Genesis Rabbah 71

¹“The Lord saw that Leah was unloved, and He opened her womb, and Rachel was barren” (Genesis 29:31). “The Lord saw that Leah was unloved…” “For the Lord hears the impoverished and does not despise His prisoners” (Psalms 69:34) – Rabbi Binyamin ben Levi said: The beginning of this verse does not correspond with its end, nor does its end correspond to its beginning. The verse should have said only: “For the Lord hears the impoverished and does not despise the prisoners” or: “For the Lord hears His impoverished and…His prisoners.” Rather: “For the Lord hears the impoverished” – this is Israel, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Every place that impoverished [ dal ], poor [ ani ], and indigent [ evyon ] is stated, the verse is speaking of Israel. “And does not despise His prisoners” – these are the barren women, who are prisoners in their homes, and forlorn. But when the Holy One blessed be He remembers them with children, they stand erect. Know that Leah was the unloved one of the household, but when the Holy One blessed be He remembered her, she stood erect. That is what is written: “The Lord saw that Leah was unloved.” ²Another matter, “The Lord supports all those who fall” (Psalms 145:14) – these are the barren women, who fall inside their houses. “And He straightens all who are hunched” (Psalms 145:14) – when the Holy One blessed be He remembers them with children, they stand erect. Know that it is so, as Leah was the unloved one of the household, but when the Holy One blessed be He remembered her, she stood erect. That is what is written: “The Lord saw that Leah was unloved.” “That Leah was unloved [ senua ]” – she performed the action of the hated [ hasenuim ], as she would say that she would marry the enemy [ lasoneh ],” . These were the stipulations: The elder to the elder, and the younger to the younger. She would weep and say: ‘May it be His will that I will not fall in the portion of that wicked man.’ Rav Huna said: Prayer is powerful, as it nullified the decree. Moreover, she preceded her sister. Everyone would mock her – seafarers would mock her, wayfarers would mock her, even those sitting in the pits behind the loom would mock her. They said: ‘This Leah, her inside is not like her outside; she appears like a righteous woman, but she is not a righteous woman. Were she a righteous woman, she would not have deceived her sister.’ Rabbi Ḥanin said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak: When Jacob our patriarch saw the actions that Leah deceived her sister, he set his mind to divorce her. When the Holy One blessed be He remembered her with children, he said: ‘Am I divorcing the mother of these?’ Ultimately, he gave thanks for this matter. That is what is written: “Israel prostrated himself at the top of the bed [ al rosh hamita ]” (Genesis 47:31). Who is the rosh mitato of our patriarch Jacob? Is it not Leah? “And Rachel was barren [ akara ]” – Rachel was the primary of the household, just as it says: “Rachel was akara ” – the primary [ ikara ] was Rachel. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Most of the participants in the feast were primarily from Leah; that is why Rachel is rendered primary – Rachel was barren [ akara ]” – Rachel was the primary of the household. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: Because all the matters are dependent on Rachel, that is why Israel is called by her name: “Rachel weeps for her children” (Jeremiah 31:15). Not only is it by her name, but also by her son’s name: “Perhaps the Lord, God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph” (Amos 5:15). And not only by her son’s name, but by the name of her grandson, as it is stated: “Is Ephraim a dear son to me?” (Jeremiah 31:20). ³“Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; she said: Because the Lord saw [ raa ] my affliction; for now my husband will love me” (Genesis 29:32). “Leah conceived and bore a son” – Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: Four qualities were stated regarding names: There are those whose names are fair and their actions are fair; some whose names are foul and their actions are foul; some whose names are foul and their actions are fair; and some whose names are foul and their actions are fair. Their names are fair and their actions are foul – Esau. His name is Esau, but he did not perform [ oseh ]. Ishmael is his name, listen, but he did not listen. Their names are foul and their actions are fair – these are the members of the exile: “The children of Bakbuk, the children of Ḥakufa, – the law of the monkey. the children of Ḥarḥur” means to incite. (Ezra 2:51), but they merited, ascended, and built the Temple. Their names are foul and their actions are foul – these are the spies: “Setur” (Numbers 13:13) – one who performs actions clandestinely [ seturim ]; “Gadi” (Numbers 13:11) – deserving of gallows [ geradim ] and lashes for rebelliousness [ umeradin ]. Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: Their names are fair and their actions are fair – these are the tribes. Reuben – see this son [ re’u ven ] among the sons. Simeon [ Shimon ] – listens [ shome’a ] to the voice of his Father in Heaven. Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: The names of the tribes are not inappropriate for them, but rather, they are appropriate for them. ⁴“She conceived again, and bore a son, and said: Because the Lord heard that I am hated, He gave me this as well. She called his name Simeon” (Genesis 29:33). “She conceived again, and bore a son, and said: Because the Lord heard [ shama ] that I am hated, He gave me this as well. She called his name Simeon [ Shimon ]” – this one is destined to produce an enemy. Who will heal his wound? It is Pinḥas, who is destined to be produced from Levi. “She conceived again, and bore a son, and said: Now, this time, my husband will accompany [ yillaveh ] me, as I have borne him three sons; therefore, he called his name Levi” (Genesis 29:34). “She conceived again, and bore a son…therefore, he called his name Levi” – Rabbi Yudan said: This Levi is destined to accompany the children to their Father in Heaven. “Therefore [ al ken ], he called his name” – everywhere that al ken is stated, it is a large population. “She conceived again, and bore a son, she said: This time I will thank the Lord. Therefore, she called his name Judah, and she ceased bearing” (Genesis 29:35). “She conceived again, and bore a son; she said: This time I will thank [ odeh ] the Lord. [Therefore, she called his name Judah [ Yehuda ]]” – Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Levi: This is analogous to a priest who descended to the threshing floor. One gave him a kor is 30 seim . The equivalent of about 250 liters. of tithe, but he showed him no gratitude. And one gave him a handful of non-sacred produce, and he showed him gratitude. He [the first man] said to him: ‘My lord priest, I gave you a kor , and that one gave you only a handful, and you show gratitude to him?’ He said to him: ‘You gave me from my portion, but that one gave me from his own; that is why I showed him gratitude.’ So, because the matriarchs believed that this one would have three, and that one would have three, when Leah bore a fourth son, she said: “This time I will thank the Lord.” ⁵That is what is written: “Take from them one staff for each [ mateh mateh ] patrilineal house” (Numbers 17:17) – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: My children have stumbled [ matu matu ]; they stumbled with the calf, they stumbled with the spies. Rabbi Levi said: Two tribes ascended to greatness – the tribe of priesthood and the tribe of kingship. You find that everything that is written regarding this one is written regarding that one: Anointment for this one, anointment for that one; mateh for this one and mateh for that one; covenant of salt for this one, covenant of salt for that one; “this time” for this one and “this time” for that one; crown [ nezer ] for this one, crown [ nezer ] for that one; approach for this one and approach for that one; pedigree for this one and pedigree for that one; frontplate for this one and frontplate for that one. Rabbi Levi said: “He will not withdraw His eyes [ einav ] from the righteous” (Job 36:7) – “His eyes” – his likeness [ eino ] Megillah 13b. , like the person who says: ‘The sample of [ einohi ] fruit.’ “And kings upon the throne” (Job 36:7) – Leah adopted the wisdom of thanks [ hodaya ], and masters of thanks [ hodaya ] were produced from her. Judah – “Judah recognized them, and said: She is more righteous than I” can also mean to acknowledge. (Genesis 38:26); David said: “Give thanks [ hodu ] to the Lord, for He is good,” (Psalms 136:1); Daniel said: “I thank and praise [ mehoda ] You, God of my fathers” (Daniel 2:23). Rachel adopted the wisdom of silence, and masters of silence were produced from her. Benjamin: “chalcedony [ yashefe ]” (Exodus 28:20), there is a mouth [ yesh peh ]; he knew of the sale of Joseph, but did not tell. Saul: “But the matter of the kingship…he did not tell him” (I Samuel 10:16). Esther: “Esther did not disclose her birthplace or her people” (Esther 2:20). “Therefore [ al ken ], she called his name” – everywhere that al ken is stated, it is a large population. “And she ceased [ vataamod ] bearing” – who establishes [ maamid ] the woman’s standing in her house? It is her children. ⁶“Rachel saw that she did not bear children for Jacob; Rachel envied her sister and she said to Jacob: Give me children, and if not, I am dead” (Genesis 30:1). “Rachel saw that she did not bear children…Rachel envied her sister” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is written: “Let your heart not envy sinners; rather, be in fear of the Lord all day” (Proverbs 23:17), and you say: “Rachel envied her sister”? Rather, it teaches that she was envious of her good deeds. She said: ‘Were it not that she was a righteous woman, she would not have borne children.’ “She said to Jacob: Give me children, and if not, I am dead” – Rabbi Ishmael said: Four are considered as though they were dead: A leper, a blind person, one who has no children, and one who became impoverished. A leper, as it is written: “Please, let her not be like a corpse” (Numbers 12:12). A blind person, as it is written: “He settled me in darkness, like those long dead” (Lamentations 3:6). One who has no children, as it is stated: “Give me children, and if not, [I am] dead.” And one who became impoverished, from where is it derived? It is from the verse: “[Go, return to Egypt,] as all the men who seek your life have died” (Exodus 4:19). Were they dead? Were they not Datan and Aviram? It is, rather, that they became impoverished. ⁷“Jacob’s wrath was enflamed at Rachel; he said: Am I in place of God, who withheld from you fruit of the womb?” (Genesis 30:2). “She said: Here is my maidservant Bilha, consort with her and she shall bear upon my knees, and I shall be built through her” (Genesis 30:3). “Jacob’s wrath was enflamed at Rachel” – the Rabbis of the South said in the name of Rabbi Alexandri in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: “Should the wise answer with empty counsel” (Job 15:2) – this is Abraham: “Abram heeded Sarah’s voice” (Genesis 16:2). ). “And have the east wind fill his belly” (Job 15:2) – this is Jacob: “Jacob’s wrath was enflamed at Rachel; he said…” The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Is that the way one answers the distressed? As you live, your sons are destined to stand before her son.’ “Am I in place of God, who withheld from you fruit of the womb?” – He has withheld from you, He has not withheld from me. She said to him: ‘Did your father do thus to your mother? Did he not gird his loins opposite her?’ He said to her: ‘My father had no children, but I have children.’ She said to him: ‘But your grandfather did not have children, and he girded his loins opposite her.’ He said to her: ‘You can do just as she did for my grandfather.’ She said to him: ‘What did she do?’ He said to her: ‘She introduced her rival wife into her household.’ She said to him: ‘If that is the matter that is preventing it: “Here is my maidservant Bilha, consort with her”’ – just as that one was built through her rival wife, this one too was built through her rival wife. “Rachel said: God judged me, and also heard my voice, and gave me a son; therefore, she called his name Dan” (Genesis 30:6). “Rachel said: God judged me” – He judged me and convicted me; He judged me and exonerated me. He judged me and convicted me, as it is stated: “And Rachel was barren” (Genesis 29:31). He judged me and exonerated me – “He gave me a son.” “Therefore [ al ken ], she called his name Dan” – everywhere that al ken is stated, it is a large population. ⁸“And she conceived again, and Rachel’s maidservant Bilha gave birth to a second son to Jacob” (Genesis 30:7). “Rachel said: I engaged in a great struggle with my sister, and also prevailed; she called his name Naphtali” (Genesis 30:8). “Rachel said: I engaged in a great struggle [ naftulei ]” – I adorned myself, I persuaded, I exalted my sister over me. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: [Rachel said:] ‘I should have been a bride [ ninafa ] before my sister. Had I sent and said to him: Be aware that they are deceiving you, would he not have left? Instead, I said: If I am not worthy that the world will be built from me, let it be built from my sister.’ Another matter, naftulei – ‘Were all the maneuvers [ pitulaya ] not for me? Did Jacob not go to Laban only for me?’ Another matter, ‘is the juice [ nofet ] not mine? – The matters of Torah, in whose regard it is stated: “And the juice [ nofet ] of ripe fruit” (Psalms 19:11), will be stated in the portion of Naphtali. ⁹“Zilpa, Leah’s maidservant, bore Jacob a son” (Genesis 30:10). “Zilpa, Leah’s maidservant, bore” – regarding all of them, “she conceived” is written, but here, “bore.” It is that she was a young woman, and her pregnancy was not conspicuous. “Leah said: Fortune has come; she called his name Gad” (Genesis 30:11). “Leah said: Fortune [ gad ] has come” – the fortune of the house has come; the fortune of the world has come; the one who is destined to come and cut down the foundation of the idol worshippers. Who is it? It is Elijah. From whom did Elijah descend? Rabbi Eliezer said: From Benjamin, as it is written: “Yaareshya, Eliya, and Zikhri were the sons of Yeroḥam…all these are the children of Benjamin” (I Chronicles 8:27, 40). Rabbi Nehorai said: He descended from Gad. That is what is written: “Elijah the Tishbite, of the residents of Gilad” (I Kings 17:1). Rabbi Pilipi bar Nehorai said: What – what, not man – who. did you see that led you to say so? He said to him: It is as it is written: “Their border was Yazer, and all the cities of the Gilad” (Joshua 13:25). How does Rabbi Eliezer understand the verse of Rabbi Nehorai: “From the residents of Gilad”? It is from those who sat in the Chamber of Hewn Stone. ] for the nations of the world ( Shir HaShirim Rabba 4:4). How does Rabbi Nehorai realize the verse of Rabbi Eliezer: “Yaareshya, Eliya”? These are to be expounded as midrash. When the Holy One blessed be He would cause His world to quake [ leharish ], he would mention the merit of the patriarchs. ”The sons of Yeroḥam” – the Holy One blessed be He would become filled with mercy upon His world. One time, our Rabbis disputed regarding the matter: These say: 'Descended from Gad, and these say: Descended from Benjamin. He came and stood before them. He said to them: ‘Our Rabbis, why are you disputing in my regard? I am from the children of the children of Rachel.’ ¹⁰"Zilpa the maidservant of Leah gave birth to a second son to Jacob" (30:12). “Leah said: In my happiness, as women will be happy for me; she called his name Asher” (Genesis 30:13). “Leah said: In my happiness [ beoshri ], as women will be happy for me” – saying: ‘Happy is the one who merited this.’ Rabbi Levi said: Asher never stayed the night in an inn. He inherited peaks with castles, what Judah did not inherit in his lands. That is what is written: “The sons of Asher: Yimna, Yishva, Yishvi, Beria, and Serah their sister…he was the father of Birzayit” (I Chronicles 7:30–31). Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Levi said: It is because their daughters were beautiful and were married to priests who were anointed with the anointing oil, olive [ zayit ] oil. Rabbi Simon said: They were married to kings who were anointed with olive [ zayit ] oil.