Another matter, “The Lord supports all those who fall” (Psalms 145:14) – these are the barren women, who fall inside their houses. “And He straightens all who are hunched” (Psalms 145:14) – when the Holy One blessed be He remembers them with children, they stand erect. Know that it is so, as 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.” “That Leah was unloved [senua]” – she performed the action of the hated [hasenuim],1Sinners, who spend their time praying for repentance. as she would say that she would marry the enemy [lasoneh],”2Esau.. These were the stipulations: The elder to the elder, and the younger to the younger. She would weep and say: ‘May it be His will that I will not fall in the portion of that wicked man.’
Rav Huna said: Prayer is powerful, as it nullified the decree. Moreover, she preceded her sister. Everyone would mock her – seafarers would mock her, wayfarers would mock her, even those sitting in the pits behind the loom would mock her. They said: ‘This Leah, her inside is not like her outside; she appears like a righteous woman, but she is not a righteous woman.
Were she a righteous woman, she would not have deceived her sister.’ Rabbi Ḥanin said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak: When Jacob our patriarch saw the actions that Leah deceived her sister, he set his mind to divorce her. When the Holy One blessed be He remembered her with children, he said: ‘Am I divorcing the mother of these?’ Ultimately, he gave thanks for this matter.
That is what is written: “Israel prostrated himself at the top of the bed [al rosh hamita]” (Genesis 47:31). Who is the rosh mitato3The mother of the majority of his children. of our patriarch Jacob? Is it not Leah? “And Rachel was barren [akara]” – Rachel was the primary of the household, just as it says: “Rachel was akara” – the primary [ikara] was Rachel.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Most of the participants in the feast4The reference is to the wedding feast of Boaz and Ruth. were primarily from Leah; that is why Rachel is rendered primary5“May the Lord grant that the woman who is coming into your house will be like Rachel and like Leah” (Ruth 4:11). – Rachel was barren [akara]” – Rachel was the primary of the household. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: Because all the matters are dependent on Rachel, that is why Israel is called by her name: “Rachel weeps for her children” (Jeremiah 31:15).
Not only is it by her name, but also by her son’s name: “Perhaps the Lord, God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph” (Amos 5:15). And not only by her son’s name, but by the name of her grandson, as it is stated: “Is Ephraim a dear son to me?” (Jeremiah 31:20).