Crying for Another

In this week's Torah portion, we read about one of the most dramatic stories ever to be recorded.
The story of Joseph and his 11 brothers.
After being sold into slavery, spending 12 years in prison, and then emerging as viceroy to Pharaoh,
Joseph meets his brothers once again. When he sees his youngest brother (Benjamin) Binyomin, after being separated from him for so many years,
the Torah says: "He fell upon his brother Binyomin's neck and wept, and Binyomin wept upon his neck."

Now we know that every word in the Torah is exact and lad
en with layers & layers of deep meaning.
Why can't the Torah just say: "And they wept on each other's necks" or just "they wept." Why mention neck twice?
The 12th-century Torah Commentator Rashi explains: 'Joseph wept for the 2 temples that would be built in Binyomin's territory in Israel & that would later be destroyed.
And Binyomin wept for the Tabernacle in Shiloh, Joseph's territory, which would be destroyed.'
What connection does the tabernacle and the temple (where the holy ark which contained the two tablets resided)
have to do with the neck specifically?

Where is the neck positioned?
The neck connects the body with the head.
The head contains the brain which controls the body; also, it contains the senses of sight, hearing, tasting, smelling - all of the acute, powerful abilities of a person.
The body, in comparison, leaves much to be desired in these areas of human experience.
The temple was the neck of the universe.
A place where people, and G-d, could connect.
Where the physical, mundane world and the infinite G-d could meet and bond.

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But one question remains: Why didn't they cry for their own, personal destructions in their own territories??

From this we can learn a fundamental lesson in our own lives:
When my "temple" is at threat of being destructed - when my spiritual or physical situation is at risk, the obligation is on me to fix it.
If hard times occur in life, one must turn to G-d for Help, but must also work with utmost energy to fix the problem.
And if what appears to be something bad occurs, we must trust that G-d Had a good intention behind it, and try to accept it as such.

BUT, when misfortune occurs to another, we mustn't expect them to take care of themselves, and turn away, trusting that it was all for the good.
We must cry for them and feel every ounce of their pain.
We can't be content with a hidden good, but rather we must demand for a revealed good.
We learn this all from our forefathers Yosef and Binyomin:
Try feeling for someone else, rather than just ourselves.

May there be no more pain or tears for anybody anymore!
May Moshaich come now before Shabbat and take all of us to Jerusalem with the rebuilding of the 3rd & final Temple!

Shabbat Shalom,

Daniel