Vayechi – Hamalach Hagoeil VI

“May the angel who redeems me from all evil bless the lads, and may my name be declared upon them, and the names of my forefathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they proliferate abundantly like fish within the land.” (Genesis 48:16)

Why did Jacob mention his name before those of Abraham and Isaac?

When we speak of the Lord of Abraham, the Lord of Isaac, and the Lord of Jacob, in the Amidah, we are describing three different expressions of God’s Divine Providence: War and Protection, sustenance, and Peace, which correspond to Torah, Avodah/Service, and Gemillut Chassadim/Nurturing the Life Force of Others.

Jacob wanted to bless Joseph’s sons with all three, however, he saw that they were already exceptional in the ways of Peace and Chessed, more than in the ways of Torah and Avodah. He therefore mentioned his name, Torah, first. (Ha’amak Davar)

I use this idea of the three types of Providence in my Kavanot for the blessing of Avot.