פַּ֤חַז כַּמַּ֙יִם֙ אַל־תּוֹתַ֔ר כִּ֥י עָלִ֖יתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אָבִ֑יךָ אָ֥ז חִלַּ֖לְתָּ יְצוּעִ֥י עָלָֽה׃ (פ)
Padalus-dalos na gaya ng tubig, hindi ka na makahihigit; sapagkat sumampa ka sa higaan ng iyong ama; noon ay nilapastangan mo ang pumapanhik sa aking higaan.
Likutei Moharan
And Yosef, who guarded the covenant, picked up the firstborn status, which is like the service of prayer*, which is like "double" (pi shnayim — two-mouthed) (Deut. 21:17), because prayer is two-edged. Two, since it has the praise of the Omnipresent, and asking of one’s needs. And it is like (Ps. 149): "A twoedged sword in their hand," which is like two mouths, like the idea of doubles. And he picked up [the firstborn status] from Reuben because he [Reuben] desecrated his father's bed/marital arrangements (Parashat Vayechi), because it [the firstborn status] depends on keeping the covenant.
And therefore Yosef, because he merited the aspect of prayer, which is like "for my praise will-I-restrain-[My-anger] for you," which is like the life that is drawn from the nostrils as mentioned — therefore he is called "ben PoURaT Yosef" [a charming son is Yosef], Which is like the "TaRPU" lights [i.e., 400+200+80+6+1 = 687 lights], which are seven names: `AV, SaG, MaH, BaN, QSA, QNA, QMaG, which add up to Ta"RPU [687]; the lights receive from Nukva D’fardasqa, because FaRDaSQA adds up to Ta"RPU. [See Appendices]
And therefore Yosef, because he merited the aspect of prayer, which is like "for my praise will-I-restrain-[My-anger] for you," which is like the life that is drawn from the nostrils as mentioned — therefore he is called "ben PoURaT Yosef" [a charming son is Yosef], Which is like the "TaRPU" lights [i.e., 400+200+80+6+1 = 687 lights], which are seven names: `AV, SaG, MaH, BaN, QSA, QNA, QMaG, which add up to Ta"RPU [687]; the lights receive from Nukva D’fardasqa, because FaRDaSQA adds up to Ta"RPU. [See Appendices]
Kedushat Levi
Genesis 49,4. “unstable as water, you will not enjoy the additional portion due to the firstborn;” How could Yaakov deliberately ignore the commandment not to deprive even the son of a wife who was hated of the rights accruing to him as a firstborn? (Deut. 21,17) Nachmanides writes concerning this problem that Yaakov penalized Reuven in accordance with the nature of his sin.
Personally, I believe that Yaakov saw in his prophetic vision of the future what the Torah calls גוי וקהל גויים, “a nation and a community of nations,” (Genesis 35,11) a promise made to him by G’d at a time when he personally had concluded siring children, that another two tribes would become part of the Jewish people, so that in order for the number of tribes not to exceed the number 12, “something had to give.” He had not been aware that these two “tribes” would not be sons, but grandsons of his. The only way he was able to explain G’d’s promise of two more tribes was by assuming that an existing one would prove unworthy.
Personally, I believe that Yaakov saw in his prophetic vision of the future what the Torah calls גוי וקהל גויים, “a nation and a community of nations,” (Genesis 35,11) a promise made to him by G’d at a time when he personally had concluded siring children, that another two tribes would become part of the Jewish people, so that in order for the number of tribes not to exceed the number 12, “something had to give.” He had not been aware that these two “tribes” would not be sons, but grandsons of his. The only way he was able to explain G’d’s promise of two more tribes was by assuming that an existing one would prove unworthy.