Rachel's Tomb- קבר רחל

Beraishit 35.20-בראשית

20.’And Jacob erected a tombstone upon her grave, this is the tombstone of Rachel's Tomb until today- וַיַּצֵּב יַעֲקֹב מַצֵּבָה עַל קְבֻרָתָהּ הִוא מַצֶּבֶת קְבֻרַת רָחֵל עַד הַיּוֹם(2853=18).

The gematria of the words” ’And Jacob erected a tombstone upon her grave”- וַיַּצֵּב יַעֲקֹב מַצֵּבָה עַל קְבֻרָתָהּis 1234=10=1.

The gematria of the words “tombstone upon her grave”-מַצֵּבָה עַל קְבֻרָתָהּ is 944=17=8.

The gematria of the words “this is the tombstone of Rachel's Tomb”- הִוא מַצֶּבֶת קְבֻרַת רָחֵל is 1484=17=8.

The gematria of the words “the tombstone of Rachel's Tomb”- מַצֶּבֶת קְבֻרַת רָחֵל is 1472+3 words=17=8.

The gematria of the words “this is the tombstone of Rachel's Tomb until today- הִוא מַצֶּבֶת קְבֻרַת רָחֵל עַד הַיּוֹםis 1619=17=8.

The gematria of the words “Rachel until today”- רָחֵל עַד הַיּוֹם is 933+3 words=18.

The number 18 is the gematria of the word “life”-חי.

Rachel is alive until this day!

Rachel was married second and buried first at the age of 36.

Leah was married first and buried last at the age of 44.

Leah lived 8 years longer than Rachel. These eight years correspond to the eight days that she was married to Jacob before he married Rachel.

36+44=80=8

Leah’s death is not mentioned in the Torah. She was buried in the Machpelah Cave in Hebron.

Mother Leah-Cave of Machpelah Hebron

אמא לאה- מערת המכפלה- חברון

1234=10=1

Mother Rachel- Rachel’s Tomb-Ephratha

אמא רחל- קבר רחל- אפרתה

1506+5 words=1511=8

Joseph was 8 years old when Rachel died and Benjamin was born (1).

Rachel’s Tomb

The death and burial of Rachel at this precise spot was no coincidence. Jacob could have theoretically taken her body to Hebron and buried her in the Cave of Machpela. Why didn’t he? 

Firstly as we learn from above Jacob was told by Hashem to bury her there to console Jews exiled to Babylon about one thousand years later. However, there is in my opinion, another reason which is very relevant to us today. This is why the words “until today”- עַד הַיּוֹםare written in the above verse.

Rachel’s Tomb is strategically situated on the southern border of Jerusalem just before the city of Bet-Lehem which is currently occupied by Phillistines. It lies on the main road leading from Jerusalem to Hebron which is also currently occupied by Phillistines as is the city of Shechem where Jacob first arrived from Haran and where Joseph is buried. These cities are places of strategic importance-militarily and commercially to the Land of Israel. 

Until today there is a war raging in the Holy Land between good and evil, Phillistine and Israel. There is no peace. Jacob foresaw these events which are unfolding today, as did his father’s Abraham and Isaac, and thus had to ensure that these places would remain in their ancestor’s hands for a future time at the “End of Days”. Thus Rachel died there and Jacob buried her there and then, by the command of Hashem.

Abraham reclaimed Shechem when he first entered the Land and he also bought the Machpela cave in Hebron; Jacob bought Land in Shechem and there is buried Joseph. In Bet-Lehem Rachel died as was buried and in Jerusalem King David bought the Temple Mount in order to build there the Temple. These four places are situated in more or less a straight north-south line which resembles a figure 1. They are indeed one as is proved by their joint gematria:

Shechem- Jerusalem- Bet-Lehem-Hebron

שכם- ירושלים- בית לחם- חברון

4042=10=1

Today all these strategic places that our Forefathers acquired, are areas of bitter contention in the current conflict between the Chosen People of G-d and the Philistines. This is not a coincidence. It will be the merit of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs who will ensure the victory of the Forces of Good over the Forces of Evil at the End of Days.