וַיִּשָּׂ֨א מַשְׂאֹ֜ת מֵאֵ֣ת פָּנָיו֮ אֲלֵהֶם֒ וַתֵּ֜רֶב מַשְׂאַ֧ת בִּנְיָמִ֛ן מִמַּשְׂאֹ֥ת כֻּלָּ֖ם חָמֵ֣שׁ יָד֑וֹת וַיִּשְׁתּ֥וּ וַֽיִּשְׁכְּר֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ׃
און ער האָט זײ געלאָזט צוטראָגן חלקים פֿון פֿאַר אים, און בנימינס חלק איז געװען פֿינף מאָל אַזױ פֿיל װי זײער איטלעכנס חלק. און זײ האָבן געטרונקען און זיך אָנגעטרונקען מיט אים.
Midrash Mishlei
[9] "If they say, 'Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause'" - These are the brothers of Joseph, who were lurking and saying, 'When will the end come, and we will kill him?' And when he came to them, they began to say to one another, 'This is the hour; this is the season,' and the Divine Presence (Shechinah) was jesting and saying, 'Woe to them for the blood of this righteous one.' Therefore, it is said, "We will lurk secretly for the innocent without cause." And of them all, none wanted to save him except Reuben, as it is said, "Reuben heard, and he saved him from their hand." He said to them, 'Come, and I will give you advice,' They said to him, 'What advice are you giving us?' He said to them, 'Let us throw him into the pit while he is alive, and our hand will not be upon him,' From where [do we learn this]? As it is stated: (Proverbs 1:12): "We will swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those that go down into the pit" - that he went down to the pit in his innocence, and he did not know what they were going to do to him. Rabbi Levi ben Zavdai said: "Who lowered [Joseph] into the pit from among all his brothers? You must say it was Simeon and Levi, as it is said (Genesis 49:6), 'Into their council let my soul not enter.' But Reuben intended to save him and return him to his father, as it is said (Genesis 37:22), 'That he might save him from their hand, to restore him to his father.' (Genesis 37:29): 'And Reuben returned to the pit' - where was he? Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Nehemiah [disagreed]: Rabbi Judah said, 'The burden of the household was thrust upon him, and as soon as he was free from his burden, he came and looked into the pit and did not find him. This is the meaning of "And Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit, and he tore his clothes."' Rabbi Nehemiah said, 'He was occupied in his sackcloth and fasting over the incident that occurred, and he did not turn [from it], and as soon as he was free from his sackcloth and fasting, he came and looked into the pit and did not find him, as it says "And Reuben returned to the pit, etc." ' Not only that, but once they sold him, the Divine Presence (Shechinah) mocked them and said to them (Isaiah 55:8), 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, etc.,' not with the thought that you think, 'nor your ways my ways,' and not in the way that you say, for if there were not a decree from before Me, your counsel would be nothing. (Proverbs 1:13): 'All precious substance shall we find, our houses shall be filled with spoil' - this is the sale of Joseph, who was a precious son to his father, as it is said (Genesis 37:3), 'For he was the son of his old age,' he was found to sustain them, as it is written (Genesis 45:5), 'For God sent me before you to preserve life.' 'Our houses shall be filled with spoil' - that they filled their houses with silver and gold from Joseph's treasures. Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: The ten martyrs were drawn [to their deaths] only by the sin of selling Joseph. Rabbi Avin said: You must say that ten were exacted from every generation, and still, that sin persists. (Proverbs 1:14): 'Your lot shall be cast among us' - when Joseph sat down, he took the key and was calling out: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun - they are sons of one mother, let them come and sit; Dan and Naphtali - they are sons of one mother, let them come and sit; Gad and Asher - they are sons of one mother, let them come and sit; and he went back and hit with the key and said: Benjamin is an orphan, and I am an orphan, it is fitting for an orphan to sit with an orphan, 'One purse shall be ours' - for they all ate at one table at the banquet. How did he do it? He gave each one one portion, and to Benjamin five portions, how? He took his portion, and Benjamin's portion, and Ephraim's portion, and Manasseh's portion, and the portion of Asenath, Joseph's wife, and gave it to Benjamin, as it is said (Genesis 43:34): 'And he took and sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs, and they drank and were merry with him.' Rabbi Shmuelai said in the name of Rabbi Isaac from Magdala: From the day that Joseph separated from his brothers he did not taste the taste of wine until that day, as it is written (Genesis 49:26), 'And the crown of the head of his brothers' Nazirite.' Rabbi Yosei bar Hanina said: They also did not taste the taste of wine, as it is said, 'And they drank and were merry with him.' Another explanation, 'Your lot shall be cast among us' - this is the Torah, which was the lot of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and given to Israel; 'One purse shall be ours' - at the time when they stood at Mount Sinai and said (Exodus 24:7), 'All that the Lord has spoken we will do and we will hear.'"
