוֹתַי, וְאַתָּה תִּשָּׂאֵנִי מִמִּצְרַיִם. וְאֵין לוֹמַר, וְשָׁכַבְתִּי עִם אֲבוֹתַי – הַשְׁכִּיבֵנִי עִם אֲבוֹתַי בַּמְּעָרָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְּתִיב אַחֲרָיו, וּנְשָׂאתַנִי מִמִּצְרַיִם וּקְבַרְתַּנִי בִּקְבֻרָתָם; וְעוֹד, מָצִינוּ בְּכָל מָקוֹם לְשׁוֹן שְׁכִיבָה עִם אֲבוֹתָיו הִיא הַגְּוִיעָה וְלֹא הַקְּבוּרָה, כְּמוֹ: וַיִּשְׁכַּב דָּוִד עִם אֲבֹתָיו, וְאַחַר כָּךְ וַיִּקָּבֵר בְּעִיר דָּוִד (מלכים א ב'):
31He said, “Swear to me.” So Joseph swore to him. Israel prostrated himself toward the head of the bed.   לאוַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִשָּֽׁבְעָה֙ לִ֔י וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע ל֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַל־רֹ֥אשׁ הַמִּטָּֽה:
וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל - Israel prostrated himself - as the proverb says: “When the fox has his moment, bow to him.”   וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל.  תַּעֲלָא בְּעִידָּנֵיהּ סְגִיד לֵיהּ:
עַל־רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּֽה - Toward the head of the bed. He turned around toward the Divine Presence. Our sages inferred from here that the Divine Presence rests above the head of a sick person. Another explanation of עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה: He bowed in gratitude because his “couch” (i.e., his family) was complete and contained no wicked person, for even Joseph, who was a king and had also been in captivity among gentiles, remained firm in his righteousness.   עַל־רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּֽה.  הָפַךְ עַצְמוֹ לְצַד הַשְּׁכִינָה. מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה לְמַעְלָה מֵרַאֲשׁוֹתָיו שֶׁל חוֹלֶה (שבת י"ב, נדרים מ'); דָּבָר אַחֵר עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה – עַל שֶׁהָיְתָה מִטָּתוֹ שְׁלֵמָה וְלֹא הָיָה בָהּ רֶשַׁע, שֶׁהֲרֵי יוֹסֵף מֶלֶךְ הוּא, וְעוֹד שֶׁנִּשְׁבָּה לְבֵין הַגּוֹיִם, וַהֲרֵי הוּא עוֹמֵד בְּצִדְקוֹ:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 48

1Some time after these words were exchanged, Ephraim told Joseph, “Your father is ailing.” So Joseph took his two sons with him: Manasseh and Ephraim.   אוַיְהִ֗י אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְיוֹסֵ֔ף הִנֵּ֥ה אָבִ֖יךָ חֹלֶ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־שְׁנֵ֤י בָנָיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ אֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה וְאֶת־אֶפְרָֽיִם:
וַיֹּאמֶר לְיוֹסֵף - He told Joseph. “He” refers to one of the messengers, and this is an abbreviated verse. And some say: Ephraim would study regularly with Jacob, and when Jacob took ill in Goshen, Ephraim went to his father in Egypt to tell him.   וַיֹּאמֶר לְיוֹסֵף.  אֶחָד מִן הַמַּגִּידִים, וַהֲרֵי זֶה מִקְרָא קָצָר; וְיֵשׁ אוֹמָרִים, אֶפְרַיִם הָיָה רָגִיל לִפְנֵי יַעֲקֹב בְּתַלְמוּד, וּכְשֶׁחָלָה יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן, הָלַךְ אֶפְרַיִם אֵצֶל אָבִיו לְמִצְרַיִם לְהַגִּיד לוֹ:
