וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לֵאָ֔ה בְּאָשְׁרִ֕י כִּ֥י אִשְּׁר֖וּנִי בָּנ֑וֹת וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אָשֵֽׁר׃
At sinabi ni Lea: “Kay ligaya ko! Sapagkat itinuturing akong maligaya ng mga babae.” At tinawag niya ang kanyang pangalan na Aser.
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“One is my faultless dove, one to her mother, pure to the one who bore her. Girls see her and laud her; queens and concubines, and praise her” (Song of Songs 6:9).
“One is my faultless dove”—“one,” this is Abraham, as it is stated: “Abraham was one” (Ezekiel 33:24). “One to her mother,” this is Isaac, who was an only child to his mother. “Pure [bara] to the one who bore her,” this is Jacob our patriarch, of whom it was clear [barur] to the one who bore him that he was entirely righteous. “Girls see her and laud her,” these are the tribes, as it is stated: “The news was heard in Pharaoh's palace, saying, "Joseph's brothers have come" (Genesis 45:16). Alternatively, “girls see her and laud her [vayashruha],” this is Leah, as it is stated: “In my happiness, as women will be happy for me [ishruni]” (Genesis 30:13).
“Queens and concubines, and praise her,” this is Joseph, as it is stated: “Pharaoh said to his servants: Can we find someone like this?” (Genesis 41:38). If we walk from one end of the world to the other we will not find someone like this, as it is stated: “After God has disclosed all this to you, [there is no one as insightful and wise as you]” (Genesis 41:39).
“One is my faultless dove”—“one,” this is Abraham, as it is stated: “Abraham was one” (Ezekiel 33:24). “One to her mother,” this is Isaac, who was an only child to his mother. “Pure [bara] to the one who bore her,” this is Jacob our patriarch, of whom it was clear [barur] to the one who bore him that he was entirely righteous. “Girls see her and laud her,” these are the tribes, as it is stated: “The news was heard in Pharaoh's palace, saying, "Joseph's brothers have come" (Genesis 45:16). Alternatively, “girls see her and laud her [vayashruha],” this is Leah, as it is stated: “In my happiness, as women will be happy for me [ishruni]” (Genesis 30:13).
“Queens and concubines, and praise her,” this is Joseph, as it is stated: “Pharaoh said to his servants: Can we find someone like this?” (Genesis 41:38). If we walk from one end of the world to the other we will not find someone like this, as it is stated: “After God has disclosed all this to you, [there is no one as insightful and wise as you]” (Genesis 41:39).
Midrash Tanchuma
As for Asher, his bread shall be fat (Gen. 49:20). That is, his daughters shall be beautiful, as it is said: For my daughters make me happy (Gen. 30:13). Blessed be Asher above sons, let him be favored of his brethren (Deut. 33:24) because of his daughters.
Bereshit Rabbah
"Zilpa the maidservant of Leah gave birth to a second son to Jacob" (30:12).
“Leah said: In my happiness, as women will be happy for me; she called his name Asher” (Genesis 30:13).
“Leah said: In my happiness [beoshri], as women will be happy for me” – saying: ‘Happy is the one who merited this.’ Rabbi Levi said: Asher never stayed the night in an inn.44Asher’s portion in the Land of Israel was able to provide his tribe with all their needs; they did not need to travel to earn a livelihood. He inherited peaks with castles, what Judah did not inherit in his lands.
That is what is written: “The sons of Asher: Yimna, Yishva, Yishvi, Beria, and Serah their sister…he was the father of Birzayit” (I Chronicles 7:30–31). Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Levi said: It is because their daughters were beautiful and were married to priests who were anointed with the anointing oil, olive [zayit] oil. Rabbi Simon said: They were married to kings who were anointed with olive [zayit] oil.
“Leah said: In my happiness, as women will be happy for me; she called his name Asher” (Genesis 30:13).
“Leah said: In my happiness [beoshri], as women will be happy for me” – saying: ‘Happy is the one who merited this.’ Rabbi Levi said: Asher never stayed the night in an inn.44Asher’s portion in the Land of Israel was able to provide his tribe with all their needs; they did not need to travel to earn a livelihood. He inherited peaks with castles, what Judah did not inherit in his lands.
That is what is written: “The sons of Asher: Yimna, Yishva, Yishvi, Beria, and Serah their sister…he was the father of Birzayit” (I Chronicles 7:30–31). Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Levi said: It is because their daughters were beautiful and were married to priests who were anointed with the anointing oil, olive [zayit] oil. Rabbi Simon said: They were married to kings who were anointed with olive [zayit] oil.