When did Yaakov meet Menashe and Efraim?
The unit describing the meeting begins with the words, “And it came to pass after these things.” Which events are referred to here?
An examination of the text allows us to conclude that “it came to pass after these things” takes us back to an earlier point in time – specifically, after Yaakov arrived in Egypt. The account in our parasha, then, is a continuation of the first encounter between Yaakov and Yosef as described in the previous parasha.
Why is this summary of past events necessary?
Through an analysis of the blessings that Yaakov gave to his children and to Efraim and Menashe, we find an answer to this question. We can also appreciate the importance that Yaakov placed on each son’s inclusion in the nation, and recognize that the blessings represent a vision of the land promised to the tribes, spread out and depicted in all its glory.