Bamidbar Rabbah
“On the ninth day, prince of the children of Benjamin, Avidan son of Gidoni” (Numbers 7:60).
“On the ninth day, prince of the children of Benjamin, Avidan son of Gidoni” – why did Benjamin present his offering after Joseph’s sons? It is because, just as the Divine Presence was in Joseph’s portion in Shilo, so, it rested in Benjamin’s portion in the Temple in Jerusalem. Alternatively, it is based on what the verse said: “Rouse Your might before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, and come to our rescue” (Psalms 80:3).56The midrash here is based on the fact that Ephraim and Manasseh cannot be separated; see section 6.
“His offering was one silver dish, its weight one hundred and thirty; one silver basin of seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel; both of them full of high-quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering” (Numbers 7:61).
“His offering was one silver dish [kaarat]…” – do not read it as kaarat, but rather as akeret, corresponding to Rachel, who was the pillar of the household; she was the principal [ikar] of Jacob’s household, as it is stated: “The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin” (Genesis 46:19). And it says: “Rachel died on me” (Genesis 48:7). “One silver” – as on the basis of her prayer, Benjamin was born, as it is stated: “She called his name Joseph, saying: May the Lord add another son for me” (Genesis 30:24). In her regard it is stated: “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver” (Proverbs 10:20) – the tongue of a righteous woman. “Its weight one hundred and thirty” – as Benjamin was born when Jacob was one hundred years old. That is why he was named Benjamin [Binyamin],57Son of yamin, whose numerical value is: Yod – 10; mem – 40; nun – 50; which sum to 100. In many verses there is only one yod in the word Binyamin. as he was born when his father was one hundred years old. And he was thirty years old when he descended to Egypt. That is one hundred and thirty.
“One silver basin” – it is a basin, it is a goblet, corresponding to Joseph, who assessed the righteousness of his brothers regarding Benjamin by means of the goblet. When Joseph saw that Judah sacrificed himself on behalf of Benjamin, he recognized his brothers’ righteousness and made himself known to them. Because Joseph would drink wine [yayin], whose numerical value is seventy,58Yod – 10; yod – 10; nun – 50; which sum to 70. from the goblet, therefore, the weight of the basin was “seventy…in the sacred shekel.” “Both of them full” – both of them were equal, Joseph and Benjamin, as the Tabernacle was established in Joseph’s portion in Shilo, and the Temple in Benjamin’s portion in Jerusalem. That is, “high-quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering.”
“One gold ladle of ten shekels, filled with incense” (Numbers 7:62).
“One gold ladle of ten shekels, filled with incense” – corresponding to ten sons that Benjamin had when he descended to Egypt, as it is stated: “The sons of Benjamin: Bela, and Bekher, [and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Eḥi, and Rosh, Mupim, and Hupim, and Ard]” (Genesis 46:21), and they were all righteous. That is, “filled with incense.”
“One young bull, one ram, one lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering” (Numbers 7:63).
“One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:64).
“One young bull, [one ram, one lamb]” – these are three species of burnt offering corresponding to the three times that the Temple is built in his portion: one in the era of Solomon, one in the era of those who ascended from the exile, and the third, in the Messianic Era. “One goat as a sin offering” – it corresponds to the structure that Herod built, which was built by a sinful king, and whose construction served as atonement for him for having killed the Sages of Israel.59See Bava Batra 4a.
“And for the peace offering, two bulls, five rams, five goats, five lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Avidan son of Gidoni” (Numbers 7:65).
“And for the peace offering, two bulls” – corresponding to two kings who emerged from Benjamin, Saul and Ish Boshet. Alternatively, it corresponds to the two redeemers who emerged from him, Mordekhai and Esther.
“Five rams, five goats, five lambs in their first year” – there are three species, five of each, corresponding to the three advantages of five each that Benjamin received; they were: “Benjamin’s gift was five times greater that the gifts of all of them” (Genesis 43:34). “To Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of garments” (Genesis 45:22). The third, this is Mordekhai, who was from Benjamin, and who was privileged to don five royal garments, as it is stated: “Mordekhai went out from before the king in royal garments of sky-blue and white, with a great golden crown, and a cloak of fine linen and purple wool” (Esther 8:15).
“This was the offering of Avidan…” – since he presented the offering in this order, the Holy One blessed be He began lauding his offering: “This was the offering of Avidan…”
“On the ninth day, prince of the children of Benjamin, Avidan son of Gidoni” – why did Benjamin present his offering after Joseph’s sons? It is because, just as the Divine Presence was in Joseph’s portion in Shilo, so, it rested in Benjamin’s portion in the Temple in Jerusalem. Alternatively, it is based on what the verse said: “Rouse Your might before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, and come to our rescue” (Psalms 80:3).56The midrash here is based on the fact that Ephraim and Manasseh cannot be separated; see section 6.
