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Kever Rochel Imeinu And Kever Shimon Hatzaddik: Past and Present
By S. Cohen
Rochel's Tomb Traditional
This essay was originally published in 1995.
Kever Rochel: Will It Always Be Accessible?
Access to Kever Rochel is important to us. In order for us to fully comprehend the importance today, we must review pesukim and midroshim that reveal its kedusha. In particular, the recent yahrtzeit of Rochel Imeinu on the eleventh of MarCheshvan makes this topic even more meaningful to us.
Rochel Imeinu's yahrtzeit is observed as a day of tefillah at her grave and thousands of people arrive on this day to daven. Klal Yisroel prays to Hashem that in response to Rochel mevako al baneha they should merit the final yeshua, and `her children will return to their borders.'
On The Road To Efras — This is Beis Lechem
From the Jaffa Gate in Yerushalaim, a road continues in the southerly direction. Following this road, one passes near the railway station, the Allenby military barracks and the German colony at Emek Refaim where some claim Dovid Hamelech killed Golias.
One then passes through Talpiot and Mekor Chaim. After this, several monasteries and Moslem places of worship are seen which explain the Palestinian desire to acquire this region.
Next one enters the wilderness of Judea stretching to the east with its olive groves and fig trees. This road, called Derech Beis Lechem seems to continue as any other major traffic artery, leading from Yerushalaim to Chevron. But then all at once, in the midst of this highway, the Bethlehem Bazaar is seen. Arab men and youth are seen marketing fruit, rugs and handiwork on the street. Wheelbarrows filled with watermelons, and pushcarts piled up with long pita breads are moving towards their destinations.
And there, on the right side of this highway, right in the middle of it all, Kever Rochel Imeinu is seen. There, in Bethlehem, Beis Lechem, the home of Elimelech and Naomi, in the midst of all the traffic and thoroughfare, right on the road itself. This is exactly how Hashem Yisborach wanted it to be: right on the road itself.
Rochel's Tomb: The modern fortified entrance
The Torah tells us: "And Rochel died, and was buried on the way to Efras, which is Beis Lechem. And Yaakov set a pillar upon her grave, that is the pillar of Kever Rochel to this day." (Bereishis 35:19-20).
Even during Rochel's life, there is a hint of Rochel's eventual burial in a place other than the other Imahos, who were buried in Me'oras Hamachpela. The posuk in parshas Vayeitze tells us: "And Yaakov embraced Rochel, and raised his voice and wept." (Bereishis 29:11). Rashi tells us here that he wept, "because he foresaw with Ruach Hakodesh that Rochel would not be buried with him."
Further, the Midroshim clearly tell us, (Radak on Yirmiyahu 31 and Rashi in parshas Vayechi) of the intention in burying Rochel right here on the road to Efras.
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Rochel's Tomb: The modern interior
"Why did Yaakov Ovinu see fit to bury Rochel on the road to Efras? The reason was that he understood that the exiles of Klal Yisroel would pass this way while leaving their homeland into golus. He buried Rochel there in order that she might beg mercy for them in their time of distress. When Nevuchadnezaar exiled them to of Bovel, they passed by Kever Rochel and Rochel Imeinu begged mercy for them as we are told: "Kol berama nishma, nehi bechi samrurim, Rochel mevako al baneha.." ("A voice is heard in Rama, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rochel is weeping for her children, she refuses to be comforted over her children, because they are not. Thus said Hashem: "Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded,.. and they shall come back again from the land of the enemy,.. and there is hope for the future,.. and your children shall come back again to their own border." (Yirmiyahu 31:14-17).
The famous Medrash not only explains the reason for the burial of Rochel Imeinu on the road itself but it has given Klal Yisroel hope and emunah in the darkest moments of golus. "And there is hope for the future.."
Rashi and Ramban in parshas Vayechi show us that it was clearly min haShomayim that Rochel was not buried in the Me'oras Hamachpela, but right on the road to Efras.
