Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Genesis 30:24

ותאמר, not so, said Chavah; G’d did not deny us the fruit of more than one single tree which is בתוך הגן שאמר לנו לא תאכלו מממנו ולא תגעו בו פן תמותון in the middle of the garden of which He has forbidden us to eat on pain of death. Perhaps it is in the nature of that tree that its fruit causes death to anyone eating from it. The meaning of the word פן in that verse is the same as אולי or שמא , “maybe.” G’d told Adam that he would certainly die if he ate from it, as the Torah wrote literally in 2,17 “on the day you will eat from it you will certainly die.” Seeing that she had not quoted the prohibition correctly as G’d had not said anything about maybe dying as a result of eating from the tree, we must assume that Chavah had invented this word meaning for it to apply to touching the tree, an addition which had been altogether her own. She meant to say that G’d so loves us that He denied us to touch the tree as a safeguard against eating from it.
An alternate way of explaining the words פן תמותון is similar to פן תשיב את בני שמה which Avraham warned Eliezer about (Genesis 24,6) which meant “do not bring back!” or Genesis 30,24) פן תדבר עם יעקב, “do not speak to Yaakov, etc.,” G’d warning Lavan.

He specifically gave the blessing of multiplication to Joseph, because his name indicates addition and multiplication, as it is written May God add [yosef] to me another son (Genesis 30:24), and as it is written May He increase [yosef] you a thousandfold (Deuteronomy 1:11). This blessing was particularly fitting for Ephraim, because of the meaning of his name For God has made me fruitful [hifrani]. Therefore, Jacob placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, believing that his name would assist him in receiving this blessing. Joseph thought that it would be more appropriate to attribute the blessing of multiplication to the firstborn son, since he receives a double portion in inheritance, and therefore the blessing of multiplication would be more fitting for him. Jacob responded I know, my son, I know. He mentioned I know twice, corresponding to the double portion of the firstborn. And he said he too will become great, and he too will become a nation, mentioning “too” twice, hinting at the double portion, as if saying “I know about the double portion of the firstborn, which from this perspective would make it appropriate to give him a greater share in the blessing of multiplication, to combine these aspects together.” Nevertheless, his younger brother will become greater than him, because the Holy One, Blessed be He, particularly chooses the smaller ones, and any person who has an aspect of smallness, the Holy One, Blessed be He, elevates them even more to make them into thousands of myriads, as it is written Not because you were more numerous than all the peoples did God desire you… for you were the smallest (Deuteronomy 7:7). And it is written The smallest shall become a thousand, and the youngest a mighty nation (Isaiah 60:22). This happened to all of Abraham’s descendants: Ishmael was Abraham’s firstborn — Ishmael was rejected and Isaac was chosen; Esau was Isaac’s firstborn — Esau was rejected and Jacob was chosen; Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn — Reuben was rejected and Joseph was chosen; Manasseh was Joseph’s firstborn — Ephraim was particularly chosen. This allusion is surely significant, and the wise will understand.

אל תראי כי גם זה לך בן, in accordance with Rachel’s prayer at the time Joseph was born (30,24) when she asked G’d to grant her another son. The midwife reassured Rachel that G’d did not mean to kill her but that He had accepted her prayer. She wanted to calm Rachel‘s fear for her life.

נחשתי I HAVE DIVINED — He was a diviner. “I have discovered by my art of divination that through you a blessing has come to me. When you first came here I had no sons” — for it is said (29:6) “And, behold, Rachel his daughter is coming with the flock”: is it possible if he had sons that he would have let his daughter go among the shepherds ? — now, however, he had sons, as it is said (31:1) “And he heard the words of Laban’s sons”.