Midrasch zu Bereschit 30:1

As it was taught; And the life of Sarah....

“He wore away my flesh and my skin, broke my bones” (Lamentations 3:4).
“He wore away my flesh” – this is the community. “And my skin” – this is the Sanhedrin; just as the skin protects the flesh, so the Sanhedrin protects the community. “Broke my bones [atzmotai]” – my mighty ones [itzumai], people who were like mighty warriors [benei haatzumim].
“He built against me and surrounded me with gall and hardship” (Lamentations 3:5).
“He built against me and surrounded me with gall [rosh]” – this is Nebuchadnezzar, as it is written in his regard: “You are the head [reisha] of gold” (Daniel 2:38). “And hardship” – this is Nevuzaradan. Alternatively: “Gall” – this is Vespasian; “and hardship” – this is Trajan.
“He settled me in darkness, like those long dead” (Lamentations 3:6).
“He settled me in darkness, like those long dead” – Rabbi Shmuel said: Four are considered as dead: A blind person, as it is stated: “He settled me in darkness, like those long dead.” A leper, as it is stated: “Let her not be like a corpse” (Numbers 12:12).¹⁰Aaron said this in reference to Miriam, who was afflicted with leprosy, when he asked Moses to pray on her behalf. One who does not have children, as it is written regarding Rachel: “Give me children, and if not, I am dead” (Genesis 30:1). And one who has become impoverished, as it is stated: “All the men [seeking your life] have died” (Exodus 4:19). Were they, in fact, dead? Rather, they had become impoverished.¹¹The Sages identified the men seeking Moses’s life as Datan and Aviram (see Avoda Zara 5a). They were not yet dead, as they later participated in Koraḥ’s uprising (see Numbers 16:1–2).

(Fol. 64b) R. Jochanan said in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai: "Wherever you find the words nitzim, or nitzabim [written in the Pentatuch,] it refers to no one but Dathan and Abiram." If so, then how will you explain the passage (Ex. 4, 19) For the men are dead, etc., referring to Dathan and Abiram, and yet on occasions which happened many years later the words nitzim and nitzabim are found mentioned in the Torah? Resh Lakish therefore explained that they became poor." Resh Lakish said: "A man who has no children is accounted as dead, as it is said (Gen. 30, 1) Give me children or else die, and we are taught in a Baraitha that four are accounted as dead: — The pauper, the leper, the blind man, and he who is childless. That a pauper is accounted as dead we derive from the above quoted passage: For the men are dead; the leper, we derive from the following passage (Num. 12, 12) Let her not be as a dead-born child; That a blind one is accounted as dead we derive from this passage (Lam. 3, 6) In dark places hath He set me to dwell, like the dead of olden times; and that one who is childless is accounted as dead we infer from the passage. Give me children or else I die."

And God remembered Rachel. Prior to this verse, it is written: And Leah conceived again, and bore a son; and she said: “This time will I praise the Lord” (Gen. 29:35). Why did she not say I will praise the Lord after the births of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and all the others, but only after the birth of Judah? This may be compared to a priest who goes to a man’s barn to collect the tithe⁸A tenth of a man’s possessions appropriated as a tax or sacrifice. The Mosaic law (Num. 18:21–26) made the tithe obligatory. and the priestly portion. When the owner of the barn hands the priest the priestly portion, he does not thank him, and when he gives him the tithe, he still does not thank him. But if, after he gives the priest what is due him, he adds a measure of unconsecrated food, the priest does thank him and recites a prayer in his behalf. A bystander asked the priest: “Why is it that when he gave you the tithe and the priestly portion, you did not thank him, but when he added only a single measure of unconsecrated food, you thanked him?” The priest replied: “The tithe and the priestly offering belong to me, and I merely accepted that which belonged to me, but the measure of unconsecrated food he added belonged to him, and so I thanked him for it.” Similarly Leah said: “Twelve tribes are to descend from Jacob, and since he has four wives, each of us is entitled to bear three sons. I have already given birth to three sons, my rightful share, but now a fourth son has been granted to me; surely it is fitting that I praise the Lord this time.” Therefore Rachel envied her sister (Gen. 30:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: How long shall this righteous woman grieve? Is it not just that she too shall conceive? Should she not be at least equal to the handmaidens? Forthwith, And God remembered Rachel.

