Ephraim and the Messiah son of Joseph, Extracts from Commentary to VaYechi. 2013, updated December 2022
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Rabbinical Sources
3. Samson Raphael Hirsch
4. The Protecting Angel and Names of the Forefathers.
5. Joseph as the Future Redeemer of his Brothers?
6. Ephraim as an Empowering Influence for all Israel
7. Messiah son of Joseph.
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The Lost Ten Tribes are amongst Western Peoples. Amongst these Tribes it was predicted that the descendants of Joseph would be especially important. The Blessing given to Joseph by his father Jacob are described in Genesis 48 and 49. Shimshon Rafael Hirsch (1808 -1888), a foremost Rabbinical Commentator, noted points of great value to our studies in his Commentary to the Pentateuch which is the name given to the First Five books of the Bible. These explanations are consistent with the Hebrew text and add another dimension to our understanding of Scripture.
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Rabbinical Sources consist of Talmud, Midrashim, Aramaic Translations and Paraphrases and later Rabbinical Commentaries.
A common denominator is that they are accepted by mainstream Orthodox Judaism as opposed to Apocryphic and other works.
Rabbinical Sources are usually written in Hebrew or Aramaic.
There are exceptions.
S.R. Hirsch for instance lived in Germany of the 1800s and wrote his commentaries in a flowery literary German that was fashionable in his time. He too would be considered a Rabbinical source.
Rabbinical Sources usually date from the Common Era but some pre-date it.
Sometimes Talmudic sources are distinguished from Rabbinical ones.
For our purposes however they may be considered as one.
Rabbinical Sources may sometimes contradict each other.
Unlike the Bible we do not have to accept all of them.
Rabbinical opinion is only binding on Jews when it comes to a practical application of the given Law.
Otherwise they are optional.
Nevertheless all these opinions need to be treated with respect. Despite the differences that may appear amongst them an overall consensus usually emerges.
We use Rabbinical opinions to tell us where the Ten Tribes may be or to confirm our own understanding of the Hebrew text.
An advantage of Rabbinical sources is that they are not prejudiced. Once explaining Biblical text, they tell it as it seems to be even when from their point of view it must have been perplexing.
We do not know if any of them ever suspected the Lost Ten Tribes to be amongst West European peoples.
They may have done so but there is nothing definite and unequivocal in that direction.
When therefore they give interpretations that are consist with our own understanding then they become for us a source of reassurance.
Rabbinical Sources are also, in our opinion, often inspired.
How this works it is difficult to say since they do not always agree with each other. Neither do we constantly agree with them.
Even so, when reading their works this is the feeling one gets. Inspiration.
It should also be noted that in our time bringing Rabbinical writings to the attention of non-Jews is usually not encouraged. If it were not for their relevance to Ten Tribe studies we probably would not speak of them.
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Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808 -1888)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson_Raphael_Hirsch
is a source we have used on several occasions.
His insights into the meaning of Biblical Passages and the etymology of Hebrew words have been invaluable.
[The extracts below from the Commentary of S.R. Hirsch have been translated from the Hebrew which in turn is a translation from the original German. Minor discrepancies may therefore exist when compared to other versions.]
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4. The Protecting Angel and Names of the Forefathers.
Jacob blessed Joseph that his sons (Ephraim and Manasseh) would be redeemed by the same Angel who had redeemed him and that the sons should be named after himself and their forefathers. The last points was fulfilled by the Celtic and English-Speaking peoples in the west. The Celts referrred to themselves as Iberi meaning Hebrew and Abraham had been known as "The Hebrew". Later Isacon (i.e. Isaac) would be the name given to their primal ancestor. The Scythians, Scots, and Saxons were also named after Isaac. The Americans are nick-named Yanks which is another form of Jake which in turn is short for Jacob.
See: Israelite Name-Sakes
The question remains, Where does the angel come into this? Why mention an angel at all? Why not just the Almighty?
The Bible says:
Genesis (NKJV) 48:
15 AND HE BLESSED JOSEPH, AND SAID:
"GOD, BEFORE WHOM MY FATHERS ABRAHAM AND ISAAC WALKED,
THE GOD WHO HAS FED ME ALL MY LIFE LONG TO THIS DAY,
16 THE ANGEL WHO HAS REDEEMED ME FROM ALL EVIL,
BLESS THE LADS;
LET MY NAME BE NAMED UPON THEM,
AND THE NAME OF MY FATHERS ABRAHAM AND ISAAC;
AND LET THEM GROW INTO A MULTITUDE IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH."
