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THE WEEKLY SIDRA- VAH’Y’CHI
Rabbi Moshe Greebel

While not interred with her husband in the M’oras HaMachpailah (subterranean cave of the doubles: Adam HaRishon/Chava, Avraham/Sarah, Yitzchak/Rivka, and Ya’akov/Leah) in Chevron, our mother Rachail, who was buried on the Derech (road) Efras to Bais Lechem, had a very special role to play concerning future generations of Jews, from her place of internment. Concerning this special role, the Navi (prophet) tells us: 
“Thus it is written, ‘So says HaShem, “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachail weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted.”  So says HaShem, “Refrain your voice from weeping...... And there is hope for thy future,” says HaShem, “and your children shall return to their own border.”’” (Yirmiyahu 31:14-15)

That is, there will come a time, when future generations of oppressed Jews, led by their captors, will pass through Bais Lechem.  Rachail Imainu (our mother) will then supplicate HaShem for her children.  This is seen from the Midrash B’raishis Rabbah 82-10: 
“What was Ya’akov’s reason for burying Rachail in the way to Efras?  Ya’akov foresaw that the exiles (in the time of N’vuzradan, a Babylonian commander in the destruction of the first Bais HaMikdash) would pass on from there.  Therefore, he buried her there so that she might pray for mercy for them.  So it is written, ‘A voice is heard in Ramah..... Rachel weeping for her children...... So says HaShem, Refrain thy voice from weeping... and there is hope for thy future…...’” (ibid. 31:14-15)

In this week’s Sidra, while commanding his son Yosef to see that upon his death, his father is to be interred not in Egypt, but in Eretz Canaan (Yisroel), Ya’akov makes mention of the fact that he could not bury his own wife Rachail with him in the M’oras HaMachpailah: 
“And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachail died by me in Eretz Canaan on the way, when yet there was but a little way to come to Efras; and I buried her there on the Derech Efras; which is Bais Lechem.” (B’raishis 48:7)

Because she suddenly passed away in childbirth to Binyamin, Ya’akov had to bury her where she died.  But, why did Ya’akov have to mention this to his son Yosef?  Rashi gives us the words of Ya’akov to Yosef, not recorded in the Torah: 
“I could not even get her (Rachail) to Bais Lechem, to cause her to enter the land.  And, I am aware that you hold it against me.  But, you should know, I buried her (there) as a result of divine speech (prophesy), that (someday), she may be an assistance to her children.  For, when N’vuzradan will exile them, and they will pass there (Derech Efras), she will emerge upon her entombment, and cry, and plead for mercy…..”

Now, while all the matriarchs, Sarah, Rivka, Rachail, and Leah, were most certainly quite capable of pleading for mercy from HaShem for their oppressed children, the task somehow, fell only to Rachail.  Why should this be so?  For an answer to this query, we will delve into the commentary Devek Tov, which begins with the following Midrash Aicha P’sichta (24), detailing the words of Rachail to HaShem: 
“In that hour, Rachail Imainu (our mother) sprang before HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and said, ‘Sovereign of the Universe, it is revealed before You that Your servant Ya’akov loved me exceedingly, and toiled for my father on my behalf seven years. When those seven years were completed and the time arrived for my marriage with my husband, my father planned to substitute another for me to wed my husband for the sake of my sister (Leah).  It was very hard for me, because the plot was known to me and I disclosed it to my husband; and I gave him a sign whereby he could distinguish between me and my sister, so that my father should not be able to make the substitution. After that I relented, suppressed my desire, and had pity upon my sister that she should not be exposed to shame.  In the evening they substituted my sister for me with my husband, and I delivered over to my sister all the signs which I had arranged with my husband so that he should think that she was Rachail.  More than that, I went beneath the bed upon which he lay with my sister; and when he spoke to her she remained silent and I made all the replies in order that he should not recognize my sister's voice. I did her a kindness, was not jealous of her, and did not expose her to shame.  And if I, a creature of flesh and blood, formed of dust and ashes, was not envious of my rival, and did not expose her to shame and contempt, why should You, a King Who lives eternally and are merciful, be envious of the rival of idolatry in which there is no reality, and exile my children and let them be slain by the sword, and their enemies have done with them as they wished?  Forthwith, the mercy of HaKadosh Baruch Hu was stirred, and He said, ‘For your sake, Rachail, I will restore Yisroel to their place.’”

The Devek Tov explains that only Rachail of the four matriarchs, could have made the argument of showing compassion to her rival (Leah), as she expected HaShem to have mercy on His children for their turning to the ‘so called’ rival of idolatry. 

And so, Rachail was not only buried on Derech Efras because she passed away there.  She was also buried there because of the instruction of the divine speech, whereby it was known, that in the future, only she of the matriarchs, could plead for mercy for her children through the formidable argument of abstaining from rivalry.

May we soon see the G’ulah Sh’laimah in its complete resplendence- speedily, and in our times.  Good Shabbos.

NCYI's Weekly Divrei Torah Bulletin is sponsored by the Henry, Bertha and Edward Rothman Foundation - Rochester, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Circleville, Ohio

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