Why did Yosef become the bechor?

[rafi ganz]

Yaakov makes Yosef into the bechor of the family by giving him a double portion through Efraim and Menashe - how come Yaakov was able to do that - Yosef was not the firstborn in any halachic sense ('reishis ono') and one is not allowed to transfer the bechor rights to any other son (Devorim 21:15)?

Were Yosef's dreams a reference (at least partly) to him obtaining the bechora and thus becoming leader of the family or a reference to him being viceroy of Egypt and the brothers bowing down in a literal sense?

Also, it is interesting to note that the brothers still feared retaliation from yosef at the end of the parsha - thinking that he will take revenge after yaakov dies. Presumably this paranoia came from the family history when Esav waited for his father to die before he sought revenge against Yaakov for 'stealing' the bechora/bracha. This seems to be another example of the esav/yaakov history casting suspicion against Yosef.

[Pini Shebson]

Rashi 48:4 suggests a reason why Menashe and Ephraim were accorded shvatim-like status. It seems that Yaakov was given a bracha for two further sons which he never had. This may suggest that it was not a case of double portion due to Yosef's status as new bechor but a different reason altogether. 

Maybe the bechor rights were not transferred from Reuven - at least according to those that say Reuven only lost their rights to the avodah at the egel hazahav. Practically speaking, no one after Reuven could have been considered 'reishis ono' therefore even if Yosef is considered a new bechor this could be in the sense that he is Yaakov's spiritual heir more than any other son. 'Beis Yaakov aish, beis Yosef lehava etc'  

[Daniel Westbrook]

I think it is reasonably obvious that Yosef himself did not take a double share in Yaakov's property after he died, and if anyone did it was Reuven (not convinced that there was a double share at all before Matan Torah).  I seem to remember seeing this written once, but I don't remember where.

[rafi ganz]

I think what you may be referring to is a ramban in toldos who says that pre-matan torah the bechor inherited the status of the father rather than 'Pi Shnayim' and this is what Yaakov bought from Esa. Nevertheless, I think it is too coincidental to say that the Yosef receiving 2 portions in the land was unconnected to the bechor rights.  

Pini - at the end of the day there was definately a physical expression of the bechora concept in the form of a double portion in the land ('shechem achad al achecho' - according to rashi's second pshat) so difficult to say he was the spiritual heir.

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Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2012 19:49:20 +0200
Subject: Re: Why did Yosef become the bechor?
From: dzwes...@gmail.com
To: beisp...@googlegroups.com

[ML]

 

Divrei Hayamim 1 :5:1/ 2

 

. וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן בְּכוֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי הוּא הַבְּכוֹר וּבְחַלְּלוֹ יְצוּעֵי אָבִיו נִתְּנָה בְּכֹרָתוֹ לִבְנֵי יוֹסֵף בֶּן יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא לְהִתְיַחֵשׂ לַבְּכֹרָה

בְּאֶחָיו וּלְנָגִיד מִמֶּנּוּ וְהַבְּכֹרָה לְיוֹסֵף  כִּי יְהוּדָה גָּבַר

 

And the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, for he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, but not to be reckoned in the genealogy as firstborn. :2. Because Judah prevailed over his brothers, and the one appointed as prince was to be from him, but the birthright belonged to Joseph. 

 

So it is clear there is a definate Bechora Issue .. and Yosef would have Malchut Ledorot as well  had not יְהוּדָה גָּבַר  

 

Rashi Vayechi 49:3 says Reuven lost  Malchut and Kehuna because of the incident with Bilhah . 

 

HKBH gave Malchut  to Yehuda   but it goes to David only after Yosef and  Shaul / Binyamin  (And then goes to to Shlomo – who is NOT his Bechor !!  )

 

Kehuna at Yetziat  Mitzrayim  is given to Maternal firstborn ‘  Kadesh li kol bechor   PETTER RECHEM  ‘ and at Matan Torah (end of Mishpatim) they do the Avoda  ...BUT  later given to Levi  at the Egel  

 

Once Reuven lost these rights, HKBH chose where these went and neither final recipient  was direct or immediate

 

Rafi asks   ‘ and one is not allowed to transfer the bechor rights to any other son (Devorim 21:15)?’

