"Home Again" by Carole King
[Verse]
Sometimes I wonder if I'm ever gonna make it home again
It's so far and out of sight
I really need someone to talk to, and nobody else
Knows how to comfort me tonight
[Chorus]
Snow is cold, rain is wet
Chills my soul right to the marrow
I won't be happy 'til I see you alone again
'Til I'm home again and feeling right
(טו) כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה ק֣וֹל בְּרָמָ֤ה נִשְׁמָע֙ נְהִי֙ בְּכִ֣י תַמְרוּרִ֔ים רָחֵ֖ל מְבַכָּ֣ה עַל־בָּנֶ֑יהָ מֵאֲנָ֛ה לְהִנָּחֵ֥ם עַל־בָּנֶ֖יהָ כִּ֥י אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃ {ס} (טז) כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה מִנְעִ֤י קוֹלֵךְ֙ מִבֶּ֔כִי וְעֵינַ֖יִךְ מִדִּמְעָ֑ה כִּי֩ יֵ֨שׁ שָׂכָ֤ר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְשָׁ֖בוּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ אוֹיֵֽב׃ (יז) וְיֵשׁ־תִּקְוָ֥ה לְאַחֲרִיתֵ֖ךְ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְשָׁ֥בוּ בָנִ֖ים לִגְבוּלָֽם׃
(15) Thus said GOD: A cry is heard in Ramah— Wailing, bitter weeping— Rachel weeping for her children. She refuses to be comforted For her children, who are gone. (16) Thus said GOD: Restrain your voice from weeping, Your eyes from shedding tears; For there is a reward for your labor —declares GOD: They shall return from the enemy’s land. (17) And there is hope for your future —declares GOD: Your children shall return to their country.
Rachel also has joyful tears in her story...
(י) וַיְהִ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ רָאָ֨ה יַעֲקֹ֜ב אֶת־רָחֵ֗ל בַּת־לָבָן֙ אֲחִ֣י אִמּ֔וֹ וְאֶת־צֹ֥אן לָבָ֖ן אֲחִ֣י אִמּ֑וֹ וַיִּגַּ֣שׁ יַעֲקֹ֗ב וַיָּ֤גֶל אֶת־הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ מֵעַל֙ פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֔ר וַיַּ֕שְׁקְ אֶת־צֹ֥אן לָבָ֖ן אֲחִ֥י אִמּֽוֹ׃ (יא) וַיִּשַּׁ֥ק יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְרָחֵ֑ל וַיִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־קֹל֖וֹ וַיֵּֽבְךְּ׃
(10) And when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, and the flock of his uncle Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of his uncle Laban. (11) Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and broke into tears.
(ז) כִּי־כֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה רׇנּ֤וּ לְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ שִׂמְחָ֔ה וְצַהֲל֖וּ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הַגּוֹיִ֑ם הַשְׁמִ֤יעוּ הַֽלְלוּ֙ וְאִמְר֔וּ הוֹשַׁ֤ע יְהֹוָה֙ אֶֽת־עַמְּךָ֔ אֵ֖ת שְׁאֵרִ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
(7) For thus said GOD: Cry out in joy for Jacob, Shout at the crossroads of the nations! Sing aloud in praise, and say: Save, O ETERNAL One, Your people, The remnant of Israel.
The word in Hebrew that is translated as "cry" is actually a joyful, musical shout. Why do we use the same term in English for both joyful and sad emotional outbursts?
Rachel” (רָחֵל) equals 238 = 2 ∙ 119; 119 is the numerical value of the word “tear” (דִמְעָה), in Hebrew. Thus, our mother Rachel is the symbol of the tears of the Shechinah - which arouse mercy over the people of Israel. Rachel’s Haftarah is read on the second day of Rosh HaShanah.
Tears are half of Rachel. What do you think is the other half?
"So Long, Marianne" by Leonard Cohen
[Verse 1]
Come over to the window, my little darling
I'd like to try to read your palm
I used to think I was some kind of Gypsy boy
Before I let you take me home
[Chorus]
Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began
To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
[Verse 2]
Well you know that I love to live with you
But you make me forget so very much
I forget to pray for the angels
And then the angels forget to pray for us
[Chorus]
Now so long, Marianne, it's time that we began
To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again