Why God Gave Leah Children First Because She Was Hated

(Gen. 29:31:) "And the LORD saw that Leah was hated." This is what Scripture says (Ps. 145:14): "The LORD upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down." (It does not say "all who stand," but "all who are bowed down," and even the wicked He raises up.) R. Hiyya said: The measure of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like the measure of flesh and blood. The measure of flesh and blood is this: a man has a wealthy friend, and he clings to him and longs for him; but once his hand has sunk and he has become poor, the friend mocks him. The Holy One, blessed be He, however, is not so. As soon as He sees a man whose hand has sunk, He gives him a hand and raises him up, as it is said, "The LORD upholds all who fall." It does not say "all who stand," but "all who fall." "And raises up all who are bowed down." You might say that He raises up even the wicked, should they come to fall — no, as it is said (Ps. 6:13 [12]): "There the workers of iniquity have fallen; they are thrust down and cannot rise." Once they have fallen, they have no standing. Why? Because it is said (Ps. 35:5): "Like chaff before the wind, and the angel of the LORD thrusting them." But the righteous — "the LORD upholds." When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that Leah was hated, He said: How shall I make her beloved before her husband? Behold, I will raise her up and give her children first, so that she will be beloved before her husband. Therefore, "And the LORD saw that Leah was hated." And so it says (1 Chron. 2:18): "And Caleb the son of Hezron begot children of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth; and these were her sons: Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon." R. Berekhyah said: She was his wife. And why was she called Azubah? Because she was forsaken (azuvah) and ugly. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Behold, I will give her children so that she will become comely through them, as it is said, "And these were her sons: Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon." Therefore it is said, "The LORD upholds all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down."