Hirsch points out that being fed daily, receviing sustenance for one self and for dependents, each day, is in itself a type of Redemption. If we open our eyes we can see through it the ongoing proof of Divine Providence.
Psalms (NKJV) 111:
5 HE HAS GIVEN FOOD TO THOSE WHO FEAR HIM;
HE WILL EVER BE MINDFUL OF HIS COVENANT.
Hirsch says that not only the giving of food is a proof of Divine Providence but also that salvation from dangers we are not even necessarily aware of. This comes before everything. [We have enemies. The Jewish Peoples has enemies. The Western Peoples has enemies. The USA has enemies. 100s of million of fanatical Muslims want to destroy the State of Israel and everyone in it. The Palestinians daily scream their intentions of wiping out the Jews in Israel - men, women and children. They are backed by most Nations of the Earth. Almost 90% of the UN member nations regularly issue condemnations of Israel for nothing, for fanatasies! This is the modern-day version of blood libels. Even countries such as Norway and Ireland that otherwise we would consider to be descended in large measure from the Lost Ten Tribes supoport the Palestinians. They give them money, and advice, diplomatic backing and send expert adivors and other volunteers to encourage them, to help them undermine the Jewish existence in the Holy land. So too, China, Russia, even Japan, Korea, Germany, much of the EU, Latin America, and more all want to destroy America. Britain also is being targeted. We need Divine Protection. We also need to look after ourselves. Each one of us in effect is surviving through the help of God. We should be aware of this. Not only that but also natural diasters, horrible diseases, and the like would all be liable to strike us down if the Almighty did not watch over us. We need to recognize this.
S. R. Hirsch says:
THE ONGOING CONTINUOUS REDEMPTION FROM DISASTER AND DESTRUCTION... IS A PRE-CONDITION FOR THE VERY EXISTENCE OF A PERSON... IT DERIVES FROM THE SLOT THAT DIVINE PROVIDENCE BESTOWED ON A MAN OR A NATION IN THE BUSTLE OF THE WORLD... THIS ASPECT OF REDEMPTION IS TO BE CONSIDERED AS AN ANGEL [HEBREW, "MALACKH"], AN EMISSARY OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE... IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE WORD MALAKH [ANGEL, EMISSARY] DERIVES FROM MELEKH [MONARCH] [In Hebrew the two words "Malach" meaning "angel": and "Melech" meaning "Monarch" are spelt similarly] THAT IS A POWER THAT WORKS AND KEEPS GOING. IT DOES NOT WORK ON ITS OWN INITIATIVE BUT BEARS WITHIN ITSELF THE HIDDEN QUALITY OF ANOTHER PERSONALITY THAT GUIDES IT....
In Hebrew the word translated as angel is "malakh" which may also sometimes simply mean "emissary, messenger". Hirsch applies the term in the case of Jacob to the special protective influence the Almighty had bequeathed him as a natural attribute, a concomitant accompaniment that would always be with him. This is what he bequeathed to the sons of Joseph.
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5. Joseph as the Future Redeemer of his Brothers?
In Genesis chapter 34 we are told how after Jacob came to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan (Genesis 33:18), Dinah the daughter of Jacob was abducted and raped and abused by Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the region. The sons of Jacob tricked the inhabitants of Shechem to circumcise themselves. After that Simeon and Levi killed all the males of the city and took the females captive.
Subsequently in Genesis chapter 35 we are told how Jacob commanded his household to purify themselves of idolatry which they did. Then they moved away in the direction of Beth-el to the south.
The Bible tells us that after that:
Genesis 35:
5 AS THEY JOURNEYED, A TERROR FROM GOD FELL UPON THE CITIES ALL AROUND THEM, SO THAT NO ONE PURSUED THEM.
It would seem from this that the neighboring peoples had not interfered.
Nevertheless, there is a Midrash that before moving away the Canaanite-Amorite kinfolk of Schechem had indeed attacked Jacob and family. Jacob rallied his sons and defeated the Amorites aggressors. After that they moved off and the terror of God fell upon the surroundings. Nachmanides discusses this at length.
The city of Schechem therefore became the portion [also called "schechem" in Hebrew] that Jacob had taken with his sword and bow from the Amorites (Genesis 48:22).
Hirsch takes the above as a given situation but adds something else.
He seems to re-interpret the verse (Genesis 48:22) as saying,
I NOW GIVE TO YOU ONE PORTION [Hebrew "schechem" the same as the name of the city "Schechem"] OVER YOUR BROTHERS WHOM I TOOK FROM THE HAND OF THE AMORITES WITH MY SWORD AND WITH MY BOW.
The verse is now re-read (alongside the original reading ) to also be saying that Jacob rescued the brothers from the Amorites! It was this role that Jacob was giving to Joseph.
