In an additional commentary, another son referred to the apportioning ofThe Land of IsraelErez Israel, since Benjamin did not have a portion with Joseph, but with the tribe of Judah(Gen. Rabbah73:56). They assert that Jacobs kiss was not a wanton one, but one that expressed familial feeling, since Rachel was related to him (Gen. Rabbahloc. Both bore him children. Another midrash adds that by merit of Rachels silence, two tribesEphraim and Manassehissued forth from her, in addition to the other ten tribes(Gen. Rabbah71:5;Tanhuma,Vayeze6). She therefore insisted that Jacob pray to God for children, arguing that his father, Isaac, had done so(comp. The restrictions on her date of birth are: She married Jacob (2245 AM) when she was old enough to carry an adult responsibility, because Jacob met her when she was leading a flock of sheep to water. Jealous of her sister, Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife. Jacob loved Rachel but was indifferent toward Leah. According to another tradition, Rachel and Leah were twins, and they were married to Jacob at the age of twenty-two (Lit. The Rabbis did not view this exchange between the sisters favorably. Vilna] petihtah 24). In any case, Rachel cannot have conceived Benjamin earlier than the springtime. This exposition emphasizes that Jacob acted in accordance with the commandment of the Torah and did not prefer the son of the loved wife to the son of the unloved one. Gen. 35:18attests: But as she breathed her lastfor she was dyingshe named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. The Rabbis explain that Rachel called the child the son of my suffering [in Aramaic], while his father gave him the Hebrew name Benjamin. The midrashic sources specify that Rachel died at the age of thirty-six (SederOlam Rabbah2) and list three women who had difficult childbirths and died: Rachel, the wife of Phinehas(I Sam. Forced to serve Rachel's father, Laban, for seven years to win her, Jacob was tricked at the end of that time into marrying her sister, Leah. Thus she would be eighteen years of age when she married. "Jacob and Rachel at the Well, by James Jacques Joseph Tissot, c. 1896-1902. Rabbah[ed. Our part is simply to accept and be thankful. Leah knew that twelve tribes would issue from Jacob. Recall Jacob had to flee from his family's house because of his treachery toward his brother Esau. Instead, he must accept the first-born, the son of the unloved one, and allot to him a double portion of all he possesses. The midrash compares this mandate with the story of Jacob. When Rachel saw that her sister was pregnant, she prayed and caused the fetuss sex to change(JTBerakhot9:3, 14[a]). cit.). The Rabbis ask why Jacob buried Rachel on the road to Ephrath, and not in the Cave of Machpelah. 8:6: Passion [kinah, literally, jealousy] is mighty as Sheolthis was Rachels jealousy of her sister (Tanhuma[ed. The midrash further states that, as reward for Rachels modesty, Saul was descended from her; and as reward for Sauls modesty, Esther was descended from him. 10:5], and therefore Rachel died during childbirth(Gen. 35:19). "Meet Rachel - Favored Wife of Jacob." Saul, the son of Rachels son, remained silent(I Sam. "Rachel: Midrash and Aggadah." His love and our salvation come through grace. Rachel said: Were not the vicissitudes that Jacob underwent for me? Buber],Vayeshev19). According to another tradition, all three mothers (Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah) gathered and said: We have enough males; let her [Rachel] be remembered(Gen. Rabbah72:6). Rachel was one of Jacob's wives through . Love in the Bible: From God's Love to the Most Romantic Scriptures, Meet Isaac in the Bible: Abraham's Miracle Son, Meet Eve: The First Woman, Wife, and Mother of All the Living, Bathsheba, Mother of Solomon, Wife of King David, A Profile of Abraham of the Jewish Nation, 8 Mothers in the Bible Who Served God Well, M.A., English Composition, Illinois State University, B.S., English Literature, Illinois State University. After Josephs birth, she exclaimed: God has taken away my disgrace (Tanhuma[ed. In return, Leah requested that Rachel forgo her right to be with Jacob that night. Though she and Jacob were deeply in love, she did not conceive for many years. Jacob kissed Rachel and fell in love with her instantly. 16), are explained by the Rabbis as referring to the divine gifts bestowed upon their descendants; for while royalty and the priesthood remained permanently with Leah's descendants, they were held only temporarily by Rachel'sroyalty with Joseph and Saul, and the priesthood with the tabernacle of Shiloh (Gen. R. lxx. 1; Gen. R. lxxi. The Birth of Benjamin and the Death of Rachel. Referred to alternatively as the "Day of Judgement" and the "Day of Blowing" (of the, Lit. Now the birthright has returned to its owner(Gen. Rabbah98:4, [ed. Rachel initially relies on her handmaiden Bilhah to bear children in her place, but Rachel eventually becomes pregnant and goes on to have one other child. Have an update or correction? When Dan was born, Rachel said(Gen. 30:6): God has vindicated me [dananni]; indeed, He has heeded my plea and given me a son. In the midrashic explication of this verse, Rachel said: God has judged me and found me guilty [and therefore I was childless]; [and afterwards] He has judged me and vindicated me [and given my handmaiden a son] (Gen. Rabbahloc. The Rabbis understand the wording(Gen. 29:31): but Rachel was barren [akarah] as teaching of Rachels merit: despite her not having children, she nonetheless was the chief person [ikar] of the household. Her first meeting with Jacob occurred at a well near Haran, whither she had taken the flocks for water. Ussher[8] disputes the notion that Benjamin may be counted among the sons born or engendered in Padan-aram. From the Jewish Museum, New York, via Wikimedia Commons. Since he did not have the money to pay the bride price (the mohar ) for her, he agreed to work seven years for him and then marry Rachel. 