Genesis 29:5-35
And [Jacob] said to them, do you Laban, the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. 6 And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well; and, behold, Rachel his daughter comes with the sheep....9 And while he still spoke with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them. 10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 And Jacob kissed [n/sh/k] Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept [yi'shah et kolo v'yeiv'chah].
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father. 13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him a month. 15 And Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be? 16 And Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah had weak eyes; but Rachel was beautiful and well favored. 18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter. 19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man; stay with me. 20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.
21 And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her. 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave to his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an maidservant. 25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah; and he said to Laban, What is this that you have done to me? did not I serve with you for Rachel? why then have you deceived me?
26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete her week, and we will give you this also for the service which you shall serve with me yet seven other years. 28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week; and he gave him Rachel his daughter for his wife also. 29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his maidservant to be her maid. 30 And he went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. 31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, Surely the Lord has looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. 33 And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, Because the Lord has heard that I was hated, he has therefore given me this son also; and she called his name Simeon. 34 And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined to me, because I have born him three sons; therefore was his name called Levi. 35 And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she said, Now will I praise the Lord; therefore she called his name Judah; and ceased bearing.
Genesis 30:1-24
1 And when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied (was jealous of [k/n/h]) her sister; and said to Jacob, there shall be to me children or else I shall die (havah li banim, v'im ain meitah anochi). 2 And Jacob’s anger [har af] was kindled against Rachel; and he said, Am I in God’s place, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?
3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in to her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her. 4 And she gave him Bilhah her maidservant to wife; and Jacob went in to her. 5 And Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a son. 6 And Rachel said, God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son; therefore she called his name Dan. 7 And Bilhah Rachel’s maid conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son. 8 And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed; and she called his name Naphtali. 9 When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her for a wife to Jacob. 10 And Zilpah Leah’s maid bore Jacob a son. 11 (K) And Leah said, Fortune has come; and she called his name Gad. 12 And Zilpah Leah’s maid bore Jacob a second son. 13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed; and she called his name Asher. 14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I beg you, of your son’s mandrakes. 15 And she said to her, Is it a small matter that you have taken my husband? and would you take away my son’s mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with you to night for your son’s mandrakes. 16 And Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, You must come in to me; for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. 17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob the fifth son. 18 And Leah said, God has given me my hire, because I have given my maid to my husband; and she called his name Issachar. 19 And Leah conceived again, and bore Jacob the sixth son. 20 And Leah said, God has endowed me with a good dowry; now will my husband live with me, because I have born him six sons; and she called his name Zebulun. 21 And afterwards she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah. 22 And God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb. 23 And she conceived, and bore a son; and said, God has taken away my reproach; 24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me another son.
(ב) אבל רחל היתה יפת תאר ויפת מראה בלא שום מום. ותאר הוא על צורת הפנים ושאר האברים וקומות הגוף, ומראה על הבשר שהיה לבן ואדום והשער שחור:
(2) יפת תאר ויפת מראה, but Rachel suffered from no physical blemish at all, but was perfect both in shape and in facial features. The word מראה describes the appearance of one’s skin, healthy or otherwise, as well as the colour of her hair, i.e. black. In other words, the part of one’s body normally visible to all is described as מראה.
Talmud Megilla 13b
"Jacob asked Rachel: "Will you marry me?" She said: "Yes, but you should know that my father's a trickster and he will outwit you." "And what is his trickery?" "I have a sister older than I and he will try to marry her off first." So he gave her signs (signals by which he would ensure the bride was Rachel). Come the night of the wedding and Rachel saw Leah being led to the chuppah. She thought: Now my sister will be humiliated? And she gave over the signs."
"וישב בארץ מדין וישב על הבאר" - קלט דרך אבות. שלשה נזדוגו להם זווגיהם מן הבאר: יצחק יעקב ומשה.
"And he sat next to the well" Moshe absorbed the ways of the forefathers. Three people found their match alongside a well: Isaac, Jacob, and Moshe.
-Exodus Rabbah 1:33
Breishit Rabbah 70:12
AND JACOB KISSED RACHEL: All kissing is indecent, save in three cases: the kiss of high office, the kiss of reunion, and the kiss of parting (I Sam. 10:1, Ex 4:27, Ruth 1:14). R. Tanhuma said: The kiss of kinship too, as it says, AND JACOB KISSED RACHEL-because she was his kinswoman.
AND [Jacob] LIFTED UP HIS VOICE AND WEPT. Why?
- He said thus: 'What is written about Eliezer, Abraham's servant, when he went to fetch Rebekah? And the servant took ten camels, etc. (Gen. 24:10). While I have come without a single ring or bracelet.’