S.R. Hirsch says:
That which I have to give to you [i.e. to Joseph] I have already given to you: The task and role of filling my place in guiding the family, to be the first amongst your brothers, my sons, this is my conquest and my victory that I took from the hands of the Amorites.
Jacob prayed that his grandsons [Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph] would receive the same blessing from the hand of the angel who redeemed him from evil, through whom Jacob ensured his continued existence and development... [Jacob was saying that] so would they be called by my name and by the name of my forefathers.
Will it be, as Prophesy indicates, that Joseph will rescue his brother Tribes from foreign oppressors in the End Times? IN WW2 the Allies headed by Britaina nd the Commonewealth and by the the USA saved the world and Israelite Nations on the Continent from Nazi Oppression. The Germans had conquered the partly Israelite countries of Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, and threatened to eventually take over Fiuland, Sweden, Switzerland. The Allies Victory saved them. The Allies were dominated by descendants of Joseph. The Germans conquered the Jewish Popuialtions of much of Europe. They murdered 6 million of them. They intended to exterminate them all, everywhere. That becvame the main aim of the war, to kill the Jews. Those Jews who survived did so, thanks in large measure to the victory of the Allies, of the forces of Joseph! The same thing could happen today. A constant barrage of anti-Jewish anit-Israel propaganda is being produced and propagated day by day.
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6. Ephraim as an Empowering Influence for all Israel
Genesis 48:19 BUT HIS FATHER [JACOB] REFUSED, AND SAID, I KNOW, MY SON, I KNOW; HE [MANASSEH] ALSO SHALL BECOME A PEOPLE, AND HE ALSO SHALL BE GREAT. NEVERTHELESS, HIS YOUNGER BROTHER [EPHRAIM] SHALL BE GREATER THAN HE, AND HIS OFFSPRING SHALL FILL THE NATIONS ["Malay Ha-Goyim," i.e. ensure their existence].
S.R. Hirsch says:
THE DESCENDANTS OF EPHRAIM WILL COMPLEMENT THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. THEY SHALL BE THEIR WEAPONS OF WAR TOWARDS OUTSIDERS... HIS DESCENDANTS WILL SUPPLEMENT WHAT IS LACKING IN THE EXTERNAL AFFAIRS OF THE OTHER TRIBES. THE DREADED AWE OF EPHRAIM SHALL BE ON THE OTHER NATIONS. THE EPHRAIMITES SHALL INTENSIFY THE POWER OF THE TRIBES AND BE THEIR FORCE OF ARMS AGAINST FOREIGNERS...
THE KINGDOM OF EPHRAIM WAS SIMILAR IN ITS CHARACTERISTICS TO A NON-JEWISH POLITY. ..
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The Messiah son of Joseph is a figure who will precede the Messiah son of David. This concept was known from the earliest times but recently has aroused increased interest. In some sources MBJ represents a coming leader of the Ten Tribes who will save them and begin the process of reconciliation with Judah. He will help Judah rebuild the Land and ingather Exiles.
See: Messiah son of Joseph
http://www.britam.org/ContentsSubject.html#Messiah
Genesis 49:
26 THE BLESSINGS OF YOUR FATHER ARE STRONGER THAN THE BLESSINGS OF THE ETERNAL MOUNTAINS,
THE BOUNDARIES OF THE EVERLASTING HILLS;
MAY THEY BE ON THE HEAD OF JOSEPH,
ON THE BROW OF HIM WHO WAS SET APART FROM HIS BROTHERS.
S.R. Hirsch says:
JUDAH AND JOSEPH ARE THE TWO CENTRAL POINTS IN THE BLESSING OF JACOB. .. THIS WOULD CONTINUE TILL THE LAST GENERATION IN THE LATTER DAYS. ..
THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH AND THE HOUSE OF JUDAH, ACCORDING TO THE PROPHETS, ENCOMPASS ALL THE ISRAELITE PEOPLE...
WE HAVE A TRADITION THAT IN THE LAST DAYS THERE SHALL ARISE AN HEIR TO THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH TO PREPARE THE GROUND FOR A CHOSEN SCION FROM THE HOUSE OF JUDAH :
THE MESSIAH SON OF JOSEPH AND THE MESSIAH SON OF DAVID... THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO IS NOT CLEAR...
NEVERTHELESS, THERE IS CERTAINLY REASON FOR THE EMPHASIS OF JACOB THAT FUTURE HOPE AND BLESSINGS WOULD CONVERGE ON JOSEPH, NO LESS THAN ON JUDAH.