She said to her: Is the taking of my husband insignificant, that you take my son’s mandrakes, as well? Rachel said: Therefore, he will lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes” (Genesis 30:15). “Rachel said to Leah: Please give me from your son’s mandrakes…is the taking of my husband insignificant” – will you take from my beard for my grandfather?2My grandfather’s beard is full and mine is sparse, will you take from mine for his?
This is a metaphor; Leah was saying: Jacob loves you more than he loves me. Will you take my mandrakes, which will afford me some time with him, so that he will spend even more time with you? Rabbi Shimon taught: Because she demeaned the righteous one,3Rachel forfeited being with Jacob in return for mandrakes. that is why she will not enter the grave with him. That is what she said to her: “Therefore, he will lie with you tonight” – he will lie in death with you; he will not lie in death with me.
Rabbi Elazar said: This one lost and that one lost, this one gained and that one gained. Leah lost mandrakes and gained two tribes and primacy.4She became the mother to the greatest number of Jacob’s sons. Rachel gained mandrakes and lost tribes and primacy. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: This one lost mandrakes and gained tribes and burial with him. Rachel gained mandrakes and lost tribes and burial with him.