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Jacob lies on his death bed and Joseph brings him his two sons to bless. Joseph lines them up in order of age: Menashe, the oldest, on Jacob’s right, and Ephraim, the youngest, on Jacob’s left. Jacob has other ideas. He crosses his hands, placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head and his left hand on Menashe’s head. Joseph attempts to correct his father, informing him that the oldest grandson is already on his right-hand side. But Jacob is adamant [Bereishit 48:19]: “I know, my son, I know; he too will become a nation and he too will be great. But his younger brother will be greater than he and his children[‘s fame] will fill the nations”. Jacob then blesses his grandchildren [Bereishit 48:20]: “‘By you shall Israel invoke blessings, saying: G-d make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’ Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh”. Most of the medieval commentators assert that the words “Thus he put Ephraim before Menashe” mean that in Jacob’s blessing, Ephraim’s name is mentioned before Menashe’s name. Our Sages in the