Whilst they were walking, R. Jose said to R. Eleazar: ‘It has been said that with Rachel’s death the house was transferred to Her who required to be adorned with twelve tribes. Nevertheless, why should Rachel have died immediately after the birth of Benjamin?’ R. Eleazar in reply said: ‘It was in order that the Shekinah should be duly crowned and take her place in the house as “a joyful mother of children״.’
With Benjamin, the Shekinah was equipped with the full twelve tribes, and with him the kingdom of heaven began to be made manifest on earth. Now the beginning of any manifestation is brought about with strain, and involves a doom of death before it can become established.
Here, when the Shekinah was about to assume her rightful place and to take over the house, the doom fell upon Rachel. Similarly, when the kingdom was about to be made manifest on earth, it commenced with a judgement, and the kingdom was not established in its place until a doom had fallen upon Saul, in accordance with his deserts; and only then was it established.
It is a general rule that beginnings are rough, whereas the subsequent course is smooth. Thus, on New Year’s day (Rosh-hashana) the year opens with severity, as the whole world passes under judgement, each individual according to his deeds, but soon after comes relief and forgiveness and atonement. The reason is that the beginning is from the left side, and so it brings harsh judgements, until the right side is aroused and ease follows.
In time to come God will first treat the idolatrous nations gently and indulgently, but afterwards with severity and stern judgement. So Scripture says: “The Lord will go forth as a mighty one, he will stir up jealousy as a warrior; he will cry, yea, he will shout aloud, he will prove himself mighty against his enemies” (Is. 42, 13); which interpreted means that first He will manifest Himself as TETRAGRAMMATON (the Lord), in His attribute of mercy, then as a mighty one, but not in His full might, then as a warrior, but not in His full war panoply, and finally, His whole might will become manifest against them in order to exterminate them, so that “he will cry, yea, he will shout aloud, he will prove himself mighty against his enemies.” Again, it is written: “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fighteth in the day of battle” (Zech. 14, 3). Also: “Who is this that cometh from Edom with crimson garments from Bozrah? etc.” (Is. 63, 1).’
AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS HER SOUL WAS IN DEPARTING FOR SHE DIED-THAT SHE CALLED HIS NAME BEN-ONI; BUT HIS FATHER CALLED HIM BENJAMIN. R. Judah discoursed on the verse: The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that take refuge in him (Nahum 1, 7). ‘Happy’, he said, ‘is the man who finds his strength in the Holy One, blessed be He, since His strength is invincible. The Lord is indeed “good to all” (Ps. 145, 9), “a stronghold”, wherein is salvation, as we read: “He is a stronghold of salvation” (Ibid. 28, 8); “in the day of trouble”, to wit, in the day of Israel’s oppression at the hand of other nations.
עַד דְּהֲווּ אָזְלֵי, אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, הָא אִתְּמָר דְּכַד מִיתַת רָחֵל נָטְלָא בֵּיתָא מַאן דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְתַּקְּנָא בִּתְרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. אַמַּאי מִיתַת רָחֵל מִיָּד, אָמַר לֵיהּ, הָא לְמֶהֱוֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא מִתְעַטְּרָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת וּלְמֶהֱוֵי אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה וּבֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא (לעילא) לְנַטְלָא בֵּיתָא וּלְאִתְתַּקָּנָא. וְעַל דָּא בִּנְיָמִין הוּא תָּדִיר בְּמַעֲרָב וְלָא בְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא.
Whilst they were walking, R. Jose said to R. Eleazar: ‘It has been said that with Rachel’s death the house was transferred to Her who required to be adorned with twelve tribes. Nevertheless, why should Rachel have died immediately after the birth of Benjamin?’ R. Eleazar in reply said: ‘It was in order that the Shekinah should be duly crowned and take her place in the house as “a joyful mother of children״.’
וּבֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא לְאִתְתַּקְּנָא בִּתְרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין, וּבֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא מַלְכוּתָא דִרְקִיעָא לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא בְּאַרְעָא. וְרָזָא דָּא, בְּכָל שֵׁירוּתָא דְּאַתְיָא לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא בְּקַשְׁיוּ אִיהוּ, וְעַל דָּא אִית בָּהּ דִּינָא דְמוֹתָא וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְיַשְּׁבַת.
With Benjamin, the Shekinah was equipped with the full twelve tribes, and with him the kingdom of heaven began to be made manifest on earth. Now the beginning of any manifestation is brought about with strain, and involves a doom of death before it can become established.
הָכָא כַּד בָּעָא לְאִתְתַּקְּנָא וּלְנַטְלָא בֵּיתָא אִתְעֲבִיד דִּינָא בְּרָחֵל וּבָתַר כֵּן אִתְתַּקְּנַת לְאִתְיַשְּׁבָא. כַּד בָּעָא לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא מַלְכוּתָא בְּאַרְעָא שַׁרְיָא בְּדִינָא. וְלָא אִתְיַשְּׁבַת מַלְכוּתָא בְּדוּכְתָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת עַד דְּאִתְעַר דִּינָא בִּשָׁאוּל לְפוּם עוֹבָדוֹי, וּלְבָתַר אִתְיַשְּׁבַת מַלְכוּתָא וְאִתְתַּקְּנַת.
