Yahrzeit of Rochel Imeinu 11 Cheshvan / 29 October

The History of Rachel’s Tomb

2170 .. 1590 BCE Rachel’s Birth

2176 .. 1584 Rachel Meets Yaakov

2183 .. 1577 The Giving of the Codes - The Torah* tells the story of how Yaakov worked 7 years for Lavan in order to marry Rachel. Yaakov gave to Rachel certain ‘signs’ so that he would know it was her under the Chupah, suspecting that her father, Lavan, might switch daughters. But Lavan did send Leah to the Chupah, so Rachel, not to embarrass her sister, gave her the special ‘signs’. Yaakov married Leah.

2183 .. 1577 Rachel Marries Yaakov at age 14 (after promising to work another 7 years for Lavan)

2199 .. 1561 Rachel gives birth to Yosef

2208 .. 1552 Rachel gives birth to Binyamin. Rachel passes away and is buried near Bet Lechem, where Yaakov places a Tombstone on her gravesite which is there until today.

*Bereishis 29:9 thru 35:19

RACHEL'S TOMB

The structure on the site, a cube topped by a dome, was built around 1620 by the Ottoman Turks. It was lengthened in 1860 by Sir Moses Montefiore. [Pic: Rachel's Tomb in 1860]

In the 1990's, due to the deteriorating security situation, the original domed structure was fortified and enclosed inside a building with a hall from the entrance. Recently, the site has been surrounded by a barrier to separate it from Bethlehem.

The site consists of a rock with eleven stones upon it, one for each of the eleven sons of Jacob who were alive when Rachel died in childbirth. Over the centuries, the rock was covered by a dome supported by four arches. The large tomb is now covered by a velvet drape.

Today, the site is very close to the checkpoint from the Palestinian territories into Israel. The original tomb, a rectangular structure with a white dome, has been enclosed inside a fortress, complete with guard tower, soldiers and barbed wire.

A Story from Nachalei Artzeinu

Rachel Klein is one of our helpers at "Nachalei Artzeinu".

A few days after the horrible blast at the Sbarro restaurant, a young girl called Mrs. Klein and told her that recently she had donated to the Society. She said that she wanted to meet her urgently. In the evening of that same day, the girl visited Mrs. Klein at home, holding a fancy bouquet of flowers in her hands. "What did I do to merit such a gift?" Mrs. Klein wondered aloud. The girl was very excited and found it hard to speak fluently.

"Until a week ago, I worked as a cashier at the "Sbarro" restaurant. When you came to our house collecting for you organization you gave me the "Tikkun HaKlali" as a gift. The next day, on my way to work, I put the Tikkun HaKlali in the pocket of my apron, and took it out once or twice at work to say a few chapters, although I'm actually not religious myself. When the bomb went off, I was standing behind the cash register, with the apron holding the Tikkun HaKlali tied around my waist [an apron which was to act as an armored vest]. The terrorist exploded maybe 6 feet away from me; the cash register shattered into fragments, and I was flung into the air from the blast. I got up and saw only death, destruction and ruins around me. I began touching myself all over, and was astonished to discover that I was safe and sound.

Needless to say, I was the only survivor amongst all those who were standing near me. I left the demolished restaurant, with the Tikkun HaKlali in my trembling fingers, mouthing words of thanksgiving to G-d."

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