Pasuk (48:7) "But as for me - when I came from Paddan, Rachel died on me in the land of Canaan on the road, while there was still a stretch of land to go to Efrata; and I buried her there on the road to Efrata, which is Betlehem". Rashi on this Pasuk comes and connects this Pasuk with Yakov's request from Yosef to bury him in the land of Canaan, and not in Egypt. Yakov was in essence asking from Yosef to bury him in the Cave of Machpela, even though he did not do the same for Rachel, Yosef's mother. She died a short distance from Hebron, yet she was buried in Bethlehem. Yakov felt that Yosef might feel some resentment that his mother was not buried together with the other Matriarchs, and thus Yakov explained the reason for his actions. Yakov was afraid that Yosef would think that he didn't care enough for Rachel in order to find her a fitting place to be buried. For this reason, Yakov uses the word "Alay" (upon me), that Rachel died in his account. A woman's loss is felt most intensely by her life's companion more than any other family members, for they continue in their regular life, unlike the husband. When the wife dies, a part of the husband dies with her. Yakov was assuring Yosef that Rachel was his true wife, and that he intensely felt her loss. Yakov explained to Yosef that Hashem had commanded him to bury her in Betlehem, so that she could help the Jewish people when Nebuzardan, the chief general of King Nebuchadnezar of Babylon, would lead Israel into captivity after the destruction of the First Temple, Rachel's soul would be there to beseech Hashem's mercy upon them. Hashem heard her plea. When we look at Yakov's explanation, we first see that first he clarifies to Yosef that he had no personal reason or excuse for not burying Rachel in Hebron, rather it was a Heavenly decree. Why didn't Yakov immediately explain to Yosef that it was a Divine command? Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz explains in his Sefer "Sichot Mussar" that the answer to this question lies in an understanding of the concept of "Galut Hashchina" (exile of the Divine Presence). He explains that nature (layer of dust) obscures the Divine Presence from being revealed to us, as long as the seemingly normal chain of cause-and-effect that appears to us as ruling the world continues. When this layer is shaken off completely, only then can the Divine Presence be truly revealed to us. Yakov first needed to refute all the possible rational explanations for not burying Rachel in Hebron. For as long as there would remain a possible rational explanation for his actions, one can not truly discern the Divine command. We saw this during the Six Day War, The Gulf War, and even in our present day and time in Eretz Yisroel, where there were/are countless miracles, yet the miracles were so skillfully interweaven with the normal military process, that these miracles were unable to produce a lasting effect. To this very day, Jews from around the world come to Rachel's grave to pray and to ease their grieving hearts in times of personal and national need. (Adapted from - Artscroll Chumash, Sichot Mussar, Kol Dodi al Hatorah)