Vayechi: Understanding Rachel’s Burial Place

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Parshat Vayechi is essentially the last will and testament of Yaakov Avinu. Much of it contains his last requests, rebuke, and advice to his children. One of Yaakov’s admonishments to Yosef is that he ensures that Yaakov is buried in Meorat Hamachpela. In this, almost parenthetically, Yaakov seems to express regret that he did not bury Rachel in Chevron as well. Yet on closer examination, these words reveal so much more than simple regret¹.

The Ramban² explains that these are words of apology to Yosef, not confession, for Yosef already knew this information. Yaakov explains that when Rachel died, the party was traveling, and they had neither the time nor the medical procedures necessary to bring her to Chevron, so she had to be buried right there, on the road to Beit Lechem. Meorat Hamachpela was actually only a half-day’s journey away, but due to the large number of travelers and amount of cattle, it would have taken many days to get there³.

Another reason for Rachel’s location of burial is cited by the commentators. The Torah prohibits taking two sisters as wives. The Torah had not actually been given yet, but nonetheless when Yaakov entered Eretz Yisroel, due to this commandment, he could not remain married to both Rachel and Leah. For the same reason, he could not be buried next to both wives. Therefore, Rachel died and was buried on the road to Beit Lechem, and Leah was buried in Mearat Hamachpela⁴.

With these explanations, Yaakov apologies to Yosef, in the hope that Yosef would not be angry with him for requesting the very burial and treatment that was not afforded to Rachel, Yosef’s mother⁵. However, deeper study reveals another layer to Yaakov’s explanations. On a surface level, Yaakov seems to be explaining the unfortunate circumstances that led to Rachel’s burial location, but further investigation shows that these circumstances were, in fact, ideal.

The prohibition against marrying sisters explains why Rachel and Leah had to be buried separately, but it does not explain why Rachel was designated as the “displaced” wife. Theoretically, Leah could have been buried elsewhere and Rachel with Yaakov in Chevron. This would almost seem to make more sense, because Rachel was generally considered the favorite wife. A simple explanation is offered by the Chizkuni⁶. He writes that Rachel’s kever is in the portion of Binyamin, while Meorat Hamachpela is in the portion of Yehuda. Seeing as Rachel and Leah had been rivals throughout their life, it would have been insensitive to bury Rachel in the portion of a son of Leah.

The deeper explanation, however, is likely the more well-known reasoning for Rachel’s burial location. Centuries later, as the Jewish nation was being taken out to exile in Babylon, they stopped at Rachel’s tomb and cried bitter tears. Rachel prayed and cried on their behalf, and it was her tears that gained the promise of “V’shavu banim l’gvulam”⁷, the promise that her children will eventually be returned home. Rachel was specifically buried there for that purpose. Praying there gave hope to her children, and her motherly tears managed to breach the gates of heaven. Evidently, Rachel’s place of burial was not only excusable, but necessary for the survival of the Jewish people. Rashi, citing this, states clearly that Rachel was buried there according to Divine Will.

Throughout their lives, Rachel and Leah were at odds with one another. Both had dreams, and each one always seemed to have what the other desired. The best example of this is seen in the interaction involving the dudaim⁸. Reuven had given Leah the plant, which was known for its fertility properties, and Rachel exchanged her night with Yaakov for some of these dudaim. While this story is often cited as an example of Rachel’s sacrifice, it is also indicative of the personalities and dreams of the two women.

Rachel dreamed of being a mother. Leah bore son after son, yet Rachel still remained barren. Even the children she did have were hardly a consolation, as Yosef was sold at a young age, and Binyamin was born just before her time of death. Leah longed to fulfill her role as a wife and partner to Yaakov. She had prayed so hard to avoid a marriage to Eisav, and did ultimately marry Yaakov. However, despite being the second wife, Rachel always remained the favorite and Leah was always somewhat resented. In the end, nevertheless, both women had their dreams fulfilled.

Since the days of the Babylonian Exile, Kever Rachel has been a place of pilgrimage and tefilla. Thousands flock to her resting place to call upon those same motherly tears she cried centuries ago. Though biologically she is only a mother to two of Yaakov’s twelve sons, figuratively, she remains the quintessential mother figure to the entire Jewish nation. Universally, she is known as “Mama Rachel” – the maternal figure to all of Klal Yisroel. In essence, her seemingly less than ideal resting place led to the fulfillment of her dream of motherhood. Leah, too, had her dream fulfilled through these circumstances. Rachel was buried in Beit Lechem, leaving Leah as the wife buried alongside Yaakov, as his partner for eternity.

Clearly, there was nothing to regret about Rachel’s burial location. It may have taken many years to play out, but the Jewish People needed a mother figure not only on the way to Bavel, but as a place of refuge through all of history. So too for the dreams of Rachel and Leah. in their lifetimes, they did not get to see fulfillment of their desires and dreams. But ultimately, both women had their aspirations realized. Sometimes, reality fulfills dreams we did not even know we had, and sometimes our dreams are fulfilled through realities we did not think were possible. At the end of the day, the Divine Plan is the one that will be carried through, and every supposed loose thread will come together in one glorious tapestry.

¹ _{Bereishit 48:7}

² _Ibid

³ _{Radak ibid}

⁴ _{Tur ibid}

⁵ _{Ibn Ezra ibid}

⁶ _Ibid

⁷ _{Yirmiyahu 31:16}

⁸ _{Bereishit 30:14-16}