Could this be the REAL tomb of Rachel??
Most visitors know the traditional site of Kever Rachel near Bethlehem. But there's another fascinating tradition that points somewhere else.
This is Kubur Bnei Yisrael, in the territory of Benjamin.
The discussion centers around a remarkable verse in I Samuel 10:2. As the prophet Samuel sends Saul on his way, he tells him:
"You will find two men by Rachel's tomb in the border of Benjamin..."
That detail has intrigued commentators, historians, and archaeologists for centuries. If Rachel was buried near Bethlehem, how does this verse fit? (There are also a bunch of other verses that fit perfectly with this site, but that is for a full tour)
Some explain that the ancient border between Judah and Benjamin ran through the Bethlehem area. Others believe this verse preserves the memory of a different location—one associated with the site you see in this video.
I'm not trying to settle a centuries-old debate.
I simply love sharing the places where the Land of Israel makes us slow down, reopen the Tanach, and ask deeper questions.
What do you think?
2 comments:
If you look closely at the video you can see Rachel
Beit Lechem was the name of more than one town in ancient times. That's why the Beit Lechem we know is often referred to as Beit Lechem Yehuda. So saying Rachel Imeinu was buried in Beit Lechem doesn't mean in the one that still bears the name today.
Further, geographically it makes sense since when our ancestors were exiled by the Babylonians, they would have moved directly east or north east to reach the Euphrates. It would make no sense to move south and a bit west and then head out of the country.
Finally the verse in Tanach you references clearly is north of Yerushalayim.
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