What is "Shechem Echad" that Yaakov gave to Yosef over his brothers?
Rashi #1: As payment for taking the trouble of overseeing his burial, he gave him the city of Shechem 1 for a burial-plot, over and above his regular portion in Eretz Yisrael. 2
Rashi #2, Rashbam and Seforno: He is referring to the Bechorah 3 (Yosef becoming two tribes) of which he spoke in the previous Pesukim.
Ha'amek Davar: This refers to half of Menasheh receiving a very big land in Ever ha'Yarden. Even though there was a reason for this, like I explained in Devarim 3:16, Yaakov's Berachah caused it. 4
Shechem, as well as meaning "a portion," also hints at the city by that name. Ohr ha'Chayim (to 48:21) - Even though Bnei Yaakov already plundered Shechem after the episode with Dinah, if not for Zechus Avos, Yaakov or his sons would not have acquired it.
And this is where he was buried, as Sefer Yehoshua (24:32) relates. Also Targum Yonasan writes that Yaakov gave Yosef Shechem as an extra portion, but he does not explain why. Hadar Zekenim (citing Sotah 13b) - Since Yosef was stolen from Shechem, his bones were returned to there. (Really, he was stolen in Dosan! Yaakov had sent him to Shechem; perhaps he assumed that he was stolen there. Alternatively, Dosan is not a different place. Refer to 37:17:152 and 37:17:152.1:1. - PF)
Ha'amek Davar (to Devarim 3:16): Moshe saw that the power of Torah in Ever ha'Yarden is weak. He gave to part of Menasheh a very big area there to entice them to settle there. The Yerushalmi (Bikurim 1:8) says that Bnei Gad and Bnei Reuven took their inheritance by themselves, but Menasheh did not (rather, Moshe gave it to them, based on Hashem's word).
Who gave Yaakov a mandate to give Yosef an extra portion of the land that belonged to all his sons?
Ramban and Seforno: It was the portion of Bechorah that he purchased from his brother Esav, 1 to give to whomever he saw fit. 2
Refer to 48:21:151:1.
According to the Ramban, the division of Yosef into two tribes is equivalent with the Bechorah, that he bequeathed to Yosef, whereas the extra portion was a separate gift - all based on the great love he bore him. Moshav Zekenim - Bechorah [that Yaakov bought from Esav] is Avodah. We do not find that Kehunah comes from Yosef! Kehunah should have been for the Bechoros, just after the Egel it was given to Levi. (How does this answer his question? Before the Egel, the Avodah was through any Bechor. It was not special to Yosef! - PF)
Moshav Zekenim, Riva (to 43:34): There was no concern for jealousy, for it is proper to honor a king more. Da'as Zekenim - Before they were jealous, for he was smaller than them. Now, they needed him.
Who is the Emori, from whom Yaakov took what he now gave to Yosef?
Rashi: Esav, who behaved like an Emori, or who would 'trap' his father with the words of his mouth (be'Imrei Piv).
Ramban and Rashbam: He was referring to the Emori nation in Eretz Kena'an, 1 whom he 2 and his children 3 would conquer with sword and bow, during the conquest of Kena'an.
Targum Yonasan: It is the residents of Shechem. 4
Ha'amek Davar: Refer to 48:22:4:8 and the note there.
Ramban: The first and the toughest of the seven nations. Part of the Emori were conquered by Menasheh in Ever ha'Yarden in the days of Moshe, and part, Yehoshua conquered later and gave to Efrayim.
Ramban, Rashbam: I.e., on Yaakov's merit (see Tehilim 44:4).
By which he meant Yehoshua (see Rashbam). Many Nevu'os are written in the past tense (Hadar Zekenim to 49:4, regarding a different matter).
What did Yaakov mean when he added, "b'Charbi uv'Kashti"?
Rashi #1 and Seforno: He was referring to the wisdom and the Tefilos 1 via which he 'captured' the Berachos from Esav.
