Buried on the Road

There is a teaching from the rabbinical writings that suggests that the dignity of women requires that they be buried where they died. This is the case for Rachel, who died along the path to Bethlehem. Similarly, Sarah died in Hebron and was buried there. Later, in the book of Numbers, Moses' sister Miriam dies in Kadesh and is buried there.

In contrast, Jacob and Joseph died, and then later, their bones are moved from their place of death to another place: Jacob from Egypt to Canaan (Genesis 50), and Joseph from Egypt to Shechem (Exodus 13:19; Joshua 24:32).

On the one hand, this "moving of bones" may be a statement about leaving Egypt, not just in life, but also in death. Egypt is a symbol of slavery, idolatry, and suffering. It's the place from which God rescues.

But on the other hand, this idea of the dignity of women is rather interesting. Given Jacob's love for Rachel, honoring her in this way must have been particularly difficult for him.

In death, she is far from him.