"He blessed Yosef." The coming two verses are addressed to Menashe and Efrayim. With what Berachah did Yaakov bless Yosef himself?
Rashbam: He blessed him with the standard Berachah of a father to a son.
Seforno: The Torah does not reveal the contents of the Berachah. 1
Ramban: Based on the great love that he harbored for Yosef, the Berachah that Yaakov blessed Yosef's two sons is synonymous with the Berachah that he blessed him. 2
Moshav Zekenim: The word "Yevarech" (48:16) in the next verse refers to both the person mentioned above it (i.e. Yosef, in this verse) and below ("Es ha'Ne'arim").
Ohr ha'Chayim: "Va'Yevarech" implies that Yosef will always be blessed.
Ohr ha'Chayim citing Chazal: The key (control over) Berachos was given to Avraham (Bereishis Rabah 39:11). He gave it to Yitzchak, who gave it to Yaakov, who now gave it to Yosef.
Seforno: What is of note however, is that this Berachah required neither seeing Yosef nor kissing or hugging, for it to take effect.
What is the significance of the fact that Yaakov called out to "the G-d of his fathers Avraham and Yitzchak' and then to 'G-d Who sustained him...' (ha'Ro'eh Osi)"?
Ramban: He was calling to the G-d of his father Avraham (who represented the Midah of Gedulah), and of his father Yitzchak (who represented the Midah of Gevurah; and) who had always sustained 1 him (with the Midah of Emes), to bless Efrayim and Menasheh.
Seforno: He was asking Hashem that the angel that had (constantly) redeemed him (in times of trouble) 2 should bless the boys 3 on the merit of his father and grandfather, who had always gone in His ways.
Ohr ha'Chayim: This is like Tefilah, in which we begin with the merit of the Avos. Yaakov also mentioned his own merit, covertly - "Ha'Elokim ha'Ro'eh Osi" implies that Yaakov goes according to Hashem's will, like a Seh in front of the shepherd who grazes it.
Ramban: Alternatively, "who always befriended him" (from the root 'Re'a,' as in the Pasuk "Re'acha v'Re'a Avicha Al Ta'azov" (Mishlei 27:10)).
See the next Pasuk (48:16).
In the event that they were not worthy of the Divine blessing directly.
Why does it say, "Asher His'halechu Avosai Lefanav"?
Peninim mi'Shulchan ha'Gra: It is an attribute of Tzadikim - "Shivisi Hashem l'Negdi Tamid" (Tehilim 16:8 - see Rema, beg. Orach Chayim). 1
Bereishis Rabah (97:2): R. Yochanan compares this to a shepherd who looks at his flock; we need His honor. Reish Lakish compares this to a Nasi who goes, and his Chachamim are in front of him; He 'needs' us. 2 Malbim - I.e. He is honored through us. Hashem conducts His world in two ways. (a) Natural conduct. He does not look at deeds, for the conduct is fixed and constant. (b) Miraculous conduct, in which He looks at deeds of the generation and their virtue. Hashem can influence good and Chesed via this conduct only with the help of Tzadikim's deeds, and arousal from below. Yaakov belittled himself. He thought that his fathers' conduct was via miraculous Hashgachah based on their deeds, so he said that his fathers went in front of Hashem to bring down such influence, but his own conduct was natural 3 - "ha'Elokim ha'Ro'eh Osi." There is no argument in the Midrash. Reish Lakish discusses the conduct with Yaakov; R. Yochanan discusses the conduct with Avraham and Yitzchak.
On a related note, the Shulchan Aruch (loc. cit.) writes, "Yisgaber ka'Ari la'Amod ba'Boker etc." The verse, "Nineveh was a great city to Hashem, 'Mahalach Sheloshes Yamim,''' alludes to three special days - Rosh Chodesh Elul (the first warning), Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kipur. Their initial letters spell 'Ari' - as in the verse, "a lion has roared, who will not fear?!" (Amos 3:8).
Ha'amek Davar: His fathers publicized Hashem's honor in the world, like Chachamim going in front of the Nasi increase his honor. Hashem financed them with Hashgachah Pratis, like a shepherd tends his flock. Yaakov put himself in the first category; he did not aggrandize himself for publicizing Hashem's honor. He was already punished for something like this (calling himself Yisrael), like I explained above (refer to 33:20:1:8)!
This is astounding. Yaakov had Kefitzas ha'Derech; he put rocks under his head, and they merged into one; he split the Yarden with his staff; his neck turned to marble when Esav tried to bite it; when he came to Egypt, the Nile rose and the famine stopped... And even without these Midrashim, verses explicitly say that all 10 (if not 100) times that Lavan changed his wages, the animals were born so that Yaakov would receive them; angels caused this! Yaakov did not think that after these miracles exhausted his merits, he descended to natural conduct. He said "me'Odi Ad ha'Yom"! (PF)
Why is "ha'Elokim" repeated in the verse?
Moshav Zekenim: Do not say that because Elokim is Midas ha'Din, it is not merciful. Rather, when His children do His will, Midas ha'Din is reversed to Midas ha'Rachamim.