"This is the law of the burnt offering" (Leviticus 6:2): And what is [the meaning of] burnt offering (olah, literally that which rises)? Rather, it is that it rises in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, and atones for the iniquities of Israel. Since at the time that Avraham made the sacrifice of the ram - as it is stated (Genesis 22:13), "And Avraham raised his eyes and he saw, and behold there was a ram after" - what is [the meaning of] "after?" Rather, [it is to say that] after the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that [Avraham] came to sacrifice his son, Yitzchak, as a burnt-offering with all of his heart and with all of his soul, He sent him a ram [as a replacement]. The Sages said that the ram to be offered instead of Yitzchak was created from the six days of creation. And that is [the meaning of] that which is written, "and behold there was a ram after, etc." "And he took the ram, etc." (Genesis 22:13) - there the Holy One, blessed be He, promised him that at the time when his children would offer burnt-offerings, they would be immediately accepted. The Sages, may their memory be blessed, said, "Were it not that Avraham delayed to check the knife, Yitzchak would have been slaughtered. But he did delay to check the knife. Immediately, the mercy of the Holy One, blessed be He, was aroused for Yitzchak. And the Holy One, blessed be He, said to His retinue, 'See how alacritous this righteous one is to fulfill the words of My statement.' Immediately, He told an angel to rescue him, as it is stated (Genesis 22:11), 'And he said, "Avraham, Avraham," and he said, "Here I am."'" And why did he say, "Avraham, Avraham," twice? Since it was [Avraham's] will to slaughter him and do the will of his Maker, the angel was hurrying and said, "Avraham, Avraham." And from where [do we know] that he checked the knife? As it is stated (Genesis 22:10), "and he took the knife." Count the letters of "and he took the knife" (in Hebrew), and you will find twelve, like the tally of examinations that one does on the knife - upon the flesh, the fingernail and on the three sides (of the knife). And from where [do we know this]? As it is stated (I Samuel 14:34), "and you shall slaughter with this (zeh)" - zeh has a numerical value (gematria) of twelve. And what is [the meaning of] (Leviticus 6:1), "And the Lord spoke to Moshe, saying?" [That it should be said] to Aharon. From here we learn that Moshe only said that which the Holy One, blessed be He, would tell him. And therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said to his credit (Numbers 12:7), "Not so My servant Moshe; in all of My house, he is faithful." And so does it state to Shmuel's credit (I Samuel 3:20), "And all of Israel, from Dan to Beersheva, knew that Shmuel was faithful as a prophet for the Lord." You find that [prophecy] began to come to him when the sons of Eli sinned in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated (I Samuel 3:3), "The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Shmuel was laying in the chamber of the Lord." And was he [really] laying in the chamber of the Lord? Rather this is its explanation: The lamp of God had not yet gone out in the chamber of the Lord in which was the ark of the Lord, and Shmuel was laying in his place, [which was] in a different place. "And the Lord called to Shmuel, and he said, 'Here I am'" (I Samuel 3:4) - but he did not understand who was calling him, since he was [still] a youth, as it is stated (I Samuel 2:26), "And Shmuel the youth proceeded to grow in favor with the Lord, as well as with people." "And he ran to Eli and he said, 'Here I am, as you have called me'" (I Samuel 3:5) - as he thought that [it was Eli that] had called him - "and he said, 'I did not call you my son, return and lay down.'" "And the Lord called Shmuel again, a third time, and he rose and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, as you have called me'; and Eli understood that the Lord was calling to the youth. And Eli said to Shmuel, 'Go lay down, and if He calls to you, say, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening"'" (I Samuel 3:8-9) - but he did not say, "Speak, Lord," but [only] (I Samuel 3:10), "Speak." As he said in his heart, "I do not know if it is the Lord or an angel or something else." And he is equated with Moshe: [About] Moshe, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, (Numbers 12:7), "Not so My servant Moshe; in all of My house, he is faithful"; and [about] Shmuel He said (I Samuel 3:20), "And all of Israel, from Dan to Beersheva, knew that Shmuel was faithful as a prophet for the Lord." Therefore the verse states (Jeremiah 15:1), "Even if Moshe and Shmuel would stand in front of me, My soul would not be towards this people." And he was equated to Moshe and Aharon [together], as stated (Psalms 99:6), "Moshe and Aaron