The Hebrew word for name is ‘shem.’ The great master of the Hebrew language, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, explains that the word ‘shem’ is related to the word, ‘sham,’ meaning ‘there.’ Rabbi Hirsch explains that “in the realm of the mind, by naming and defining something, one puts it in its ‘proper place’.” Here, Jacob blesses his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh, by placing their ancestors’ names upon them, establishing ‘their place’ within the spiritual legacy of their forebearers. The legacy of the Patriarchs was one of kindness adn giving. As the new year approaches please help Meir Panim provide for the needy of the Holy Land.
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