173. While they were walking, Rabbi Yosi said to Rabbi Elazar: We learned that when Rachel died, THE SHECHINAH, who needed the twelve tribes to achieve perfection, took Her house. HE ASKS, Why did Rachel die at that time? WAS THIS CONNECTED TO HER DEATH? He replies, The reason was to enable the Shechinah to be properly crowned and become "a joyful mother of children" (Tehilim 113:9). With BENJAMIN, THE SHECHINAH began to take the house and achieve perfection. HE IS OF THE ASPECT OF YESOD OF THE TWELVE TRIBES, AND IS THEREFORE THE FIRST TO PERFECT THE SHECHINAH. Therefore, THE STANDARD OF Benjamin is always facing west - AS YESOD IS CONSIDERED TO BE OF THE WEST - and not any other side.
174. With BENJAMIN, the Shechinah begins to achieve perfection by way of the twelve tribes. Through him, the Kingdom of Heaven begins to manifest itself on earth, AS THE FIRST KING IN YISRAEL, SAUL, WAS HIS DESCENDANT. It is a mystery that every manifestation begins with difficulties and contains the sentence of death, but the difficulties are later resolved.
175. When THE SHECHINAH desired to be perfected and take over the house, WITH THE TWELVE TRIBES COMPLETED, judgment was exacted from Rachel AND SHE DIED. Later, She prepared to assume Her proper place. Similarly, when the kingdom wished to establish itself on earth, it started with judgment against Saul, who was THEN KILLED ON THE MOUNTAINS OF GILBOA, according to his deeds. Only after this judgment was exacted from Saul the kingdom established and settled ON DAVID.
176. Come and behold, all beginnings are hard, but are followed by relief. Thus, on Rosh Hashanah everyone in the world is judged according to his own actions. Then comes relief and forgiveness and atonement ON YOM KIPPUR. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY THE SUKKOT ('THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES'). The reason is that every beginning has the aspect of the left, whose judgment is severe, but later the right is aroused, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "HIS LEFT HAND IS UNDER MY HEAD," AND THEN, "HIS RIGHT HAND EMBRACES ME" (SHIR HASHIRIM 2:6). Then relief comes.
177. THE REVERSE IS TRUE FOR THE IDOLATROUS PEOPLE OF THE WORLD. In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will deal with them gently at first, but afterward with severe Judgment. This is the meaning of the verse, "Hashem shall go forth as a mighty man, He shall stir up ardor like a man of war." First comes "Hashem," the Merciful; then He comes "as a mighty man," not an ACTUAL mighty man; and later, "like a man of war," not an ACTUAL man of war. Finally, Judgment will be given against them, and He will destroy them, as it is written, "He shall cry, indeed, roar, He shall show Himself mighty against His foes" (Yeshayah 42:13), and "Then shall Hashem go out, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle" (Zecharyah 14:3), and "Who is this that comes from Edom, with crimsoned garments from Bozra ..." (Yeshayah 63:1)
178. "And it came to pass, as her soul was departing, for she died, that she called his name, Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin" (Beresheet 35:18). Rabbi Yehuda began the discussion with the verse, "Hashem is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, He knows them that trust in Him" (Nachum 1:7). Happy is the lot of one who is strengthened by the Holy One, blessed be He, because the stronghold of the Holy One, blessed be He, is indeed a stronghold, as it is written, "Hashem is good," as in, "good to all" (Tehilim 145:9); "a stronghold" of salvations, as it is written, "he is the saving strength of His anointed" (Tehilim 28:8). " ...In the day of trouble ..." is when trouble comes, and the other nations attack Yisrael.