וַתַּ֤הַר עוֹד֙ לֵאָ֔ה וַתֵּ֥לֶד בֵּן־שִׁשִּׁ֖י לְּיַעֲקֹֽב׃
און לאה איז װידער טראָגעדיק געװאָרן, און האָט יעקבן געבאָרן אַ זעקסטן זון.
Aggadat Bereshit
Chapter [51] 52:Torah [1] And God remembered Rachel (Genesis 30:22). This refers to when the God-fearing people spoke to each other (Malachi 3:16). This is Jacob and Rachel, as it is written earlier in the passage, "And Rachel saw that she had not borne children to Jacob and she envied her sister" (Genesis 30:1). Why was she jealous now? When she saw her sister entering her wedding canopy, she was not jealous, but now she was jealous. Why was she jealous? Rather, she was jealous of her good deeds, saying, "If I am not righteous like her, the Holy One, blessed be He, will not give me children before her." Therefore, she was jealous of her actions, as it is written, "Let not your heart be envious of sinners, but be in the fear of the Lord all day long" (Proverbs 23:17). Therefore, Rachel became jealous and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I am as good as dead" (Genesis 30:1). A woman who is barren and does not give birth is considered dead, but Rachel said, "If I do not give birth from this righteous man, my father will marry me to a wicked man, and I will die with him in the next world," as it is written, "The wicked man's evil will destroy him" (Psalms 34:22). Therefore, she said, "Or else I am as good as dead." Another interpretation: "Give me children." She said to him, "If you ask for me, I will give birth. When you asked for sheep to give birth, they gave birth," as it is written, "And the flocks mated in front of the rods" (Genesis 30:39). Another interpretation: "Give me children." She said to him, "If you ask for me, I will give birth. Do as your father Isaac did, whose wife was barren, and he prayed for her," as it is written, "And Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife" (Genesis 25:21). Jacob said to her, "Isaac had only one wife, so he prayed for her. But I have four wives. Leah has already given birth. If you do not give birth, Bilhah will give birth instead." She said to him, "If you are not willing to do as Isaac your father did, do as Abraham your grandfather did, who listen to Sarah when she said to him, "Behold, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children" (Genesis 16:2), so you also take my maid Bilhah and come to her (Genesis 30:3). And I will build through her as well, not just Sarah. In addition, what did Rachel see fit to say, "Give me children or else I will die" (Genesis 30:1)? She was prophesying that she would die soon, as it is written, "And as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died on me" (Genesis 48:7). She said to him, "Give me children before I die," as it is written, "Give me children" (Genesis 30:1), immediately Jacob became angry. Is there a God who does nothing but what He desires? I am that God who withheld from you fruit of the womb (Genesis 30:2). I withheld from you, but from me, I have already given you children in abundance. God said to him, "Are you showing kindness to her and saying, 'Is there a God besides me?' As I live, I will cause her to bear a son who will say to his brothers, 'I am above God'" (Genesis 30:19). Indeed, they are talking about these things, as if God inclined His ear and listened and wrote down their words, as it is written, "Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another" (Malachi 3:16). When the time was right, He took out the Book of Remembrance and remembered her, as it is written, "And God remembered Rachel" (Genesis 30:22).
Bereshit Rabbah
“Leah became pregnant again and gave birth to a sixth son to Jacob” (Genesis 30:19).
“Leah said: God has granted me a fine gift; now my husband will reside with me, because I bore him six sons. She called his name Zebulun” (Genesis 30:20).
“Leah said: God has granted me a fine gift” – this field, as long as you fertilize it and hoe it, it produces produce.
“Then she bore a daughter, and she called her name Dina” (Genesis 30:21).
“Then she bore a daughter” – it is taught:12This is a baraita. How so? One whose wife was pregnant, and he says: ‘May it be God’s will that my wife will give birth to a male,’ it is a vain prayer. The school of Rabbi Yanai said: This baraita is when she is sitting on the travailing chair. Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazi said: Even for one sitting on the travailing chair, it can change. That is what is written: “House of Israel, can I not do to you like this potter? [The utterance of the Lord]. Behold, like the clay in the hand of the potter, so you are in My hand, house of Israel” (Jeremiah 18:6). Just as this potter, who formed the jug, breaks it and crafts another, I, too, can do so, even on the travailing chair.
He13Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazi. raised an objection: But is it not written: “Then she bore a daughter”?14Only at the birth it was a daughter, but not before. He said to him: Its primary creation was male, but due to Rachel’s prayer: “May the Lord add another son for me” (Genesis 30:24) – it became a female.15At an early stage in the pregnancy.
Rabbi Ḥanina ben Pazi said: The matriarchs were prophets, and Rachel was one of the matriarchs. “May the Lord add other sons for me” is not written here, but rather, “another son.” She said: ‘He is destined to produce one more; if only it will be from me.’
Rabbi Ḥanina said: All the matriarchs gathered and said: ‘We have enough [dayenu]16This is expounded from the name Dina. The letters of Dina are: dalet, yod, nun, heh. The letter of dayenu are dalet, yod, nun, vav. males. Remember this one again.’
“Leah said: God has granted me a fine gift; now my husband will reside with me, because I bore him six sons. She called his name Zebulun” (Genesis 30:20).
“Leah said: God has granted me a fine gift” – this field, as long as you fertilize it and hoe it, it produces produce.
“Then she bore a daughter, and she called her name Dina” (Genesis 30:21).
“Then she bore a daughter” – it is taught:12This is a baraita. How so? One whose wife was pregnant, and he says: ‘May it be God’s will that my wife will give birth to a male,’ it is a vain prayer. The school of Rabbi Yanai said: This baraita is when she is sitting on the travailing chair. Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazi said: Even for one sitting on the travailing chair, it can change. That is what is written: “House of Israel, can I not do to you like this potter? [The utterance of the Lord]. Behold, like the clay in the hand of the potter, so you are in My hand, house of Israel” (Jeremiah 18:6). Just as this potter, who formed the jug, breaks it and crafts another, I, too, can do so, even on the travailing chair.
He13Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazi. raised an objection: But is it not written: “Then she bore a daughter”?14Only at the birth it was a daughter, but not before. He said to him: Its primary creation was male, but due to Rachel’s prayer: “May the Lord add another son for me” (Genesis 30:24) – it became a female.15At an early stage in the pregnancy.
Rabbi Ḥanina ben Pazi said: The matriarchs were prophets, and Rachel was one of the matriarchs. “May the Lord add other sons for me” is not written here, but rather, “another son.” She said: ‘He is destined to produce one more; if only it will be from me.’
Rabbi Ḥanina said: All the matriarchs gathered and said: ‘We have enough [dayenu]16This is expounded from the name Dina. The letters of Dina are: dalet, yod, nun, heh. The letter of dayenu are dalet, yod, nun, vav. males. Remember this one again.’