(לא) וַיַּ֤רְא ה׳ כִּֽי־שְׂנוּאָ֣ה לֵאָ֔ה וַיִּפְתַּ֖ח אֶת־רַחְמָ֑הּ וְרָחֵ֖ל עֲקָרָֽה׃(לב) וַתַּ֤הַר לֵאָה֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ רְאוּבֵ֑ן כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה כִּֽי־רָאָ֤ה ה׳ בְּעׇנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י עַתָּ֖ה יֶאֱהָבַ֥נִי אִישִֽׁי׃(לג) וַתַּ֣הַר עוֹד֮ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּן֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֤ע ה׳ כִּֽי־שְׂנוּאָ֣ה אָנֹ֔כִי וַיִּתֶּן־לִ֖י גַּם־אֶת־זֶ֑ה וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ שִׁמְעֽוֹן׃(לד) וַתַּ֣הַר עוֹד֮ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּן֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר עַתָּ֤ה הַפַּ֙עַם֙ יִלָּוֶ֤ה אִישִׁי֙ אֵלַ֔י כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי ל֖וֹ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָרָֽא־שְׁמ֖וֹ לֵוִֽי׃(לה) וַתַּ֨הַר ע֜וֹד וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֗ן וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַפַּ֙עַם֙ אוֹדֶ֣ה אֶת־ה׳ עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרְאָ֥ה שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖ד מִלֶּֽדֶת׃
(א) וַתֵּ֣רֶא רָחֵ֗ל כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָֽלְדָה֙ לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב וַתְּקַנֵּ֥א רָחֵ֖ל בַּאֲחֹתָ֑הּ וַתֹּ֤אמֶר אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹב֙ הָֽבָה־לִּ֣י בָנִ֔ים וְאִם־אַ֖יִן מֵתָ֥ה אָנֹֽכִי׃(ב) וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּרָחֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֲתַ֤חַת אֱלֹקִים֙ אָנֹ֔כִי אֲשֶׁר־מָנַ֥ע מִמֵּ֖ךְ פְּרִי־בָֽטֶן׃(ג) וַתֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֛ה אֲמָתִ֥י בִלְהָ֖ה בֹּ֣א אֵלֶ֑יהָ וְתֵלֵד֙ עַל־בִּרְכַּ֔י וְאִבָּנֶ֥ה גַם־אָנֹכִ֖י מִמֶּֽנָּה׃(ד) וַתִּתֶּן־ל֛וֹ אֶת־בִּלְהָ֥ה שִׁפְחָתָ֖הּ לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֥א אֵלֶ֖יהָ יַעֲקֹֽב׃(ה) וַתַּ֣הַר בִּלְהָ֔ה וַתֵּ֥לֶד לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב בֵּֽן׃(ו) וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רָחֵל֙ דָּנַ֣נִּי אֱלֹקִ֔ים וְגַם֙ שָׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹלִ֔י וַיִּתֶּן־לִ֖י בֵּ֑ן עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרְאָ֥ה שְׁמ֖וֹ דָּֽן׃(ז) וַתַּ֣הַר ע֔וֹד וַתֵּ֕לֶד בִּלְהָ֖ה שִׁפְחַ֣ת רָחֵ֑ל בֵּ֥ן שֵׁנִ֖י לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃(ח) וַתֹּ֣אמֶר רָחֵ֗ל נַפְתּוּלֵ֨י אֱלֹקִ֧ים ׀ נִפְתַּ֛לְתִּי עִם־אֲחֹתִ֖י גַּם־יָכֹ֑לְתִּי וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ נַפְתָּלִֽי׃(ט) וַתֵּ֣רֶא לֵאָ֔ה כִּ֥י עָמְדָ֖ה מִלֶּ֑דֶת וַתִּקַּח֙ אֶת־זִלְפָּ֣ה שִׁפְחָתָ֔הּ וַתִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛הּ לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב לְאִשָּֽׁה׃(י) וַתֵּ֗לֶד זִלְפָּ֛ה שִׁפְחַ֥ת לֵאָ֖ה לְיַעֲקֹ֥ב בֵּֽן׃(יא) וַתֹּ֥אמֶר לֵאָ֖ה (בגד)[בָּ֣א גָ֑ד] וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ גָּֽד׃(יב) וַתֵּ֗לֶד זִלְפָּה֙ שִׁפְחַ֣ת לֵאָ֔ה בֵּ֥ן שֵׁנִ֖י לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃(יג) וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לֵאָ֔ה בְּאׇשְׁרִ֕י כִּ֥י אִשְּׁר֖וּנִי בָּנ֑וֹת וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אָשֵֽׁר׃