A diagram of Rochel's Tomb
After Yaakov Ovinu is finally joined again with his son Yosef after twenty-two years he tells him: "When I came from Padan, Rochel died on me in the land of Canaan on the way, when yet there was a little way to Efras, and I buried her there on the way of Efras, this is Beis Lechem," (Bereishis 48:7).
According to Rashi, Yaakov is telling Yosef, "Even though I am burdening you to bring me up from here (Egypt), all the way to Eretz Yisroel, to the Me'oras Hamachpela, I did not do the same to your mother."
Ramban expands on these words of Rashi, saying: "And I know you are unhappy with me about this." Ramban then cites the aforementioned Aggada that tells of the future exile of the Jewish people, and prefaces it with Yaakov Ovinu's saying, "But know that this was al pi haDibbur."
The Ramban states clearly that there must be proof of this idea from the actual words of the posuk itself and then he furnishes the answer from the words: "on the way." The mention of Rochel's death in this posuk is with the words "on the way," and then her burial is also said to be "on the way," suggesting her future prayers for the Yidden on their way into golus. The Ramban supports his view by adding that Rochel did not actually die on the way itself, but in Rama and notes that the posuk says, "A voice in Rama is heard."
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A plaque at Rochel's Tomb
He then reviews the dialogue of Yaakov Ovinu with Yosef. "You should not be upset that I did not bury your mother in the Me'oras Hamachpela as I buried Leah.. because of the reasons (mentioned above). Furthermore, I did not see it as appropriate to bury two sisters together and as Leah was married first beheter it was for her to be buried in Me'oras Hamachpela."
Kever Rochel is still, even today, right "on the way."
A Special Zchus
Many seforim have noted the distinct zchus one has who davens at Kever Rochel. This is because Rochel Imeinu's tefillos penetrate to the Kisei Hakovod. Many are the accounts of experiencing intense chizuk and even yeshuos after davening at Kever Rochel. Barren women in particular are often advised by gedolim to be mispalleil at Kever Rochel. Rochel Imeinu was barren for many years as her sister Leah Imeinu bore children and the intense pain Rochel suffered is even related in the Torah. When she finally delivered her first son, Yosef, she called him by that name because, "Hashem has taken away my reproach."
The Admor of Munkatch, author of Minchas Elazar, wrote in his sefer that the unique way that Rochel Imeinu's kever is described in the Torah testifies to the special zchusim of Rochel Imeinu, and certainly this will effect greater mercy for those who pray there. He says that the Torah writes: "the pillar (matzeivoh) of the burial of Rochel," rather than writing "the pillar of Rochel Imeinu." The reason for this is because Rochel herself doesn't need a pillar to be remembered, as her maasim tovim are her memory, but her burial site does need a pillar so that people will know where to daven. He writes further of being me'oreir her zchusim at her kever and concludes that certainly this will find favor in Hashem's eyes.
In fact, the Medrash tells us a similar idea. When Menasheh erected an idol in the heichal, the Ovos hakedoshim and Imahos hakedoshos tried to calm Hashem's wrath and beg rachamim for Klal Yisroel, but Hashem's wrath was not appeased. Then Rochel Imeinu begged: "Whose mercy is greater, Yours, or a man of flesh and blood? Certainly Yours. I brought my competitor into my own house. After all, the work of Yaakov Ovinu for my father, was to obtain me as a wife. Yet, when it was my time to enter the chuppah, they took my sister instead.
"Not only did I remain silent at this moment, but I also revealed the signals she should give Yaakov so that she would not be embarrassed. If Your children have brought a competitor into Your heichal, be silent to them!"
Hashem Yisborach said: "`Yafeh limadit sanegora,' you have argued well for Klal Yisroel, and there is a reward for your tzidkus in revealing the signals to your sister."
This unique sensitivity of Rochel Imeinu to her sister Leah Imeinu, and her silence in the face of intense pain, have given zchusim to Klal Yisroel throughout the generations. After all, Rochel Imeinu had no inkling that Yaakov Ovinu would labor another seven years to earn her as a wife. At the moment that Leah entered the chuppah, Rochel was prepared to forsake her own marriage partner, her happiness and her entire life, all for the sake of sparing Leah pain. It is this sacrifice that pacified Hashem's wrath in the time of Menasheh and in generations to come.