וַיִּקַּח אֶת־שְׁנֵי בָנָיו עִמּוֹ - So he took his two sons with him - in order that Jacob bless them before his death.   וַיִּקַּח אֶת־שְׁנֵי בָנָיו עִמּוֹ.  כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּבָרְכֵם יַעֲקֹב לִפְנֵי מוֹתוֹ:
2Ephraim told Jacob, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” so Israel summoned his strength and sat up in bed.   בוַיַּגֵּ֣ד לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֛ה בִּנְךָ֥ יוֹסֵ֖ף בָּ֣א אֵלֶ֑יךָ וַיִּתְחַזֵּק֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב עַל־הַמִּטָּֽה:
וַיַּגֵּד - He informed – i.e., the messenger - “to Jacob,” but it does not specify who it was. There are many such verses written in an abbreviated way.   וַיַּגֵּד.  הַמַּגִּיד לְיַעֲקֹב, וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מִי; וְהַרְבֵּה מִקְרָאוֹת קִצְרֵי לָשׁוֹן:
וַיִּתְחַזֵּק יִשְׂרָאֵל - So Israel summoned his strength. He said: “Although he is my son, he is a king, so I will give him honor.” From here we learn that we must show honor to a person of royal rank. Similarly, Moses showed honor to royalty, for he said to Pharaoh: “All these courtiers of yours [euphemistically meaning ‘you’] will then come to me,” 4 and so did Elijah: “he girded his loins and ran before Ach’av.5   וַיִּתְחַזֵּק יִשְׂרָאֵל.  אָמַר, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא בְּנִי, מֶלֶךְ הוּא, אֶחֱלֹק לוֹ כָּבוֹד; מִכָּאן שֶׁחוֹלְקִין כָּבוֹד לַמַּלְכוּת, וְכֵן מֹשֶׁה חָלַק כָּבוֹד לַמַּלְכוּת – וְיָרְדוּ כָל עֲבָדֶיךָ אֵלֶּה אֵלַי (שמות י"א); וְכֵן אֵלִיָּהוּ, וַיְשַׁנֵּס מָתְנָיו וְגוֹ' (מלכים א י"ח):
3Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me in Luz, in Canaan, and blessed me.   גוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹב֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף אֵ֥ל שַׁדַּ֛י נִרְאָֽה־אֵלַ֥י בְּל֖וּז בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיְבָ֖רֶךְ אֹתִֽי:
4He said to me, ‘I will make you fruitful and numerous and I will make of you a community of peoples, and I will give this land to your descendants after you as their permanent estate.’   דוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י הִנְנִ֤י מַפְרְךָ֙ וְהִרְבִּיתִ֔ךָ וּנְתַתִּ֖יךָ לִקְהַ֣ל עַמִּ֑ים וְנָ֨תַתִּ֜י אֶת־הָאָ֧רֶץ הַזֹּ֛את לְזַרְעֲךָ֥ אַֽחֲרֶ֖יךָ אֲחֻזַּ֥ת עוֹלָֽם:
וּנְתַתִּיךָ לִקְהַל עַמִּים - And I will make of you a community of peoples. God informed me that a “community” and “peoples” were yet destined to descend from me. And although He had in fact said to me: “a nation [i.e., one nation] and a community of nations [i.e., two more nations (or peoples), thus implying a total of three ‘nations,’ i.e., tribes]6 – “a nation” that He said to me was referring to Benjamin, who was born shortly thereafter. Thus, “a community of nations” is referring to two others besides Benjamin – and no further son was born to me. He thus intimated to me that one of my tribes was destined to split into two, and now I give you that privilege of becoming two tribes.   וּנְתַתִּיךָ לִקְהַל עַמִּים.  בִּשְּׂרַנִי שֶׁעֲתִידִים לָצֵאת מִמֶּנִּי עוֹד קָהָל וְעַמִּים, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַר לִי גּוֹי וּקְהַל גּוֹיִם, גּוֹי אָמַר לִי עַל בִּנְיָמִין; קְהַל גּוֹיִם – הֲרֵי שְׁנַיִם לְבַד מִבִּנְיָמִין, וְשׁוּב לֹא נוֹלַד לִי בֵּן, לִמְּדַנִי שֶׁעָתִיד אֶחָד מִשְּׁבָטַי לְהֵחָלֵק, וְעַתָּה אוֹתָהּ מַתָּנָה אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לְךָ:
