Jewish Articles

  

Blessing the Children


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There is a blessing first for the sons.  May our sons be like Ephraim and Manasseh.  Now why Ephraim and Manasseh?  Ephraim and Manasseh were Joseph’s sons and they received a double portion. They were the first sons in the history of the Bible, the first brothers that got along.  Up until then you had, Cain and Able, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and all his brothers.  But Ephraim and Manasseh never fought. 

Then you pray over your daughters them.  May they be like Rebecca, Sarah, Rachel and Leah.  God chose them because these women were like God.

After you pray over your sons and daughters, the tradition says that you go and whisper something in their ear.  Tell them you are proud of them.  Say something positive about them.  Or if they are not there, call them, or write them a little note.  And then, by tradition, the Jewish people would shout, “Heaven and earth was finished.”  In other words, all the blessings, all the blessing was prepared, now let’s enter into the blessing.

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