1506 (5787-07) 8 Cheshvan 5787 (Oct. 19)

"Mother Rachel Still Cares"

“Dear G-d. My family has rejected me because of my choices; my new friends have rejected me because I don’t really fit in with them. I need to know that somebody cares about me.”

Why This Week? This Thursday, the 11th of the Jewish month of Mar-Cheshvan, is the yahrzeit-hilula of Matriarch Rachel.

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MOTHER RACHEL STILL CARES[1]

A young Israeli, who grew up in a religious family but veered of the path and gave up his religion, mixed with the wrong crowd and got involved in all sorts of shady behavior.

But he reached a point where he was in a difficult, unpleasant position. On the one hand he couldn't find his way back to his community, either because he was too embarrassed or he felt they wouldn't accept him again, and the new crowd didn't really accept him because he didn't have the same background as they had and he didn't really resonate with some of their behavior.

As a result, he slipped into a terrible depression and eventually reached a point of becoming suicidal. His decided his only option was to find a tall building and jump off the top, ending it all.

When he arrived on the top of the particular building he had selected, it 'happened' there were some papers flitting about in the wind, and one of them landed right in front of him, within hand's reach.

Out of curiosity he picked it up and took a look. It was an announcement -- the paper said "Today, is the 11th of [the Jewish month of] Cheshvan, the yahrzeit of Rachel Immenu, (our matriarch Rachel). Therefore, buses will be available all day, going to and from the tomb in Beit Lechem (Bethlehem) for anyone who wishes to go pray there" - followed by a detailed schedule.

For some incomprehensible reason, that spoke to him. Maybe his childhood memories flared up and he decided that this would be his last-ditch attempt at putting his life back together again. Instead of jumping, G-d forbid, he found a bus and went to the kever (burial place) of Rachel. On that date the surrounding structure is always absolutely packed.

There is a mechitsa (separating barrier) between the men and the women. He made his way towards the men's side of the tomb and started to cry that he was in a very desperate place. His prayer was: "Dear G-d, I don't think that anyone cares about me. My family has rejected me because of my choices; my new friends have rejected me because I don't really fit in with them. In truth, all I want is to know is that somebody cares about me."

He got so emotional that he actually passed out. A big commotion ensued. Finally, he was taken outside and revived.

When he came to, there was a woman standing over him. It turned out it was his own mother! She was sobbing and weeping to see her son who she hadn't seen for many years, laying on the ground at Kever Rachel!

When he was able to compose himself somewhat, he said to his mother, "You have to understand what happened here. I pushed my way firmly to be next to the tomb itself, put both hands on it, and cried out to HaShem. I said, 'G-d Al-mighty, please show me a sign that there is anybody at all in the world who still cares about me!'

"Within seconds, I heard from the other side of the mechitsa a woman's voice crying out and saying 'Please! would You bring back my son.' And then she pronounced my name and mother's name! That was so overwhelming that I passed out"
.
The reunion was the beginning of his rehabilitation and his return to a healthy lifestyle. Mother Rachel still cares!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Freely adapted from a transcript of an aural Torah lesson by Rabbi Ari Shishler of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Why This Week? This Thursday, the 11th of the Jewish month of Mar-Cheshvan, is the yahrzeit-hilula of Matriarch Rachel.

[1]See the Haftorah of the 2nd day of Rosh HaShana (Jeremiah 31:14-16)

Yerachmiel Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells them live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.

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