“His offering was one silver dish, its weight one hundred and thirty; one silver basin of seventy shekels, in the sacred shekel; both of them full of high-quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering” (Numbers 7:61).
“His offering was one silver dish [kaarat]…” – do not read it as kaarat, but rather as akeret, corresponding to Rachel, who was the pillar of the household; she was the principal [ikar] of Jacob’s household, as it is stated: “The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife: Joseph and Benjamin” (Genesis 46:19). And it says: “Rachel died on me” (Genesis 48:7). “One silver” – as on the basis of her prayer, Benjamin was born, as it is stated: “She called his name Joseph, saying: May the Lord add another son for me” (Genesis 30:24). In her regard it is stated: “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver” (Proverbs 10:20) – the tongue of a righteous woman. “Its weight one hundred and thirty” – as Benjamin was born when Jacob was one hundred years old. That is why he was named Benjamin [Binyamin],57Son of yamin, whose numerical value is: Yod – 10; mem – 40; nun – 50; which sum to 100. In many verses there is only one yod in the word Binyamin. as he was born when his father was one hundred years old. And he was thirty years old when he descended to Egypt. That is one hundred and thirty.
“One silver basin” – it is a basin, it is a goblet, corresponding to Joseph, who assessed the righteousness of his brothers regarding Benjamin by means of the goblet. When Joseph saw that Judah sacrificed himself on behalf of Benjamin, he recognized his brothers’ righteousness and made himself known to them. Because Joseph would drink wine [yayin], whose numerical value is seventy,58Yod – 10; yod – 10; nun – 50; which sum to 70. from the goblet, therefore, the weight of the basin was “seventy…in the sacred shekel.” “Both of them full” – both of them were equal, Joseph and Benjamin, as the Tabernacle was established in Joseph’s portion in Shilo, and the Temple in Benjamin’s portion in Jerusalem. That is, “high-quality flour mixed with oil as a meal offering.”
“One gold ladle of ten shekels, filled with incense” (Numbers 7:62).
“One gold ladle of ten shekels, filled with incense” – corresponding to ten sons that Benjamin had when he descended to Egypt, as it is stated: “The sons of Benjamin: Bela, and Bekher, [and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Eḥi, and Rosh, Mupim, and Hupim, and Ard]” (Genesis 46:21), and they were all righteous. That is, “filled with incense.”
“One young bull, one ram, one lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering” (Numbers 7:63).
“One goat as a sin offering” (Numbers 7:64).
“One young bull, [one ram, one lamb]” – these are three species of burnt offering corresponding to the three times that the Temple is built in his portion: one in the era of Solomon, one in the era of those who ascended from the exile, and the third, in the Messianic Era. “One goat as a sin offering” – it corresponds to the structure that Herod built, which was built by a sinful king, and whose construction served as atonement for him for having killed the Sages of Israel.59See Bava Batra 4a.
“And for the peace offering, two bulls, five rams, five goats, five lambs in their first year. This was the offering of Avidan son of Gidoni” (Numbers 7:65).
“And for the peace offering, two bulls” – corresponding to two kings who emerged from Benjamin, Saul and Ish Boshet. Alternatively, it corresponds to the two redeemers who emerged from him, Mordekhai and Esther.
“Five rams, five goats, five lambs in their first year” – there are three species, five of each, corresponding to the three advantages of five each that Benjamin received; they were: “Benjamin’s gift was five times greater that the gifts of all of them” (Genesis 43:34). “To Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of garments” (Genesis 45:22). The third, this is Mordekhai, who was from Benjamin, and who was privileged to don five royal garments, as it is stated: “Mordekhai went out from before the king in royal garments of sky-blue and white, with a great golden crown, and a cloak of fine linen and purple wool” (Esther 8:15).
“This was the offering of Avidan…” – since he presented the offering in this order, the Holy One blessed be He began lauding his offering: “This was the offering of Avidan…”
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
R. Malai. in the name of R. Isaac, said further: "Since the day when Joseph departed from his brothers, he tasted no wine, as it is written (Gen. 47, 26.) And on the crown of the head of him who was separated from his brother." R. Jose b. Chanina said: "The brothers of Joseph also did not taste wine, for it is said (Ib. 43, 34.) And they drank and were merry with him. We infer that without him they did not drink." But the former (R. Malai) holds this refers to being drunk but not to tasting. R Malai further said: "As a reward [due to Aaron] for, And when he sees thee, he shall be glad in his heart (Ex. 4, 14) , he was given the Choshen Hamishpat on his heart."