11 Cheshvan · Yahrzeit
Binyamin ben Yaakov Avinu - 12 Tribes
Binyamin ben Yaakov Avinu
Yahrzeit - 11 Cheshvan
Burial place - Neve Yamin (near Kfar Saba)
Binyamin was the son of our forefather Yaakov and our foremother Rachel.
He is the founder of one of the 12 tribes.
Binyamin's mother, Rachel, died while giving birth to him — he was born, and she left this world, on 11 Cheshvan, at the age of 111.
All [the founders] of the tribes were born outside the Land, except for Binyamin, who was born in the Land of Israel.
With each of Yaakov's sons, a twin sister was born.
With Binyamin, two sisters were born (triplets). (Bereishit Rabbah 82:8)
Yosef merited to have 12 sons born to him; he himself fathered two, and the rest were born to his brother Binyamin, all of whom were named in his [Yosef's] honor. (Sotah 36b)
Four people died because of the sin of the Nachash [the primordial serpent] and not because of their own sins: Binyamin the son of Yaakov was one of them. (Shabbat 55b)
Worms had no power over 7 people [their bodies did not decompose] — among them Moshe, Aharon, Miriam, and Binyamin the son of Yaakov. (Bava Batra 17a)
Nine entered Gan Eden while still alive: Binyamin the son of Yaakov was among them. (Pirkei Rabbeinu HaKadosh, Likkutim 3) Binyamin, who did not take part in the sale of Yosef, ascended the mountain that Ha-Shem chose for His dwelling place. (Tehillim 68:17)
It was he who merited to have the Holy Temple built on his territory. (Bereishit Rabbah 99:1)
Part of the portion [of land] belonging to Yehudah passed to Binyamin. The Temple was destined to be built on that [piece of land]. [Foreseeing this], the pious Binyamin suffered anguish every day, [longing] to unite it with his own portion, as it is written of Binyamin: "He hovers over it all day long" (Devarim 33:12). Therefore Binyamin merited to receive the Divine Presence [by having the Temple on his land]. (Megillah 26a) Who has no slander on his tongue? (Tehillim 15:3) This refers to Binyamin the son of Yaakov, who knew about the sale of Yosef but did not reveal it to his father. (Shocher Tov 16:6)
When Yosef HaTzadik was sold into Egypt, his righteous brother Binyamin took his [spiritual] place, so that it would not remain empty. (Zohar 1:259a) When Yosef saw his brother after their long separation, he fell on the neck[s] of his brother Binyamin and wept. (Bereishit 45:14) How many necks did Binyamin have? Rabbi Eliezer says: "He wept over the two Temples that would be built and destroyed on Binyamin's land." (Megillah 16b)
There is a well-known story about Yaakov's family meeting Esav. The one who suffered least from this encounter was the youngest of the brothers, Binyamin, and this is connected to his special holiness. All 11 brothers were compelled to bow before Esav. Bowing — or more precisely, in this case, falling face down — causes a Divine force to descend from Above. By falling face down before Esav, the brothers transmitted this force to him, thereby strengthening his hold over the attribute of Netzach.
Regarding Yaakov himself, the Zohar HaKadosh asks how it is possible that he bowed before the wicked Esav. It answers that during this meeting the presence of the Shechinah was revealed, and it was to Her that he bowed 7 times. But no such explanation exists regarding the brothers. Hence, they bowed directly before Esav himself.
Only Binyamin took no part in this, since he had not yet been born at that time. Therefore his connection to Netzach remained the strongest.
This power — to subdue the power of Esav as embodied in his descendant Amalek — passed to King Shaul, a descendant of Binyamin.
May the merit of the tzadik Binyamin ben Yaakov Avinu protect us all, Amen!
(Tzadikim.com)
Pilgrimage site:
Grave: Binyamin ben Yaakov Avinu