- D'var Acheir: [Jacob] saw that she would not be buried together with him. It was this that she [Rachel] said to her [Leah]: Therefore he shall lie with you tonight meaning, with you he will sleep [his last sleep], but not with me.
Breishit Rabbah 70:15
NOW LABAN HAD TWO DAUGHTERS (Gen 29:16): Like two beams running from end to end of the world. Each produced captains, each produced kings, from each arose slayers of lions, from each arose conquerors of countries, from each arose dividers of countries.
THE NAME OF THE ELDER (ha'g'dolah vs. y'shanah) WAS LEAH: She was great in her gifts, receiving the priesthood (Levi) for all time, and royalty for all time (Judah, David, etc).
AND THE NAME OF THE YOUNGER (ha'k'tanah vs. tzayirah) WAS RACHEL: small in her gifts, Joseph [bearing sway] for but a time, and Saul for but a time (neither founded a dynasty).
Eichah Rabbah Introduction
At that hour (the destruction of the Temple and exile), our mother Rachel jumped up before God and said: “Master of the universe, it is known to you that Yaakov loved me greatly and worked for me… and when it was time for me to marry, my father decided to put my sister in my stead, and I didn't envy her and did not allow her to be humiliated. If I, who am but mere flesh and blood, dust and ashes, didn't begrudge my competition, You, Who are the immortal eternal King, how could you be jealous of idolatry, which is meaningless, and exile my children?” Immediately God's mercy was awakened and He said: "For you, Rachel, I will bring Israel back to their place."
Midrash Tanchuma Toldot 9
Why were the matriarchs barren? Because God desires the prayers and conversations of the righteous. He said: “They are beautiful, they are rich; if I give them children, when will I ever hear from them?"
(טו) וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ לַהֲרֹ֣ג אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיִּבְרַ֤ח מֹשֶׁה֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־מִדְיָ֖ן וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב עַֽל־הַבְּאֵֽר׃ (טז) וּלְכֹהֵ֥ן מִדְיָ֖ן שֶׁ֣בַע בָּנ֑וֹת וַתָּבֹ֣אנָה וַתִּדְלֶ֗נָה וַתְּמַלֶּ֙אנָה֙ אֶת־הָ֣רְהָטִ֔ים לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת צֹ֥אן אֲבִיהֶֽן׃ (יז) וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ הָרֹעִ֖ים וַיְגָרְשׁ֑וּם וַיָּ֤קָם מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיּ֣וֹשִׁעָ֔ן וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־צֹאנָֽם׃ (יח) וַתָּבֹ֕אנָה אֶל־רְעוּאֵ֖ל אֲבִיהֶ֑ן וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַדּ֛וּעַ מִהַרְתֶּ֥ן בֹּ֖א הַיּֽוֹם׃ (יט) וַתֹּאמַ֕רְןָ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י הִצִּילָ֖נוּ מִיַּ֣ד הָרֹעִ֑ים וְגַם־דָּלֹ֤ה דָלָה֙ לָ֔נוּ וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־הַצֹּֽאן׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֶל־בְּנֹתָ֖יו וְאַיּ֑וֹ לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ עֲזַבְתֶּ֣ן אֶת־הָאִ֔ישׁ קִרְאֶ֥ן ל֖וֹ וְיֹ֥אכַל לָֽחֶם׃ (כא) וַיּ֥וֹאֶל מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶת־הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיִּתֵּ֛ן אֶת־צִפֹּרָ֥ה בִתּ֖וֹ לְמֹשֶֽׁה׃
(15) When Pharaoh learned of the matter, he sought to kill Moses; but Moses fled from Pharaoh. He arrived in the land of Midian, and sat down beside a well. (16) Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock; (17) but shepherds came and drove them off. Moses rose to their defense, and he watered their flock...(20) He said to his daughters, “Where is he then? Why did you leave the man? Ask him in to break bread.” (21) Moses consented to stay with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah as wife.
(21) And Yahweh said unto Moses: ‘When thou goest back into Egypt, see that thou do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in thy hand; but I will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go. (22) And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh: Thus saith Yahweh: Israel is My son, My first-born. (23) And I have said unto thee: Let My son go, that he may serve Me; and thou hast refused to let him go. Behold, I will slay thy (24) And it came to pass on the way at the lodging-place, that Yahweh (Scribal change) met him, and sought to kill him. (25) Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said: ‘Surely a bridegroom of blood art thou to me.’ (26) So He let him alone. Then she said: ‘A bridegroom of blood in regard of the circumcision.’