Midrash su Genesi 25:21

R. Isaac said: "Our father Isaac was impotent, as it is said (Gen. 25, 21) And Isaac entreated the Lord (L'nochach) opposite his wife. It is not stated Al (concerning) his wife, but it is said L'nochach (opposite) his wife. Infer from this that both of them were impotent [and therefore both prayed."] If so, then why is it written: And the Lord was entreated of him? Entreated of them, it ought to be? This is because the prayer of a righteous (Isaac), the son of a righteous, is not like the prayer of a righteous (Rebecca), son (daughter) of a wicked. R. Isaac said: "Why were our ancestors childless [until they prayed?] Because the Holy One, praised be He! desires [to hear] the prayers of the righteous." R. Isaac said: "Why are the prayers of the righteous symbolized by a shovel? Because just as the shovel turns the grain at the threshing floor from place to place, so the prayers of the righteous turn the dispensations of the Lord from anger to mercy." R. Ami said: "Sarah our mother was a Tumtum, as it is said (Is. 51, 1) Look unto the rock, (Ib. b) whence ye were hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence they were dug out. And immediately follows: Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bore you." 11. Nachman, in the name of Rabba b. Abahu, said: "Our mother Sarah was wombless, as it is said (Gen. 11, 30) But Sarah was barren, she had no child; i.e., even a place for a child (womb) she had not."

“May your house be like the house of Peretz whom Tamar bore to Judah, from the descendants that the Lord will give you from this young woman” (Ruth 4:12).
“May your house be like the house of Peretz…[from the descendants that the Lord will give you from this young woman].” They said: ‘May all the children the Holy One blessed be He gives you be from this woman.’ Likewise, “Isaac entreated the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren” (Genesis 25:21) – Isaac was prostrated here and Rebecca was prostrated there, and he was saying: ‘Master of the universe, may all the children that You are destined to give me be from this righteous woman.’ Likewise, “Eli would bless Elkana and his wife [and say: May the Lord grant you offspring from this woman]” (I Samuel 2:20). He said: ‘May the sons that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to give you be from this righteous woman.’
“Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he had relations with her, and the Lord granted her pregnancy, and she bore a son” (Ruth 4:13).
“Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife.” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: She did not have a womb at all and the Holy One blessed be He carved her a womb.²⁵⁴This is derived from the phrase “she became his wife,” which is interpreted to mean that after Boaz took her she became capable of having children. Alternatively, the exposition is derived from the unusual phrase: “The Lord granted her pregnancy” (Etz Yosef).

Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar: Why did Rebecca become barren? It was so the nations of the world would not say: ‘Our prayer produced results,’ as they said to her: “Our sister, may you become thousands and myriads” (Genesis 24:60). This was until Isaac prayed on her behalf, and she was remembered. That is what is written: “Isaac entreated the Lord on behalf of his wife” (Genesis 25:21).
Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa: Why did the matriarchs become barren? It was so they would not rely on their husbands due to their beauty.¹³³They would not be fully confident in their relationship with their husbands, despite their great beauty, because their husbands would be frustrated by their barrenness. Therefore, they would place their trust in God (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: Why did the matriarchs become barren? It was so most of the years would elapse without enslavement.¹³⁴In the covenant of the pieces Abraham was told that the four hundred years, beginning with Isaac’s birth, would contain elements of being strangers, enslavement, and oppression (Genesis 15:13). The fact that the matriarchs were barren, together with the fact that the enslavement in Egypt did not begin until after Joseph and his brothers died, ensured that the majority of the four hundred years elapsed without slavery (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Ḥoni [said] in the name of Rabbi Meir: Why did the matriarchs become barren? It was so their husbands would enjoy their beauty, for when a woman becomes pregnant, she becomes ugly and revolting. Know that it is so, as all the years that Sarah our matriarch was barren she would sit in her house like a bride under her wedding canopy. When she became pregnant, her luster was altered, just as it says: “With pain you shall bear children” (Genesis 3:16). Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Shila of the village of Ḥamarta, and Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Why did the matriarchs become barren? It is because the Holy One blessed be He desired to hear their speech. He said to them: ‘My dove, I will tell you why I rendered you barren; it is because I desired to hear your speech.’ That is what is written: “For your voice is pleasant, and your appearance is lovely.”

[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.

“He seats the barren woman of the house as a happy mother of children. Hallelujah!” (Psalms 113:9) There are seven barren women: Sarah, Rivka, Rachel and Leah, Manoach’s wife, Chana and Zion…Another explanation. ‘He seats the barren woman’ this refers to Zion. “Sing you barren woman who has not borne…” (Isaiah 54:1) ‘a happy mother of children,’ “And you shall say to yourself, Who begot these for me…” (Isaiah 49:21)

Variantly: Prayer (tefillah) is called by ten names: ze'akah, shav'ah, ne'akah, rinah, pegiah, nipul, pilul, atirah, chilui, and chinun: ze'akah — (Shemoth 2:23) "And it was in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel moaned under the toil, and they cried out ("vayizaku"). "shav'ah" — (Ibid.) "and their outcry ("shavatham") ascended." "ne'akah" — (Ibid. 24) "And G-d heard their outcry ("na'akatham"). "rinah" — (Jeremiah 7:16) "and do not raise for them an outcry ("rinah"). "pegiah" — (Ibid.) "and do not entreat ("tifg'u") Me." "nipul" — (Devarim 9:18) "And I prostrated myself ("va'ethnapal") before the L-rd as at first." "pilul" — (Ibid. 26:) "And I prayed ("va'etpallel") to the L-rd." "atirah" — (Bereshith 25:21) "And Isaac entreated ("vaye'tar Yitzchak") the L-rd for his wife." "chilui" — (Shemoth 32:11) "And Moses prayed" ("Vayechal Mosheh.") "chinun" — (Devarim 3:23) "And I entreated ("va'ethchanan") the L-rd." (Ibid.)

THE DEATH OF SARAH AND THE STORY OF ISAAC AND REBECCA
SIX (people) were called by their names before they were created, and they are: Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, Solomon, Josiah, and King Messiah.

Rabbi Jehudah said: Rebecca was barren for twenty years. After twenty years (Isaac) took Rebecca and went (with her) to Mount Moriah, to the place where he had been bound, and he prayed on her behalf concerning the conception of the womb; and the Holy One, blessed be He, was entreated of him, as it is said, "And Isaac intreated the Lord" (ibid. xxv. 21). The children were contending with one another within her womb like mighty warriors, as it is said, "And the children struggled together within her" (ibid. 22). The time of her confinement came round, and her soul was nigh unto death owing to her pains. And she went to pray in the place whither she and Isaac had gone, as it is said, "And she went to inquire of the Lord" (ibid.). What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? Jacob took hold of the heels of Esau to make him fall, as it is said, "And after that came forth his brother, and his hand had hold on Esau's heel" (ibid. 26). Hence thou mayest learn that the descendants of Esau will not fall until a remnant || from Jacob will come and cut off the feet of the children of Esau from the mountain of Seir, as it is said, "Forasmuch as thou sawest that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands" (Dan. 2:45). Another Scripture text says, "Vengeance is mine, and a recompence, at the time when their foot shall slide" (Deut. 32:35).