Is Ephraim a Darling Son to Me?
In the question of the word "Melitza": The beloved son. A little child who brings peace (Ephraim is heard as a general term for the tribes of the kingdom of Israel).
("Ephraim is dear to me, if he begets a child, he will be a toy, for by my word he is remembered, I will remember him still, because they were with me, I will have mercy on them, says the Lord" - Jeremiah 19, and so: "Ephraim is dear to me - these are the words of the Shekinah, as if he were a wanderer, and I will turn my heart to pity him, that my dear son is as if he were not." "If he had but one son, whom he would do all his will" - Rashi"i Jeremiah 19, and so: "The year of Samuel was long, the old woman sighed: "Here, where is my beloved son, where is my beloved?" - Shaul Tchernikhovsky/ Among the Egyptians)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
הֲבֵן יַקִּיר לִי אֶפְרַיִם, בֵּן יַקִּיר
Definition (Hebrew)
בְּהַשְׁאָלָה בִּמְלִיצָה: הַבֵּן הָאָהוּב. יֶלֶד פָּעוּט שֶׁמֵּבִיא נַחַת (אֶפְרַיִם מִשְׁמָעוֹ כְּלַל שִׁבְטֵי מַלְכוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל).
("הֲבֵן יַקִּיר לִי אֶפְרַיִם אִם יֶלֶד שַׁעֲשֻׁעִים כִּי מִדֵּי דַבְּרִי בּוֹ זָכֹר אֶזְכְּרֶנּוּ עוֹד עַל כֵּן הָמוּ מֵעַי לוֹ, רַחֵם אֲרַחֲמֶנּוּ נְאֻם ה' "- יִרְמְיָה לֹא יט, וְכֵן:"הֲבֵן יַקִּיר לִי אֶפְרַיִם- הֵן דִּבְרֵי שְׁכִינָה, כְּלוֹמַר הוּא מִתְנוֹדֵד וַאֲנִי לִבִּי נֶהְפָּךְ עֲלֵי לְרַחֵם שֶׁמָּא בְּנִי יַקִּירִי הוּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֶלָּא בֵּן אֶחָד שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה לוֹ כָּל רְצוֹנוֹ"- רָשִׁ"י יִרְמְיָהוּ לֹא יט, וְכֵן:"שְׁנַת שְׁמוּאֵל נָדְדָה, הַזְּקֵנָה נֶאֶנְחָה:"הָהּ ,אֵיפֹה בֶּן יַקִּיר, אַיֵּהוּ מַחְמַדִּי?"- שָׁאוּל טְשֶׁרְנִיחוֹבְסְקִי/ בֵּין הַמְּצָרִים)