31 December 1999. According to another tradition, Rachel died before Leah because she spoke before her sister. Jacob replied that he was her father's equal in trickery; and he agreed with Rachel upon certain signs which would enable him to recognize her. The Rabbis understand the wording (Gen. Did Isaac and Rebekah have a wedding? Joseph thereby is awarded a double portion, which is the right of the firstborn. She died after bearing her second son, in 2266 AM. 3). When Abraham was about 100 years old, he and his wife Sarah had a son who they named Isaac. And this was not allI went under the bed where he lay with my sister: he would speak with her, and I responded every time, while she remained silent, so that he would not recognize her voice. Jacobs other wife is Rachels sister Leah, which causes issues between the sisters, especially because Leah is able to bear children. Gen. 33:67describes the meeting with Esau: Then the maids, with their children, came forward and bowed low; next Leah, with her children, came forward and bowed low; and lastly, Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed low. The Rabbis noted that the other wives came first and their children after them, while Joseph stepped forward before his mother Rachel. Genesis chapters 29-30 and 35 detail the births of Jacob's many children. Updates? Themidrashrelates that Rachel was twenty-two years old when she was married to Jacob (SederOlam Rabbah2), and her barrenness lasted for fourteen years (Seder Eliyahu Rabbah18, p. 99). These midrashic expositions cast Rachels act in a positive light. cit.). In yet another exegetical understanding, Rachel said: May the Lord add another son for me for exile, because the ten tribes were exiled beyond the Sambatyon river, while the tribes of Judah and Benjamin were dispersed throughout all the lands. The Rabbis learned from this that whoever makes a vow and delays fulfilling it will bury his wife (Lev. Before his death, Jacob praises Joseph for acting in this manner, when he says of his son(Gen. 49:22): Joseph is a wild ass, a wild ass by a spring [ayin, also meaning eye]I must reward you for that eye [for having concealed Rachel from Esaus eye](Gen. Rabbah78:10). No, he did not. Gen. 33:2relates: putting the maids and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last, to which the midrash comments: The more behind, the more beloved(Gen. Rabbah78:8). Jacob said: If all my children will be killed, Rachels son will remain, for he will punish this wicked seed, as it is said(Jud. She hid these teraphim in her saddle bag, and sat on them. When Jacob wanted to leave Haran, he summoned his wives to the field and told them of his plans. Accordingly, after the birth of Joseph, Esaus foil, Jacob resolved that the time had come to return to his homeland(Gen. Rabbah73:7). Rachel married Andrew Jackson (twice) and at age 61, prior to her husband's inauguration Rachel Jackson died of a heart attack at age 61. Jacobs response is described in v. 2: Jacob was incensed at Rachel, and said, Can I take the place of God, who has denied you fruit of the womb? The midrashic exegesis further intensifies Jacobs strong statement. ; Midr. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rachel-biblical-figure, McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia - Rachel. The Rabbis seek to discover the reason why Rachels womb was opened. God asked Leah: Is this the reward for a good deed? But Rachel was not content with this. God took pity on Leah and allowed her to bear children, while Rachel was barren. 28:20) his tribe received the jasper [yashfe, with the meaning ofyesh pehthere is a mouth] stone in the High Priests breastpiece. Another tradition explains the Torahs statement(Gen. 29:16): Now Laban had two daughters as meaning that both were equal in beauty and in their erect stature (Tanhuma[ed. When, toward the end of his life, Jacob told Joseph about Rachels death, he said(Gen. 48:7): I [do this because], when I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died, to my sorrow. The wording died, to my sorrow teach the Rabbis that Rachels death was the harshest of all the troubles that befell Jacob(Gen. Rabbah97:7, [ed. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/rachel-favored-wife-of-jacob-701193. So you wouldn't expect two old people, would you? In the morning, Jacob discovered he had been tricked. What am I, flesh and blood, dust and ashes, that I was not jealous of my rival wife, and that I did not allow her to be shamed and disgraced, but You, merciful living and eternal King, why were You jealous of idolatry that is of no import, and exiled my children who were slain by the sword, and allowed their enemies to do with them as they pleased? Gods mercy was immediately revealed, and He said: For your sake, Rachel, I shall return Israel to their placefor there is a reward for your labor []. Leah conceived a son that very evening, and bore him the next year. Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. Now that you have sinned, the birthright has been given to Joseph, the priesthood to Levi, and kingship to Judah (Gen. Rabbahloc. In the narrative inGen. 