Binyomin ben Yaakov Ovinu zt"l
הרב בנימין בן יעקב זצ"ל
Cheshvan 11 , 0 / Cheshvan 24 ,
Binyomin ben Yaakov Ovinu zt"l
His Tzion is located near Kfar Saba
Binyamin's mother Rachel, passed away while giving birth to him. Binyamin was born on the 11th of Cheshvan and also died on the 11th of Cheshvan, at the age of 111.
Devarim 33:12 "And of Benjamin he said, "The Lord's beloved one shall dwell securely beside Him; He protects him all day long, and He dwells between his shoulders."
Rashi ad loc: And of Binyamin he said: Since Levi’s blessing pertains to the sacrificial service, and Binyamin’s bracha pertains to building the Holy Temple within his territory, Moshe juxtaposed one to the other. He then juxtaposes Yosef immediately after him [Binyamin] because Yosef too [had a sanctuary built within his territory, namely] the Mishkan of Shiloh was erected in his territory, as is said:“He rejected the tent of Yosef” (Ps. 78:67). And because the Holy Temple is dearer [to Hashem] than [the Mishkan of] Shiloh, he mentioned [the bracha of] Binyamin before [that of] Yosef [even though Yosef was older.]. and dwells between his shoulders: The Holy Temple was built on the highest point of his [Binyamin’s] land, except that it was twenty-three cubits below the Eitam Well (see Yoma 31a). Now, it was Dovid’s intention to build it there [at the level of the Eitam Well], as is taught in Shechitas Kodashim [Zev. 54b]: [However,] they said to Dovid:“Let us build it a little lower, for Scripture states, ‘and He dwells between his shoulders’ [which are lower than the head]-and there is no part of an ox more beautiful than its shoulders.”
Yosef was really worthy of having twelve sons...he begot only two; the other ten were born to his brother Binyamin. (Sotah 36b).
Only four people died because they took the Serpent's advice [and not due to their own sins]: one of them was Binyamin son of Yaakov...(Shabbos 55b).
The worms had no power [of decomposition] over [the dead bodies of] seven people including Binyamin son of Yaakov (Bava Basra 17a).
Divrei Torah of Binyomin ben Yaakov Ovinu zt"l
THE TWELVE TRIBES: BIRTHDAYS AND YAHRZEITS
1. The birth dates of the twelve tribes are recorded in Midrash Tadshe (Chapter 8) and the beginning of Yalkut Shemoni Shemos as follows:Reuven: 14 Kislev. He lived until age 125 (others say 155).
2. Shimon: 21 Teves (28 Teves according to the Yalkut). He lived 120 years.
3. Levi: 16 Nissan. He lived 137 years.
4. Dan: 9 Elul. He lived 125 years.
5. Yehudah: 15 Sivan; 119 yearsNaftali: 5 Tishrei (according to the Aishel Avraham, based on Rabbeinu Bachaye, Seder HaDoros, Siddur Nehora and Yalkut). Others say he was born in Sivan. He lived 133 years.
6. Gad: 10 MarCheshvan (according to the Aishel Avraham, based on Rabbeinu Bachaye, Seder HaDoros, Nehora and Yalkut). Others say he was born in Tishrei. He lived for128 (125) years.
7. Yissachar: 10 Av; 122 years.
8. Asher: 20 Adar (other say 20 or 22 Shevat, based on Yalkut or Shalshales Kabbalah). He lived 123 years (others say 126 years; see Seder Olam Zuta).
9. Yosef: 21 of Tishrei (1 Tammuz according to Zayis Raanan); 110 years.
10. Zevulun: 7 Tishrei; 114 (or 110) years (missing in Tadshe, added by Aishel Avraham based on Rabbeinu Bachaye. Also appears in Yalkut)
11. Binyamin: 11 MarCheshvan; 109 years (others say 111 (115 years old) (missing in Tadshe, added by Aishel Avraham based on Rabbeinu Bachaye and Seder Olam Zuta. Also appears in Yalkut).
Their dates of death were not recorded because we assume that they surely died on the same date as their birthdays, as it says, “Hashem ensures (and fulfills that) the days of the tzaddikim are full from day to day,” [Rosh Hashanah 11a (cited by gloss of Aishel Avraham; see Midrash Tadshe as well as Rav Yaakov Emden in his Siddur].
The Ya’avetz adds there that whenever an event in Tanach takes place in a designated month with no date noted, the rule is that we refer to the first of the month since, “the pasuk always explains and reveals, rather than hides,” (Rashi, Vayeira 21:34). As mentioned above, for example, Yosef is noted as born and passed away on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz.
The Midrash Yalkut Shemos concludes that, “Iyar and Shevat are for Ephraim and Menashe.”
Zayis Ra’anan comments there that Yosef was born in Tammuz and Asher in Adar.
The Midrash Tadshe concludes: “Levi was the eldest and Yosef the youngest, and all of the tribes had descendants that were judges and kings except for Shimon, who had Zimri as a descendant and whose immoral, licentious act of sin caused them to be punished and have no judges or kings as descendants. This comes to teach us the severity of immoral behavior and zenus.”