(יד) וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ רְאוּבֵ֜ן בִּימֵ֣י קְצִיר־חִטִּ֗ים וַיִּמְצָ֤א דֽוּדָאִים֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיָּבֵ֣א אֹתָ֔ם אֶל־לֵאָ֖ה אִמּ֑וֹ וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רָחֵל֙ אֶל־לֵאָ֔ה תְּנִי־נָ֣א לִ֔י מִדּוּדָאֵ֖י בְּנֵֽךְ׃(טו) וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לָ֗הּ הַמְעַט֙ קַחְתֵּ֣ךְ אֶת־אִישִׁ֔י וְלָקַ֕חַת גַּ֥ם אֶת־דּוּדָאֵ֖י בְּנִ֑י וַתֹּ֣אמֶר רָחֵ֗ל לָכֵן֙ יִשְׁכַּ֤ב עִמָּךְ֙ הַלַּ֔יְלָה תַּ֖חַת דּוּדָאֵ֥י בְנֵֽךְ׃(טז) וַיָּבֹ֨א יַעֲקֹ֣ב מִן־הַשָּׂדֶה֮ בָּעֶ֒רֶב֒ וַתֵּצֵ֨א לֵאָ֜ה לִקְרָאת֗וֹ וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֵלַ֣י תָּב֔וֹא כִּ֚י שָׂכֹ֣ר שְׂכַרְתִּ֔יךָ בְּדוּדָאֵ֖י בְּנִ֑י וַיִּשְׁכַּ֥ב עִמָּ֖הּ בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הֽוּא׃
(יז) וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע אֱלֹקִ֖ים אֶל־לֵאָ֑ה וַתַּ֛הַר וַתֵּ֥לֶד לְיַעֲקֹ֖ב בֵּ֥ן חֲמִישִֽׁי׃(יח) וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לֵאָ֗ה נָתַ֤ן אֱלֹקִים֙ שְׂכָרִ֔י אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי שִׁפְחָתִ֖י לְאִישִׁ֑י וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יִשָּׂשכָֽר׃(יט) וַתַּ֤הַר עוֹד֙ לֵאָ֔ה וַתֵּ֥לֶד בֵּן־שִׁשִּׁ֖י לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃(כ) וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לֵאָ֗ה זְבָדַ֨נִי אֱלֹקִ֥ים ׀ אֹתִי֮ זֵ֣בֶד טוֹב֒ הַפַּ֙עַם֙ יִזְבְּלֵ֣נִי אִישִׁ֔י כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי ל֖וֹ שִׁשָּׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ זְבֻלֽוּן׃(כא) וְאַחַ֖ר יָ֣לְדָה בַּ֑ת וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמָ֖הּ דִּינָֽה׃
(31) Seeing that Leah was unloved, ה׳ opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.(32) Leah conceived and bore a son, and named him Reuben; for she declared, “It means: ‘ה has seen my affliction’; it also means: ‘Now my husband will love me.’”(33) She conceived again and bore a son, and declared, “This is because ה׳ heard that I was unloved and has given me this one also”; so she named him Simeon.(34) Again she conceived and bore a son and declared, “This time my husband will become attached to me, for I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named Levi.(35) She conceived again and bore a son, and declared, “This time I will praise ה׳.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
(1) When Rachel saw that she had borne Jacob no children, she became envious of her sister; and Rachel said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die.”(2) Jacob was incensed at Rachel, and said, “Can I take the place of God, who has denied you fruit of the womb?”(3) She said, “Here is my maid Bilhah. Consort with her, that she may bear on my knees and that through her I too may have children.”(4) So she gave him her maid Bilhah as concubine, and Jacob cohabited with her.(5) Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.(6) And Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; indeed, [God] has heeded my plea and given me a son.” Therefore she named him Dan.(7) Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.(8) And Rachel said, “A fateful contest I waged with my sister; yes, and I have prevailed.” So she named him Naphtali.(9) When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing children, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as concubine.(10) And when Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son,(11) Leah said, “What luck!” So she named him Gad.(12) When Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son,(13) Leah declared, “What fortune!” meaning, “Women will deem me fortunate.” So she named him Asher.
