Kever Rochel Imeinu, on the way to Beis Lechem

Kever Rochel

קבר רחל

Years Rochel Imeinu Yahrzeit 11 Cheshvan (traditional)
usually in October or November Kever / tziyun Kever Rochel, on the road to Beis Lechem (Bethlehem)

Upcoming yahrzeit: 11 November 2027 (5788)

Yidden traditionally observe the yahrzeit of Rochel Imeinu on the 11th of Cheshvan. This date is the accepted date in the luachs; it is not given as a day of the month in the pesukim of Bereishis.

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Biography

Rochel Imeinu was niftar on the way, after the birth of Binyamin, and Yaakov Avinu buried her on the road to Efras, which is Beis Lechem, and set a matzeivah on her kever (Bereishis 35:16–20). He later told Yosef that he had buried her there, and not in Me'aras Hamachpelah (Bereishis 48:7). The traditional site of Kever Rochel stands on that road, just north of Beis Lechem.

The navi Yirmiyahu describes Rochel weeping for her children going into galus, and Hashem answering that there is hope, and the children will return to their border (Yirmiyahu 31:14–16). Midrash Eichah Rabbah develops this as Rochel pleading for her children. Yidden have long come to her kever to daven in that zechus, especially for children and for those in tzar.

The yahrzeit is traditionally observed on the 11th of Cheshvan. A shliach in Eretz Yisroel brings your kvittel and sends back a photograph. The usual form of the kvittel is used: Name ben or bas the mother’s name, with a bakashah.

Historical background

Travelers have marked this site for many centuries. After the earthquake of 1837 damaged the building, Sir Moses Montefiore, with Lady Judith Montefiore, arranged repairs in 1841 and added a prayer vestibule; the keys were then also held by Jewish caretakers. Whether this amounted to a purchase of the site is disputed in later writing, so this page does not say that he bought it. From 1948 to 1967 the site was under Jordanian control and Jews could not visit. After 1967 access was restored. In later years a large concrete structure was built around the small historic domed building, for security. The older kever chamber still stands inside that compound.

Sources

The facts on this page come from the earlier site and from the sources listed here. Where the sources are not one shittah, it is written in the text.

Pictures of the tziyun

Kever Rochel, in an earlier photograph of the historic building, before the later fortress walls. A figure at the right of the gate was cropped out of the original.
Photo: שלמה רודד, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5

Panels inside Kever Rochel. The middle one bears the words of Yirmiyahu, “v’shavu vanim ligvulam” — “and the children shall return to their border.”
Photo: Yaakov22, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Specialties and minhagim

Tefillah in the zechus of Rochel Imeinu, who the navi describes as weeping for her children (Yirmiyahu 31:14–16 in the Hebrew numbering)
A longstanding minhag is to daven here for children, for a yeshuah, and for Klal Yisrael in galus
Some have a minhag of a red thread at Kever Rochel; this is a later minhag, not a din in the Gemara

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Send a kvittel to Kever Rochel

Write the names and your bakashah. The kvittel will be brought to this kever. A pidyon of eighteen dollars or more goes with it; you choose the amount, and you will be taken to a secure payment page. The shliach receives the kvittel only once the pidyon is received.

Your name for the kvittel *

ben / bas

Your mother’s name *

On the kvittel it is written as your name, ben or bas your mother’s name. Lashon kodesh is preferred, English is also fine.

Your email *

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Add any other names that should be on this kvittel, each with the mother’s name.

Which kever or place

Kever Rochel — Kever Rochel, on the road to Beis Lechem (Bethlehem)

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Your bakashah / tefillah *

Pidyon *

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The pidyon is at least eighteen dollars. Please enter $18 or more.

After the kvittel is brought to the tziyun, you will receive a photograph of it there. The picture shows the kvittel folded, or with the reference number, so the tefillah itself is not readable.

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