Yaakov blessed Ephraim and Menashe by stating that future generations would bless their children by saying "ישמך אלקים כאפרים וכמנשה" - "God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh" (Gen. 48:20). Was this statement a prophecy or a proclamation?
There are various customs to bless children with these words at various times, on Friday night (according to Wikipedia this is a fairly recent custom first recorded by R' Chaim the Maharal's brother) or at a bris (not in Artscroll Ashkenaz but I see it in various sources, particularly Encyclopedia Talmudit). Rashi says it was used, but not at any particular time.
What's the halachic status of Yaakov's statement? It's not counted as a mitzvah by the Rambam or as far as I know by anyone else. It's apparently not even a "derabbanan"*, as it wasn't always practiced. Was it a prophecy that "at some point various Jewish communities will have customs to use this form of blessing for their kids"? Or was it a "derabbanan"* commandment that if you bless your kids, you should use these words? Or that if you decide to give this blessing, you should say Ephraim first? Or something else?
* putting derabbanan in quotes because I'm not sure the terminology makes sense before Matan Torah, but I imagine a command from Yaakov Avinu is at least as binding as a gezeirah by the amoraim.
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