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Why does Yaakov says that Rachel died when he came from Padan Aram (ואני בבאי מפדן)? Apparently, she died much later, not after leaving from the house of Lavan.

Rachel dies in 35:19, Yaakov departs from Eisav in 33:16, and in the meantime, they were settling in Sukkot and then in Shechem, for a long time already.

So how is it possible to call this whole long process "travelling from Padan"?

(If it were really true that she died on the way, that would imply that Rachel never lived in Eretz Yisroel – and this is how it sounds like from this pasuk.)

Binyomin
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  • Slightly related: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/74152/benyamin-born-in-padan-aram – Binyomin Dec 31 '20 at 13:42
  • Apparently she died much later This question would be more compelling if you explain this premise. – Alex Dec 31 '20 at 14:23
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    You also have בבאו מפדן ארם in the description of him coming to Beis El, even though that too was after Sukkos and Shechem. So the straightforward answer would seem to be that until he settled (relatively) permanently in Chevron, it was all part of his coming from Padan Aram. Same way as all of the journeys of the Jewish people in Parshas Mas'ei are described as אשר יצאו מארץ מצרים. – Meir Dec 31 '20 at 15:23
  • @Alex, thanks, I added some clarification, I hope now it is OK. – Binyomin Dec 31 '20 at 17:11
  • @Meir, thanks, this is true, but I think it is not answering, rather putting the same question in a broader context. Furthermore, regarding their travelling there was no real settlement, the whole wandering was a whole long process to Eretz Yisroel. But Yaakov seemingly did not have anything similar (maybe to pay his vows in Beth-El?), but still, the whole thing happened in Eretz Yisroel. – Binyomin Dec 31 '20 at 17:13

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