Women’s Class at Starbucks: Insights On Bereishit, Chap 35

This week at our weekly Women’s Class at Starbucks* we learned verses 1-20 in chapter 35 in the book of Genesis. I want to highlight three topics we discussed:  Beth-el, The passing of Devorah and Rebbecca, and the Passing of Mother Rachel.

Beth-El

Hashem spoke to Jacob to remind him to go to Beth-el and make an alter there to thank G-d for his protection on all his journeys  (Beth-El is where Jacob spent the night while fleeing from his brother Esau 22 years earlier, it is here where G-d appeared to Jacob in a dream and promised him that he will become a great nation and that G-d will always be with him) Jacob and family go to Beth-El and offer sacrifices and Jacob renames the place El-Beth-el (G-d makes his presence felt in Beth-El)

Insight: Because Jacob delayed in returning to Beth-El he lost his divine protection that prevented robbers and enemies from harming him and the abduction of Dinah by Shechem occurred.

The passing of Devorah and Rebbecca

The Torah tells us that Devorah the wet nurse of Rebbecca died at this time and is buried below Beth-el in a place that Jacob names Allon- Bacuth

Insight: The Midrashic tradition is that the death of Devorah is an illusion, also to the death of Rebbecca. We see this from the name Bacuth that can also be read Bacoth which translates as double weeping. They wept for Rivkah and Devorah, her devoted nurse. The Torah only alludes to Rivkah’s death to tell us that those who attended Rivkah, buried her secretly at night so that Esau would not come and cause people to speak disrespectfully of her as one who gave birth to such a wicked son. Since they kept her death quiet the Torah keeps it quiet as well. (Rashi). Another explanation is that the Torah keeps it quiet because Rivkah was buried under tragic circumstances. Issac, her husband, is blind and could not leave home to honor her properly, Jacob was not there and Esau would not come because he blamed her for securing the blessing for Jacob. Therefore she is buried by her Hittite neighbors. (Nachmanides)

Discussion: We spent some time discussing Rivkah’s pain in being the only of the Matriarchs to give birth to a wicked offspring (it was Hagar who had Ishmael not Sarah). We talked about parenting in general and how parents can only do so much and then it is up to the child. There is a Kabbalistic insight into Esau, that really he had enormous potential and could have been the one to receive the blessing. He is often compared to King David who was also born ruddy and warlike but who transformed his nature to serve G-d causing him to write in the book of psalms “Libi chalal bikirbi, my heart is a hole within me” meaning, that he spent is life fighting his evil inclinations. Whereas Esau has no though but for the moment “Look I am going to die, so for what use to me is a birthright” (v.32 ch.25 Gen.)

The Passing of Mother Rachel

As Jacob and family journeyed from Beth-el and while still on the road to Ephrat, Rachel went into labor  and it was a difficult birth. As her soul was departing she named her son, the last son to be born to Jacob, “Ben Oni” ( Son of my mourning.) Jacob later changed the name to “Benjamin”  (Son of the right)  to preserve the name his mother gave him, yet give it a more optimistic connotation.

Insight: A women’s account is examined when she is in labour, When Jacob and family were fleeing from Laban (his father-in-law)  Rachel steals her father’s Teraphim (idols) causing Jacob to pronounce when confronted by Laban to about the theft  to promise “with whomever you find your G-ds, will not live” not knowing it his beloved wife Rachel. G-d delays this judgement against her until childbirth possibly to also allow this women of historic righteousness to have her fill of building the nation of Israel.

Jacob buries Rachel on the roadside (B’derech Efrata), the Cave of the Machpela was close by why not take the time to bury her in the family grave?

Midrash rells us that Jacob foresaw that his descendants would pass Rachel’s tomb on the road to exile. He buried Rachel there so she would pray for them and intercede for them on high. As it says in the Book of Jeremiah “Rachel is weeping for her children and refuses to be comforted, until G-d tells her to hold back her cries and dry her eyes because the children will return to their borders”

Discussion: We discussed the greatness and tenderheartedness of Rachel, giving her sister Leah the signs (made between Rachel and Jacob) saving Leah from embarrassment when Laban substituted her for Rachel under the marriage canopy. Even the taking of her Father’s Terpahim was because of her concern for him that he not worship idols. This is why she is called Mama Rochel (Mother Rachel) until today, and thousands flock to her graveside to pray for her intercession.

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*Every Tuesday at noon a group of women from all over the Eastside meet at the Starbucks in Downtown Bellevue to learn and discuss Torah. This class is not recorded due to the personal nature of some of the discussions. All women are invited to attend and a synopsis of the class will be available here on jewisheastside.org.  To check on the current schedule, visit the Eastside Torah Center webiste.

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