“It was with the departure of her soul, as she was dying, that she called his name Ben Oni, and his father called him Benjamin” (Genesis 35:18). “It was with the departure of her soul…that she called his name Ben-oni” – the son of my travail in the Aramaic language. “And his father called him Benjamin” – in the sacred tongue.27The word on in Aramaic means suffering. In Hebrew, it means strength.
Jacob replaced on with yamin, the right hand, which symbolizes strength. “Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Efrat, which is Bethlehem” (Genesis 35:19). “Rachel died and was buried” – immediately after death, burial. “On the way to Efrat, which is Bethlehem” – Rabbi Yanai and Rabbi Yonatan were sitting.
A certain heretic came and asked them: ‘What is [the meaning of] that which is written: “Upon your departure from me today, [you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb, at the border of Benjamin at Tzeltzaḥ]”? (I Samuel 10:2). Is Tzeltzaḥ not on the border of Benjamin, and Rachel’s tomb on the border of Judah, as it is written: “On the way to Efrat,” and it is written: “[But you,] Bethlehem of Efrat, [young to be among the thousands of Judah]”?’ (Micah 5:1).
Rabbi Yanai said: ‘Remove my disgrace.’28He said to Rabbi Yonatan to answer the heretic, because, to his, dismay, he was unable to answer him. Rabbi Yonatan] said to him: ‘“Upon your departure from me today” by Rachel’s tomb, you will find two men at the border of Benjamin in Tzeltzaḥ.’ Some say [that Rabbi Yonatan said]: ‘“Upon your departure from me today” at the border of Benjamin in Tzeltzaḥ, you will find two men by Rachel’s tomb.’
This one is accurate, and you thus learn that they were at the border of Benjamin. It is [similarly] written: “…And he passed through the land of Benjamin, but they did not find. They came to the land of Tzuf” (I Samuel 9:4–5). And it is written: “He said to him: Behold, now, a man of God is in this city” (I Samuel 9:6).29The city was called Tzuf because the prophet [hatzofeh] resided there. These verses demonstrate that Saul and Samuel were in the territory of Benjamin.