The names of Yosef’s two sons. Menasheh received his name
because, “God has caused me to forget (NaSHaNi) all my hardships
and all that was in my father’s house” (41:51). This expressed
how Yosef was pained by the fact that he found himself in a
place which made him forget his father’s house. Efrayim was
named, because “God has made me fruitful (hiFRani) in the land
of my subjugation” (ibid. 52), expressing how Yosef had
succeeded in Egypt. Menasheh and Efrayim thus represent the two
different reactions that a Jew has to being in exile. On the one
hand he longs to leave the exile and return to “his father’s
house.” But, on the other hand, since he finds himself—by Divine
Providence—in exile, he realizes that there is a mission to be
carried out there and he toils to succeed. Menasheh was the
firstborn because first of all a Jew needs to feel “out of
place” in exile, to ensure that he does not assimilate. But the
primary purpose of being in exile is to succeed in Divine
service there—which is why Ya’akov wishe