Yoeli: So Yossi, we said Dovid Hamelech started his reign in Chevron… did he grow up there too?
Yossi: Nope! In fact, he grew up right here! In Beis Lechem, just down the road! We say in Lecha Dodi, because Dovid Hamelech came from Beis Lechem! Here was also where Dovid was anointed by Shmuel Hanavi, where the story of Megillas Rus happened (not the Moav part, the Eretz Yisrael part), and of course, where Rochel Imeinu was buried!
Yoeli: Dovid Hamelech’s tefillos were answered in the zechus of Rochel Imeinu.
Yossi: Really?
Yoeli: Yup. Dovid was not able to build the Beis Hamkidash, but he davened to Hashem that he should be able to find the perfect place to build it. In Tehillim it says he davened in Efrat, another name for Beis Lechem! Rav Moshe Wolfson says he came here to Rochel Imeinu, and in her zechus, his tefillos were answered!
Yossi: Whoa. Rochel Imeinu’s tears also shook the Heavens when we were leaving Eretz Yisrael –
Yoeli: Wait, why do we call her Imeinu? Rochel was not the mother of all the Shevatim!
Yossi: Yeah, hmm. I heard from my Zaidy in the name of the Maharal, that we say Habein yakir li Efraim – Efraim is my precious son – that refers to all of Klall Yisrael. Efraim was Rochel’s grandson, which means that all of us can call her our mother.
Yoeli: So why was she buried here instead of Meoras Hamachpeila?
Yossi: My Zaidy also said Rochel was known as the akeres habayis – the main part of the house. Just like your house is where all your family’s things come back to (including your actual family), Rochel has the power to bring her family back home. The “road” represents the opposite of a house, because we travel on the road, but we come back to our home. Here, on the road, is the perfect place for that power – the power of akeres habayis – the power not that we should travel… but we should finally come home!
Yoeli: Wow, Yos. That’s mindblowing. Sing with me! “Mama Rochel, cry for us again…”
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 61.
