In our Torah portion “Vayechi,” we read about a strange situation. Jacob’s family has been living in Egypt for 17 years, and the aged patriarch is about to depart from this world. Joseph, the prime minister of Egypt, learns of this and comes to his father in the land of Goshen with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim:
“When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he asked, ‘Who are these?’ Joseph answered, ‘They are my sons, whom God has given me here.’ And he said, ‘Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.’ For Israel’s eyes were dim with age, so that he could not see well. So he brought them near to him, and he kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said to Joseph, ‘I never expected to see your face again, and now God has even let me see your children.’ Then Joseph took them from his knees and bowed down with his face to the earth. After that Joseph took both of them—Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left, and Manasseh in his left hand...
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