among His priests, and Shmuel among those who call His name." [Shmuel] would brighten the eyes of Israel, as it is stated (I Samuel 3:3), "The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Shmuel was laying in the chamber of the Lord." Moshe and Shmuel were not like Yechezkel, as he said everything that he saw, and as it is stated [it appears that the next section is corrupted, and that the reference is meant to be from Ezekiel 1 - see Etz Yosef] (Isaiah 6:1), "In the year that King Uzziah died, I beheld the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne; and the skirts of His robe filled the Temple." And therefore Scripture calls him, "Son of Man." Four are living but Scripture calls them dead, and these are them: the destitute, the metsora (one stricken with a spiritual skin disease), the blind and one with no children. From where [do I know this about] the metsora? As it is stated, "In the year that King Uzziah died." And why does the verse call him dead (given that he had not yet died)? Rather, because he had become a metsora. As it is stated, "In the year that King Uzziah died," [meaning] that he had become a metsora. "Seraphs stood above Him" (Isaiah 6:2) - in the heavens to serve Him - ["Each of them had six wings:] with two he covered his face" - from modesty that his body should not show before His body - "with two he covered his legs" - so that he not see and peer towards the side of the Divine Presence - "and with two he would fly." And does he [really] fly with the wings? Rather, it is as a result of this that they, may their memory be blessed, ordained that a man should hover on his feet when the prayer leader says (Isaiah 6:3), "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts." And Tanchuma said, "The covering of the feet was because their heel is like the heel of the calf, such that they would not remind [God] about Israel's sin with the calf." "And one called to the other and said" (Isaiah 6:4) - they would get permission from one another, so that one not preempt the other and begin [alone], and [so] become liable for burning; rather they all started as one, and answered, etc. - "and the measure of the doorposts shook" - these were the doorposts of the chamber - "from the voice of the caller" - from the voice of the angels calling. This was the day of the earthquake, about which it is stated (Zechariah 14:5), "it shall be stopped up as it was stopped up as a result of the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, the king of Yehudah." As on the day that Uzziah stood to offer incense in the [Temple] chamber, the heavens and the earth shook and the Seraphs came to burn him (lesorfo) with burning (serefah), as it is stated (Numbers 16:35), "And fire went out from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men offering the incense," because they offered a foreign fire. And this is [why] it calls them Seraphs, as they came to burn him. And the heavens also came to burn him. And the earth [came] to swallow him, as it thought that his judgement was to be swallowed like Korach, who dissented about the priesthood. [So] a heavenly voice emerged and said, "A reminder for the Children of Israel [...], and not be like Korach and like his assembly who dissented about the priesthood" (Numbers 17:5) - "not be like Korach," with swallowing; "and not like his assembly," with burning. But rather "like the Lord spoke through the hand of Moshe, saying to him" - through the hand of Moshe at the bush, as it is stated (Exodus 4:6), "'Put your hand into your bosom and take it out,' and behold his hand was afflicted with tsaraat like snow." [This is] meaning to say that the dissenter be afflicted with tsaraat. And the tsaraat even broke out on his forehead. And [so] he was considered as if he were dead. And so [too,] do you find with Miriam, as it is stated, "Go out, the three of you" (Numbers 12:4). There was no need for Moshe to go out, as he did not say anything to [Aharon]. Rather it was so that he would be available to pray for Miriam, [in order] to heal her. "And He called Aharon and Miriam" (Numbers 12:5) - why did He call them and leave Moshe. As we [only] say part of a person's praise in front of them, but all of it not in front of him. And so [too,] do we find with Noach. Not in front of him, [God] said, "A perfectly righteous man" (Genesis 6:9); but in front of him, He said, "as I have seen you to be righteous in front of Me" (Genesis 7:1). Another interpretation of [why Moshe was not called]: So that he not hear the redressing of Aharon. He said, "Hear nah My words" (Numbers 12:6) - nah is always an expression of pleading - "if you have a prophet of God, I will make Myself known to him though a vision to him" - My Divine Presence will not be revealed to him through a clear lens, but rather through a dream or a trance." And why [were they disciplined]? Because they