Comentário sobre Gênesis 47:7

ויברך יעקב AND JACOB BLESSED — this was the greeting of peace, as is usual in the case of all who are granted an interview with kings at long intervals; saluer in old French

AND JACOB BLESSED PHARAOH. This refers to a salutation, as is customary for all who are granted an occasional interview with kings. Thus the language of Rashi. But this does not appear to be so, for it is not royal protocol for a person to greet the king, and the Rabbis have similarly said:²³²Shabbath 89a. “May a servant greet the king?” Instead, it refers to a real blessing which Jacob bestowed upon Pharaoh, for it is customary for aged and pious people who come before kings to bless them with wealth, possessions, honor, and the advancement of their kingdom, even as Scripture says, Let my lord king David live forever.²³³I Kings 1:31. Upon his taking leave of Pharaoh, Jacob again blessed him²³⁴Verse 10 here. in order to take permission to leave. Our Rabbis have said²³⁵Tanchuma Naso 26, and mentioned here by Rashi. that he blessed him that the Nile might rise at his approach.

ויעמידהו לפני פרעה, and he presented him before Pharaoh. The reason the Torah chose the word "ויעמידהו" may be that Joseph placed Jacob in the place where he himself would normally stand when he had an audience with Pharaoh. This may have been an elevated spot only lower than Pharaoh's throne [compare 41,40 where Pharaoh reserved only his throne as beyond Joseph's authority].