81. "And as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died by me" (Beresheet 48:7). Rabbi Aba opened the discussion, saying, "A voice was heard in Rama" (Yirmeyah 31:14) followed by, "Thus says Hashem; Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for your work shall be rewarded, says Hashem; and they shall (lit. 'they have') come back again to their own border" (Ibid. 15). HE ASKS, It does not say 'They shall come back' IN THE FUTURE TENSE, but that they have come back. YET THIS IS A PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE, AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 'AND THEY SHALL COME BACK.'

82. HE ANSWERS, Come and see, Rabbi Elazar said that when there will be justice upon the mountain, and the Shechinah will be adorned on the mountain, She will think her children perished by judgment. The secret is, "Sing, O barren one, you that did not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud" (Yeshayah 54:1). We have learned that many children of the throne will be Her own CHILDREN, as it is written, "For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife" (Ibid.). The Shechinah will then return to Her husband. "On that day Hashem shall be one, and His name One" (Zecharyah 14:9).

83. Before that, the Shechinah will say to Her husband, Where are my children? He will say to Her that they were judged, and She will think they perished by judgment, and She will weep for Her children, who perished by justice. THIS IS THE SECRET OF "A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMA... RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN," AND HE WILL SAY TO HER, "KEEP YOUR VOICE FROM WEEPING... FOR YOUR WORK SHALL BE REWARDED." For you are to be greatly rewarded by Me for being with them, and the children have already come back from the hated land, FOR THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN REDEEMED.

84. HE ASKS, Did not Joseph know his mother died? Indeed, he was with her when she died. WHY DID JACOB HAVE TO TELL HIM THAT? HE REPLIES, Supernal Yisrael said that when he prophesied about the redemption of Yisrael, the Shechinah will stir, and the Congregation of Yisrael will stir and wage war against the nations. Some OF YISRAEL will die IN THIS WAR. They will slowly approach the Land of Yisrael. When She weeps FOR HER DEAD SONS, the Holy One, blessed be He, will say to Her, Do not be afraid, there is a reward for the sons who died IN THE WAR for My name's sake. The others, who did not die, have already returned and those who died will live again through the resurrection of the dead.

85. "Rachel died by me." She died for the unity of the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, MEANING, HER SONS WHO WERE KILLED FOR THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE HOLY NAME. THE VERSE says of it: "When yet there was but a little way" (Beresheet 48:7), WHICH MEANS they died for the unity of the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, outside the land of Yisrael, AT THE WAR FOR THE COMING TO YISRAEL. For in the land of Yisrael, none shall die. THEREFORE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "WHEN YET THERE WAS BUT A LITTLE WAY TO COME TO EFRAT" TO THE LAND OF YISRAEL, FOR AFTER COMING TO THE LAND OF YISRAEL THEY WILL DIE NO MORE.

86. We have learned that Rabbi Aba said, Yisrael will be engaged in war on the way to Efrat, and many of them will die. Then they will rise at the resurrection of the dead, and will have more power than those who reached Jerusalem before them, WHO DID NOT DIE IN THE WAR.

87. Why is this holy place called 'Lechem' (Eng. 'bread'), AS IT IS WRITTEN "THAT IS BET LECHEM?" (BERESHEET 48:7) HE ANSWERS, Since it is one of the Names of the Holy One, blessed be He, they will die there IN WAR for sanctifying His name, "hand ON THE THRONE OF YAH...WAR" (SHEMOT 17:16). THIS MEANS they will die there TO MAKE COMPLETE the name Yah, WHICH SHALL NOT BE COMPLETE IN YUD HEI VAV HEI UNTIL THE MEMORY OF AMALEK SHALL BE FORGOTTEN. THEREFORE THE PURPOSE OF THIS WAR IS TO COMPLETE THE NAME OF YUD-HEI WITH VAV-HEI. THUS THE PLACE IS CALLED LECHEM DERIVED FROM MILCHAMAH (ENG. 'WAR'), for it fought (Heb. lacham) in exile to render complete the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He.