In Parshat Vayechi, Jacob is on his deathbed, imparting his final words of wisdom and blessing to his sons. He first calls Joseph in alone, and implores his son to bury him in Israel, in the Cave of Machpelah, where his ancestors are buried. After begging Joseph to bury him, Jacob tells Joseph that Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Menasheh, will receive an inheritance equal to his other sons. Jacob then says, “‘But as for me – when I came from Paddan, Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the road, while there was still a stretch of land to go to Ephrath; and I buried her on the road to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.’ Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons and he said, ‘Who are these?’” ((Genesis 48:7-8))
Commentators have struggled with this passage. Why does Jacob feel compelled to recount Rachel’s death to Joseph at this point in their conversation – after he asks to be buried in his homeland, and before blessing his grandchildren? Some say that Jacob feels guilty asking to be buried in the Cave of Machpelah, because Rachel had not been buried there. He is afraid that Joseph will harbor feelings of hostility toward him and he feels the need to explain himself. However, Jacob does not give much of an xplanation. He does not explain why he didn’t carry Rachel’s body to the Cave, or why he didn’t return at a later date to move her remains to the special burial place of all of his ancestors.
Rashi’s explanation is even more puzzling than the passage itself. Rashi claims that Jacob’s goal is to explain to Joseph why Rachel wasn’t buried in the Cave with the rest of her family. Rashi continues:
Even though she died but a short distance from Bethlehem, G-d commanded Jacob to bury her by the roadside so that she could help the Jewish people when Nebuzaradan, the chief general of Nechubadnezzar of Babylon, would lead Israel into captivity after the destruction of the first temple. When the Jews were passing along the road to Bethlehem, tormented, hungry, and exhausted, Rachel’s soul came to her grave, and wept, beseeching G-d’s mercy upon them (see Jeremiah 31:14). G-d heard her plea. As the prophet Jeremiah relates, “A voice is heard on high, the sound of lamentation…. Rachel weeping for her children… G-d replied to her: ‘Withhold your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,’ says G-d. ‘And your children shall return to their border.’”
Why does Rashi quote such a long passage from Jeremiah, seemingly irrelevant to Jacob’s explanation of Rachel’s death? Why do we need to know here about G-d’s response to Rachel when she weeps for her children? What is Rachel’s work that G-d rewards her for? Why would G-d command that Rachel be stationed at the side of the road to weep and mourn alone?
The Lubavitcher Rebbe analyzes Rashi’s commentary and explains that Rachel was not commanded by G-d to be buried alone on the side of the road. Rather, Rachel requested it. After seeing a revelation about the exile of her descendents, she asked to be positioned near them during their most difficult times, to comfort them in their pain. Since her years as a mother were so short, she wanted to retain the role of motherhood forever, and she could not bear the sight of her children suffering alone. Rachel’s self-sacrifice is precisely what G-d rewards when G-d says, “There is a reward for your actions.” According to Jeremiah, it is Rachel’s cries that G-d hears when our people are going through their most difficult periods.
This inspiring explanation of Rachel’s actions is especially powerful as we consider the apathy that plagues our world. As we think of Rachel’s love for her people, let us remember the lack of tears and action for the victims in Darfur, the women in Rwanda with HIV/AIDS – raped during the genocide, the child soldiers in Uganda, and the 9-year-old prostitutes in India. With Rachel as our role model, it is our responsibility to strive not only for empathy – a level of connection where we truly can’t bear the suffering of others, but also for solidarity – where we will feel compelled to stand alongside our fellow human beings in their time of greatest need. I pray that, inspired by Rachel, we will become advocates and supporters of other peoples who are experiencing their own devastation and emotional exile. Ultimately, I hope that G-d will promise us that because of our prayer, charity, and self-sacrifice, our brothers and sisters of the world will be returned to their “borders” of peace, safety, and prosperity.
Reprinted with permission from The American Jewish World Service. AJWS publishes a weekly Torah Commentary that explores a social justice theme in the Torah reading for the upcoming Shabbat. This AJWS Torah Commentary was written by Rebecca Stone, a Development Officer at American Jewish World Service. This series was made possible in part by funds granted by the Charles H. Revson Foundation. It reflects the ideas and opinions of the author and not necessarily those of American Jewish World Service or its partner organizations.