spoke [badly] about Moshe, as it is stated (Numbers 12:6), "And Miriam and Aharon spoke (tedaber) about Moshe." And dibbur is only a harsh expression in each place." And so it states (Genesis 42:30), "The man, the master of the land spoke (deeber) harsh things to us." [Whereas] ameera is only an expression of supplication. And so it states (Genesis 19:7), "And He said (vayomer), 'Do not act evilly, my brothers.'" "And He said, 'Hear nah My words'" (Numbers 12:6) - all nah is an expression of pleading. And why did it say Miriam first and Aharon afterwards? However it was because she started first, and therefore the verse mentioned her first. And what did they say? "But was it only to Moshe that God spoke?" (Numbers 12:2) That is to say did He only speak to Moshe, that he separated from his wife? "Did he not also speak to us?" (Numbers 12:2) In the same way did He speak to us and we have not separated from the way of the world (marital relations). And how did Miriam know that Moshe separated from the woman? Rabbi Natan said, "Miriam was alongside Tsipporah when they said to Moshe, 'Eldad and Meidad are prophesying in the camp' (Numbers 11:27); and when Tsipporah heard, she said, 'Woe to the wives of these [men]!' And from what time did Moshe separate? In fact, when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe at Sinai before the giving of the Torah that he should sanctify the people, and say to them, 'for three days do not come close to a woman' (Exodus 19:15). They [then] separated from their wives and Moshe separated from his wife. And after the giving of the Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'Go tell them, "You return to your tents," but you stay here with me' (Deuteronomy 5:27-28) - and do not go back to the way of the world. And [so Miriam knew] when Tsipporah said, 'Woe to the wives of these - they are called to prophecy [and] will be separating from their wives just like my husband separated from me.' And from then, Miriam knew and told Aharon. And if Miriam who did not have intention to disgrace Moshe was punished, all the more so with one who recounts the disgrace of his fellow with evil speech, will that person be punished with tsaraat." "As he took a Cushite (Ethopian) woman" (Numbers 12:1) - the numerical value of Cushite is [equal to that of] beautiful looks. The tally of this one is like the tally for that one. "The Cushite woman" tells [us] that everybody concedes about her beauty, in the same way as everyone speaks about the blackness of a Cushite. "About the matter of the woman" (Numbers 12:1) - about the matter of her divorce. "As he took a Cushite woman" (Numbers 12:1) - what do we learn to say [from here]? Rather, there is a woman who is pleasant in her looks but unpleasant in her deeds, or pleasant in her deeds but unpleasant in her looks, but this one was pleasant in everything. And now he divorced her? And she is called a Cushite because of her pleasantness; in the same way as a man will call his pleasant son, Cushite, so that the [evil] eye not [come to] overpower him. "And the man Moshe was very humble (anav)" (Numbers 12:3) - humble, [meaning] lowly and patient. Another interpretation: "Very anav" is from the expression of answering (oneh), meaning to say that if he had heard these words, he would have known to answer and respond with appropriate arguments. "And the Lord said suddenly" (Numbers 12:4) - when he revealed Himself to them suddenly and they were impure [as a result of] the way of the world, they yelled out, "Water, water." [This was] to show that Moshe acted properly when he separated from his wife, since the Divine Presence was constantly revealed to him, and there was no set time for speaking [with God]. And so did He say to them, "I speak to him face to face" (Numbers 12:8) - face to face did I tell him to separate from the woman - "and a (clear) vision and not with riddles" - and this vision is a vision of speech. And perhaps it is a vision of the Divine Presence? [Hence] we learn to say (Exodus 33:20), "You are not able to see My face." And if you ask, "Behold, it is written (Numbers 12:8), 'and he sees the picture of the Lord?'" [The answer is] that is a vision 'from the back,' like the matter that is stated (Exodus 33:23), "and you shall see My back." "Why were you not afraid to to speak about My servant, about Moshe?" (Numbers 12:8) It does not state, "about My servant, Moshe," but rather "about My servant, about Moshe." [This is] meaning to say, about My servant, even if it is not Moshe; and about Moshe, even if he is not My servant - it would be worthwhile to be afraid in front of him. And all the more so, since he is My servant, and the servant of a king is [like] the king. And you should have said, "The King does not love him for nothing." And if you say that [the King] does not know about [Moshe's] deeds, that is more grievous than