Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya said: Woe unto us from the Day of Judgment; woe unto us from the day of rebuke. If the righteous Joseph, who is flesh and blood, when he rebuked his brothers, they were unable to withstand his rebuke, the Holy One blessed be He who is Judge, Litigant, sits on the bench of judgment, and judges each and every one, all the more so, that all flesh and blood people will be unable to stand before Him.
“He fell upon the neck of his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck” (Genesis 45:14). “He fell upon the neck [tzaverei]33This Hebrew term is plural, such that a literal translation would be “necks.” of his brother Benjamin, and wept” – did Benjamin have two necks? Rather, Rabbu Elazar ben Pedat said: Joseph saw through the Divine Spirit that two Temples were destined to be built in Benjamin’s portion and were destined to be destroyed. “And Benjamin wept upon his neck” – he saw that the Tabernacle in Shilo was destined to be fashioned in Joseph’s portion and was destined to be destroyed. “He raised his voice in weeping” (Genesis 45:2) – just as Joseph placated his brothers only through weeping, so, the Holy One blessed be He will redeem Israel only through weeping, as it is stated: “They will come with weeping, and with supplications I will lead them” (Jeremiah 31:9).