The First Person To Daven at Kever Rochel
The Sefer Hayashar in parshas Vayeishev tells us that Yosef Hatzaddik was the first person to daven at Kever Rochel, his own mother's grave.
"And the men who bought Yosef passed along the road leading to Efras where Rochel's tomb was found. And Yosef came to his mother's kever (before he went to Mitzrayim) and he fell upon the kever and he wept. Yosef cried out, `My mother, my mother, you who gave birth to me! My mother, awaken and see your son. Look at him. Look at the tears in my eyes that are streaming down my cheeks. My mother, my mother! Awaken and see my tzoros! Help me to battle against my brothers. See how they have taken away from me my kesones pasim and how they separated me from my father. See my father, look at his distress about me today, awaken and comfort him!'"
The Sefer Hayashar further tells us that Yosef Hatzaddik perceived the answer which he was meant to grasp. "My son Yosef, I have heard your cries, and heard your weeping. I know your tzoros and it pains me deeply. And now my son, Yosef, do not fear, because Hashem is with you and He will save you from all tzoros. Get up and go down to Mitzrayim because Hashem is with you my son."
Kever Rochel Over The Centuries
Kever Rochel was a well-known site to Jews in every generation and in every century. Even in times when journeying there was fraught with danger and hazards, Yidden went to be mispalleil there.
In 1170, Binyomin of Tudela visited Kever Rochel and wrote about his observations. He claimed that he saw eleven stones on top of the grave and one large stone placed on top of them. He says that the kever was covered by a dome that was inside a closed structure.
In the Middle Ages, Jews would come from the Diaspora to Eretz Yisroel on the Sholosh Regolim. At such times, they made it a point to visit Kever Rochel on their way up to Yerushalaim.
After the Ramban visited the kever in 1267, he added observations from his own personal journey into one of his peirushim. The posuk reads: "And they journeyed from Beis Keil, and there was but a little way to come to Efras,...(Bereishis 35:16). On this the Ramban writes: "...and now that I was zoche to come to Yerushalaim, with praise to Hashem, the One who bestows goodness, I saw with my own eyes that the distance from Kever Rochel to Beis Lechem isn't even one mil."
In 1622, Rav Yeshaya Halevi Horowitz, the Shelah Hakodosh, was the rav of Yerushalaim. Under his influence, the Moslem ruler of Yerushalaim, Mohammed Pasha, allowed the Jews to build walls surrounding the matzeivoh of Kever Rochel so that the Arab shepherds would not graze their sheep on the mokom kodosh itself.
In 1650, an observer wrote about Kever Rochel: "On Chol Hamoed Pesach and on Lag B'omer many people, young and old, arrive at Kever Rochel by foot or by donkey. There one can hear droshos and see people pouring out their supplications before their Creator, and the zchus of Rochel Imeinu will stand them in good stead."
In 1841, Moses Montefiore secured rights for the Jews to visit Kever Rochel regularly. He also funded a renovated structure which still exists today though it is hard to see it. He built a second room and hall inside and renovated the dome.
As travellers years ago did not arrive at Kever Rochel by bus or car, as we do today, their journey was often quite difficult. Although the travellers carried an extra supply of water, the arid Mediterranean climate depleted their water supply sooner than they expected.
Many travellers suffered dehydration and therefore, in 1865, a well was erected right beside the kever. This well was a donation by the Jews of Bombay, India, "for all of the Jews who would arrive to daven at Kever Rochel." They assumed, correctly, that rainwater would accumulate in the well and then become available for drinking.
We see from this detail that Jewish travellers from all parts of the world, even India, struggled against all odds, in all types of weather, to arrive at Kever Rochel.
In 1885, when Arab shepherds continued to bring their sheep to the site and they left debris all over the place, Montefiore donated more money to renovate once again and left instructions for the remaining money to be used for future renovation and maintenance. After the Holocaust in Europe, a ner tomid was placed inside the room near Kever Rochel. Beneath this ner tomid, one may read the inscription: "In memory of the millions of Kedoshim that were annihilated by the wicked, cursed ones, yimach shimam, in the years 1939-1945."
