With parshat Vaychi we reach the end of Sefer Breishit and the end of the stories about the Avot.

It’s only natural to seek an explanation within the Torah’s narrative for a clue as to why this parsha marks the end of an era. I think that the story of Yakov blessing the children of Yosef provides such a clue.

With every generation of the Avot we encountered a younger brother being chosen at the expense of his older sibling. Yitchak was chosen over Yishmael and Ya’akov was chosen over Esav. Within Yakov’s family there was jealousy towards Yosef, the young son, over the favor shown to him by Ya’akov. When Yakov blesses his children, all that his oldest son receives are rebukes.

The story of Yosef’s sons follows this pattern but with an important difference. Yosef brings his sons, Menashe and Ephraim, toYaa’kov to receive his blessing. Ya’akov gives the two boys a single blessing to share. This already marks a departure from precedent, in that each boy did not receive a blessing of his own. Ya’akov however did follow the established pattern in that he showed preference to the younger of the brothers. He did this by crossing his hands. Yosef placed the oldest son , Menashe, to the right of Yaa’kov and the youngest son, Ephraim, on Ya’akov’s left. But when Ya’akov gave the blessing, he placed his right hand on the head of Ephraim and his left hand on the head of Menashe. When Yosef asked him to explain his action, Ya’akov replied that Ephraim’s descendants will achieve greater things than Menashe’s.

What is remarkable is that Menashe showed no resentment towards Ephraim. Yishma’el and Esav left the community of Avraham Avinu. Yosef’s brothers only reconciled themselves to his greatness after much travail. But Menashe accepted Ya’akov’s words with equanimity. It may be that Menashe’s graceful response showed the beginning of Jewish peoplehood. Menashe realized that the greatness predicted for his brother will not be at his, Menashe’s expense. On the contrary, Menashe realized that he and his bother are part of one nation. The success of one will be shared by the whole. This lack of jealousy shows a maturity, which was lacking by their predecessors. It marked the end of a story about individuals and the beginning of the story of a people.