“And the sons of Benjamin: Bela, and Bekher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Eḥi, and Rosh, Mupim, and Ḥupim, and Ard” (Genesis 46:21). “And the sons of Benjamin: Bela…” – when Joseph stood with Benjamin, he asked him: ‘Do you have sons?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said to him: ‘How many?’
He said to him: ‘Ten.’ He said: ‘What are their names?’ He said to him: ‘I had one brother. His actions were fine and pleasant, and he was taken captive from me, and I gave them names based on his experience.
“Bela” – as he was swallowed [nivla] up from me; “Bekher” – as he was my firstborn [bekhor] [brother]; “Ashbel” – as he was taken captive [nishba] from me; “Gera” – as he resides [gar] in another land; “Naaman” – as his actions were fine [na’im] and pleasant [ne’imim]; “Eḥi” – as he was my full-fledged brother [aḥi]; “and Rosh” – as he was a leader [rosh] for me, and he was the head [roshan] of his brothers, as it is stated: “May his blessing rest on the head of [lerosh] Joseph” (Deuteronomy 33:16); “Mupim” – as he was very fine [yafeh] in all respects, and all the halakhot that Shem and Ever transmitted to Jacob, he transmitted to him.17Mupim – mo pihem – directly from their mouths.
“And Ḥupim” – as he did not see my wedding canopy [beḥupati] and I did not see his wedding canopy [beḥupato], and they concealed [veḥipu] matters in his regard and said: “A savage beast devoured him” (Genesis 37:33). “And Ard” – as he was like a rose [vered]. “And Ard” – after: [Jacob said:] “For I will descend [ered] mourning to my son to the grave” (Genesis 37:35).’ “And the sons of Naphtali: Yaḥtze'el, and Guni, and Yetzer, and Shilem” (Genesis 46:24).
“And the sons of Naphtali” – their [creations] were twisted [muftalin] on seventy-two heddles;18A heddle is an integral part of a loom. as they twisted [potelin] the work of heddles.19They were expert weavers. “Yaḥtze'el” – they broke [sheḥitzu] the gods in their hand and they cut [metzaḥtzeḥin] with their teeth and would sneer with their lips.20They would break idols, and make cutting remarks and disdainful facial expressions about idolatry (see Yefeh To’ar; Etz Yosef).
However, see Matnot Kehuna, where these statements are interpreted to mean that they fashioned idols and made disparaging comments toward God. “And Guni” – they spoke in derogatory [megunim] language. “And Yetzer” – their [evil] inclination was stronger than that of all [other] people. “And Shilem” – they were devoted [mushlamim] to their inclination21Alternatively, they were devoted to God despite their strong evil inclination (Yefeh To’ar). and would repay [umshalmin] goodness with evil.