A Special Tefillah At Kever Rochel
Davening at any mokom kodesh is a distinct zchus, and any tefillah or pirkei Tehillim, one says find favor in Hashem's eyes. The sefer Sha'arei Dim'a contains a collection of tefillos to be said at mekomos hakedoshim. This tefillah is often said at Kever Rochel:
"I have arrived here today to be mispalleil on Kever Rochel Imeinu that You should make me worthy in the zchus of her revealing the signals to her sister Leah Imeinu... that You will accept our tefillos and hear our cries and deliver a yeshua. What can we say, and what might we speak? If for the first golus, which was only seventy years, Rochel Imeinu cried so fervently, now with this golus, which is more than 1,800 years when we are drifting from golus to golus, dispersed in all four corners of the earth with innumerable difficult tzoros, what can be said?"
Kever Shimon Hatzaddik
You are situated at Shaar Shechem, the Damascus Gate, in Yerushalaim. Arab women dressed in traditional garb carry (in late summer) baskets laden with purple grapes and sabra fruits on their heads, from the direction of their homes towards the marketplace. Beaded jewelry and canvas-covered earthenware drums are strewn in the front courtyard of the Gate, as a lone donkey stands parked near the stairs leading to the main road.
If you follow this road around east and south along the walls of the Old City, in the direction of the Shaar Ho'ashpos, you will eventually arrive at the Kosel Hamaaravi. But if you continue in the opposite direction heading north towards what was once known as the Mandelbaum Gate and Meah Shearim, you will be on your way to Kever Shimon Hatzaddik.
Parallel to the general area where the Mandelbaum Gate once existed, a new road continues on past Ramat Eshkol and Mount Scopus, to the predominantly Arab neighborhood of Sheikh-Jerach, and then to Ramallah towards the north. Just after the road passes the building that was once at the Mandelbaum Gate, one can turn off to a road that leads right up near the kever of Shimon Hatzaddik. On the street, is a small a sign that reads in Hebrew and Arabic, "The Kever of the Tana Haeloki, Shimon Hatzaddik, may his merit sustain us all." (In Arabic the description is different).
One then must turn off the main road and follow a path through fields, and then down, up and around the bend till he arrives at a cave that is the tomb. It has been renovated recently, and it is even air conditioned, though it does not help much with the big crowds such as on Lag B'omer. One descends the stairs into the cave to find a reasonable shul. This is a mokom kodesh and Klal Yisroel over the centuries has observed it as such. Shimon Hatzaddik's kever is probably the best known kever in Yerushalaim.
A few weeks ago, on the twenty ninth day of Tishrei, Shimon Hatzaddik's yahrtzeit was observed, as it is every year in Eretz Yisroel. A large crowd of mispallelim arrived. They also come monthly to daven the special prayers of Yom Kippur Koton on erev Rosh Chodesh.
The area around Kever Shimon Hatzaddik
Who Was Shimon Hatzaddik?
"Shimon Hatzaddik was of the remnants of the Anshei Knesses Hagedola. He used to say: "On three pillars the world stands, on Torah, on avoda, and on gemilus chassodim." (Pirkei Avos 1:2)
This Mishna that provides us a basic understanding of the three spiritual pillars of the world, was taught to us by Shimon Hatzaddik.
Shimon Hatzaddik lived in the third century before the Common Era, more than 2,300 years ago. He was a very respected leader and talmid chochom. "Great amongst his people and praised in his nation, Shimon Hatzaddik ben Yochonon Hacohen, that in his time the bedek habayis was done, and the heichal was strengthened,...one who worried for his nation and strengthened his city from enemies."
In the time of Shimon Hatzaddik, approximately 332 B.C.E., Alexander the Great came to conquer Eretz Yisroel. Our chachomim tell us that Shimon Hatzaddik went forth to greet Alexander as one of the leaders of Yerushalaim. This meeting place was at the same place that the citadel of Antipatrus was to be built in the future. According to Yosef ben Mattisyahu (Josefus), this was on Mount Scopus in Yerushalaim.
