PEOPLE OF THE LAND
Selections from classical Torah sources
which express the special relationship between
the People of Israel and Eretz Yisrael

RACHEL -
The Pleading Mother

When Yaakov asked Yosef to arrange for his burial in the Machpela Cave where his parents and grandparents were buried, he was sensitive to the fact that he might harbor some hard feelings that his mother Rachel was not buried there. He therefore informed him that this was not his decision but rather a Divine command to bury Rachel on the route which would be taken by her children when they were being led into Babylonian exile. When they eventually passed by her tomb in Beth Lechem she came out and wept for them and appealed to Heaven on their behalf, and a Heavenly voice answered (Yirmiyahu 31:16), "Your children will return to their borders."

Although the city of Beth Lechem is today populated exclusively by Arabs, the Tomb of Rachel continues to attract Jews from all of Israel who come there to "Mother Rachel" and appeal to her to plead on their behalf.