What did Yaakov mean when he blessed Yosef that his Berachos were more powerful (Gavru) than 'those of his fathers'?
Rashi #1 and Seforno: He meant that, whereas the Berachos that Ha'Kadosh-Baruch-Hu blessed Avraham and Yitzchak were confined to Eretz Yisrael, 1 the Berachos that He blessed Yaakov were without borders. 2
Rashi #2: He was referring to the Berachos that he received in his mother's womb (while Rivkah was still pregnant with him). 3
Rashbam: The Berachos that Hakadosh-Baruch-Hu blessed his (Yosef's) father 4 are stronger than 'the Berachos of the mountains' (meaning that they are stronger that all the mountains in the world). 5
Targum Yonasan: His Berachos would be added to the Berachos that his fathers, Avraham and Yitzchak, had blessed him.
Ha'amek Davar: The Berachos of your father (that I bless you) are greater than those of my fathers; 6 Yitzchak blessed me only with grain and wine, the staples of man. Yaakov blessed Yosef with all species.
See 13:14 and 26:3.
See 28:14. This is why Yeshayah said, "And I will 'feed' you the inheritance of Yaakov your father" (Yeshayah 58:14) ( - and not of Avraham or Yitzchak). And these Berachos spread to all of mankind.
Presumably, this refers to the Berachah of "v'Rav Ya'avod Tza'ir" (25:23).
Because they are limitless (See 28:13,14).
See also Rashbam at the end of the Pasuk.
If it is only Yitzchak's blessing, why does it say "Horai"? Perhaps the Berachos are also attributed to Rivkah, for she commanded Yaakov to get the Berachos. (PF)
What is the meaning of "Ad Ta'avas Giv'os Olam"?
Rashi #1 and Rashbam: It means 'up to the borders 1 of the hills of the world (i.e. until the ends of the earth).
Rashi #2 (citing Onkelos): It refers to the Berachos that his mother, Rivkah, 2 desired, which she coerced him to [pretend to be Esav and] take. They should now fall upon Yosef. 3
Targum Yonasan: It means that those were desired by the 'princes of the world,' Yishmael, Esav and the Bnei Keturah.
Malbim: "Ta'avas" is like "Tesa'u l'Vo Chamas" (Bamidbar 34:8). The limits of this Berachah are the hills of the world, i.e. until the end of the land - there are the hills on which the world is perfected.
Ha'amek Davar #1: Even regarding grain and wine, with which Yaakov was blessed, [Yosef will be blessed more]. In the days of Shimon ben Shetach, there were wheat [kernels] the size of kidneys 4 (Ta'anis 23a).
Ha'amek Davar #2 (from Vayikra Rabah 35:12): The land desires to make Peros - "Pakadta ha'Aretz va'Teshokekehah" (Tehilim 65:10). Just like man desires to procreate the best possible, also the land; all the species will be the best possible.
Rashi: As in Bamidbar 34:10.
Riva: "Giv'os Olam" are the pillars of the world. (The Imahos are often alluded to with the metaphor of hills (Geva'os); see Rashi to Bamidbar 23:9 and to Michah 6:1 - CS.)
Seforno: Directly from Hashem, and not through a medium, like the Berachah of Moshe (see Devarim 33:16). Refer to 46:26:3:2.
What is the source that this applied to Yosef, and not to a different Shevet? (PF)
Why did Yaakov refer to Yosef as "Nezir Echav"?
Rashi: Because he was separated from his brothers. 1
Seforno and Rashbam: It means that he ruled over his brothers. It is because of the noble way in which Yosef interrelated with his brothers during that period, that he merited a direct blessing from Hashem. 2
Targum Yonasan: "All these blessings will gather and form a crown (Nezer) on the head of Yosef, on the skull of the one who was a master and a ruler in Egypt and who heeded the honor of his brothers.
Malbim: These Berachos will come upon Yosef (a) because he is Yosef ha'Tzadik, and (b) he is Nezir Echav, who was crowned with Hashem's crown.
Ha'amek Davar: The Berachos included species that are not for pleasure, rather, they weaken the body. Moshe said about these, "Retzon Shocheni Seneh" (Devarim 33:16). These are not a reward for Chesed! Rather, because Yosef was a Nazir from pleasures, he merited also these. 3
Gur Aryeh (to 37:2): Yosef was distinct and set apart from his brothers in terms of his capability for Malchus; that is why they hated him. (Yaakov too was hated due to his great stature, he was distinct from everyone else in terms of his G-dly level; that is why his brother (Esav) tried to kill him). That is why Yosef merited Yaakov's own blessings.
