You've probably heard it said that "translation is commentary." Exactly how someone translates one language into another often reveals thoughts, views, and interpretation, even inadvertently.

I knew that this week's parsha included a passage that is special to me - the blessing of Jacob to his grandsons, Ephraim and Menashe. Not only do I love to sing "HaMalach HaGoel Oti", but Jacob's blessing is also the source of the blessing we give each Friday night to our sons. So, when looking at the parsha for this project, I was drawn to that section and to my surprise the first translation I saw had language in it I did not expect. I usually thought of the translation as this:
הַמַּלְאָךְ֩ הַגֹּאֵ֨ל אֹתִ֜י מִכׇּל־רָ֗ע יְבָרֵךְ֮ אֶת־הַנְּעָרִים֒ וְיִקָּרֵ֤א בָהֶם֙ שְׁמִ֔י וְשֵׁ֥ם אֲבֹתַ֖י אַבְרָהָ֣ם וְיִצְחָ֑ק וְיִדְגּ֥וּ לָרֹ֖ב בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָאָֽרֶץ׃
The Messenger who has redeemed me from all harm—Bless the lads. In them may my name be recalled, And the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, And may they be teeming multitudes upon the earth.”
But what I saw was this:
The Angel who redeemed me from all evil, should bless the lads, and let my name be called on them, together with the name of my fathers, Avraham and Yitzchok. May they be like fish, multiplying within the land.
Fish! Where did that come from? Well, it turns out it comes from Rashi who plays on the word וידגו which others translate as let the increase, or be multitudes, and see the root of fish דגים and says "like fishes which are fruitful and which multiply and which the evil eye cannot effect"(Berakhot 20a)
I love twists and turns like this in the parsha and how it leads to interesting discussion, so for dinner Friday night, it's fish! My family's favorite is a Salmon dish I got from Martha Stewart:

This really is best done with butter, so it's a dairy Shabbat dinner night and that works out nicely because another element I want to call attention to is that after Jacob blesses his grandsons, he speaks to each of his other sons, including a blessing for Judah, which says:
"His eyes are darker than wine;
His teeth are whiter than milk."
I think this calls for a very milky dessert - sounds like ice cream to me!
Finally, there's a commentary that I think it really interesting regarding Joseph getting word to Pharaoh when Jacob dies.
"and when the wailing period was over, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh’s court, saying, “Do me this favor, and lay this appeal before Pharaoh:
‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die. Be sure to bury me in the grave which I made ready for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now, therefore, let me go up and bury my father; then I shall return.’”"
The Or Haim notes that Joseph asks others to relay the information to Pharaoh and has this commentary
"the Torah merely mentions the fact that Joseph asked the members of Pharaoh's household to speak to him because we learned in Yuma 4 that unless one gives express permission to relate something one has been told (even if not in confidence), it is forbidden to do so. We know this from when G'd Himself gave permission to relate what He had said (Leviticus 1,1)."
The idea of being careful with what you are told to not spread information you shouldn't is really important. To call attention to this commentary, I noticed that the Hebrew for telling Pharoah is דַּבְּרוּ־נָ֕א בְּאׇזְנֵ֥י פַרְעֹ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃
Oznei Pharaoh - "ears of Pharoah" - So, I thought of orecchiette pasta, since orecchiette means little ears in Italian. You can do any dish for this, but I was thinking of a light pasta, vegetable mix like this one that matches well with fish.
Shabbat Shalom and B'Tayavon
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