Megillah 16B

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Text Excerpt

יכשל בו? דאמר רבא בר מחסיא אמר רב חמא בר גוריא, אמר רב: בשביל משקל שני סלעים מילת שהוסיף יעקב ליוסף משאר אחיו נתגלגל הדבר וירדו אבותינו למצרים. אמר רבי בנימן בר יפת: רמז רמז לו, שעתיד בן לצאת ממנו, שיצא מלפני המלך בחמשה לבושי מלכות, שנאמר: ״ומרדכי יצא בלבוש מלכות תכלת וגו׳״.

he himself should stumble by showing favoritism to Benjamin? As Rava bar Meḥaseyya said that Rav Ḥama bar Gurya said that Rav said: Due to the weight of two sela of fine wool that Jacob gave to Joseph, which he added to what he gave Joseph beyond what he gave the rest of his brothers, as he made him his special coat, the story progressed and our forefathers went down to Egypt. How then could Joseph have displayed similar favoritism toward Benjamin? R' Binyamin bar Yefet said: He was not showing favoritism. Rather, he intimated to him that a descendant was destined to issue from him who would go out from the presence of the king wearing 5 royal garments, as it is stated: “And Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel of tekhelet and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a wrap of fine linen and purple” (Esther 8:15).

״ויפול על צוארי בנימן אחיו״. כמה צוארין הוו ליה לבנימין? אמר רבי אלעזר: בכה על שני מקדשים שעתידין להיות בחלקו של בנימין ועתידין ליחרב. ״ובנימין בכה על צואריו״⁠ — בכה על משכן שילה, שעתיד להיות בחלקו של יוסף ועתיד ליחרב.

The Talmud elaborates on certain elements in the story of Joseph and his brothers. The verse states with regard to Joseph: “And he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck [tzavarei] and wept” (Genesis 45:14). The wording of the verse gives rise to a question, as the word tzavarei is plural, meaning necks: How many necks did Benjamin have, such that the verse should use the plural tzavarei rather than the singular tzavar? R' Elazar said: This intimates that Joseph cried over the two Temples that were destined to be in the tribal territory of Benjamin and were destined to be destroyed. The same verse continues: “And Benjamin wept on his neck” (Genesis 45:14); he cried over the tabernacle of Shiloh that was destined to be in the tribal territory of Joseph and was destined to be destroyed.

Text data via Sefaria: William Davidson Edition - English and William Davidson Edition - Vocalized Aramaic, CC-BY-NC; edition provenance: Koren. Display terminology has been modernized for readability.