6), this prayer of Rachel caused Leah's seventh child, which at the time of conception was a son, to be transformed into a daughter; otherwise Rachel would have been the mother of only one son (comp., however, Ber. Rachel unquestionably had Jacob's favor, but Rachel was sterile, while Leah was fertile. 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. RACHEL, JACOB in the BIBLE. Famous love story with passion, tragedy. 3). Jacob asked Rachel: Will you marry me? She answered: Yes, but my father is a deceiver, and you will not be able to best him. He asked her: What is his deceit [in what will he be able to deceive me]? She told him: I have an older sister, and he will not marry me off before her. He said: I am his brother in deceit. Jacob gave Rachel signs [so that he would be able to recognize her on their wedding night]. "Staging Rachel: Rabbinic Midrash, Theatrical Mime, and Christian Martyrdom in Late Antiquity." 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 []. The midrash views this confrontation between Jacob and Esau as symbolizing the future rivalries between the descendants of the two. Well, according to the math in the Bible, Jacob was 8. l.c. 10:12): Stand still, O sun, at Gibeon, O moon, in the Valley of Aijalon! was by merit of Rachels kindness (Tanhuma[ed. 4:19), andMichal (daughter of Saul)(II Sam. According to the Rabbis, Laban would not have succeeded in deceiving Jacob without Rachels involvement. Omissions? Various Jewish sources say Rachel died at age 36 and other sources say age 45. Today the site is surrounded by an armed fortress and under heavy guard. R., Petita, 25). Updates? Buber],Vayeshev19). While Rachel was barren for the first fourteen years of her marriage, she is still described as Jacob's preferred wife and a powerful woman. Some rabbinical writings suggest that Rachel and Leah were twins, and were fourteen years old at the time of Jacob's first meeting with Rachel. When Rachel realized that she was barren, she emulated Sarah and gave Bilhah to Jacob, saying: "Just as this one was built by her rival wife, so, too, shall I be built by my rival wife" (Gen. Rabbah 71:30). 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. 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. 31:20Israel is called after her sons son: Truly, Ephraim is a dear son to Me(Ruth Rabbah7:11:13). He asked for Rachels hand because he thought that Leah was intended for Esau (Tanhuma[ed. The stone over the mouth of the well was large. The Rabbis speak of the passionate love for Rachel exhibited by Jacob, who already understood from their first encounter that she was his intended bride. Genesis 29:18Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "Ill work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel." Rachel - Conservapedia When Naphtali was born, Rachel felt that her competition with her sister had reached a point of equilibrium. 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. 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). 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the . Isaac married Rabecah and they had two sons - Esau and Jacob.. The birthright should have come forth from Rachel, but Leah preceded her in [receiving divine] mercy; because of the formers modesty, God restored the birthright to Rachel(BTBava Batra123a). It was through the merit of her discretion that Rachel became the ancestress of King Saul, who also was discreet (Meg. This midrash compares the barrenness of the three Matriarchs and the conduct of the three Patriarchs, which intensifies the criticism of Jacob, who should have acted as his forefathers did, and pray on behalf of Rachel in accordance with her wishes. Recall Jacob had to flee from his family's house because of his treachery toward his brother Esau. Thismidrashindicates the physical trait shared by Rachel and Joseph, which the Bible expresses in identical language. Jennifer Grey Talks Her 'Friends' Role, Explains Why She Couldn't On this date Joseph left the Egyptian prison; and on this date, Israel went forth from their servitude in Egypt(BTRosh Hashanah10b11a). Therefore, Benjamin must have been conceived shortly before the flight from Laban and born nine months later. https://www.learnreligions.com/rachel-favored-wife-of-jacob-701193 (accessed May 1, 2023). Rabbah3:2). In the four years following their marriage, Leah had four sons; Rachel had none. Themidrashlists three reasons for Jacobs crying on this occasion. Mandelbaum],Roni Akarah20:1). She did not want to adhere to the paganism of her fathers house, but rather sought to prevent Laban from engaging in idolatry. In thismidrash, Rachel has the insight that the birth of children is a reward from God. Captivated by her, "Jacob went over to the well and moved the stone from its mouth and watered his uncles flock." Rachel lived in Harran, or Paddan Aram, and that's where she met her cousin Jacob. Gen. 29tells of the first meeting between Jacob and Rachel at the well. He is the author "Hope for Hurting Singles: A Christian Guide to Overcoming Life's Challenges.". Rachel lost being buried next to Jacob because of her dealing with Leah, but she thereby merited having her son Joseph receive the birthright. cit.). Whatever the case, she died young. 22-24). The contention between the two women did not cease even after Rachels death, and arose again as regards the seniority of Jacobs sons: who would be considered the firstbornthe son of Leah, or of Rachel; and similarly, regarding the origin of Elijah, the harbinger of the Redemption. When he gives him blessings of the breast and the womb he is saying to Joseph: may the breasts that nursed such a son, and the womb that brought him forth, be blessed(Gen. Rabbah98:20, [ed. Leah conceived a son that very evening, and bore him the next year. The Rabbis learned from this that when God decrees greatness for a person, He decrees greatness for all his posterity to the end of time (BTMegillah13b). Did I not go to Laban only for Rachel? In another tradition, Rachel envied Leahs good deeds. According to the "Sefer ha-Yashar" (section "Wayee," p. 46a, Leghorn, 1870), Rachel herself prayed God to give her children, and God finally answered her prayer. When Joseph was born, Rachel stated(Gen. 30:24): May the Lord add [yosef] another son for me. TheLit. Jacob is ultimately allowed to marry Rachel, which he does immediately after the festivities related to his wedding to Leah end, in exchange for another seven years' labor. Most of the Rabbis consider the idea of Rachel being an envious woman as incompatible with what has been previously said of her. Theodor-Albeck, MS. Vatican, p. 1243]). Today a site exists along the road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem that most people say is the tomb of Rachel. Laban would take these gifts and give them to Leah, and Rachel would remain silent (Tanhuma[ed. The Bible says that this took place at sheep-shearing time,[5] which is always in the springtime. These midrashic expositions cast Rachels act in a positive light. 