Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
Today is the 11th of Cheshvan, the date of Rachel Imeinu's death. What is the secret of her strength? Rabbanit Yemima Mizrahi relates the following:
"This week I filmed a class at Rachel's Tomb. I met there a sweet Bat Mitzvah girl. I said to her: Do you know where you are? You are next to the one whose wedding celebration was canceled. This is not what Rachel imagined her wedding day would be like. She looked forward to it, waited, only to be disappointed when it was canceled. At the last minute, her sister Leah got married in her place. Yet Rachel did not react by disrespecting Leah, but by helping her. You, too, did not want your Bat Mitzvah day to look like this. You wanted a large celebration. But it was precisely from within her pain of missing out that Rachel told herself: It's true, they took away my celebration, but I will not allow them to take away my desire to do good. I do not want to cause embarrassment for my sister Leah. At the height of her own embarrassment and disappointment, Rachel thought about her sister. This is the power of Rachel, a power that can light up the world.
Since the start of the corona, celebrations and dreams have been canceled for all of us. Our situation is not simple. But when it is dark for ourselves, we must try and not make it dark for others, to try instead to bring them light. This is the greatness of Rachel, and this is what I wish for all of us. It is precisely when our celebrations have been canceled and we are missing out that the time is right for accessing the powerful light giving capacity of Rachel."