Maharal #1 (Chidushei Agados Vol. 1, p. 73, to Shabbos 139a): A Nazir abstains from wine; Yosef did not drink wine 4 the entire time he was apart from his brothers. Wine brings happiness, which represents wholeness, and Yosef was in a state of lacking.
Maharal #2 (ibid.): 'Nezer' means a crown; Yosef was the crown (i.e. the head) of his brothers. 5
Rashi: See, for example, the use of the term 'Nezir' in Vayikra 22:2.
Refer to 49:26:2:2**.
Ha'amek Davar (to Devarim 33:16): These are species that the only ones who eat them are those who want to separate from lusts of the world.
Nor did the brothers; see Rashi to 43:34.
See Maharal as to how these two explanations are related.
Why does it say "Tih'yenah l'Rosh Yosef"?
Ha'amek Davar: All this good is appropriate for Yosef; it is payment for his influence of Chesed. He deserves Peros of the Berachos of nature!
Of all the sons, why did specifically Yosef merit the same blessings as Yaakov?
Rashi (to 37:2): Yosef was Yaakov's [primary] offspring; everything that happened to Yaakov, happened to Yosef as well. 1 Gur Aryeh (loc. cit.) - Their similar life events show that he was "Kar'a d'Avuha" - an outgrowth or extension of Yaakov.
Maharal (Chidushei Agados Vol. 3, p. 35, to Bava Metzia 84a): Yaakov's trait was the median between those of Avraham and Yitzchak; and Yosef's strength was also inner and hidden. Refer to 37:2:1.09:1.
Why does the verse mention the "Kodkod"?
Malbim: It is the highest part of the head.
Ha'amek Davar: Nezirus and separation from the world come via clinging to Hashem's Da'as. This is in the brain, which is Kodkod; "Bein Einecha" (Shemos 13:9) is Kodkod, the place where a baby's brain is soft (Menachos 37a).
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "... [Hashem] gave me an open blessing, without boundaries...." In the literal sense, the verse "you will spread out west and east, north and south" (28:14) means that Yaakov would spread across the entire world. But on a deeper level, what is the implication and significance of this blessing?
Gur Aryeh #1 (to 27:28): Yitzchak blessed Yaakov with the words "v'Yiten Lecha" (27:28) with an extra Vav; this means 'may Hashem repeatedly give you.' Yaakov was blessed without boundaries or limits; any blessing granted to him would lead to even more.
Gur Aryeh #2 (to Shemos 4:19): Yaakov was connected to the "'spring' of life," and a spring is unceasing. He was therefore blessed with 'an inheritance without borders;' and that, 'Yaakov Avinu did not die' (Ta'anis 5b; Rashi to 49:33).
Maharal #1 (Chidushei Agados Vol. 1, p. 54, to Shabbos 118a): Yaakov is known as Yeshurun (from the word Yashar - straight and honest), unencumbered by [pangs of conscience due to lack of] honesty. 1
Maharal #2 (Chidushei Agados, ibid.): Yaakov's trait was holiness (Kedushah), above the physical. 2 Only the material has boundaries and dimensions, whereas Yaakov does not. 3
Maharal #3 (Tif'eres Yisrael, Ch. 20): Yaakov was commanded to keep the Shabbos, 4 for his trait was holiness, and his blessing was boundless - and the same is true of Shabbos. 5
Maharal #4 (Ohr Chadash, p. 154, on Esther 4:13-14): Yaakov and Esav are mutual foes; they fought even their mother's womb, for they could not be in the same space together. When one rises, the other falls. Therefore, Yaakov was blessed without boundaries - so that Esav could not contest them! "Yaakov shall be a fire, and Yosef a flame, and Esav like straw" (Ovadya 1:18).
Yosef was also scrupulously honest, whether in Potifar's house or Pharaoh's palace; refer to 39:6:1:4; 45:19:1:1; 47:14:151:1. (CS)
Refer to 28:11:8.2:1. This was Yosef's trait as well; see 39:1:1.6:1. (CS)
This means, seemingly, that Chesed and Din have limits, and when taken in extreme they are harmful. Yaakov's trait was uprightness (Yosher), the balance of the two, which has no limit or opposition. (EK)
We find that Yosef kept the Shabbos as well; see Bereishis Rabah 92:4 and Bamidbar Rabah 14:2. (CS)
Rashi writes: "'May they be' - [May they] all be upon Yosef's head." What is Rashi adding?
Gur Aryeh: Yaakov mentions, in this Pasuk, not only his own blessings but his parents' blessings as well. He prayed that these too should befall Yosef.
