(טז) וַיִּסְעוּ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית אֵ֔ל וַֽיְהִי־ע֥וֹד כִּבְרַת־הָאָ֖רֶץ לָב֣וֹא אֶפְרָ֑תָה וַתֵּ֥לֶד רָחֵ֖ל וַתְּקַ֥שׁ בְּלִדְתָּֽהּ׃
(יז) וַיְהִ֥י בְהַקְשֹׁתָ֖הּ בְּלִדְתָּ֑הּ וַתֹּ֨אמֶר לָ֤הּ הַמְיַלֶּ֙דֶת֙ אַל־תִּ֣ירְאִ֔י כִּֽי־גַם־זֶ֥ה לָ֖ךְ בֵּֽן׃
(יח) וַיְהִ֞י בְּצֵ֤את נַפְשָׁהּ֙ כִּ֣י מֵ֔תָה וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ בֶּן־אוֹנִ֑י וְאָבִ֖יו קָֽרָא־ל֥וֹ בִנְיָמִֽין׃
(יט) וַתָּ֖מָת רָחֵ֑ל וַתִּקָּבֵר֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אֶפְרָ֔תָה הִ֖וא בֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃
(כ) וַיַּצֵּ֧ב יַעֲקֹ֛ב מַצֵּבָ֖ה עַל־קְבֻרָתָ֑הּ הִ֛וא מַצֶּ֥בֶת קְבֻֽרַת־רָחֵ֖ל עַד־הַיּֽוֹם׃
(16) They set out from Bethel; but when they were still some distance short of Ephrath, Rachel was in childbirth, and she had hard labor.
(17) When her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Have no fear, for it is another boy for you.”
(18) But as she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
(19) Thus Rachel died. She was buried on the road to Ephrath—now Bethlehem. (20) Over her grave Jacob set up a pillar; it is the pillar at Rachel’s grave to this day.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. Describe the last few moments of Rachel's life.
2. How does Yaacov react to her death? Do we see his reaction from the Pessukim?
3. Were is Rachel buried?
4. Where should she have been buried? Why?
(י) ותמת רחל ותקבר, בדרך אפרת היא בית לחם מה ראה אבינו יעקב לקבור את רחל בדרך אפרת? אלא, צפה יעקב אבינו, שהגליות עתידות לעבור שם, לפיכך קברה שם, כדי שתהא מבקשת עליהם רחמים. הה"ד (שם): קול ברמה נשמע, נהי בכי תמרורים, רחל מבכה על בניה וגו' כה אמר ה' מנעי קולך מבכי וגו' ויש תקוה לאחריתך וגו':
"And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Efrat, this is Beit-Lechem" What did Yaakov see that he buried Rachel in the way to Efrat? He had a prophetic vision that the exiles would in the future pass through there, therefore he buried her there, so she would ask for mercy for them - so it is written "A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel is weeping for her children ... Thus says Ad-nai: Refrain your voice from weeping... there is hope for your future, etc.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
1. What decision does Yaacov make at the time of Rachel's death? Why does he do this?
2. Yaacov's decision to bury Rachel here shows that he is confident in Rachel's ability to do what?
3. The Midrash is quoting a Passuk from the Navi Yirmiyahu "..כה אמר ה' מנעי קולך מבכי וגו' ויש תקוה לאחריתך" based on this Passuk, what do we see about the power of Rachel's prayers?
4. Why do you suppose she possess this "Power of Tefillah"?
(טו) כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר ה' ק֣וֹל בְּרָמָ֤ה נִשְׁמָע֙ נְהִי֙ בְּכִ֣י תַמְרוּרִ֔ים רָחֵ֖ל מְבַכָּ֣ה עַל־בָּנֶ֑יהָ מֵאֲנָ֛ה לְהִנָּחֵ֥ם עַל־בָּנֶ֖יהָ כִּ֥י אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃ (ס) (טז) כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר ה' מִנְעִ֤י קוֹלֵךְ֙ מִבֶּ֔כִי וְעֵינַ֖יִךְ מִדִּמְעָ֑ה כִּי֩ יֵ֨שׁ שָׂכָ֤ר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ֙ נְאֻם־ה' וְשָׁ֖בוּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ אוֹיֵֽב׃ (יז) וְיֵשׁ־תִּקְוָ֥ה לְאַחֲרִיתֵ֖ךְ נְאֻם־ה' וְשָׁ֥בוּ בָנִ֖ים לִגְבוּלָֽם׃ (ס)
Thus says Ad-nai: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are not. (15) Thus says Ad-nai: Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for you work shall be rewarded, says Ad-nai: they shall come back from the land of the enemy. (16) And there is hope for your future, says Ad-nai: And your children shall return to their own borders.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
1. How does the Navi describe Rachel's prayers to Hashem?
2. Hashem says to Rachel to stop crying because "כִּי֩ יֵ֨שׁ שָׂכָ֤ר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ֙: Your work has been rewarded" What work is Hashem referring to?
3. Hashem continues to promise Rachel that "Your children will return to their borders": What does this promise mean?
(טו) רחל מבכה על בניה. מדרש אגדה אמר שהלכו אבות ואמהות לפייס את הקב"ה על שהעמיד מנשה דמות בהיכל ולא נתפייס נכנסה רחל אמרה לפניו רבונו של עולם רחמי מי מרובים רחמיך או רחמי ב"ו הוי אומר רחמיך מרובים והלא אני הכנסתי צרתי בתוך ביתי שכל עבודה שעבד יעקב את אבי לא עבד אלא בשבילי כשבאתי ליכנס לחופה הכניסו את אחותי ולא די ששתקתי אלא שמסרתי לה סימני אף אתה אם הכניסו בניך צרתך בביתך שתוק להם אמר לה יפה למדת סנגוריא יש שכר לפעולתך ולצדקתך שמסרת סימנך לאחותך :
(15) Midrash Agadah says that all of the Avot and Imahot went to Hashem to appease Him during the destruction of the first Beit Hamikdash. None of them were able to appease G-d. Rachel came and said "Do I have more compassion than you, Hashem? Does a person have more compassion than Hashem? Yaakov worked for me for many years and at the end my sister went under the Chuppah and married my husband. And I remained quiet. Do I have more compassion that You?" Hashem said to Rachel, "It is right what you say and because of you and the signs you gave your sister, I will return Am Yisroel to the Holy Land."
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
1. According the Midrash, when all the Avot (Patriarchs) and Imahot (Matriarchs) prayed on behalf of the Jewish People, only Rachel's prayer was answered. Why?
2. Describe the selfless act of Rachel.
3. Explain why this act merited her to be know as the "Mother of all the Jewish People"?