the first [mistake of not associating him with the King]! "And the Lord waxed angry at them and left" (Numbers 12:9) - teaches that [only] after He let them know their foulness did He proclaim their excommunication. All the more so with flesh and blood, should a person not get angry with his fellow until after he makes [the other's] foulness known to him. "And the cloud left the tent" - and afterwards - and behold, Miriam was inflicted with tsaraat like snow" (Numbers 12:10). There is a [relevant] parable about a king who said to [his son's] pedagogue, "Strike my child, but do not strike him until I go away from you, as my mercy is upon him." "Please do not place the sin upon us that we sinned and that we blundered. Let her not be like a dead" (Numbers 12:11-12) - just like a dead body transmits impurity through intercourse, so does a metsora transmit impurity through intercourse. "About which upon its exit from its mother's womb" (Numbers 12:12) - it should have stated, "from our mother's womb," but so did Scripture phrase it. And so [too, instead of] "half of its flesh," it should have stated, "half of our flesh." But according to its understanding, it appears to me thus: It is not fitting to leave our sister to be like the dead. Since she exited the womb of the mother of this one (Moshe) that has it in his ability to help, and [yet] doesn't help, behold half of his flesh will be eaten away - as [Aharon's] brother is his flesh. Another interpretation: "Let her not be like the dead" - if you do not heal her with prayer, who will quarantine her, and who will render her impure? As it is impossible for me to observe her, since I am a relative - and a relative may not examine scabs - and there is no other priest in the world. This is [the meaning of] that which is stated, "about which upon its exit from its mother's womb." "God, please, heal her please" (Numbers 12:12) - the verse came to teach you the way of the world (manners), such that one requesting a thing must first say two or three words of supplication, and then make his requests afterwards. "Saying" - what do we learn to say [from here]? [Moshe] said to Him, "Answer me if You will heal her or not," so that He answered him, "And if her father spit in her face [...]" (Numbers 12:14). And why did Moshe not prolong this prayer? So that Israel not say, "His sister is given over to distress and he prolongs his prayer?" "Let her be quarantined for seven days and afterwards she will be gathered" (Numbers 12:14) - and I say that all expressions of gathering that exist with a metsora are because he is sent out from the camps. And when he is healed, he is gathered to the camp; [and] all gathering is an expressions of bringing in. "And the people did not travel until Miriam was gathered" (Numbers 12:15) - the Omnipresent awarded her this honor for the sake of one hour that she delayed for Moshe, when he was sent out to the Nile, as it is stated (Exodus 2:4), "And his sister stood from a distance." She delayed for an hour and all of Israel delayed for her sake for seven days. [The comparison that the Torah nonetheless makes between Miriam when she is struck by tsaraat and a dead body shows that] a metsora is considered like dead. And from where [do we know] that one who does not have children [is considered like dead]? From Rachel, as she said to Yaakov (Genesis 30:1), "Give me children or I am dead." And from where [do we know] that one blind is considered like dead? As it is stated (Lamentations 3:6), "He has made me sit in the darkness, like the dead of yore." And from where [do we know] that one destitute [is considered like dead]? As it is stated (Exodus 4:19), "for all of the men that are seeking your soul (to kill you) are dead." Another interpretation: "This is the law of the burnt-offering, etc." So did our Rabbis teach: The burnt-offering was complete holiness, as it did not come for iniquities. The guilt-offering was brought for thefts. But the burnt-offering was not brought for a sin nor for theft, but it rather came for a thought of the heart. And so one who would have a thought in his heart about something would bring a sacrifice of a burnt-offering, as it is stated (Ezekiel 20:32), "And what goes up (which can also be read as a burnt-offering) upon your spirits."And know that a burnt-offering only comes for a thought of the heart. You learn it from Job, who would sacrifice for his sons, as it is stated (Job 1:5), "And after a round of feasting days, Job sent and prepared them; and rising early in the morning, he would offer burnt-offerings." They said to him, "Job, why are you doing this?" And he would say (Job 1:5), "Perhaps my children have sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts." Hence you find that he arranged atonement for them for the thought of the heart. And this is [how to understand] the sacrifice of the burnt-offering.

