Characteristics of Benjamin in Rabbinical Writings
Duration: 37.11
The Tribe of Benjamin remained with Judah. Together they created the basic core of the Jewish People. Some of Benjamin also joined the Ten Tribes but most stayed with Judah.
Benjamin had unique characteristics of his own. Different Rabbinical Sources discuss the characteristics of the Tribe of Benjamin. Benjamin is the interface between Judah and Joseph. The Tribes of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) are found among the Lost Ten Tribes and in effect stand at their head. Benjamin has aspects of both Judah and Joseph. Through Benjamin the Tribe of Judah receives something of Joseph who has a "good eye" and a positive attitude towards people and things. On the other hand Joseph via Benjamin benefits from the "Good Heart" and Intellect of Judah. Benjamin also has characteristics of his own such as Humility, willingness to sacrifice something of himself for others, empathy, Love, Heroism, and so on.
Rabbinical Sources Concerning the Tribe of Benjamin
supplied by Rabbi David Feldman at the request of Brit-Am.
Sources Translated, Explained, and Paraphrased by Yair Davidiy.
Contents:
1. Many from Benjamin were Left-Handed
2. Benjamin has the Characteristics of Humility, Dedication, and Self-Sacrifice sometimes to an Excessive Degree
3. Benjamin is the Intermediary between Judah and Joseph
4. Benjamin - Empathy for Others and Other Qualities
5. Benjamin has Royal Qualities.
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1. Many from Benjamin were Left-Handed
Background:
This case concerns Ehud (Judges ch. 3) from the Tribe of Benjamin who assassinated Eglon, the King of Moab, who was oppressing Israel. Ehud was left-handed and used this fact to surprise Eglon.
Avraham ben Moshe Blau:
Judges ch.3, "Nachalat Avot,"
"The quality of being left-handed was widespread within the Tribe of Benjamin," cf. 1-Chronicles 12:2.
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2. Benjamin has the Characteristics of Humility, Dedication, and Self-Sacrifice sometimes to an Excessive Degree
Background:
Saul from the Tribe of Benjamin had been anointed King of Israel. The Prophet Samuel in the Name of the Almighty commanded Saul to lead the people and exterminate the Amalekites and everything about them including their flocks.
Saul did so BUT kept Agag the king of Amalek alive as well as some of the livestock. When asked why he had partially disobeyed the commands given him Saul explained he had deferred to the will of the people and that the animals would be offered up as sacrifices.
Consequently Saul was condemned and its was prophesied the rulership over Israel would be taken from him (1-Samuel 15:23).
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1-Samuel (NASB) 15:
17 Samuel said, 'Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel, 18 and the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.' 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD?'
20 Then Saul said to Samuel, 'I did obey the voice of the LORD, and went on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal.'
Rabbi Shmuelevitz in a Self-Improvement Talk noted that:
Saul was challenged because he should have acted differently despite being "little" in his own eyes. This qualify is what had caused him to act mistakenly. Humility is a very valuable quality but only when it is used properly. Saul was the Leader of the Tribes of Israel. He should not have acted with humility. This is what the Sages said concerning the commandment "you shall surely set a king over you" (Deuteronomy 17:15), that the people should have fear of the king [and obey his commandments] (Talmud, Sanhedrin 19:2). The monarch should not have fear of the people!
Rabbi Yistchak Ben Yaacov Levi, "Parshiot be-Sifrei Neviim" (Events in the Books of Prophecy):
There is a tradition that when the Israelites passed through the Red Sea the Tribe of Benjamin volunteered to go first. By virtue of this Saul from the Tribe of Benajmin was made the first King of Israel. This was despite the fact that his great humility meant he was in potential possibly unsuitable for such a post.
What connection is there between the willingness of the Tribe of Benjamin to go first and the excessive humility of Saul?
The Tribe of Benjamin at that time had proven their willingness to do the will of the Almighty even when the other Tribes were reluctant to do so. They had the attribute of self-sacrifice for the pgod of others. This is the essence of Humility.
Despite the danger they were prepared to sanctify the Almighty and do His will. This is the quality that Royalty requires. Saul however did not overcome the characteristic of Humility when the post he held needed him to do so.
