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How did Rashi know??

Written by Benjamin A Rose

And Yaakov took his 2 wives, 2 maidservants and 11 children and crossed the River Yabok”. Rashi notes that the pasuk only mentions Yaakov’s 11 children. Where was Dina? He answers; Yaakov placed her in a box so Esav should not lay his eyes on her. The Vilna Gaon is bothered how Rashi knew that it was Dina who was missing. Maybe Dina was 1 of the 11, and one of the other Shivatim was missing?

The Gaon answers, the Gemara says that the Bais HaMikdash was built in the portion of Binyamin because he was the only Shevet who did not bow down to Esav. The pasuk tells us how all the Shivatim and their mothers passedbefore Esav and bowed. Binyamin, who was not born yet, did not bow down to him. If one of the Shivatim was in the box, then he too did not bow to Esav. There would then be 2 Shivatim who did not bow to Esav, and the Gemorrah would have to explain why the Bais HaMikdash was built in the portion of Binyamen and not in the portion of the Shevet who was in the box.

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