As soon as Alexander saw him, he jumped off his mount and bowed to Shimon Hatzaddik. His generals asked why the mighty conqueror rushed to pay tribute to one of his Jewish subjects. Alexander answered that at every battle he sees the image of this Jew as he vanquishes his enemies.
It is said that Shimon Hatzaddik knew the eventual date of his death even while he was alive. He told the chachomim of his time what happened when he entered the Kodesh Hakodoshim in the Beis Hamikdash.
"Each Yom Kippur, I would see before me an old man dressed in white clothing who would enter the Kodesh Hakodoshim with me, and leave with me. This year, he entered with me, and I did not see him exiting when I left."
According to a different version, the scene was equally enigmatic. "Today I saw a man dressed in black clothing entering the Kodesh Hakodoshim with me, but not leaving with me." Seven days after the Yom Tov of Sukkos of that year, Shimon Hatzaddik, was niftar.
We are told the following: "All the while Shimon Hatzaddik was alive, the western light burned steadily in the Beis Hamikdash. After Shimon Hatzaddik passed away, the chachomim found that the ner maarovi was extinguished. The fire of the mizbeiach burned constantly, and they would only add two pieces of wood to it. After Shimon Hatzaddik passed away, this fire weakened. There was always a brocho in the lechem haponim and the shtei halechem. Some would eat it and feel satisfied, and some would even leave over. After Shimon Hatzaddik was niftar, this brocho was no longer felt."
Historical Background Of Shimon Hatzaddik's Kever
In 1235, a traveller named Yaakov was journeying through Eretz Yisroel. This Yaakov reported his findings to Rav Yechiel of Paris, one of the Baalei Hatosafos. He told of his visit to this kever and described the entrance way to the kever and the surrounding place much as it is still seen today.
According to the writings of a Rabbi Meshulam from Volterres, Shimon Hatzaddik's wife is also buried inside the same cave. He also claims that the kevorim of many other talmidim and tzadikim are found there as well. For this reason, there are several partitions in the cave that enabled many kevorim to be situated there, while the kever of Shimon Hatzaddik remains in the adjacent room to the left.
In 1891, the Jews of Yerushalaim built two small Jewish neighborhoods near the general area of the kever. One region was called "the area of Shimon Hatzaddik," and the other was called "Nachalas Shimon."
During World War I, the entire area became accessible to Arabs and Jews alike. At this time the Arab shepherds brought their flocks to graze in this mokom kodesh and of course that was a desecration of the first order. Around this time, the Jews purchased the area of the kever and surrounding fields which the Arabs had called "Al Yehudaya." The Jews paid a very large sum of money for the area, as they felt strongly that it should be the property of Jews and the proper kedusha should be observed.
In 1918, the British Governor of Eretz Yisroel, then called Palestine, ordered that the cave be checked for wreckage and debris and subsequently restored. He ordered an iron gate be placed and locked at all times. They gave the key to the gate (which lends entry into the kever), to a local Jewish resident.
With the Jordanian occupation of Yerushalaim, the kever of Shimon Hatzaddik returned to hostile hands, Not one Jew could visit this mokom kodesh throughout this entire period of time. When the grave was returned to Jewish hands in 1967, the stairs were found broken, the walls were desecrated and piles and piles of garbage were found beside the entrance to the kever. Obviously, the Arabs resented the existence of this Jewish place of worship and felt that the only way to deny its presence was to try to demolish it.
Special Tefillah At Kever Shimon Hatzaddik
The sefer Sha'arei Dim'a tells us of a fervent tefillah which is often said at this site.
"Ribono Shel Olam,...I have come to daven on the kever of Shimon Hatzaddik Kohen Godol who served you be'emes,...therefore I beg rachamim from You that just as You listened to tefillos of Shimon Hatzaddik who davened for Your nation, Klal Yisroel, in the Kodesh Hakodoshim in the Beis Hamikdash, so You should listen with Your great rachamim to my tefillos that I have davened here at this kever... and send a refuah shleima to (names of people),... and present me with parnossa,... amen.