Here, when the Shekinah was about to assume her rightful place and to take over the house, the doom fell upon Rachel. Similarly, when the kingdom was about to be made manifest on earth, it commenced with a judgement, and the kingdom was not established in its place until a doom had fallen upon Saul, in accordance with his deserts; and only then was it established.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל שֵׁירוּתָא תַּקִּיף וּלְבָתַר נַיְיחָא. בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה שֵׁירוּתָא תַּקִּיף. דְּכָל עַלְמָא אִתְדָּן כָּל חַד וְחַד לְפוּם עוֹבָדוֹי, וּלְבָתַר נַיְיחָא סְלִיחָה וְכִפּוּרֵי. בְּגִין דְּשֵׁירוּתָא אִיהוּ מִשְׂמָאלָא וְעַל דָּא דִּינוֹי תַּקִּיפִין, וּלְבָתַר אִתְעַר יָמִינָא וְעַל דָּא הֲוֵי נַיְיחָא.
It is a general rule that beginnings are rough, whereas the subsequent course is smooth. Thus, on New Year’s day (Rosh-hashana) the year opens with severity, as the whole world passes under judgement, each individual according to his deeds, but soon after comes relief and forgiveness and atonement. The reason is that the beginning is from the left side, and so it brings harsh judgements, until the right side is aroused and ease follows.
וּלְזִמְנָא דְאָתֵי זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאִתְעָרָא בְּנַיְיחָא עַל שְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת, וּלְבָתַר יִתְתַּקַּף עֲלַיְיהוּ בְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (ישעיהו מ״ב:י״ג) יְיָ כַּגִּבּוֹר יֵצֵא כְּאִישׁ מִלְחָמוֹת יָעִיר קִנְאָה יָרִיעַ אַף יַצְרִיחַ עַל אוֹיְבָיו יִתְגַּבָּר. יְיָ בְּקַדְמִיתָא דְּאִיהוּ רַחֲמֵי, וּלְבָתַר כַּגִּבּוֹר וְלָא גִבּוֹר. וּלְבָתַר כְּאִישׁ מִלְחָמוֹת וְלֹא אִישׁ מִלְחָמוֹת. לְבָתַר אִתְגְּלִי תּוּקְפָא עֲלַיְיהוּ וְיִתְתַּקַּף לְשֵׁיצָאָה לוֹן, דִּכְתִיב יָרִיעַ אַף יַצְרִיחַ עַל אוֹיְבָיו יִתְגַּבָּר. וּכְתִיב, (זכריה י״ד:ג׳) וְיָצָא יְיָ וְנִלְחַם בַּגּוֹיִם הָהֵם כְּיוֹם הִלָּחֲמוֹ בְּיוֹם קְרָב. וּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ס״ג:א׳) מִי זֶה בָּא מֶאֱדוֹם חֲמוּץ בְּגָדִים מִבָּצְרָה וְגו':
In time to come God will first treat the idolatrous nations gently and indulgently, but afterwards with severity and stern judgement. So Scripture says: “The Lord will go forth as a mighty one, he will stir up jealousy as a warrior; he will cry, yea, he will shout aloud, he will prove himself mighty against his enemies” (Is. 42, 13); which interpreted means that first He will manifest Himself as TETRAGRAMMATON (the Lord), in His attribute of mercy, then as a mighty one, but not in His full might, then as a warrior, but not in His full war panoply, and finally, His whole might will become manifest against them in order to exterminate them, so that “he will cry, yea, he will shout aloud, he will prove himself mighty against his enemies.” Again, it is written: “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fighteth in the day of battle” (Zech. 14, 3). Also: “Who is this that cometh from Edom with crimson garments from Bozrah? etc.” (Is. 63, 1).’
וַיְהִי בְּצֵאת נַפְשָׁהּ כִּי מֵתָה וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֶּן אוֹנִי וְאָבִיו קָרָא לוֹ בִּנְיָמִן. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (נחום א׳:ז׳) טוֹב יְיָ לְמָעוֹז בְּיוֹם צָרָה וְיֹדֵעַ חֹסֵי בוֹ. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ דְּאִתְתַּקַּף בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּגִין דְּתוּקְפָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִיהוּ תּוּקְפָא, וְאוּקְמוּהָ טוֹב יְיָ, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (תהילים קמ״ה:ט׳) טוֹב יְיָ לַכֹּל. לְמָעוֹז, דָּא הוּא תּוּקְפָא דְּאִית בֵּיהּ יְשׁוּעוֹת. דִּכְתִיב, (תהילים כ״ח:ח׳) וּמָעוֹז יְשׁוּעוֹת מְשִׁיחוֹ הוּא. בְּיוֹם צָרָה, בְּיוֹמָא דְעָקוּ דְּעָקִין שְׁאָר עַמִּין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל.
AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS HER SOUL WAS IN DEPARTING FOR SHE DIED-THAT SHE CALLED HIS NAME BEN-ONI; BUT HIS FATHER CALLED HIM BENJAMIN. R. Judah discoursed on the verse: The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that take refuge in him (Nahum 1, 7). ‘Happy’, he said, ‘is the man who finds his strength in the Holy One, blessed be He, since His strength is invincible. The Lord is indeed “good to all” (Ps. 145, 9), “a stronghold”, wherein is salvation, as we read: “He is a stronghold of salvation” (Ibid. 28, 8); “in the day of trouble”, to wit, in the day of Israel’s oppression at the hand of other nations.