31:19, when Jacob fled from Labans house, Rachel stole her fathers household idols. After he married Leah, Jacob held a banquet for seven days, and he added another seven days of feasting and rejoicing, and then married Rachel. Some consider that she did so in order to conceal Jacob's flight; others, that her object was to turn her father from idolatry (Pire R. El. The Rabbis present Labans act of deceit as something in which Rachel was involved, from which they learn of her special qualities. Read Genesis 29:15-30 Rachel has a son, Joseph Rachel may have been the more loved of the two women, but she was not the most fertile. In another midrashic understanding, Rachel alluded to the disgrace during the time of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who was a descendant of the tribe of Ephraim, and who engaged in idolatry and denigrated the prophet Ahijah of Shiloh(I Kings 1214); this disgrace was taken away when Jeroboam was put to death(II Chron. Through the fraud of Laban, Jacob's marriage with Rachel took place after he had married her elder sister, Leah, who, though less loved than Rachel, became the mother of four sons, while the latter was childless. They declare that Rachel was not envious of her sister's fertility, but of her righteousness; she thought that if Leah had not been a better woman than she, she would not have had children. According to the Rabbis, Laban would not have succeeded in deceiving Jacob without Rachels involvement. When Joseph was born, Rachel stated(Gen. 30:24): May the Lord add [yosef] another son for me. TheLit. So after the ceremonial week of the wedding to Leah was over, Rachel married Jacob, becoming his second but most-loved wife. In this manner, the barren women became one of the Matriarchs of the nation. And there is hope for your futuredeclares the Lord: Your children shall return to their country(Gen. Rabbah82:10). It was for my sake that he came here and served our father for so many years. Family relations of Rachel in the Bible. This is whyGen. 29:25relates: When morning came, there was Leah!because Rachel had given her the signs, Jacob did not know until the morning that they had switched(BTBava Batra123a). Gen. 30:14relates that Reuben found mandrakes, which are prophylactic, in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Thismidrashindicates the physical trait shared by Rachel and Joseph, which the Bible expresses in identical language. that she was not buried in the cave of Machpelah by the side of her husband (Gen. R. lxxii. In theTorahReuben is deposed from his status as firstborn for having violated his fathers bed(Gen. 49:34) and this distinction is conferred on Joseph when Jacob declares that Ephraim and Manasseh are his sons(Gen. 48:56). She was the younger daughter of Laban and the younger sister of Leah. 60a), and who are often referred to in the liturgy, Rachel being mentioned before Leah. 123a; Midr. Besides, Rachel was afraid that her father, seeing that she had no children by Jacob, might marry her to Esau (Midr. (2022, December 6). All this means that Jacob was married to Rachel for some time between about 15 years and 22 years. "teaching," "study," or "learning." (NLT) Jeremiah 31:15 speaks of Rachel "weeping for her children" who have been taken into exile. 11). She spoke in precise language when she said: May the Lord add another son for meshe did not say other sons, rather, there will be one more son from me. Rosh Hashanah is perceived as the time of liberation from pain and sorrow: this is the day that signals a positive change, both in the time of the Matriarchs and in the time of their offspring. Higger], chap. B. The affair of the mandrakes is generally represented by the Rabbis as unfavorable to Rachel; and it was due to her mode of obtaining them (comp. How old was Rachel when she died. 10). It was through the merit of her discretion that Rachel became the ancestress of King Saul, who also was discreet (Meg. In another exegetical tradition, Jacob placed Rachel and Joseph last because he wanted to protect them. Bilhah bore children to Jacob, causing Leah to give her servant Zilpah to Jacob, who had children with her. Consequently, Rachel found herself in an inferior position, since Leah bore children to Jacob, while she herself had not. When Laban overtook Jacob in the hill country of Gilead, he reproached him(Gen. 31:30): but why did you steal my idols?, to which Jacob replied (v. 32): But anyone with whom you find your gods shall not remain alive! Themidrashexplains that this statement by Jacob was as an error committed by a ruler [which is nevertheless implementedfollowingEccl. The Rabbis commented on the sale of the mandrakes: This one lost and the other one lost, this one was rewarded and the other one was rewarded. Leah lost the mandrakes and was rewarded with tribes; Rachel lost burial, and was rewarded with the birthright(Gen. Rabbah72:3). It seems to just throw out there that Rachel was 36 when she died; since Yaakov married her after 7 years working for Lavan, and he left Charan after another 7 years after they got married, plus 6 years after all but Binyamin were born, and Rachel died at the end of the two-year journey back to Yitzchak, they were married for 15 . Continuing this exegetical orientation, in another midrashic depiction Jacob tells Reuben, while blessing his sons before his death: The birthright was not yours. Rachelis depicted in theTorah she-bi-khetav: Lit. According to the second opinion, however, the fact that she was the chief person of the household was a result of her barrenness and did not necessarily reflect Jacobs preference for her. Later, when Leah was given in marriage instead of Rachel, the latter revealed the signs to her sister in order to spare her from being disgraced by Jacob. Buber],Vayeze19).
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