Ephriam and Menashe were the first Jews who grew up in the Exile and had to deal with the Egyptian culture. Joseph made sure that they had a solid Jewish education and for that reason they were considered special.
Ephraim and Menashe
In this week’s parashah, Yaakov blesses his grandchildren Ephraim and Menashe, and he draws them close to him because they are unique. They are, in a sense, the first Jews born in exile—in galut.
And that matters.
Living Jewishly in Eretz Yisrael is fundamentally different from living Jewishly in exile. In Israel, you’re surrounded by Jewish culture, Jewish time, Jewish language. Judaism is in the air. Even if you’re not religious, you live in a Jewish rhythm.
But Ephraim and Menashe grew up in Egypt, the center of pagan power and culture. And that makes Jewish continuity far more challenging.
I once experienced this difference very vividly. Years ago, while doing reserve duty in the Israeli army, a young soldier came up to me and said,
“I hear that in America you have something called Christmas week. What is that?”
So I explained: it’s the week between Christmas and New Year’s—Sylvester, as it’s called in Israel.
He said,
“I understand Christmas—Rachel is important there, right?”
I said,
“Wait… how did Rachel get into the story?”
He answered, completely sincerely:
“Everyone goes to Bethlehem.”
Of course, if you go to Bethlehem, you know there’s Kever Rachel. To him, growing up fully immersed in Jewish culture, the Christian story was completely foreign. He knew the places—but not the theology.
That’s the difference.
In America, or in Christian Europe, you can’t help but know what day it is. You absorb the surrounding culture whether you want to or not. Joseph understood this problem deeply. He was running Egypt, sitting at the center of power, and at the same time raising two Jewish children in a non-Jewish world.
That’s a much bigger challenge than what Yaakov faced with his other sons, who grew up within a Jewish family and environment.
And that’s why this blessing matters.
Ephraim and Menashe represent the necessity of Jewish education in exile—intentional, structured, and strong. That’s why we bless our children to be like them.
Back in 1962, Look magazine famously predicted that by the year 2000, American Jewry would disappear through assimilation.
Well—news flash—we’re still here.
Look magazine disappeared long before American Jews did.
What they failed to see were two critical developments:
- The rise of Jewish day schools, giving children a solid Jewish foundation.
- The expansion of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, bringing Jewish knowledge and identity to Jews everywhere—even those far from observance.
Ephraim and Menashe teach us that Jewish survival in exile is not accidental. It depends on education, identity, and transmission.
And that’s the message of their blessing:
If you want Judaism to last, you have to teach it.
Something to think about.
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