Joseph's Blessings

And to Joseph (u’l’Yoseph) were born two sons before the year of the famine came, whom Osnat the daughter of Poti-phera priest of On bore him.                                         Genesis 41:50

          Ba’al haTurim relates our verse’s use of the word “u’l’Yoseph” with that in introducing Moses’ final blessing to the tribe of Joseph:

And of Joseph (u’l’Yoseph) he said: Blessed by God be his land, by the fruit of the heavens, by dew, and by the floods which rest below.                                     Deuteronomy 33:13

and comments that Joseph’s land was blessed due to the fact that he chose to experience the suffering of the famine despite his position as viceroy of Egypt, as our Sages taught: one who participates in the troubles of the congregation will merit seeing the congregation’s comfort.

          Taking the phrase “blessed by God”, my father suggested the additional implication of the common use of the word “u’l’Yoseph” is to teach that the truest blessing is having children who follow in ones path.