Ramban #1 and Rashbam: Refer to 48:22:3:2; he referred to the future conquest of Eretz Kena'an. 2
Rashi #2: Following the episode with Shechem, others gathered to fight against Yaakov's family, and Yaakov girded his weapons against them. 3
Ramban #2: Yaakov stretched out his sword and shot arrows in the direction of the Emori, as a sign that they would capture it. 4
Targum Yonasan: He was referring to the battle of Shechem. He took his weapons and assisted [his sons].
Hadar Zekenim: After they wiped out Shechem, Nochrim came to fight them. Yaakov helped his sons against them. He proved to them that he is stronger than them, and the victory was primarily due to him.
Targum Onkelos: Targum translates as "bi'Tzelosi uv'Ba'usi." Harchev Davar - These are Tefilah and request (see Bava Basra 123a); i.e. the three fixed Tefilos that the Avos established, and what a person adds based on his needs. These are called sword and bow, for in an offensive war, the primary goal is to capture the king or the head general, who are far from the front line. Many are around him, guarding him. First they kill those around him via the sword, and then shoot an arrow to kill him. So the primary goal [of prayer] is to find desire from Hashem for the current needs. There are many prosecutors to block our prayers; we learn from "ha'Ya'aroch Shu'acha Lo b'Tzar" (Sanhedrin 44b, from Iyov 36:19). Fixed Tefilah is like a sword to eradicate prosecutors, and request for the current needs is like an arrow. 5
Ha'amek Davar: Machir ben Menasheh conquered 6 Gil'ad and Bashan via his Gevurah (Yehoshua 17:1), unlike Eretz Sichon and Og and Eretz Yisrael, which were not conquered via war strategy - "Lo v'Charbam Yarshu Aretz" (Tehilim 44:4).
The Seforno interprets "be'Kashti" as 'my understanding' ('be'Chochmasi u'Binasi') - which are the swords and bows of Tzadikim, as we find in Tehilim (45:4, 6) (See Shabbos 63a.)
This hints to the Pasuk in Yehoshua (11:19-20), which informs us that, with the exception of the inhabitants of Giv'on, the Canaanites all opted to fight and were defeated.
Moshav Zekenim: Hashem put fear on the other nations, and they did not pursue Yaakov (35:5)! Rather, they gathered in one city, so if Bnei Yaakov come to attack them, they will fight with them.
Ramban: Much in the same way as Elisha instructed Yo'ash, King of Yehudah, to do (see Melachim II 13:16).
Also see Meshech Chochmah. A sword is lethal even without much aim (Kavanah), whereas effective use of an arrow requires precise aim.
Yaakov says "that I took... with my sword..."! Perhaps he means that Machir captured it due to my merit. (PF)
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'I have given you [Shechem, an extra portion]' - Because you are exerting yourself to see to my burial, I have given you a portion for burial as well...." If so, why didn't Yaakov grant Yosef this incentive when he first asked Yosef to bury him in Kena'an?
Gur Aryeh: Our verse connects to the next section (Yaakov's blessings, 49:3-28), in which Yaakov assigns portions in Eretz Yisrael appropriate for each tribe. Here, he assigns Shechem to Yosef.
Rashi writes: "'With my sword and my bow' - [i.e. with] his wisdom and his prayer." What is the connection between these concepts?
Gur Aryeh: Wisdom is sharp, like a sword. Prayer is from the tongue, which is described as an arrow; 1 the Tefilos of a Tzadik ascend on high, and pierce [any obstacles in] the upper and lower worlds, like an arrow. 2
Maharal (Nesivos Olam, Nesiv ha'Lashon Ch. 1, p. 64): The tongue acts without direct physical force, and it acts as swiftly as an arrow.
Gur Aryeh: Onkelos, however, translates "my sword and my bow (Kashti)" as "my prayer and my supplication." Prayer is what can cut through the worlds; while supplication is exerting oneself (Kasheh) even more in prayer. (Also see Meshech Chochmah; refer to 48:22:4:7*).
