Sign up ×  Yaakov saw (Beraishis 48 (19)) that Efraim would be
greater than Menashe and so insisted that his right hand should
rest on Efraim. Did the placing of the hand bring about the
greatness and if not why was it necessary?  share|improve this
question  2 Answers 2  up vote 3 down vote accepted  According
to Abarbanel, Yosef placed Menashe on Yaakov's right because:
להיותו הבכור והיד הימין היא גדולת הכח מהשמאלית ולכן היד הימין
היא העקר בפעולות האדם  Since he [Menashe] was the firstborn, and
the right hand is stronger than the left, therefore the right
hand is the main one in all the actions of a man.  In other
words, the blessing would be stronger when the right hand was
used. However, Yaakov placed his right hand on Efraim beacuse:
ברצות י״י שיתברך אפרים יותר היה שלא חלה עליו יד שמאלית  God's
will was that Efraim be blessed more, so it was that the left
hand did not rest upon him.  share|improve this answer thanks,
so did the blessing bring about the greatness of Efraim? – 
Avrohom Yitzchok Jan 2 '12