“Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel” (Genesis 29:16). “Laban had two daughters” – like two beams that reach from one end of the world to the other: this one produced chieftains and that one produced chieftains; this one produced kings and that one produced kings; from this one, lion-killers arose32David was from the tribe of Judah, who was the son of Leah.
See I Samuel 17:36. and from that one lion-killers arose;33Samson from the tribe of Dan, the son of Rachel's maidservant. See Judges 14:5–6. from this one prophets arose and from that one prophets arose; from this one judges arose and from that one judges arose; from this one conquerors of lands arose34Moses was from the tribe of Levi, son of Leah. Moses conquered the lands of Siḥon and Og. See Numbers 21:21–35. and from that one conquerors of lands arose;35Joshua was from the tribe of Ephraim, son of Joseph, son of Rachel. from this one distributers of lands arose36Moses. and from that one distributers of lands arose;37Joshua. the offering of this one’s son overrides Shabbat38King Solomon during the dedication of the Temple.
See Etz Yosef on Bereshit Rabba 35:3. and the offering of that one’s son overrides Shabbat;39Elishama ben Amihud prince of the tribe of Ephraim. See Bemidbar Rabba 14:1. the war of this one’s son overrides Shabbat,40Joshua conquered Jericho on Shabbat. See Bemidbar Rabba 14:1. and the war of that one’s son overrides Shabbat;41David's war in Ke'ila. See Eiruvin 45a. two nights were given to this one, and two nights were given to that one: Pharaoh’s night42The plague of the firstborn. and Sennacherib’s night43When he laid siege to Jerusalem.
See II Kings 19:35. for Leah; Gideon’s night44Gideon attacked the Midyanite camp at night. See Judges chapter 7. and Mordekhai’s night for Rachel – “on that night, the king’s sleep was disturbed” (Esther 6:1). “The name of the elder [hagedola] was Leah” – greater [gedola] in her gifts, eternal priesthood and eternal kingship, as it is written: “Judah will be inhabited forever” (Joel 4:20), and it is written: “This is My resting place forever” (Psalms 132:14).
“And the name of the younger [haketana] was Rachel” – lesser [ketana] in her gifts; Joseph was temporary, Saul was temporary, Shilo was temporary: “He rejected the tent of Joseph and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim” (Psalms 78:67).