5Now, your two sons who were born to you in Egypt before I came to you, to Egypt, will be considered mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be to me like my own sons, Reuben and Simeon.   הוְעַתָּ֡ה שְׁנֵֽי־בָנֶ֩יךָ֩ הַנּֽוֹלָדִ֨ים לְךָ֜ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֗יִם עַד־בֹּאִ֥י אֵלֶ֛יךָ מִצְרַ֖יְמָה לִי־הֵ֑ם אֶפְרַ֨יִם֙ וּמְנַשֶּׁ֔ה כִּרְאוּבֵ֥ן וְשִׁמְע֖וֹן יִֽהְיוּ־לִֽי:
הַנּֽוֹלָדִים לְךָ עַד־בֹּאִי אֵלֶיךָ - Who were born to you… (lit.) until I came to you. means “before I came to you,” i.e., they were born during the time from when you left me until I came to you.   הַנּֽוֹלָדִים לְךָ עַד־בֹּאִי אֵלֶיךָ.  לִפְנֵי בּוֹאִי אֵלֶיךָ, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁנּוֹלְדוּ מִשֶּׁפֵּרַשְׁתָּ מִמֶּנִּי עַד שֶׁבָּאתִי אֶצְלְךָ:
לִי־הֵם - Will be considered mine - i.e., they are to be counted together with my other sons in taking a share in the Land of Israel, each receiving a corresponding portion.   לִי־הֵם.  בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן שְׁאָר בָּנַי הֵם, לִטֹּל חֵלֶק בָּאָרֶץ אִישׁ כְּנֶגְדּוֹ:
6Any offspring born to you after them, however, will be considered yours; when they inherit their portion of the Promised Land, they will be included under their brothers’ names as part of their tribes.   ווּמֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֛ אֲשֶׁר־הוֹלַ֥דְתָּ אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֖ם לְךָ֣ יִֽהְי֑וּ עַ֣ל שֵׁ֧ם אֲחֵיהֶ֛ם יִקָּֽרְא֖וּ בְּנַֽחֲלָתָֽם:
וּמֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ וגו' - Any offspring…. i.e., if you have any more children, they will not be counted as my sons, but be included among the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, and not have their own names as tribes regarding the inheritance of the Land of Israel. And even though the land was divided according to head count, as it says: “You must give a larger inheritance to the large tribe,” 7 and every man took an equal portion except for the firstborn, nevertheless, only these of Joseph’s sons were called tribes – with regard to drawing lots for dividing the land according to the count of named tribes, appointing a prince for each tribe, and assigning banners for each of them.   וּמֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ וגו'.  אִם תּוֹלִיד עוֹד, לֹא יִהְיוּ בְּמִנְיַן בָּנַי, אֶלָּא בְּתוֹךְ שִׁבְטֵי אֶפְרַיִם וּמְנַשֶּׁה יִהְיוּ נִכְלָלִים, וְלֹא יְהֵא לָהֶם שֵׁם בַּשְּׁבָטִים לְעִנְיַן הַנַּחֲלָה; וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנֶּחְלְקָה הָאָרֶץ לְמִנְיַן גֻּלְגְּלוֹתָם, כְּדִכְתִיב לָרַב תַּרְבֶּה נַחֲלָתוֹ (במדבר כ"ו), וְכָל אִישׁ וְאִישׁ נָטַל בְּשָׁוֶה חוּץ מִן הַבְּכוֹרוֹת, מִכָּל מָקוֹם לֹא נִקְרְאוּ שְׁבָטִים אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ, (לְהַטִּיל גּוֹרַל הָאָרֶץ לְמִנְיַן שְׁמוֹת הַשְּׁבָטִים וְנָשִׂיא לְכָל שֵׁבֶט וָשֵׁבֶט וּדְגָלִים לָזֶה וְלָזֶה):
