Parshas Vayishlach- The Legacy of Devorah
ותמת דבורה מנקת רבקה ותקבר מתחת לבית אל תחת האלון ויקרא שמו אלון בכות
“Devorah, the wet nurse of Rivkah, died, and she was buried below Beis-El, under the oak. And so it was named Alon Bachus (35:8)
After Yaakov finally leaves the house of Lavan, the Torah describes his preparations for the fateful encounter with Esav. We read of Yaakov’s struggle with the malach; the prohibition of eating from the גיד הנשה; the dramatic meeting with Esav; the tragedy of Dinah and the destruction of Shechem; Yaakov’s command to rid the home of all עבודה זרה; and the building of a mizbeach.
The parsha is overflowing with lessons in virtually every pasuk. Yet suddenly, in pasuk 8, the Torah inserts what seems like an unrelated detail: "ותמת דבורה מנקת רבקה." Who was this Devorah, and what warranted her mention? Rashi and Ramban bring the Midrash that this pasuk also alludes indirectly to the petirah of Rivkah.
Rav Moshe Shternbuch (Taam V’daas al HaTorah) explains that Devorah was not merely the nurse who tended to Rivkah’s physical needs, but her spiritual mentor as well. Rivkah was able to grow as a rose among the thorns of Besuel and Lavan because of Devorah’s influence. Her passing was therefore a profound loss; her impact on the family was powerful and far-reaching. Rav Shternbuch writes that this pasuk is a chizzuk for all parents and mechanchim: the influence one invests in another can last a lifetime and for generations. Rivkah Imeinu! What produced such greatness? A teacher named Devorah.
Looking deeper into the identity of Devorah, we find a beautiful connection. In Sefer Shoftim (4:4–5), the pasuk describes another "fiery woman," Devorah the Prophetess, who judged Klal Yisroel and led the battle against Sisera together with the remarkable Yael, culminating in Shirah Devorah.
The Navi tells us that she judged תחת תמר דבורה, beneath the date palm of Devorah. The Gemara in Megillah 14a explains: she judged in an open area to avoid issues of yichud should a man come with a she’eilah. The Gemara adds that just as a date palm offers little shade, that generation had few talmidei chachamim offering spiritual shade, which made it necessary for a woman to serve as judge.
Most remarkably, the Abarbanel quotes a Midrash that this Tomer Devorah was the very same Alon Bachus from our pasuk, the burial place of Devorah, the nurse of Rivkah.
This raises a question: even if Devorah the Prophetess shared her name with Rivkah’s nurse, why should that alone determine where she sat to judge? And why does Tanach tell us this at all?
We can suggest the following. When people would approach Devorah with their questions, they might have expected to find a great man with a flowing beard. Instead, due to the times, they were met by a woman. Left on its own, this could easily send the wrong message: that the ideal is for daughters to seek public leadership and prominence.
But the reality was במקום שאין איש. There was simply no man capable then, and therefore a woman stepped in. It was not meant to be a model.
Perhaps Devorah the Prophetess would gesture toward the tree and tell them: "Do not be swept away by my role. Do you see this place? Here lies a far greater Devorah, Devorah the nurse of Rivkah, who, within the quiet strength of her home, molded Rivkah and shaped the future mother of Klal Yisroel. Building the homes of Klal Yisroel is the greatest accomplishment of all."
Good Shabbos, מרדכי אפפעל