The area in front of Kever Shimon Hatzaddik
A Chasunah Hall Or A Kever?
The site of Kever Shimon Hatzaddik filled another important role besides a mokom tefillah. It was also the place where many weddings were held. This practice was adopted because of a takanah in Yerushalaim.
According to this takanah, a man was not supposed to marry off his daughter until she was at least twelve years and a day. If, however, a man opted to marry her off at a younger age than this, then the chasunah would have to be made outside of the city. (In those days, most Yidden lived in the area which is today called the Old City.) In the Sefer Hatakkonos, it is written: "A man should not marry of his daughter until the time of marriage, but if one does, then he should go outside of the city, such as to the kever of Shimon Hatzaddik."
In times of drought, the Jews of Eretz Yisroel would visit the kever of Shimon Hatzaddik and daven for rain. It is told that in the sixteenth century, after the Jews came to the kever and fervently davened for rain, the sky darkened and all at once a great downpour of rain was felt.
When the Jews would visit the kever, they kept the minhag of lighting candles there le'iluy nishmaso. In 1886, on Erev Shabbos two men would go each week to light candles at the kever and also bring olive oil from the shuk to light the ner tomid there.
Lag B'omer At Kever Shimon Hatzaddik
"Bar Yochai, nim-shach-ta ash-re-cha,....". That age old familiar niggun of Lag B'omer rejoicing is heard from the distance. "O-mar Rebbe Akiva, O-mar Rebbe Akiva, ash-rei-chem Yisroel,..."
One advances towards the tomb and is soon swept up in the ardor of simcha shel mitzva. Men from divergent backgrounds circle the courtyard carrying the three-year-old boys on their shoulders. A three-year-old is seen with his long flowing hair and soon-to-be-cut locks. He seems to be enjoying it. Then, he is lowered to the ground and the scissors passes from one relative to the next and each one takes a snip.
"Mazel Tov, asach nachas," says one friend to another. "Mazel Tov." Pastries and drinks are passed around and in some cases even little cups for lechayim. Cutting a three-year-old boy's hair to make him payos is a happy moment for many fathers as they realize he is progressing from the stage of a baby to the stage of a child. He will now wear tzitzis, learn Alef-beis, and begin cheder in Eretz Yisroel.
Although the kever of Rav Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron became the main place where these chalakas were held, many found the trip from Yerushalaim to Meron difficult and thus Shimon Hatzaddik's grave became another place for chalakas. Although many people do not observe this minhag at all, most agree that it is truly an uplifting experience to watch this scene on Lag B'omer.
Part of the Interior of Kever Shimon Hatzaddik
Teshuva, Tefillah And Geula
At all times, people try to go to pray at Jewish graves, and especially the kevorim of great tzadikim. Further, we learn that when the world is in crisis and there are many tzoros, they should make a special effort to daven at these places, as mentioned in Midroshim and other divrei Chazal.
One reason for this is because tzadikim are considered greater in their death than in their life and when Klal Yisroel comes to the kevorimtzadikim, their tefillos demonstrate teshuva, in contrast to Goyim who go to graves to perform sorcery and awaken the evil spirits of tumah. Klal Yisroel comes before Hakodosh Boruch Hu with a broken heart and they daven that the neshamos hakedoshos will beg for rachamim for them.
Klal Yisroel is certainly facing a time of crisis and tzoros, and teshuva and tefillah is of essence. To this end, the mekomos hakedoshim are a topic of conversation even in the Knesset; we need to be mispalleil there. In this zchus, we will, finally "come back from the land of the enemy," and "return to our borders." Then, the Medrash tells us, we will once again return to Kever Rochel.
"In the future, when Klal Yisroel will return from golus, they will stand besides the kever of Rochel Imeinu and weep there, just as Rochel wept for the golus of Yisroel,....and in this hour, Rochel Imeinu will rejoice with them." (Zohar on Bereishis 175).
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