וַיִּפֹּל עַל־צַוְּארֵי בִּנְּיָָֽמִּן־אָחִּיו וַיֵבְּךְּ ובִּנְּיָמִּן בָכָה עַל־צַוָארָיו.
And he (Yosef) fell on his brother Binyamin's neck and wept, and Binyamin wept on his (Yosef’s) neck. (Parshas Vayigash, Bereishis 45:14)
Midrash tells us the ‘neck’ represents a sanctuary (Beis Hamikdash or Mishkan). Thus the brothers cried over the future destruction of the sanctuaries.
But let’s take a closer look at that Midrash (Bereishis Rabba 93:12): The Midrash points out that the words צַוְּארֵי בִנְּיָמִן (in the above verse) literally is translated as necks of Binyamin. The Midrash explains the implication of the plural word ‘necks’: Rabbu Elazar ben Pedas said: Yosef saw through the Divine Spirit that two Temples were destined to be built in Binyamin’s portion and were destined to be destroyed. The Midrash then says: “And Benjamin wept upon his neck” – he saw that the Sanctuary of Shilo was destined to be fashioned in Yosef’s portion and was destined to be destroyed.
Now what’s puzzling is that although Yosef would have only one sanctuary in his territory (i.e., Mishkan Shilo), the word for Yosef’s neck in that verse is also expressed in the plural form (צַוָארָיו)!
Ask Around Your Table: Why do you think the word for Yosef’s neck is expressed in plural form?
Menucha’s Answer: The Nefesh HaChayim [1:4] writes that a tzadik is an actual Mikdash of Hashem. Hence, perhaps the צַוָארָיו in that verse refers to Mishkan Shilo and to all tzadikim of Klal Yisroel.