7When I was coming from Padan Aram, your mother Rachel died on me in Canaan; we were still only a stretch of land short of reaching Efrat. I buried her there, along the road to Efrat, which is Bethlehem.”   זוַֽאֲנִ֣י | בְּבֹאִ֣י מִפַּדָּ֗ן מֵ֩תָה֩ עָלַ֨י רָחֵ֜ל בְּאֶ֤רֶץ כְּנַ֨עַן֙ בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ בְּע֥וֹד כִּבְרַת־אֶ֖רֶץ לָבֹ֣א אֶפְרָ֑תָה וָֽאֶקְבְּרֶ֤הָ שָּׁם֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אֶפְרָ֔ת הִ֖וא בֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם:
וַֽאֲנִי בְּבֹאִי מִפַּדָּן וגו' - When I was coming from Padan… Although I am troubling you to take me to be buried in Canaan, and I did not trouble myself so for your mother – for she died close to Bethlehem.   וַֽאֲנִי בְּבֹאִי מִפַּדָּן וגו'.  וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֲנִי מַטְרִיחַ עָלֶיךָ לְהוֹלִיכֵנִי לְהִקָּבֵר בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן, וְלֹא כָךְ עָשִׂיתִי לְאִמְּךָ, שֶׁהֲרֵי מֵתָה סָמוּךְ לְבֵית לֶחֶם:
כִּבְרַת־אֶרֶץ - A stretch of land - i.e., a measure of land, i.e., 2000 cubits, equivalent to the distance within which one is permitted to walk outside the town’s inhabited limits on the Sabbath. This follows the opinion of Rabbi Moshe HaDarshan. And do not think that it was the rain that prevented me from bringing her to Hebron for burial, for it was the dry season when the ground is riddled with potholes like a sieve (כְּבָרָה).   כִּבְרַת־אֶרֶץ.  מִדַּת אֶרֶץ, וְהֵם אַלְפַּיִם אַמָּה כְּמִדַּת תְּחוּם שַׁבָּת, כְּדִבְרֵי רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן – וְלֹא תֹאמַר שֶׁעִכְּבוּ עָלַי גְּשָׁמִים מִלְּהוֹלִיכָהּ וּלְקָבְרָהּ בְּחֶבְרוֹן, עֵת הַגָּרִיד הָיָה, שֶׁהָאָרֶץ חֲלוּלָה וּמְנֻקֶּבֶת כִּכְבָרָה:
אקברה שָּׁם - I buried her there- 

and I did not even carry her to Bethlehem to bring her into an inhabited part of the land. I know that there is resentment in your heart toward me because of this, but please know that I buried her there by the command of God – so that she help her descendants when Nevuzaradan would exile them, for when they were passing that way, Rachel emerged and stood by her grave, weeping and requesting mercy from God for them, as it says: “A voice is heard on high…Rachel weeping for her children…”; 8 and the Holy One, blessed be He, answered her: “for there is a reward for your deed, declares God… your descendants will return to their border.” 9

Onkelos translates כִּבְרַת אֶרֶץ by כְּרוּב אַרְעָא – the amount equal to the amount of earth that can be plowed in one day. I maintain that they had a fixed quantity which they called the amount of one furrow – “caruede” in Old French, as we find: כָּרִיב וְתָנִי “he plows and plows again”; 10 and: “the amount a fox brings up with its feet from a plowed field (בֵּי כַּרְבָּא).” 11

