Kever Rachel
where prayers
are accepted

On the eleventh day of the month of Marcheshvan, Yaakov Avinu foresaw events that would transpire thousands of years in the future. With his ruach hakodesh, he looked forward through more and more generations until he saw us, lost in galus with no Beis Hamikdash, no navi, no mizbeiach. He saw confused, weary people seeped in tzaros and he knew that at such a time, they would need — a mother.

It was on this day, the 11th of Cheshvan, that he buried Rochel ״along the way״ for our sake. Mamme Rochel, our mother, has been awaiting us between Efrat and Beis Lechem for thousands of years now. Our mother, her arms spread wide to gather her children, is there for us. Because a mother never says, ״I׳ve tried long enough.״ Rochel Imeinu still stands before Hashem and weeps to him. Over and over again, Hashem reassures her, ״Yesh Sachar L'pulaseich - There is a reward; there is hope.״ She has this incredible power in Shamayim to arouse mercy on behalf of an individual as well as the public at large.

The Explicit Midrash

The Midrash relates that when the Jewish Nation was taken into exile - broken, battered, bleeding and in pain - a great tumult took place in heaven. The saintly Avos cried out bitterly, each of them in turn falling before the Heavenly Throne and pleading with Hashem that this not be an everlasting galus, that Klal Yisrael be redeemed. In the merit of Avraham, the first believer; in the merit of Yitzchak, who was offered as a sacrifice to Hashem; in the merit of Yaakov; in the merit of Moshe, loyal shepherd of the Jewish People… they all pleaded mightily before Hashem.

Of all the words uttered, of all the meritorious deeds mentioned — Hashem turned to Rochel Imeinu. Of all the pleas, He chose her tears, saying, ״Stop your voice from crying, for there is reward for your deeds.״ You have accomplished your goal; it is your cry that I choose. In the merit of your prayer, your children will merit redemption. This Midrash reveals to us a most powerful secret: if you long for redemption — redemption for all of Klal Yisrael or a personal redemption from your tzaros — know that there is one address: Mamme Rochel.

The unique power to arouse heavenly mercy and effect salvation — belongs to a mother. It is she whom Hakadosh Baruch Hu granted the ability to change decrees. We are very familiar with the words "Yesh Sachar Lif׳ulasech," yet we fail to realize their full impact.

When you ask, I will listen. "If there is reward for your deeds," means "If you request it, I am prepared to nullify a decree. Your action changes the lives of your descendants for the better." At the crossroads between Chevron and Beis Lechem, our mother still awaits us, eager to absorb our cries and willing to plead and cry before Hashem until He obliterates our tzaros.

The Main Resting Place of the Shechinah

Every tziyun, every holy place – has its own unique attributes. The segulah of Kever Rochel is tremendously powerful: at this place, you set down your "peckel tzaros" (bundle of misfortunes) and walk away without it. Does that sound overly simplistic? When you check what our sources say about Kever Rochel, you will be amazed. What is written about Kever Rochel is not written about any other place in the world.

The 11th of Cheshvan - the yahrtzeit of Rachel Imeinu - is fast approaching. Dare we miss it? Mamme Rochel is waiting; opportunity is knocking. Will you go to her kever? You would love to; who wouldn׳t want to visit the place that is the main resting place of the Shechinah in our times? Who doesn׳t want to leave his bundle of difficulties behind in the place which Hashem has determined to be auspicious: ״Ki yesh sachar l'fulaseich.״

A Year׳s Journey

Will you be able to make it to the kever on the 11th of Cheshvan? Perhaps. Will you manage it on the 12th and 13th, too? How about on the 20th of Kislev and in Teves and Shevat? Out of the question. Can you doubt the tremendous benefit you would derive if you were to daven at Kever Rochel on a daily basis? It׳s hard to get to Kever Rochel; most people living in Eretz Yisroel do so only once or twice a year.

Isn׳t that a shame? Such an auspicious place – the main resting place of the Shechinah in our generation – could be of great benefit to us a number of times a year when we feel the need to daven at a place where tefilos are always heard. A year is a long time; we always have a few times during the year when we need yeshuos big and small, a special measure of divine assistance. So many events transpire throughout the course of a year; so many nisyonos are sent our way. So many tears; so many times of danger; so many emotional times and happy occasions when we feel the need to daven. So many hopes and dreams.

