Parshas Vayechi

In this week's parsha, we learn how Yaakov Avinu gives his final blessings to his family, first to Yosef's children, then to his own sons. In blessing Ephraim and Menashe, Yaakov says "becha yivorech Yisroel", effectively setting Ephraim and Menashe as the benchmark for future brachos - whenever a Jewish father blesses his sons, the bracha will be that they be like Ephraim and Menashe. Why are they being rendered the "gold standard" by which to bless one's sons? The Avos and the Shevatim all preceeded them, and were all great tzaddikim, so why are they not the prototype for brachos?

The answer is that Yaakov was looking to establish the standard of an ideal Jewish nation. An ideal Jewish nation is not just a host of big tzaddikim. Rather, an ideal Jewish nation must have the unique attribute of Yosef's sons: peace. All of the other people mentioned in the Torah up to this point had either troublesome relationships with their brothers, or virtually no relationship at all. Ephraim and Menashe were the first pair of brothers who not only related to one another, but did so in peace and harmony. Even when Yaakov placed Ephraim before Menashe, Menashe did not get angry or jealous, but rather accepted his standing willingly. And that level of sholom is what Yaakov wanted as an integral part of all brachos for generations to come.

The lesson here is obvious: how important peace is to the Jewish nation. To many of us, peace is somewhat underrated. We realize that it is important, but we fail to realize how crucial it is to a being a Jew, how it is a critical part of our identity. Making peace with our fellow Jews is even more important than making peace with our enemies. And if we indeed do succeed in doing so, then we will be zoche to to the ultimate peace of "no nation shall raise a sword against another", with the arrival of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily in our days.