“The Lord saw that Leah was unloved, and He opened her womb, and Rachel was barren” (Genesis 29:31). “The Lord saw that Leah was unloved…” “For the Lord hears the impoverished and does not despise His prisoners” (Psalms 69:34) – Rabbi Binyamin ben Levi said: The beginning of this verse does not correspond with its end, nor does its end correspond to its beginning. The verse should have said only: “For the Lord hears the impoverished and does not despise the prisoners” or: “For the Lord hears His impoverished and…His prisoners.”
Rather: “For the Lord hears the impoverished” – this is Israel, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Every place that impoverished [dal], poor [ani], and indigent [evyon] is stated, the verse is speaking of Israel. “And does not despise His prisoners” – these are the barren women, who are prisoners in their homes, and forlorn. But when the Holy One blessed be He remembers them with children, they stand erect. Know that Leah was the unloved one of the household, but when the Holy One blessed be He remembered her, she stood erect. That is what is written: “The Lord saw that Leah was unloved.”