Rabbi Yehoshua of Sichnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: "And He built" is written; He contemplated from where to create her. He said: I will not create her from the head, lest she be haughty; I will not create her from the eye, lest she be coquettish; I will not create her from the ear, lest she be an eavesdropper; I will not create her from the mouth, lest she be a chatter-box; I will not create her from the heart, lest she be jealous; I will not create her from the hand, lest she be a thief; I will not create her from the leg, lest she be a run-about; rather, I will create create her from the most modest place on a person, as even when a person stands naked this place is covered. And as He created each and every limb of the woman, He would say to her: be a modest woman, be a modest woman! Nevertheless, "And they have disregarded all of my counsel" (Proverbs 1:25). I did not create her from the head, and yet she is haughty, as it says: "And they walk with stretched-forth necks" (Isaiah 3:16). And not from the eye, yet she is coquettish, as it says: "and with wanton eyes" (ibid.). And not from the ear, and yet she is an eavesdropper, as it says: "And Sarah listened from the entrance of the tent" (Genesis 18:10). And not from the heart, and yet she is jealous, as it says: "And Rachel was jealous of her sister" (Genesis 30:1). And not from the hand, and yet she is a thief, as it says: "And Rachel stole the idols" (Genesis 31:19). And not from the leg, and yet she is a run-about, as it says: "And Dinah went out..." (Genesis 34:1).

[Another interpretation (of Gen. 30:22): THEN GOD REMEMBERED RACHEL.] What is written above on the matter (in vs. 1)? WHEN RACHEL SAW THAT SHE HAD BORNE JACOB NO CHILDREN…. < AND SHE SAID TO JACOB: GIVE ME CHILDREN >, OR ELSE I SHALL DIE. Our masters have said: From here you learn that all who are childless are regarded as dead. Thus it is written of Hannah (in I Sam. 2:6): THE LORD BRINGS DEATH AND GIVES LIFE. Hannah simply said this: Before he gave me a son, I was one of the dead. Now that he has given me a son, I have been reckoned with the living. Rachel said to Jacob (in Gen. 30:1-2): GIVE ME CHILDREN, OR ELSE I SHALL DIE. THEN JACOB'S ANGER WAS KINDLED AGAINST RACHEL. The Holy Spirit says (in Job 15:2): DOES A ONE WHO IS WISE ANSWER WITH WINDY KNOWLEDGE?⁵²Gen. R. 71:7. Jacob said to Rachel: Am I the viceroy⁵³Gk.: antikaisar. of the Holy One? (Gen. 30:2, cont.:) AM I TAKING GOD'S PLACE? The Holy One said to him: By your life, in the words you have uttered, AM I TAKING GOD'S PLACE? In these very words her son is < going to > rise up and say to your children (in Gen. 50:19): AM I TAKING GOD'S PLACE? She said to him: Did your father, Isaac, do this to your mother, Rebekah? Did not the two of them stand and pray for each other? It is so stated (in Gen. 25:21): THEN ISAAC ENTREATED THE LORD ON BEHALF OF HIS WIFE. You also should pray unto the LORD for me! And did not your grandfather Abraham do so for Sarah? He said to her: Sarah brought a rival wife into her house. She said to him (in Gen. 30:3): If so, HERE IS MY MAID BILHAH; GO IN TO HER. He did not do so; but, when she had < actually > given him her bondmaid, she immediately (in vs. 5) conceived and gave birth. (Gen. 30:6:) THEN RACHEL SAID: GOD HAS JUDGED ME. He has judged me and found me guilty; he has judged me and found me innocent. He has judged me and found me guilty by not giving me a son; he has judged me and found me innocent by giving my bondmaid a son. (Ibid., cont.:) SO SHE CALLED HIS NAME DAN (i.e., he has judged). Then she conceived and gave birth to Naphtali, AND (according to vs. 8) RACHEL SAID: WITH SUPERNATURAL WRESTLINGS (naphtule) I HAVE WRESTLED (niphtalti) < WITH MY SISTER >. {< Naphtali > should be interpreted as < the Greek word > nymphe, since in the Mediterranean cities they call a bride a nymphe.} Naphtulai < means in translation > that the wedding canopy was mine. Now on each Wednesday⁵⁴Wednesdays were generally considered unlucky, especially for sick children. See yTa‘an. 4:4 (68b) (bar.); Ta‘an. 27b (bar.); Soferim 17:5. See also Pes. 112b. she was adorned to enter it, but < it was > Leah < who > entered.