Chasidut for Micah 4:8

According to the Zohar, Rachel’s death was an unparalleled calamity for Jacob. Perhaps it was because Rachel contained within her the spark of Yovel and redemption that her loss was so devastating to Jacob.³³⁰The Baal Shem Tov once traveled on a Friday afternoon to visit a simple Jew in the forest. After spending some time with that Jew, the Besht insisted on leaving even though it was late Friday afternoon and he would not reach the next Jewish village before Shabbos. After he left, his students asked him, “Rebbe, why did you insist on leaving this Jew?” To which the Besht responded, “The man I was visiting contained the soul of the Messiah. I know that due to the unworthiness of our generation he will die this Shabbos. I cannot stand to see the loss of a spark of the Messiah.” Witnessing the loss of great hopes is heartrending. After Rachel died, Jacob traveled to Migdal Eder.³³¹See Targum Yonasan to Micah 4:8. Targum Yonasan³³²See Megillah 3a. explains that Migdal Eder is the place where Messiah will be revealed.