Sicha, 10th of Teves 5742
A. The Older or the Younger?
As Jacob nears his passing, he asks to bless Joseph’s sons. Joseph positions Manasseh, the firstborn, at his father’s right, but Jacob deliberately places his right hand on the head of Ephraim, the younger, because he is destined to be greater than Manasseh (Source 1).
The Kli Yakar explains that both approaches—those of Jacob and Joseph—are justified according to the Torah. Joseph acted in accordance with the natural order, whereas Jacob teaches that in matters of holiness, there is an advantage precisely in one who is small and self-effacing. Such a person is a fitting vessel for the Divine light and is therefore suited to receive great blessings. This is why Ephraim was given precedence in receiving the blessings (Source 2).
There is a lesson here for us in our personal Divine service. In Torah study—when we learn with self-nullification and humility, our heart truly opens to absorb the Torah. Therefore, the halachah was decided in accordance with the School of Hillel, because they were humble and lowly in spirit (Source 3). Similarly in prayer—when we stand before G-d with submission and humility, our prayer is most effective.
The Torah’s narrative teaches us to follow Jacob’s example and pursue a path of self-nullification and humility. Precisely through lowliness we can merit lofty spiritual ascent and draw upon ourselves great blessings.
B. Spiritual Conquest of the Seven Nations
Jacob blesses Joseph that he will receive an additional portion beyond his brothers as an inheritance for his sons. This is the land of the Amorites, which Jacob conquered (Source 4). Since the Amorites are considered the strongest of the seven nations, conquering it effectively includes the conquest of all seven nations.
In spiritual service, the seven nations symbolize the seven negative traits within the human heart. Among them, the kelipah of the Amorite is the most difficult. Our task is to conquer and refine these traits, elevating them from the kelipah to holiness. When our heart is refined, our entire conduct becomes fitting, and thus we “conquer the land of the seven nations” and transform it into the Land of Israel.
How do we conquer the Amorites? “With my sword and my bow”—this refers to the service of prayer. A sword kills a close and revealed enemy, while a bow targets an enemy that is distant and hidden. The arrow is released by pulling the bowstring downward, and the deeper the pull, the farther the arrow will travel.
So too in the service of prayer: there are difficulties and enemies that we sense clearly, and there are others that we do not feel at all because they are deep and concealed within our soul. To conquer the subtle and hidden kelipah, the service of prayer must be in the mode of a bow—through self-nullification and submission. The more we nullify ourselves and plead with G-d for help, the more we merit an abundance of blessing. The more we ask and plead, the more we arouse abundant mercy (Source 5).
