<b>And God remembered Rachel (Gen. 30:22).</b> May it please our master to teach us the blessing that is recited upon observing a handsome person? Thus do our masters teach us: Upon observing beautiful creatures or lovely trees, one should recite the blessing: “Blessed be He, who hath made this possible in His world.” No one was more beautiful than Rachel, and because she was beautiful, Jacob was eager to marry her. He sent Rachel many gifts, but Laban gave them to Leah instead. Yet she remained silent.
R. Simeon the son of Gamliel declared: I was reared among the sages, and I discovered that there was nothing more beneficial for a person than silence.<sup class="footnote-marker">7</sup><i class="footnote">Pirkei Avot 1:17.</i> Rachel forced herself to remain silent, and her offspring continued the tradition of silence. She saw her gifts in her sister’s hand and remained silent. Her son Benjamin, whose stone in the high priest’s breastplate was a jasper, knew of the sale of Joseph and remained silent. The word jasper (<i>yashfeh</i>) may be read as “he has a mouth” (<i>yesh peh</i>) but nevertheless remains silent. Saul was descended from her: <i>But concerning the matter of the kingdom, he told him not</i> (I Sam. 10:16). Regarding Esther (another descendant) it is said: <i>Esther had not made known her people nor her kindred</i> (Est. 2:10).
Conversely, Leah spoke words of praise, and her offspring continued the tradition of praise. She declared: <i>This time will I praise the Lord</i> (Gen. 29:35); and of her son Judah it is said: <i>Judah, thee thy brethren praise</i> (ibid. 49:8). David (another descendant) said: <i>Praise the Lord, for He is good</i> (Ps. 118:1); and concerning Daniel it is said: <i>Daniel kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and praised</i> (Dan. 6:11). R. Judah said: Silence is so very important that Rachel was privileged, because of her silence, to rear two additional tribes in Israel, Ephraim and Manasseh.
Why did she remain silent? R. Simeon the son of Yohai was of the opinion that she said to herself: If I should inform Jacob that my father gives the gifts he sends me to my sister, he will not accept her. And my father will not betroth me to him, and I will be separated forever from this righteous person.
The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Be assured, in reward for your silence I will remember you, as it is said: <i>And God remembered Rachel</i> (Gen. 30:22).