⁵⁵Cf. Gen. R. 71:8. Therefore, < it was > "my wedding canopy" (naphtulay), but her sister entered. (Gen. 30:8:) < AND RACHEL SAID: WITH SUPERNATURAL WRESTLINGS (naphtule) I HAVE WRESTLED (niphtalti) > WITH MY SISTER; {AND} I HAVE ALSO PREVAILED. SO SHE CALLED HIS NAME NAPHTALI. Why Naphtali (NPTLY)? Because from their border they put a crown on the Torah,⁵⁶The allusion is to the fact that the borders of Naphtali contain Tiberias, a city which for hundreds of years represented the center of Jewish learning in Israel. about which it is written (in Ps. 19:11 [10]): SWEETER ALSO THAN HONEY AND THE DRIPPINGS (NPT) OF THE COMB. When Leah saw that she had borne six, she said: The Holy One has made this agreement with Jacob, to raise up twelve tribes. Now here I have borne six sons; and the two bondmaids, four. That makes ten. Then Leah conceived < again >. Our masters have said: She conceived a male.⁵⁷Ber. 60a; Gen. R. 72:6; cf. Ber. 9:3; yBer. 9:5 (14a). Leah said: Here I have conceived, but my sister Rachel has not given birth.⁵⁸Thus, Rachel would not even equal the bondmaids. What did Leah do? She began to pray for mercy upon her sister Rachel. She said to let whatever should be within her⁵⁹Probably a misreading for “my” in accordance with the direct discourse of the Hebrew text, which reads literally, “She said: Let whatever is within her belly….” belly become female, and let not my sister Rachel be prevented from giving birth to a son. The Holy One said to her: By your life, you have had mercy upon you sister. See, I am making that which is within your belly female, and < I > am remembering her in this regard. (Gen. 30:21:) THEN AFTERWARDS SHE BORE A DAUGHTER AND CALLED HER NAME DINAH. What is the meaning of DINAH (DYNH)? That she argued (DYNH) against giving birth to a son on condition that Rachel bear a son; for thus it is written below (in Gen. 30:22-23): THEN GOD REMEMBERED RACHEL…. SO SHE CONCEIVED AND BORE A SON. What is the meaning of SO SHE CONCEIVED AND BORE < A SON >? < The verse > likens her giving birth to her conception. Just as her conception was painless, so was her giving birth painless. (Gen. 30:23, cont.:) THEN SHE SAID: GOD HAS TAKEN AWAY MY SHAME. What is the meaning of HAS TAKEN AWAY?⁶⁰Gen. R. 73:5. Simply that before a wife gives birth there is shame found within her house. How? When she breaks a vessel in her house, whom does she have to blame? When she gives birth, she blames her child. She therefore said: GOD HAS TAKEN AWAY MY SHAME.

2. "And Sarai said to Abram, 'Look, the Lord has kept me from bearing' (Gen.16:2) as follows: "Said she, I know the source of my affliction: It is not as people say [of a barren woman], 'she needs a talisman, she needs a charm', but Look, the Lord has kept me from bearing.'" It is taught: whoever has no child is like one who is dead, like one who is destroyed. Like dead, since it is written "And Rachel said to Yaakov: give me children [or I shall die]" (Genesis 30:1). Destroyed, as it is written "maybe I will be build from her" (Genesis 16:2) - we build only what was destroyed.

(5) And Sarai said to Avram: My anger is on you! (Genesis 16:5) Rabbi Yudan says, in the name of Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon: You made violence on me with your words. Why? Because you heard my being despised and you were silent. Rabbi Berachia in the name of Rabbi Aba bar Kahana said: I have a grievance against you! This is similar to two men who are imprisoned, and when the king passes through one says: King! Make justice for me! The king says to let him go. His companion said: I have a grievance against you! If you had said 'make justice for us' both of us would be free, but since you said 'make justice for me' he released you but not me. So too, had you [Avram] said "and we go childless" just as you got a child I would have gotten a child. But since you said "and I go childless" (Genesis 15:2) you received a child but not I. ... Rabbi Tanchuma said, in the name of Rabbi Chiyah... whoever runs after the characteristic of judgment does not escape its hands. Sarah should have reached the same age as Avraham, but because she said "may God judge between you and me" (Genesis 16:5) 38 years were deducted from her. Behold, it is written "And he came to Hagar, and she conceived" (Genesis 16:4) but it also says "behold you are pregnant and you will give birth to a son"(Genesis 16:11) it teaches you that Sarah set the evil eye upon Hagar, and she miscarried. Rabbi Chanina said: even if just the prophet Elisha had said that to her it would have been enough, rather, she merited to receive these news through the angel.