Parshat Vayigash: Bittersweet Meeting
by Rabbi Lobel

(Genesis; Chapter 45, Verse 14) “Then he (Joseph) fell on the necks of Benjamin and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.”

Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, embraces his only full-brother, Benjamin, whom he has never seen before now, and weeps. The Medrash Rabba (93:12) asks a glaring question on the verse: man has only one neck, the verse clearly states that Joseph wept on the necks of Benjamin.

The Medrash answers that Joseph foresaw that both Batei Mikdash (Holy Temples), destined to be in Benjamin's portion in Israel , would be destroyed. Benjamin foresaw that the Tabernacle in Shilo, destined to be in Joseph's portion, would also be destroyed. They both wept over Israel 's future.

These incidents would occur one thousand years in the future, yet their embrace was shattered with bitter tears. Joseph felt immense pain for what was to happen in Benjamin's portion and to the Children of Israel and Benjamin felt the same for Joseph. After meeting for the first time, these feelings seem to be at the forefront of their minds.

Only an individual that understands the loss of our Holy Temples, the pain of the exile from our land, and the fact that so many of our brethren are far removed from our tradition because of the exile, can appreciate the emotional feelings of Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph had never seen his full-blood brother. Yet, at their first meeting they cried over something that seemed so far removed from them.