Rachel and Leah Pray for Sons and the Naming of Dan and Naphtali

[Another interpretation of (Genesis 30:22): "And God remembered Rachel."] What is written above on this matter? "And Rachel saw that she had borne Jacob no children [and she said to Jacob: Give me children, and if not, I am a dead woman]" (Genesis 30:1). Our Rabbis said: From here you learn that everyone who has no children is considered as dead, as it is written concerning Hannah: "The Lord brings death and gives life" (1 Samuel 2:6). Rather, thus said Hannah: Until He gave me a son I was among the dead; now that He has given me a son I am counted among the living. Rachel said to Jacob: "Give me children, and if not, I am a dead woman. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel" (Genesis 30:1-2). And the Holy Spirit says: "Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge?" (Job 15:2). Jacob said to Rachel: Am I the deputy of the Holy One, blessed be He? "Am I in the place of God?" (Genesis 30:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: By your life, with the very language in which you said, "Am I in the place of God?"—with that same language her son will stand and say to your sons: "Am I in the place of God?" (Genesis 50:19). She said to him: Did not your father Isaac do so for your mother Rebekah—were not the two of them standing and praying, one opposite the other, as it is said, "And Isaac entreated the Lord opposite his wife" (Genesis 25:21)? You too, pray for me to the Lord. And did not your grandfather Abraham do thus for Sarah? He said to her: Sarah brought a rival-wife into her house. She said to him: If so, "Here is my maidservant Bilhah, go in to her" (Genesis 30:3). He did not do so, but once she had given him her maidservant, immediately she conceived and gave birth. "And Rachel said: God has judged me" (Genesis 30:6)—He has judged me and condemned me, He has judged me and acquitted me. He has judged me and condemned me, in that He did not give me a son; He has judged me and acquitted me, in that He gave my maidservant a son. "And she called his name Dan" (Genesis 30:6). She conceived and gave birth to Naphtali (Genesis 30:8). (The explanation is the term "nymphe," for in the cities of the sea-coast they call a bride "nymphe.") "The wrestlings (naphtulei) were mine"—the wedding canopy was mine, for every fourth day she was adorned to enter, and Leah entered. Therefore, "the wrestlings were mine," yet my sister entered; "with my sister, and I have also prevailed. And she called his name Naphtali" (Genesis 30:8). Why Naphtali? Because from their territory they crown the Torah, of which it is written, "and sweeter than honey and the drippings (nofet) of the comb" (Psalms 19:11). When Leah saw that she had borne six sons, she said: Thus did the Holy One, blessed be He, stipulate with Jacob, that he would raise up twelve tribes; and behold, I have borne six sons, and the two maidservants four—behold, ten. And Leah was pregnant. Our Rabbis said: She was pregnant with a male. Leah said: Behold, I am pregnant, and my sister Rachel has not given birth. What did Leah do? She began to plead for mercy on behalf of her sister Rachel. She said: Let Him make what is within her womb female, and let not my sister Rachel be prevented from bearing a son. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her: By your life, you had compassion on your sister; behold, I will make what is within your womb female, and remember her thereby. "And afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah" (Genesis 30:21). What is Dinah? That she judged (dayyenah) herself away from bearing a son, so that Rachel would bear a son, for thus it is written afterward: "And God remembered Rachel… and she conceived and bore a son" (Genesis 30:22-23). What is "and she conceived and bore"? It likens her giving birth to her conceiving: just as her conceiving was without pain, so too her giving birth was without pain. "And she said: God has gathered up my disgrace" (Genesis 30:23). What is "gathered up"? Rather, since a woman does not give birth, disgrace is present within her house. How so? When she breaks a vessel in her house, on whom can she lay it? Once she gives birth, she lays it on her child. Therefore she said: "God has gathered up my disgrace."