VIDEO of RACHELS TOMB ( Womans side) The Tomb of Rachel. Judaisms third-holiest site, has been the scene of prayer and pilgrimage for more than three thousand years. Rachel, the beloved wife of the third Patriarch, Yaacov (Jacob), died in childbirth on the way to Hebron returning to his familys home: They set out from Bayt-El; but when they were still some distance from Efrat, Rachel went into childbirth, and she had hard labor, When her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, Have no fear, for its another boy for you. But as she breathed her last --as she was dying-- she named him Ben-Oni, but his father called him Benyamin. So Rachel died. She was buried on the road to Efrat -- now Bethlehem. Over her grave Yaacov set up a pillar, it is the pillar at Rachels grave to this day. Torah, Parshat Vayishlach (Genesis 35:16-21) Yaacov buried Rachel at this spot, rather than a the family burial plot at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, because he foresaw that his decedents would pass this site during the the forced exile to Babylon in the year 423 B.C.E. And then Rachel would pray for their safety and ultimate return, as its written: Rachel, weeping for her children, she refuses to be comforted for her children who are gone. Thus said HaShem: Restrain your voice from weeping, your eyes from shedding tears for there is reward for your labor declares HaShem. They shall return from the enemys land and there is hope for the future declares HaShem: Your children shall return to their own country. Jeremiah 31:15-17 So Yaacov set up a monument over her lonely grave site so that exiled Jews would recognize it and pray and be comforted as they were being led into captivity. Ancient writings describe the grave marker as 12 stones that represented the 12 tribes of Israel with one large stone that symbolized Yaakov. Since the time of her burial the Tomb of Rachel has always been a special place for prayer. To this very day, men and women go to Rachels Tomb to shed tears and beg Mother Rachel to intercede with G-d on their behalf -- for the health of a loved one or for Divine Intervention for those in need. Rachel, the childless woman who ultimately became mother of the Jewish People, has become a special symbol of hope for childless women -- teaching them the power of prayer. Hundreds of requests are sent every month to the Committee For Rachels Tomb from Jews world wide, requesting prayers to be said on behalf of the ill, the childless and those in need of a special blessing.
Posted on: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 09:57:02 +0000
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