Vayechi: Chapter 36

"And he blessed Joseph"

Synopsis

From the explanations provided by Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Elazar, we learn that "And he blessed Joseph" se indicates that a blessing was conferred on both Joseph and his sons because a man's children are his own blessing. We also learn that the particle Et placed before Joseph is an allusion to Malchut. This means that he blessed the sign of the Holy Covenant, Malchut. According to the rabbis, all blessings originate in Binah, the source of life. They are then received by Jacob and passed to Malchut. Therefore, when a blessing is given, God must be blessed first if it is to be fulfilled. During morning prayer, we should first bless God and then bless the people of the world. We learn that when Jacob's father blessed him, he first blessed God in the statement, "the smell of my son is like the smell of a field"

The discussion then turns to the meaning of the verse, "These are your gods, Yisrael," The word "these," we are told, is a reference to the Serpent and its rider, the male and female of the Other Side who are not joined in unity like the Male and Female of Holiness. Following this, the verse, "For these I weep" is explained as a reference to the sin of the golden calf and the destruction of the temple. The word "these" is also written in relation to Holiness. However, through the Holy Spirit, Jacob saw that Jeroboam worshipped idols and correctly interpreted the verse, "These are your gods, Yisrael." He therefore blessed God and his sons, and ensured that his blessing would not be bestowed upon Jeroboam.

Relevance

By connecting us to the supernal blessings bestowed upon Joseph, we draw countless blessings upon our world, the dimension referred to as Malchut. This connection also ensures that all of our blessings take place after the blessings of our Creator. The Light aroused herein helps protect us from the Other Side and remove the negativity and darkness in our world resulting from the building of the Golden Calf and the destruction of the second temple.