  אקברה שָּׁם.  וְלֹא הוֹלַכְתִּיהָ אֲפִלּוּ לְבֵית לֶחֶם לְהַכְנִיסָהּ לָאָרֶץ, וְיָדַעְתִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּלִבְּךָ עָלַי; אֲבָל דַּע לְךָ שֶׁעַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר קְבַרְתִּיהָ שָׁם, שֶׁתְּהֵא לְעֶזְרָה לְבָנֶיהָ כְּשֶׁיַּגְלֶה אוֹתָם נְבוּזַרְאֲדָן, וְהָיוּ עוֹבְרִים דֶּרֶךְ שָׁם, יוֹצֵאת רָחֵל עַל קִבְרָהּ וּבוֹכָה וּמְבַקֶּשֶׁת עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר קוֹל בְּרָמָה נִשְׁמָע וְגוֹ' וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְשִׁיבָהּ יֵשׁ שָׂכָר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ נְאֻם ה' וְשָׁבוּ בָנִים לִגְבוּלָם (ירמיהו ל"א). וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם כְּרוּב אַרְעָא – כְּדֵי שִׁעוּר חֲרִישַׁת יוֹם; וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי, שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם קֶצֶב שֶׁהָיוּ קוֹרִין אוֹתוֹ כְּדֵי מַחֲרֵשָׁה אַחַת, קורדיי"א בְּלַעַז, כִּדְאָמְרִינַן כָּרֵיב וְתָנֵי; כְּמָה דְּמַסִּיק תַּעֲלָא מִבֵּי כַּרְבָּא:
8Israel saw Joseph’s sons and asked Joseph, “Who are these?”   חוַיַּ֥רְא יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מִי־אֵֽלֶּה:
וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־בְּנֵי יוֹסֵף - Israel saw Joseph’s sons. He wished to bless them, but the Divine Presence departed from him, because Yarov’am and Ach’av were destined to be born from Ephraim, and Yehu and his sons from Manasseh.   וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־בְּנֵי יוֹסֵף.  בִּקֵּשׁ לְבָרְכָם וְנִסְתַּלְּקָה שְׁכִינָה מִמֶּנּוּ, לְפִי שֶׁעָתִיד יָרָבְעָם וְאַחְאָב לָצֵאת מֵאֶפְרַיִם וְיֵהוּא וּבָנָיו מִמְּנַשֶּׁה:
וַיֹּאמֶר מִי־אֵֽלֶּה - And asked, “Who are these?” - i.e., “from where did these come, as they are unworthy of blessing?”   וַיֹּאמֶר מִי־אֵֽלֶּה.  מֵהֵיכָן יָצְאוּ אֵלּוּ, שֶׁאֵינָן רְאוּיִין לִבְרָכָה:
9Joseph replied to his father, “They are my sons, whom God gave me in this country.” Jacob said, “If you would, bring them to me so that I may bless them.”   טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יוֹסֵף֙ אֶל־אָבִ֔יו בָּנַ֣י הֵ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־נָֽתַן־לִ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּזֶ֑ה וַיֹּאמַ֕ר קָֽחֶם־נָ֥א אֵלַ֖י וַֽאֲבָֽרֲכֵֽם:
בָּזֶה - In this country. The word בָּזֶה can also mean “By means of this.” He showed Jacob his betrothal contract and marriage contract. Joseph then prayed to God concerning this matter, and the Holy Spirit again rested on Jacob.   בָּזֶה.  הֶרְאָה לוֹ שְׁטָר אֵרוּסִין וּשְׁטָר כְּתֻבָּה, וּבִקֵּשׁ יוֹסֵף רַחֲמִים עַל הַדָּבָר, וְנָחָה עָלָיו רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ:
וַיֹּאמֶר קָֽחֶם־נָא אֵלַי וַֽאֲבָֽרֲכֵֽם - Jacob said, “If you would, bring them to me so that I may bless them.”. It is about this that the verse states: “And I led Ephraim; he took them upon his arms” 12i.e., I led My Spirit to Jacob for Ephraim’s sake, until he took Ephraim and Manasseh upon his arms.   וַיֹּאמֶר קָֽחֶם־נָא אֵלַי וַֽאֲבָֽרֲכֵֽם.  זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב וְאָנֹכִי תִרְגַּלְתִּי לְאֶפְרַיִם קָחָם עַל זְרוֹעֹתָיו (הושע י"א) – תִּרְגַּלְתִּי רוּחִי בְּיַעֲקֹב בִּשְׁבִיל אֶפְרַיִם עַד שֶׁלְּקָחָן עַל זְרוֹעוֹתָיו: