In the midst of a very important time in Yaakov Avinu’s life, we read:
Thus Jacob came to Luz—that is, Bethel—in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him.
There he built an altar and named the site Beth-El, for it was there that G’d had been revealed to him when he was fleeing from his brother. (Bereshit 35:7)
וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב לֻזָּה אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן הִוא בֵּית־אֵל הוּא וְכָל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר עִמּוֹ׃
וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר נִגְלָה אֵלָיו בְּבָרְחוֹ מִפְּנֵי אָחִיו׃
The next pasuk seems to be a little out of context as it reads:
“Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and was buried under the oak below
Bethel; so it was named Allon-Bachuth.”
וַתָּמָת דְּבֹרָה מֵינֶקֶת רִבְקָה וַתִּקָּבֵר מִתַּחַת לְבֵית־אֵל תַּחַת הָאַלּוֹן וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ אַלּוֹן בָּכוּת׃ (Bereshit 35:8)
We never knew about Deborah when she was alive — so why is her passing mentioned here?
I read an important lesson here:
While Yaakov Avinu is in the midst of “world changing matters” — he does not forget to pay respects to the woman who was nursing his wife — many decades earlier!
The real “Mensch” does not forget his small obligations, even as and when he must be extremely busy with “mega” events.
Our minds and hearts must have room for both….
Shabbat Shalom and best wishes
Rabbi Chaim Michael Biberfeld