488. "And he blessed them that day, saying (Heb. lemor), 'By you shall Israel bless'" (Beresheet 48:20). HE ASKS, What is the meaning of "that day?" It would have been enough to say just "And he blessed them." Also the word 'lemor' is normally spelled without Vav, but here there is an additional Vav. What is the reason for the difference?
489. HE ANSWERS, "And he blessed them that day" is a mystery. That day is the secret of the grade in charge over the blessings above, BINAH; "That day" is the day, ZEIR ANPIN, which is from the supernal place called "that (lit. 'he')" WHICH IS BINAH. "That day" INDICATES THAT there is no separation between "day" and "that." Wherever IT IS SAID "that day," there are two grades, the supernal grade, BINAH, and the lower, ZEIR ANPIN, when they are together; MEANING, WHEN ZEIR ANPIN ASCENDED TO BINAH AND BECAME LIKE IT.
490. This is why when Jacob wished to bless Joseph's children, he blessed them all as one by the union of high and low, so that their blessing would prevail. He then included them all together, saying, "By you shall Israel bless." What is "By you?" Assuredly this is the secret of union. First he blessed from below upward, MEANING, IN "AND HE BLESSED THEM THAT DAY," WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN AND BINAH TOGETHER, and then he descended into the middle TO ZEIR ANPIN and down TO THE NUKVA. 'Lemor' with Vav is the middle, SINCE VAV IS AN ALLUSION TO ZEIR ANPIN. He then went down, SAYING "by you," WHICH REFERS TO THE NUKVA. Thus THE BLESSING is well formed, being from below upward and from above downward.
491. "By you shall Israel bless:" HE ASKS, What is Israel? HE ANSWERS, It is Yisrael Saba, ZEIR ANPIN OF BINAH. It does not say, 'Shall Israel be blessed' but "Shall Israel bless," WHICH MEANS HE WILL BLESS OTHERS. This is because Yisrael-SABA receives blessings from above and then blesses all through the low grade, THE NUKVA, by saying "By you shall Israel bless, saying," WHICH MEANS THAT THROUGH "BY YOU (HEB. BECHA)," BY THE NUKVA, YISRAEL-SABA SHALL BLESS ALL.
492. "Elohim makes you as Ephraim and Menasheh" (Ibid.): He mentions Ephraim first, since Ephraim is called by the name of Yisrael. How do we know that? The tribe of Ephraim left before the time was over of the Egyptian enslavement, by trying to force time and come out of exile, and their foes rose against them and killed them. It is written, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Yisrael" (Yechezkel 37:11). From this, it is understood that EPHRAIM IS CONSIDERED AS YISRAEL, since it says "the whole house of Yisrael." Jacob therefore put Ephraim before Menasheh. Thus Ephraim journeyed on the west side, which was his path, AS THE SHECHINAH IS ON THE WEST, WHO COMPRISES ALL YISRAEL. THEREFORE EPHRAIM, BEING CALLED YISRAEL, WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE SHECHINAH.
493. Come and see, Why did the blessing he gave to Joseph's children precede that of his own children? HE ANSWERS, This teaches us that love of grandchildren surpasses the love of one's own children. Therefore, SINCE HIS LOVE FOR HIS GRANDCHILDREN IS STRONGER THAN THAT FOR HIS CHILDREN, he blessed them first.
494. "And he blessed them that day, saying:" Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion saying, "Hashem has remembered us, He will bless, He will bless the house of Yisrael" (Tehilim 115:12). WHY IS IT WRITTEN TWICE "BLESS?" HE SAYS, "Hashem has remembered us, He will bless" refers to the men. "He will bless the house of Yisrael" refers to the women. For the men should be blessed first and then the women, since women are blessed only through the blessing of men. When the men are blessed, the women are blessed. THIS MAY BE DERIVED from the verse, if you wish "And shall make atonement for himself and for his house" (Vayikra 16:6). One should first atone for himself and only then for his house, SINCE MEN COME BEFORE WOMEN, so that she will be blessed from him.
495. Come and see, Women are blessed only through men, who are blessed first, and thus, by their blessings are women blessed, AND NEED NO SPECIAL BLESSING FOR THEMSELVES. HE ASKS, How can we account for the words, "He will bless the house of Yisrael," SEEING THAT WOMEN NEED NO SPECIAL BLESSING FOR THEMSELVES? HE ANSWERS, The Holy One, blessed be He, gives an additional blessing to a married man, so that his wife may be blessed from him. So always, the Holy One, blessed be He, gives an extra blessing to a married man, and gives him two portions, the one for him and another for his wife. And he receives everything, his own, and his wife's portion. HENCE THERE IS A SPECIAL BLESSING FOR THE WOMEN "HE WILL BLESS THE HOUSE OF YISRAEL," SINCE IT IS THEIR OWN PORTION. THOUGH MEN RECEIVE THEIR PORTION TOO, THEY LATER GIVE IT TO THEM, AS EXPLAINED.
496. "And he blessed them that day" is joined by the word 'lemor' (Eng. 'saying'), with Vav. Here is an allusion to a firstborn son, SINCE VAV ALLUDES TO BIRTHRIGHT, as it is written, "Israel is My son, My firstborn" (Shemot 4:22) and "Ephraim is My firstborn" (Yirmeyah 31:8). For this, there is an additional Vav, FOR EPHRAIM WHO WAS INCLUDED WITHIN THAT BLESSING.