(14) Once, at the time of the wheat harvest, Reuben came upon some mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”(15) But she said to her, “Was it not enough for you to take away my husband, that you would also take my son’s mandrakes?” Rachel replied, “I promise, he shall lie with you tonight, in return for your son’s mandrakes.”(16) When Jacob came home from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You are to sleep with me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” And he lay with her that night.
(17) God heeded Leah, and she conceived and bore him a fifth son.(18) And Leah said, “God has given me my reward for having given my maid to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.(19) When Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son,(20) Leah said, “God has given me a choice gift; this time my husband will exalt me, for I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.(21) Last, she bore him a daughter, and named her Dinah.
וילך ראובן בימי קציר חטים וגו'... ורחל שאלה ממנה שיתן לה מהם והשיב המעט קחתך את אישי ולקחת גם את דודאי בני. ואמרה זה לפי שהיה יעקב בראותו שלאה עמדה מלדת כסבור שפסקה לגמרי ממעט בואו אצל'... כי הנה עם היות הריונם בדרך השגחה לא ימנע מפני זה שלא יסתייעו בדברים הרפואיים ולולי זה לא היה נכתב הספור הזה בתור' שלא לצורך
Isn’t it enough that you took. When Leah stopped producing children Yaakov reduced the time he spent with her. Would you also take. Although the Matriarch’s pregnancies were all from Heaven, they did not refrain from using medicinal aids as well.
וילך ראובן. יספר ראשונה צדקת ראובן שהלך בימי קציר חטים שאז השדות מלאים כל מגדים וכל טוב ולא לקח מאומה רק דודאים, ולא דודאי גנה שאינם הפקר רק דודאי שדה שהם הפקר, זאת שנית שהביא אותם אל לאה אמו ... ורצה שאמו תוליד עוד בנים הפך דרך העולם שירצו שיהיה יחיד לאמו, והוא רצה בתועלתה, שמטעם זה בלבל אח"כ יצועי אביו כמו שנפרש במקומו.
Reuvein went. Although the fields were filled with delicacies, he took nothing but jasmine flowers for his mother and only from the ownerless “field.” Moreover, he gave them to her to help her conceive, even while knowing that additional siblings would diminish his position.
The mandrakes do not cure Rachel's barrenness, but they do alert God to her desperation--and the lengths to which she will go in order to conceive. In other words, the actions that Rachel takes to reverse her situation function as self-initiation into a relationship with God. They also prove her to be an ambitious mother worthy of a heroic son. Rachel has followed a three-part course in protesting her infertility: articulation of discontent, surrogacy, and medicinal aid. God like-wise responds with three actions: "God now remembered...listened...and opened her womb." Her struggle results in a response from God--such that her memory is assured, her voice heeded, and the barrier to conception lifted.
At sunrise the mother died. In the tent the women wept, Leah, soft eyes and seven years, lifted the flailing, helpless baby “Rachel” she whispered. She wrapped her in their mothers’ still warm multicolor shawlletting the slave woman nurse her when she cried and Laban hated her. Leah held her tight, “I will never leave you.”
People called Rachel “the beautiful cursed” whose birth killed her mother. Leah held her tighter, Rachel’s head on her sister’s beating heart. When she got too big for the shawl sling, Rachel twisted the hem of Leah’s dress in her little fist, holding tight she wouldn’t let go.
When she bled for the first time, Leah told her that it was the way of women. When Leah stayed behind on her monthly way of women, Rachel had to go to the well alone. There she met Jacob, her kindness turned to fear: “I am a child and a stranger wants to marry me.” “I will never leave you,” Leah said.
On her wedding night Rachel dressed Leah in her intended Bridal garments. She rubbed Leah’s body with her aromatic potions, combed Leah’s hair with oil and left the dark tent. Seven years later, Rachel stood, a second wife, with Leah by her side.
They left their father’s house, together, Leah powerless as Rachel died in childbirth on the road to Bethlehem, crying forever, inconsolable when the prophet Jeremiah found her among the ruins of Jerusalem. Some say that she left to write poems on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, others swear they saw her on kibbutz Sdot Yam, dressed as a paratrooper, writing “Eli, Eli,Oh God, My God, I pray.”