וַתַּ֨הַר ע֜וֹד וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֗ן וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַפַּ֙עַם֙ אוֹדֶ֣ה אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרְאָ֥ה שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖ד מִלֶּֽדֶת׃
און זי איז װידער טראָגעדיק געװאָרן, און האָט געבאָרן אַ זון, און זי האָט געזאָגט: דאָס מאָל טו איך לױבן גאָט; דרום האָט זי גערופֿן זײַן נאָמען יהודָה. און זי האָט אױפֿגעהערט געבערן.
Kedushat Levi
We need to address the reason why the twelve sons of Yaakov are sometimes referred to as שבטים, “tribes,” and on other occasions as מטות, in our classical literature, as well as why both Yehudah and Joseph are referred to as “king” in our sources, and why our matriarchs named their children as representing symbols of our physical world rather than as symbols of the celestial spheres, when it is clear that they themselves were far from viewing our existence on this terrestrial part of the world as our real “life,” the very names the matriarchs gave their children reflect that their entire orientation was focused on spiritual values accompanied by prophetic insights. [If any of you have my translation of the commentary Tzror Hamor by Rabbi Avraham Saba, you will be able to read up on all this in his commentary on Vayetze. Ed.]
By naming their children, the matriarchs provide us with a model lesson on how to serve the Lord. Our matriarchs taught us how G’d, the Creator of the universe, in spite of the thousands of concerns that keep Him occupied around the clock, never neglects the problems of an individual creature of His on earth. Leah testifies that this Creator took time out to notice that she was relatively hated by her husband as a result of which He granted her children, in spite of her being barren by nature. (Genesis 29,32) The phrase: ויפתח רחמה in that verse makes it clear that she was barren, why else would G’d have had to “open her womb,” seeing that pregnancy is one of the most natural results of marital intercourse?
Another lesson we learn from the matriarchs is that the word, i.e. request, by a tzaddik, makes an impression in the celestial spheres and that he or she can draw down additional largesse from the Creator to these “lower” regions of the universe. We have explained that this is the reason that the אותיות, letters in the Hebrew alphabet, [when used as the Holy Tongue, Ed.] are called אבנים, “stones,” in the sense of “building blocks,” as the words formulated by the tzaddik in prayer enhance and improve the structure known as the תחתונים, “the lower regions” of the universe. These prayers, as we have demonstrated at the beginning of the last portion, are the real תולדות, enduring achievements by the righteous on earth. [Compare pages 139 and 140 on how a true תולדה is a son in his father’s image, i.e. Yitzchok being a continuation of the spiritual values represented by his father. Ed.]
The names given by their mothers to the founding tribes of the Jewish people retained their significance throughout our history, and this is why both Yaakov and Moses at the respective end of their lives confirmed this in their blessings.
When Leah explained why she called her firstborn son Reuven, she said: ראה ה' בעניי, “for the Lord has seen my affliction,” adding a prayer כי עתה יאהבני אישי, “for from now on my husband will love me.” This was an appeal for G’d’s largesse to be drawn down to her for her benefit. When the letters, words of a tzaddik are translated into “building blocks,” אבנים, they become transformed into אבנים, which translated into Aramaic is equivalent to אבהן, “fathers, founding fathers,” as in רועה אבן ישראל, (Genesis 49,24) When these letters ascend heavenwards, -mature- they become not only corner stones, but, as is customary with sons, eventually they themselves become “fathers,” אבהן. [The concept of letters being “stones” dates back to the Sefer Yetzirah chapter 6. Ed.] In Hebrew, the Holy Tongue, the word אבנים is a combination of אב, “father,” and בנים, “sons.” The progression in Leah’s insights is demonstrated when at the birth of her fourth son, יהודה, she no longer prays for her husband’s love, but is full of gratitude, הפעם אודה את ה', “this time I thank the Lord, etc.” (Genesis 29,35). [The author continues to demonstrate that Rachel also was on the same wavelength as her older sister when naming her children. I have omitted the details. Ed.]
By naming their children, the matriarchs provide us with a model lesson on how to serve the Lord. Our matriarchs taught us how G’d, the Creator of the universe, in spite of the thousands of concerns that keep Him occupied around the clock, never neglects the problems of an individual creature of His on earth. Leah testifies that this Creator took time out to notice that she was relatively hated by her husband as a result of which He granted her children, in spite of her being barren by nature. (Genesis 29,32) The phrase: ויפתח רחמה in that verse makes it clear that she was barren, why else would G’d have had to “open her womb,” seeing that pregnancy is one of the most natural results of marital intercourse?
Another lesson we learn from the matriarchs is that the word, i.e. request, by a tzaddik, makes an impression in the celestial spheres and that he or she can draw down additional largesse from the Creator to these “lower” regions of the universe. We have explained that this is the reason that the אותיות, letters in the Hebrew alphabet, [when used as the Holy Tongue, Ed.] are called אבנים, “stones,” in the sense of “building blocks,” as the words formulated by the tzaddik in prayer enhance and improve the structure known as the תחתונים, “the lower regions” of the universe. These prayers, as we have demonstrated at the beginning of the last portion, are the real תולדות, enduring achievements by the righteous on earth. [Compare pages 139 and 140 on how a true תולדה is a son in his father’s image, i.e. Yitzchok being a continuation of the spiritual values represented by his father. Ed.]
The names given by their mothers to the founding tribes of the Jewish people retained their significance throughout our history, and this is why both Yaakov and Moses at the respective end of their lives confirmed this in their blessings.
When Leah explained why she called her firstborn son Reuven, she said: ראה ה' בעניי, “for the Lord has seen my affliction,” adding a prayer כי עתה יאהבני אישי, “for from now on my husband will love me.” This was an appeal for G’d’s largesse to be drawn down to her for her benefit. When the letters, words of a tzaddik are translated into “building blocks,” אבנים, they become transformed into אבנים, which translated into Aramaic is equivalent to אבהן, “fathers, founding fathers,” as in רועה אבן ישראל, (Genesis 49,24) When these letters ascend heavenwards, -mature- they become not only corner stones, but, as is customary with sons, eventually they themselves become “fathers,” אבהן. [The concept of letters being “stones” dates back to the Sefer Yetzirah chapter 6. Ed.] In Hebrew, the Holy Tongue, the word אבנים is a combination of אב, “father,” and בנים, “sons.” The progression in Leah’s insights is demonstrated when at the birth of her fourth son, יהודה, she no longer prays for her husband’s love, but is full of gratitude, הפעם אודה את ה', “this time I thank the Lord, etc.” (Genesis 29,35). [The author continues to demonstrate that Rachel also was on the same wavelength as her older sister when naming her children. I have omitted the details. Ed.]
Tzava'at HaRivash
Let us return to the analogy. We stated that the son can praise the king without measure. Now, there are two reasons why the son should praise his father without measure or limit. One is because the king is his father and king, and thus his obligation to thank and praise him is greater than the king’s servants and ministers, especially since he has no reason to be afraid, as explained above. Secondly, it is only right that he should thank and praise his father to a greater degree, specifically because he has been granted the right to do so without measure, a right which is not granted to any minister or official. In other words, it is right to give thanks over any additional blessing that one is granted from HaShem above, as we see from the birth of Yehudah, about which Leah said,233Genesis 29:35 “This time I will thank HaShem.”