the “Founding Mothers” of the Jewish People: Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah. Each was the beloved wife of one of the Avot. Sarah was the wife of Avraham, Rivkah the wife of Yitzchak, and Rachel and Leah were both the wives of Yaakov. The Imahot were great in their own right. It is said that Sarah had a greater power of prophecy than did her husband, Avraham. Rivkah had the greater insight in favoring Yaakov over Esav. Leah bore and raised some of the greatest of the Tribes. And Rachel, is buried in a strategic spot along the road on which the Captivity of the Jewish People would walk, and only the prayers and cries of their “mother” Rachel would be accepted by Hashem.
