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The Torah attaches a great significance to the names that are given to people. In fact, the pshat itself often explains the meaning of a character’s name. But in this week’s parsha, Vayishlach, not only is a character given a name without explanation, but his name is then changed - still with no explanation!


I am referring, of course, to Binyamin. Yaakov is instructed by Hashem to return to Beit El, the site of his famous dream while he is escaping from his brother Esav. He duly takes his family with him and erects a monument to Hashem. On the family’s journey from Bet El, Rachel goes into labor and experiences a terrible childbirth.

“They set out from Bethel; but when they were still some distance short of Ephrath, Rachel was in childbirth, and she had hard labor.
When her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Have no fear, for it is another boy for you.”
But as she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
Thus Rachel died. She was buried on the road to Ephrath—now Bethlehem.” Bereishit 35: 16-19

Rachel is breathing her last breaths. She is struggling to utter her very final words. With all the strength she can muster she names her child Ben-oni. The second child she has been so desperate for now becomes named “son of my suffering.” What a tragic end to her life, and what a tragic way for a child to begin his life, being named as the “son of my suffering.” How could a child carry the heavy burden of such a name? It is as though he has been destined for a life of struggle and strife.

The child’s father, Yaakov, steps in and renames the baby. He will be called Binyamin. The commentators are divided on the meaning of this name. Rashi suggests the name refers either to the location where he was born (based on the geography of facing towards the right on their journey) or to him being the son of Yaakov’s old age (Ben Yamim (n). Ramban makes a convincing case for why Rashi’s logic is flawed, explaining that the name cannot be a reference to the location of his birth. Instead Ramban suggests the name refers to him being the “Son of the Right”. The right in this case is not a geographic reference point but rather refers to the right hand, which is considered to be the strong hand and favored by most people.

Yaakov - in the early part of his life - was considered to be simple. Some people even considered him to be weak. Even his name suggests someone who is a follower and not a leader. His struggle with the angel prior to his reunion with Esav and his subsequent name change to Yisrael (He who has struggled with G-d) indicates a person who has grown in strength and become a forceful and dominant character. He recognizes the importance of a “strong” name and the influence it can hold for a person’s future. He wants to ensure that Binyamin does not suffer from a complex of suffering and guilt. He names him as someone who will be favored and strong.

When Yaakov/Yisrael changes his son’s name, he demonstrates an awesome sense of self-awareness of the struggles he faced and the lengths he had to overcome to conquer his own challenges. Yaakov’s destiny was preordained by the name he was originally given. It was only after he demonstrated his ability to overcome extreme adversity that he became known as “the one who struggled with G-d.” He did not want Binyamin to suffer the same fate and be faced with the same challenge to alter his destiny. His love and concern for his son’s future led him to change his name from representing suffering to now representing strength and favor.