Vayechi: L’ ilui Nishmas Avraham Zev ben Yaakov – Dr. Abe Chames
The Chofetz Chaim on Parshas Vayechi
In this week’s parsha the pasuk states:
“Vayishlach Yisroel es yemino vayashes al rosh Ephraim v’hu hatza’ir… Yesimcha elokim k’Ephraim v’ch’Menashe” And Yisroel extended his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head though he was younger… ‘May G-d make you like Ephraim and like Menashe” (48:14, 20).
The Chofetz Chaim asks an obvious yet penetrating question: why did Yosef’s younger son, Ephraim, merit to receive the blessings from Yaakov before Menashe, Yosef’s older son? The Chofetz Chaim answers based on an allusion from our pasuk, that Ephraim was ‘tza’ir’, meaning he did not act haughtily but conducted himself with humility.
Indeed, Yaakov explains to Yosef why he switched his hands and placed his right hand on the head of Ephraim, “Echav hakaton yigdal mimenu- His (Menashe’s) younger brother shall become greater than him.” The Chofetz Chaim explains that this pasuk alludes to why Ephraim received the blessing first; because Ephraim made himself small, ‘hakaton’, he, therefore, merited greatness.
We see from here, continues the Chofetz Chaim, how Hashem despises the trait of haughtiness and loves the trait of humility; and a person must run from honor as he would run from fire.
Good Shabbos! |
