1. Rachel is one of the Four Matriarchs
Along with Sarah (wife of Abraham), Rebecca (wife of Isaac), and Leah (her sister and fellow wife of Jacob), Rachel is one of the four mothers of the Jewish people.1
Read: Why Just Four Mothers?
2. She is referred to as “Mamma Rochel”
Like the
other matriarchs, she can be referred to as Rachel Immenu (Rachel Our
Mother), even though she is technically only the mother of two out of
the 12 tribes of Israel.
In Yiddish she is affectionately called Mamma Rochel, reflective of her
special place in the heart of the Jewish people (more on that later).
Read: Lots of Fun Yiddish Words to Learn and Use
3. Her name means “sheep”
In Hebrew,
the name Rachel means “sheep,” associated with her lovable, serene
nature. And it is perhaps no accident that we read of how she would
watch her father’s flocks.
Read: A Kabbalistic Take on Sheep
4. The Bible describes her beauty
Scripture
is sparing in its depiction of the physical appearance and features of
the people whose stories are told. One of the few exceptions is Rachel,
who we are told “had beautiful features and a beautiful complexion.”2
Read: Does Torah Disdain Feminine Beauty?
5. She was the beloved wife of Jacob
When Jacob
came to her hometown of Padan Aram to search for a wife, he helped her
water her father’s flock, and the two felt an immediate deep connection.
Jacob so wished to marry Rachel that the seven years he had to work for
her father, Laban, to earn her hand in marriage, “were like a few days
in his eyes.”3
Read: Love at First Sight: 5 Biblical Examples
6. She sacrificed for her sister
Recognizing
that Jacob was a “catch,” Laban decided to secretly place Leah, his
elder daughter, under the bridal canopy. Suspecting that Laban might
pull a fast one, Jacob gave Rachel a prearranged password to identify
herself. However, knowing how mortified Leah would be when discovered,
Rachel gave her sister the secret sign and watched as she married the
man of her dreams.4
The
following morning Jacob discovered the ruse, and agreed to work for
seven more years if Laban would allow him to marry Rachel a week later.5
Read: How Could Jacob Marry Two Sisters?
7. She suffered from infertility
Soon after
her marriage, Leah began to produce sons (she had six in total). Even
Bilhah and Zilpah, their maids, had two sons each. But Rachel’s “closed
womb” caused her so much grief, she told her husband that to live
without children was akin to death.6
Her pain was eased (but not erased) when she was blessed with a son, whom she named Yosef (Joseph), meaning “he shall add,” expressing her wish for yet another son.
Read: The Case for Large Families
8. She “stole” her father’s idols
As Jacob
prepared to move back to his native Canaan (eventually to become the
Land of Israel) with his wives and children, Rachel stole her father’s teraphim (idols),7 in a final effort to wean him from idol-worship.8 When Laban confronted Jacob about the missing figurines, Jacob innocently declared that whoever had taken them should die.9
Read: Can G‑d Be Stolen?
9. She died in childbirth and was buried on the roadside
Jacob’s
ill-spoken words came true, and Rachel died shortly thereafter, while
giving birth to her second son, Benjamin. Jacob buried her on the road
near Bethlehem, on the way to Efrat.10 She is the only one of the matriarchs not buried alongside Adam and Eve and their respective husbands in the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron.
Read: Rachel’s Tomb
10. She cries for her long-lost children
Buried
alone on the roadside, Rachel is a pathetic yet proud figure, the
quintessential Jewish mother, looking out for her children who have been
dispersed all over the world. In the words of Jeremiah: “A voice is
heard on high, lamentation, bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her
children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, for they are
not.” And G‑d replies to her: “Restrain your voice from weeping and your
eyes from tears . . . and they shall come back from the land of the
enemy. And there is hope for your future . . . and the children shall
return to their own border.”11
The sages
paint a heartbreaking scene in which Rachel evokes her sensitivity for
her sister’s distress and pleads with G‑d to have mercy on His children.
Indeed, even after disregarding the prayers of the Patriarchs and even
those of Moses, He agrees to return the exiles in response to Rachel’s
arguments.12
Read: A Mother’s Tears
11. Her passing is celebrated on 11 Cheshvan
Tradition
places the anniversary of her passing on 11 Cheshvan. Thousands flock to
her tomb to pray, evoking her lonely sacrifice and suffering, and
beseeching G‑d to have mercy in her merit.
Read: The Jewish Mother’s Day
12. She is associated with speech
Chassidic teachings13
explain that Leah’s soul stemmed from the world of thought, while
Rachel’s soul was from the world of speech. Leah was introspective, a
master of meditation and internal communication, while Rachel was
charismatic and appealed to others. Together they laid the foundation
for our nation. Rachel instilled within us the strength to exude a
powerful and far-reaching aura of influence. Leah gifted us with the
strength to tug at our soul strings and talk to G‑d with integrity.
Read: Why Jacob Loved Rachel but Married Leah First
FOOTNOTES |
1.
|
Talmud, Berachot 16b. |
2.
|
Genesis 29:17. |
3.
|
Genesis 29:20. |
4.
|
Talmud, Megillah 13b. |
5.
|
Genesis 29:23–30. |
6.
|
Genesis 30:1. |
7.
|
Genesis 31:19. |
8.
|
Genesis Rabbah 74:5. |
9.
|
Genesis 31:32. |
10.
|
Genesis 35:19. |
11.
|
Jeremiah 31:14–16. |
12.
|
Eichah Rabbah, Petichta 24. |
13.
|
Torah Ohr, Parshat Vayeitzei. |
|