A guest post by Rabbi Aaron Fink (my father), Dean of Ateres Bais Yaakov in Monsey NY. Part of a weekly Dvar Torah (Torah “Thought”) series.
Kol Brama Nishma – Rachel’s Voice
As Yaakov Avinu prepares for his final farewell he tells Yosef Hatzaddik of the circumstances surrounding the death of his mother, Rachel Imeinu . He expresses regret for her not being buried in Ma’aras Hamachpeila like the rest of the imahos. He explains that he had to bury her on the way to Bais Lechem not simply due to an immediate need for rapid interment. But more importantly, as the Navi tells us, kol brama nishma. . . Rachel mivakah al baneha, to secure her voice and passionate cries for Klal Yisrael in times of crisis in the future. Indeed, we would need her tears to help break the harsh decree of golus.
This posuk (Yeshaya 31:15) describing the emotion of Rachel Imeinu’s wailing sob for her children is fascinating for it seems to have a grammatical anomaly. The Posuk tells us that Rachel is mivakah al baneha, Rachel is crying for her children. It continues me’anah lhinachem al baneha ki einenu she finds no solace or comfort for her children for they are gone. Looking closely, however, something is not right. Although Rachel is crying for baneha, her children, in the plural, the word describing their absence, einenu, is written in the singular. Read with grammatical accuracy the verse means Rachel Imeinu is crying for her children for he is gone. It should state the plural form of einam teaching us that they (her sons) are missing.
What is the Navi teaching us? My father a”h was fond of explaining this verse with a powerful and profound insight. Stated simply, he would say, that the Navi is teaching us that Rachel Imeinu cries for each one. Not all the Yidden, but each Yid! Mama Rachel cries for the yachid, the individual Jew, she is heartbroken for even one Yid lost. She finds no comfort in the masses of Yidden who are wholesome and frum, even one Jew lost is an inconsolable tragedy. Sadly we tend to get lost in the grouping of the tzibur and the klal, the totality of Am Yisrael. We must never forget that Bnei Yisrael is really comprised of individuals, each one a jewel. And so Rachel Imeinu cries for the one, that one yid left behind. We should too. Indeed we must!
Yehi ratzon that in that merit of our modeling mama Rochel with our t’fillos, concern and interest in each member of Am Yisrael, we will be zoche to the comforting words of the Navi. Vshavu banim ligvulam bimhara biyameinu amen.
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