Derasha 1 on Bereishis 35:8

TT #46 · Parashas Vayishlach · Passuk 35:8

Complete Passuk

וַתָּ֤מָת דְּבֹרָה֙ מֵינֶ֣קֶת רִבְקָ֔ה וַתִּקָּבֵ֛ר מִתַּ֥חַת לְבֵֽית־אֵ֖ל תַּ֣חַת הָֽאַלּ֑וֹן וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ אַלּ֥וֹן בָּכֽוּת׃

And Devorah, the nurse of Rivkah, died, and she was buried below Beit-El under the oak; and he called its name Allon-bachut.

Chabad · Genesis 35:8

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Bereshit Rabbah 81:5.

Sefaria · Bereshit Rabbah 81:5

Core Text of Chazal

ותמת דבורה מינקת רבקה — למה נזכרה כאן? ללמדך שכל זמן שדבורה קיימת היתה רבקה קיימת.

“And Devorah the nurse of Rivkah died” — why is she mentioned here? To teach you that as long as Devorah was alive, Rivkah was alive.

On the daf / in context

The Midrash connects the death of the nurse with the unmentioned death of Rivkah.

Type of Learning

Derash on the timing of the death (Bereshit Rabbah).

What Is Learned

The death of Devorah is recorded here to indicate the concurrent death of Rivkah, which is not stated explicitly.