Берешит 29:20 Мидраш: Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Aggadat Bereshit & Bereshit Rabbah

[Another interpretation (of Gen. 29:31): WHEN THE LORD SAW THAT LEAH WAS HATED]…. BUT RACHEL WAS BARREN (rt.: 'QR), < i.e., > she was the chief (rt.: 'QR) of the house, since Jacob would not have subjugated himself (to Laban) except for her.⁴¹Gen. R. 71:2; PRK 20:2. It is so stated (in Gen. 29:20): SO JACOB SERVED SEVEN YEARS FOR RACHEL. Where is it shown that she was house chief? Where Leah's children admit it.⁴²Ruth R. 7:13. Boaz and all his court⁴³Gk.: synhedrion. were from the tribe of Judah, < i.e., > from the sons of the sons of Leah. And what is written (in Ruth 4:11)? THEN ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE GATE AND THE ELDERS SAID: < WE ARE > WITNESSES. MAY THE LORD MAKE THE WOMAN WHO IS COMING INTO YOUR HOUSE LIKE RACHEL AND LEAH,⁴⁴The fact that Leah’s descendants mention Rachel before Leah, even though Leah is the elder, is seen as their admission that Rachel was favored over Leah. BOTH OF WHOM BUILT THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. SO PROSPER IN EPHRATHAH AND BECOME RENOWNED IN BETHLEHEM. Hence Rachel is the chief (rt.: 'QR) of the house, since it is stated (in Gen. 29:31): but RACHEL WAS BARREN (rt.: 'QR). R. Berekhyah [Berabbi] the Priest said: She had no foundation (rt.: 'QR), < i.e., > metra,⁴⁵The Greek work means “womb.” since it is stated (in Gen. 29:31): BUT RACHEL WAS BARREN (rt.: 'QR)… nevertheless, she and her children are the foundation of the world, since no one maintains Israel in the world but the children of Rachel.⁴⁶Gen. R. 71:2 and PRK 20:2 add that Israel is referred to as Rachel’s children in Jer. 31:15, 20; Amos 5:15. See also Matthew 2:16-18.

[5] Another interpretation: And God saw who was hated, in the presence of her husband, when he rebuked her. When was this? As it is said, "And Jacob served Rachel for seven years" (Genesis 29:18). This is what his mother Rebekah told him, "And you shall dwell with him for a few days" (Genesis 27:44). And Jacob loved Rachel (Genesis 29:18). And Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife" (Genesis 29:21), and it was in the evening, and all night he lay with her, thinking that she was Rachel. When he woke up in the morning, he saw that it was Leah. He said to her, "Why have you deceived me?" She replied, "Didn't you deceive your father when he asked you, 'Are you my son Esau?' and you said, 'I am' (Genesis 27:19)? And when he blessed you, you said, 'Why have you deceived me?' But your father didn't say, 'Your brother Esau came with deceit and took your blessing' (Genesis 27:35)." Because of these things, which rebuked him, he began to hate her. God said, "Her only cure is to have children. I will give her children, and her husband will be humbled before her." Therefore, God saw that Leah was hated (Genesis 29:31). "He opens the womb" (Genesis 29:31). David mocks and says, "He executes justice for the oppressed; He gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free" (Psalms 146:7).

[2] Another thing: And God remembered. "The house of the wicked shall be destroyed" (Proverbs 10:24) - this refers to Esau, who was afraid of the blessings that Jacob had received. He said, "Now he is blessed and has many children, and I have nothing." And so it was, as it is said, "The land could not support them" (Genesis 36:7), and Esau took his wives. "But the desire of the righteous shall be granted" (Proverbs 10:24) - this refers to Rachel, who desired to have a child from Jacob, as it is said, "And Rachel saw" (Genesis 30:1). Jacob also desired a child from Rachel, and everything that he worked for her was for this purpose, as it is said, "I will serve you seven years" (Genesis 29:18), and "they seemed to him but a few days for the love he had for her" (Genesis 29:20). As long as Rachel did not bear a child, Jacob did not want to go to his father's house, because he thought, "If I go to my father's house now, Laban will say to me, 'Since Rachel has not borne children for you all these years, leave her here and go.'" And see how much he desired to have a child from her, for as soon as she gave birth, Jacob said to Laban, "Send me away" (Genesis 30:25). Therefore it is said, "But the desire of the righteous shall be granted."