וְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִין֙ אֲחִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף לֹא־שָׁלַ֥ח יַעֲקֹ֖ב אֶת־אֶחָ֑יו כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר פֶּן־יִקְרָאֶ֖נּוּ אָסֽוֹן׃
But Binyamin, Yosef’s brother, Yaakov sent not with his brethren; for he said, “Lest peradventure harm befall him.”
Classical midrash on Yaakov’s protective fear for Binyamin.
פֶּן יִקְרָאֶנּוּ אָסוֹן. יַעֲקֹב חוֹשֵׁשׁ עַל בִּנְיָמִין מִשּׁוּם שֶׁהוּא הַנִּשְׁאָר מִבְּנֵי רָחֵל.
English of Core Text: “Lest peradventure harm befall him.” Yaakov fears for Binyamin because he is the remaining son of Rachel.
On the daf / in context: The midrash connects Yaakov’s refusal to send Binyamin with the still-unhealed wound of Yosef’s loss; the same word “ason” reappears later in Yaakov’s speech.
Type of Learning: Derash on the verse (classic midrash) — not a formal named middah of the 13.
What Is Learned: Yaakov’s protective withholding of Binyamin is the direct consequence of the earlier tragedy; the fear of “ason” shapes the entire second half of the narrative.