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3. Benjamin is the Intermediary between Judah and Joseph
Background:
Joseph had dreams of ruling over his brothers. He also brought bad reports of them to his father. The brothers thought Joseph was schmeing to replace them. They decided to do away with him. While Joseph and his brothers were in the field they fell upon him. He was sold into slavery by his brothers to a caravan going down to Egypt. The brothers sold Joseph because they were jealous of him and feared his influence over their father. Benjamin was not involved in this since at the time he had remained with his father Jacob. Joseph and Benjamin were full brothers sons of Jacob and Rachel whereas the other brothers were sons of Jacob and his other wives. Joseph became the de facto ruler of Egypt. The brothers, WITHOUT BENJAMIN, came down to buy grain. Joseph recognized his brothers but they knew him not. Joseph gave them the provisions but kept Simeon with hgim as a hostage and told them that next time they came they would need to bring Benjamin with them. The grain ran out. They needed to buy more supplies from Joseph. Jacob their father was reluctant to allow Benjamin to go with the brother back to Egypt. Judah persuaded Jacob to let them take Benjamin with them and that he would stand surety for him. The brothers still did not recognize Joseph who framed Benjamin with a false charge of theft. Joseph said that Benjamin would have to stay with him in Egypt as a slave. Judah intervened and offered himself as a slave instead. Joseph then revealed who he was to the brothers and they were reconciled (Genesis 44:18-34).
Genesis (NASB) 43:
8 Judah said to his father Israel, 'Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, we as well as you and our little ones. 9 I myself will be surety for him; you may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame before you forever.'
Rabbi Uri Shraga ben Aharon HaLevi Weingraz, "Uri Ve-Yishi,":
The struggle between Judah and Joseph concerned Benjamin who in a sense intercedes between them. Both Judah and Joseph received aspects of Benjamin. The territory of Benjamin lay between that of Judah and Joseph.
So too concerning Tribal characteristics. Benjamin in principle shares the qualities of Joseph and is "Righteous" like Joseph was. [Joseph did not succumb to sexual temptation when the wife of his master tried to seduce him.]
Benjamin has something of the good "eye" of Joseph while also possessing the good "heart" of Judah.
We [i.e. the present-day Jews] lack the actual presence of Joseph since Ephraim and Manasseh the sons of Joseph went into Exile with the Ten Tribes. Nevertheless by virtue of Benjamin who stayed with Judah we (i.e. the Jewish People) still benefit from some aspects of that which Joseph had.
The Temple was built on the borderline between the territories of Benjamin and Judah. Benjamin has something of the aspect of Joseph.
The Temple, and after its destruction, even just the place of the Temple, has a quality of Benjamin and of uniting Judah and Joseph.
We saw how Judah had promised the Patreiarch Jacob that he would stand as "surety" for Benjamin. This was to repeat itself in the time of Saul and David. Saul was from the Tribe of Benjamin. David was from the Tribe of Judah. After Saul became King war broke out between Israel and the Philistines. The brothers of David went to join the army which was led by Saul and camped ready to go to war. David was younger than his brothers. When they went to war David stayed behind to mind the flocks. Before David became King he was sent by his father to bring provisions to his brothers who were encamped with Saul against the Philistines. The giant Goliath represented the Philistine side. He was daily challenging the Israelites to find a champion to fight him and none was available. David would kill Goliath. David had been told to by his father "look into the welfare of your brothers and bring back news of them [literally: "their pledge"] " (1-Samuel 17:18). The word translated as "news of them" in Hebrew is "arubotem." The alternate translation of this word as "their pledge" is preferable. This word in the Hebrew is based on the same root word as the "surety" (Hebrew "arev") that Judah promised to bear for Benjamin (Genesis 43:9). As we said, David was from the Tribe of Judah while Saul was from the Tribe of Benjamin. The Midrash Yalkut Shimeoni opines that by David going to kill Goliath he was helping the Rulership of Saul and fulfilling the promise of responsibility that Judah had promised to bear for Benjamin.
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4. Benjamin - Empathy for Others and Other Qualities
Deuteronomy 33:
12 Of Benjamin he said,
'May the beloved [Hebrew "Yedid"] of the LORD dwell in security by Him,
Who shields him all the day,
And he dwells between His shoulders.'Genesis 35:
18 It came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
Rabbi Tsvi Rizeman, "Rats CeTsvi,"
Benjamin had several names, e.g. "Ben Oni" meaning either "Son of my First Strength," or "Son of my Sorrow" (Genesis 35:18), and "Yedid" meaning the Friend or the Beloved One (Deuteronomy 33:12).
Judah, Levi, and Benjamin shared an interest in the Temple. They (more than the other Tribes) shared the quality of Self-Sacrifice and Dedication.
Judah prefers to effect matters by way of nature. Benjamin believes more in miracles, see "HaNatziv," Deuteronomy 33:12.
This is one of the reasons the Temple was built in the portion of Benjamin as explained by Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsch.
Benjamin has characteristics of heroism and effrontery in a positive sense.
Joseph has similar qualities to Benjamin but less so. Benjamin has empathy for others. This is the meaning of the name "Yedid."
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5. Benjamin has Royal Qualities.
Rabbi Yigal Ariel, "Mor ve-Hadas."
Benjamin has royal qualities. This was seen in the story of Esther.