ירמיהו, פרק ל״א, פסוק ט״ז

The weeping of a mother for her broken nation is met with a divine promise of comfort and hope. God calls out to Rachel, urging her to put an end to her sorrow, assuring her that the struggles of her family have not been in vain and will ultimately bear fruit. His gentle plea for her to stop her voice from crying and her eyes from shedding tears carries a specific, dual meaning for two different parts of the nation. The request to quiet her voice is directed toward the descendants of Benjamin, who would eventually return from the Babylonian exile. Meanwhile, the call to dry her eyes is meant for the descendants of Joseph, the Ten Tribes. Although Joseph's descendants would not experience an immediate return, they are promised a future hope of returning to their borders at the end of days [מלבי"ם].

God assures Rachel that there is a reward for her action, prompting an exploration into whose action this refers to and what it entails. The primary approach among commentators presents two distinct perspectives. The first perspective attributes the action directly to Rachel's own good deeds [ביאור שטיינזלץ] and her constant prayers on behalf of her children [מלבי"ם]. A profound tradition captures this idea, describing Rachel standing in prayer before God when King Manasseh placed an idol in the Sanctuary. She presented a powerful argument to God, noting that as a mere mortal, she suppressed her own jealousy and handed over her marital signs to her sister Leah to save her from public shame. She reasoned that God, who is infinitely merciful, should certainly forgive His children and not act out of jealousy over an idol. It is specifically for this selfless act of giving up the signs that God promises her the ultimate reward of her children returning from exile [מצודת דוד].

Alternatively, the action may refer to the exiled children themselves or the enduring merits of the righteous patriarchs. In this view, the reward is earned by the children for surviving the crushing hardships of exile for many years without ever denying God, forgetting His name, or breaking His covenant [רד"ק, מצודת דוד]. Regardless of whose action earned it, the nature of the reward stands apart from the deed itself. While the action belongs to the past, the reward is vastly greater, looking forward to future restoration and success [מלבי"ם]. The practical result of this reward is a return from the land of the enemy. This refers specifically to the descendants of Benjamin returning from Babylon, which was an active enemy nation. This is in sharp contrast to the Ten Tribes, who were scattered to distant places not explicitly defined as enemy lands, and who are promised a future return to their own borders [מלבי"ם].