29a; R. H. 11a), and it was particularly her self-abnegation at the time of her sister's marriage which gained for her the divine clemency (Gen. R. lxxiii. 1) is only once (Gen. R. xlv. Rachel first met Jacob in 2245 AM (1759 BC), at the community well in Haran. 10). There is also an intermediate approach, which argues that Reuben should have received the birthright, but it was permanently taken from him because of his sin. Then she waived this status when she consented to Leahs marriage to Jacob. Rabbah[ed. Rachel had been given Bilhah as a handmaiden by her father Laban upon her marriage to Jacob. Gen. 30:25relates that after Josephs birth Jacob asked Laban for permission to return to his land. I buried her there, alongside the road to Ephrath, near Bethlehem." 2 Jacob was a short distance, about two-thirds of a mile, from Ephrath. 15). 60a), and who are often referred to in the liturgy, Rachel being mentioned before Leah. Rachel is first mentioned in the Hebrew Bible in Genesis 29 when Jacob happens upon her as she is about to water her father's flock. 1777 BC-1759 BC-1738 BC) was the second wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. The Rabbis learn of Gods retaining the key of the woman giving birth from Rachel, of whom it is said: Now God remembered Rachel; God heeded her and opened her womb(BTTaanit2ab). At the end of twenty years of service (seven each for Leah and Rachel, and six more for a portion of Laban's flocks), Jacob and Laban fell out. She stole the household idols (teraphim) that belonged to Laban, in the belief that those idols would confer some protective power. Gen. 30:1states: When Rachel saw that she had borne Jacob no children, she became envious of her sister, leading the Rabbis to apply to Rachel the verseCant. Laban also gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid. Agadah to Gen. xxx. Because of the curse which Jacob uttered to Laban(Gen. 31:32): But anyone with whom you find your gods shall not remain alive! (Gen. Rabbahloc. Rachel had taken the idols and placed them in the cushion on her camels back. By merit of the birth of Dan [the son of Bilhah], Rachel became pregnant; and by merit of the birth of Dan, Joseph and Benjamin were born(Gen. Rabbah73:4). An additional important trait of Rachels was the art of silence and the ability to keep secrets, a quality that she also passed on to her offspring, who were known for their taciturnity: Benjamin, Saul, andEsther. [3] This traditional site lies four miles south of Jerusalem and one mile north of Bethlehem. Instead of showing understanding, he amplifies her pain by telling her that he already has four sons from Leah. 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). Jacob said to himself: When Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, went to fetchRebekah, he brought with him ten camels and all the bounty of his master(Gen. 24:10), while I have not a single nose-ring or band. The second reason for his weeping was his foreseeing that Rachel would not be buried together with him (Gen. Rabbahloc. Buber],Vayeze19). ; Gen. R. lxxiv. She raised Joseph and Benjamin as if she were their mother(Gen. Rabbah84:11). Rachel's father Laban was the brother of Rebekah, Jacob mother. 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. This midrash awards the birthright to Joseph, since his two sons became tribes and he therefore received twice as much as any of his brothers. 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. According to a third tradition, Jacob wept for grief, for he realized that after he kissed Rachel people were whispering to one another: Why has this one come, to teach us this indecent behavior? The midrash comments that after the world had been struck by the Flood, the nations of the world hedged themselves against illicit sexual behavior [i.e., they accepted all manner of sexual prohibitions] (Gen. Rabbahloc. "order." Themidrashasserts that the salvation that occurred in his time in the war at Gilgal(Josh. Rachel probably conceived Benjamin, her second son, in the spring of 2265 AM (1739 BC). Jacob should have understood her pain, instead of rebuking her for the manner in which she spoke. Rachel said: I should have been Jacobs bride before my sister. Midr. Your life, they will exact punishment from him whenever he threatens your children (Pesikta Rabbati[ed. Themidrashperceives Rachel as an educational figure who delineated the path that her offspring were to follow. God accepted her prayer and the sex of the fetus in her womb changed to female(BTBerakhot60a;Tanhuma[ed. Read the latest from JWA from your inbox. Jacob offered to serve Laban for seven years, in exchange for the right to marry Rachel. Gen. 29:1011tells how Jacob watered Rachels flock, and then kissed her and wept. They assert that Jacobs kiss was not a wanton one, but one that expressed familial feeling, since Rachel was related to him (Gen. Rabbahloc. The marriage of Rachel in the Bible was one of the most captivating episodes recorded in the book of Genesis, a story of love triumphing over lies. Rachel: Wife of Jacob, Sister of Leah - Guideposts Although Rachel died young, the Rabbis indicate her positive influence on her descendants, even long after her passing. In any case, Rachel cannot have conceived Benjamin earlier than the springtime.
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