 

a.       Firstly ( as Pini alludes ) maybe this was not a Bechora right that Reuven lost – that was Malchut and Kehuna only -Rashi  49:3 –  and this is a completely ‘new’ type of entitlement

 

b.      Or It is a Bechora gift –and  Rashi uses the word  ‘bechora ‘ in 2^nd Pshat of Shechem echat in relation to this gift  -  but maybe  HKBH lets Yaacov choose the recipient this time 

 

c.       Or Halachot of Yerusha only give Bechor a double share of what is ‘available ‘ at the time of death – Eretz Yisrael was not ‘available’ .. and so the ‘double’ land share was not Begeder Yerusha ... and not actually Reuven’s right  anyway – so no financial difference occurs that is  covered by the yerusha laws .

 

d.      Or Rashi’s 2nd Pshat on Shechem Echad is  problematic since value of land inherited was equal  for all those entering because of ‘Larav tarbeh Nachalatoh ‘no matter which tribe( and the goral concurred) ... so maybe since it was not actual increased Land value ,  this bechor gift was not a financial one covered by the yerusha laws .

 

I have read that Bechor Reuven wanted the pastures East of Jordan was because he had received double share of Yaacov’s sheep extant at his father’s death and so had larger flocks .

 

In Yaacov’s defence , he had only fathered Reuven -his Reishit Ono - believing it was Rachel he had just married.   Hence , at Reuven’s  conception , his Bechora privileges were intended for  Yosef  . 

 

Rashi’s  seemingly superfluous words on Eleh Toldot Ya’acov , Yosef   ( Vayeshev 27 :2 )  –  Shekol Atzmo shel Ya’acov lo avad etzel Lavan elah Berachel shows the power of that sentiment  .

 

Yacov   nonetheless accepted Reuven’s rights to Bechora  as the Torah requires until  Reuven lost them.  And I have read that HKBH then caused Ya’acov’s intent  to be partly fulfilled .

 

  We find further proof in that Yaacov  desires Yosef’s  elevation to Melech -- ‘Ve’aviv shamar et hadavar ‘ ....and  presumably here , when Yaacov is given by the right to grant 2 tribes / 2 Degalim / 2 Nesi’im – and he chooses Yosef  thereby conferring on him the title  Bechor through the double rights that come from it

 

However the  3^rd gift  , Spiritual Bechora , Kehuna does not go to Yosef  but instead to the Bechorim from the mother’s side ( which Yosef was)  .

.  

a.       AND  even  after the Petter Rechim lose the Kehuna to Bnei Aharon they still have a Kedusha that needs redeeming

 

b.      Rashi notes Bamidbar 3:47 that the Pidyon Haben  is  5 Selaim which is 20 Gerah  and 20 Kessef  was the price paid for Yosef  who was Rachel’s  firstborn

 

 

a.       I read that on a superficial level that is because 20 Kessef is a ‘Bechor’s Price’

b.      And that on a deeper level that it is to atone for Yosef’s  sale at 20 Kessef  **– I speculatively suggest maybe that’s because had he not been sold he would grown spiritually to the  level needed to get the Kehuna as well but I have seen no corroborative proof – suggestions welcome

 

**[and Levi do not need that atonement as they lost their land rights to Yosef ]

 

Re Rafi’s second question  --Beis Halevi notes  there were 2 dreams : Wheat sheaves are material – alluding to physical /material superiority . The second dream shows heavenly bodies – alluding to spiritual superiority .. Hence the dreams allude to a much broader vision than simply 11 brothers bowing down to a viceroy . ( this was not the Beis Halevi’s main point – he focused on the brother’s  differing responses – hatred on the first which is external greatness but  jealousy on the second which is internal greatness )

 

 

Moshe