Kupat Ha׳ir will be there for you. Messengers of Kupat Ha׳ir will come to this holy site where tefilos are accepted and pray on behalf of all those who cannot come on their own. Slowly, each name individually, each request individually. They will bring Rochel Imeinu the sighs and the hopes — and Mamme Rochel hears and knows and visits the Kisei Hakavod on our behalf. Not only on the 11th of Cheshvan will our messengers be there, but on the following day and week and month as well – every day for an entire year. When winter comes and the weather turns cold and rainy, almost no one comes to the kever — but our messengers will be there - day in, day out – mentioning your name and personal request at the most auspicious place in the world. And then, as if you were an only child, Mamme Rochel will go to the Kisei Hakavod and weep on your behalf. She׳ll weep for her child, a contributor of tzedakah, that Hashem grant all your heart׳s desires. And as always, Hashem will reply: "There is reward; you have effected a yeshuah. Your child will be helped."

On Yom Tov, too, Kupat Ha׳ir׳s messengers will be there, at the resting place of the Shechinah: on Pesach, on Shavuos, during the aseres yemei teshuvah, and on Rosh Hashanah – the day upon which your future is decided. On all these special and auspicious times throughout the year, they will be there, never missing an opportunity. They will have one reason for visiting the tziyun: your prayer. They will not be going to pray for themselves or their families; they act as shlichei tzibbur entrusted with carrying your holy tefillos ever so carefully to the right place. They will pray on your behalf over and over again, rapping stubbornly on all the heavenly gates.

That׳s why Kupat Ha׳ir has stepped in. Our messengers will be embarking on a long, long journey – one that is 354 days long:

From the 11th of Cheshvan 5774 until the 11th of Cheshvan 5775.

Every day, they will come to the tziyun with Klal Yisrael׳s prayers in their backpacks. Sometimes, entry to the kever is barred as a result of the security situation but somehow, throughout the year, Kupat Ha׳ir׳s messengers always received special permission from the IDF to enter and pray. More than once, our messengers were the only people there - and whoever contributed had the merit, out of all the Yidden in the world, of being an only child to Rochel Imeinu.

The Sidrei Tefillah

Every idea that comes up at Kupat Ha׳ir remains with a question mark until it receives the blessing of the Gedolei Hador. Only then does it move forward. This time, not only did Kupat Ha׳ir׳s tefillos at Kever Rochel receive the blessing of the Gedolim, it actually garnered unusually enthusiastic responses. Maran Hagaon Harav Yaakov Edelstein, shlit״a, said:

The tefillos conducted by the messengers at the tziyun are majestic and awe-inspiring. Everything is planned and run in accordance with the precise instructions of Maran Hagaon Harav Y. Edelstein, shlit״a. The messengers will recite the sifrei Tehillim in the manner he prescribed. The perakim will be recited consecutively, without interruption. A taanis dibbur will be enforced. After the recitation of Tehillim, they will say your name, slowly and intently, along with your personal request – and then pray once more.

They will do this every day of every month and season – for a full year. With Hashem׳s help, they won׳t miss a single day.

The messengers are once again embarking on a year-long pilgrimage to Mamme Rochel, the place where tefillos are more readily accepted. They will mention your name every day for a good, safe year. Imagine if you were to receive this year all the gifts you׳re missing – how would you look at the end of the year? How would your life be different from now?
Maybe it really is in your hands? Maybe it all depends on this prayer, the tefillah of Rochel Imeinu to the Ribono shel Olam? Mamme Rochel will plead on your behalf for 354 consecutive days – is that something easily dismissed? Maybe this is your chance!

The Right Type of Hishtadlus

Whether or not to join, is in your hands now. You can decide if you want to be mentioned at her gravesite every day, if you want to protect your family in the best way possible. You might not be ״the type״ who contribute to prayer sessions, but this time – well, this tefillah is different. You׳re talking about 354 days that will be completely different with than without the tefillah. And if you give tzedakah in any case, and you work hard and daven – at least have Rochel Imeinu at your side, helping you. Know that you have something so substantial to lean on.

It is with good reason that your heart begins pounding when you think of Rochel Imeinu. Your neshamah knows what can help you. There are some things you never regret doing.

In All
Situations

In previous years, too, contributors to Kupat Ha׳ir had the opportunity to join a year׳s worth of tefillos at Rochel Imeinu. Every year on the 11th of Cheshvan, we complete a year-long cycle of prayers at Kever Rochel and begin a new one. So far, our messengers have prayed at the tziyun every single day, even during some seemingly impossible situations.
One day, the tziyun was closed to visitors due to the security situation. Kever Rochel was empty of people. Rochel Imeinu must surely have wept to the Ribono shel Olam about the fact that her children were not free to move about their own land. The messengers had a problem: they had given their word to contributors that they would daven at Rochel Imeinu׳s kever every day, and they were afraid the consecutive nature of their prayers was about to be compromised. The IDF wasn't allowing anyone in. Amazingly enough, the telephone of one of the Kupat Ha'ir messengers rang later that day, and on the line was a senior IDF official.