Over the past couple of years, this forum has regularly featured posts which seek to highlight the speculative methodologies which can be found within some academic source-criticism of the Torah. In a recent comment thread Micha Berger suggested that we should place greater emphasis on showing the “beauty and internal integrity” of the traditional understanding of a Torah revealed in its entirely by God.
This is precisely the sort of inconsistency which typically serves as a foundation for biblical scholars to concoct theories of multiple authorship of the Torah – with diverging passages attributed to authors with different goals and priorities. It is instructive, therefore, to witness how the Netziv (Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin) addresses this phenomenon in his Ha’amek Davar commentary to the Torah.
The inconsistent presentation of the tribes in the book of Bemidbar, argues Netziv, can only be explained through a profound understanding of an earlier passage in the Torah – in which Ephraim and Menashe are presented to the elderly Ya’akov for a blessing:
“And Joseph took them both, Ephraim at his right, from Israel's left, and Manasseh at his left, from Israel's right, and he brought [them] near to him. But Israel stretched out his right hand and placed [it] on Ephraim's head, although he was the younger, and his left hand [he placed] on Manasseh's head. He guided his hands deliberately, for Manasseh was the firstborn” [Bereishit 48]
Netziv addresses the strange manner in which Ya’akov imparted his blessings to Ephraim and Menashe. While Menashe was the firstborn and therefore the expected recipient of the primary blessing (represented here by Ya’akov’s right hand), Ya’akov repeatedly rejected Yosef’s advice, and switched his hands so that Ephraim, standing on the left, would receive the primary blessing signified by the right hand. Why, asks Netziv, did Ya’akov not simply rearrange his grandsons so that Ephraim would stand on the right, rather than crossing his hands over? The text appears to attribute the change of hands to the fact that Menashe was older (“he [Ya’akov”] switched his hands, for Menashe was the firstborn”), but this is perplexing – the whole purpose of the exercise appears to be to elevate Ephraim above Menashe despite the firstborn status.
According to Netziv, the subtle symbolism adopted by Ya’akov while giving the blessings represents a profound division of roles and responsibilities between Ephraim and Menashe. Ephraim did indeed receive Ya’akov’s right hand upon his head, but this implied that he was being awarded seniority and leadership only for spiritual endeavours (represented by the head, home of the intellect). For matters pertaining to worldly pursuits however, Menashe would retain primacy and his firstborn status would be unaffected.
Indeed, according to the midrashic tradition, Menashe assisted Yosef in his governmental duties. Not only did Menashe act as an interpreter for Yosef (Bereishit Rabbah 91:8), but he was also the messenger when Yosef sent after his brothers to accuse Binyamin (falsely) of stealing Joseph’s favourite cup” (ibid 84:20). Ephraim, on the other hand, is depicted in the Midrash as a man who shared his grandfather Ya’akov’s temperament — quiet and studious. According to the Midrash Tanchuma (Vayechi 6), it was Ephraim who reported Ya’akov’s illness to Yosef because he regularly studied with Ya’akov.
This division of roles, which traces back to Ya’akov’s blessing, can be used to explain the strange inconsistency in order of the Tribes between Bemidbarand Pinchas. The census of parashat Bemidbar takes place with the Jews living in an intensely spiritual and miraculous environment, which featured the daily manna and Miriam’s well. A special cocoon in which they are supposed to absorb quickly the teachings of the Torah and learn how to become a nation of God. In such a spiritual mode of existence it was most relevant to list Ephraim, the ‘spiritual firstborn’, before Menashe. At the end of the book of Bemidbar by contrast, the Jewish people are preparing to leave this miraculous existence and re-enter the realm of standard physical existence – a project which would require skilful political leadership and practical application. The census which was taken in preparation for this entry in the Land of Israel therefore placed Menashe, the ‘natural firstborn’, before Ephraim.
Far from indicating different authors, this inconsistency discloses a dynamic which underpins the sons of Yosef and their roles from the book of Bereishit through until the nation’s entry in the land of Israel.
First posted to Facebook 29 May 2022, here.
