Kabbalah Library
Zohar for All, Volume 3
As Her Soul Departed
198) “And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing—for she died.” Why it is written, “for she died”? It indicates that the soul did not return to the body anymore, and Rachel’s death is the death of the body. This is because the departure of the soul still does not indicate the death of the body, as there are people whose soul departed and then returned to its place. But Rachel’s soul departed and did not return to its place, and she died.
199) “…she called his name Ben-Oni,” after the harsh judgment to which she was sentenced. And Jacob tied him again to the right, the Hassadim, since the Nukva, West, must be tied to with the right. And even though he is Ben-Oni [son of my strength] of the Nukva, which is the side of the harsh judgment in her, it is still Ben-Yamin [Benjamin, but also “son of the right side, in Hebrew], for the Nukva was tied with the right. This is why he called him Benjamin, Ben-Yamin [son of right], for he tied Rachel with the right, in Hassadim.
200) Rachel “was buried on the way,” in a disclosed location. But the death and burial place of Leah was not made known.
