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Leah is one of the matriarchs of the Jewish people and the first wife of Jacob. Her father tricked Jacob into marrying her and she suffered from the knowledge that she was unloved, in contrast to Jacob's beloved second wife, her sister Rachel. She was blessed with six sons, who each became tribes in their own right, and one daughter.
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Leah's Journey to Matriarch
TANAKH
Leah's journey from feeling unloved to becoming a matriarch of Israel is a powerful narrative of resilience and faith. The book of Genesis lists sons Leah gave birth to and named, who went on to become the heads of tribes of Israel.
Leah's Tears
TARGUM
Leah’s eyes are cryptically remarked upon by the verse that introduces her in Genesis. The Targum Jonathan, an expansive Aramaic translation, includes a famous midrashic interpolation on the emotional backstory of her notable eyes.
Leah Despised
COMMENTARY
Genesis describes Leah as hated by Jacob. Ramban, a prominent medieval Jewish scholar, offers an explanation for the reason for the hatred, based on a nuanced interpretation of the relationships among Jacob, Leah, and Rachel in his commentary on Genesis 29:31.
Leah's Steely Determination
COMMENTARY
Leah's determination to secure her role as the primary matriarch showcases her psychological drive and initiative. This contemporary analysis delves into Leah's decision to have Jacob father more children with her maidservant Zilpah, highlighting the dynamics between Leah and her sister Rachel.
Leah in Kabbalistic Symbolism
KABBALAH
Leah is not just a biblical figure but also a profound symbol in Kabbalistic thought, representing the sefirah of Understanding (Binah) and playing a crucial role in the unification of divine attributes. In the 16th-century Kabbalistic work, Pardes Rimonim, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero explores Leah's symbolic connection to the mystical divine sefirot.
Leah's Honored Resting Place
TANAKH
Leah, one of the matriarchs of the Jewish people, holds an honored status by being buried alongside the patriarchs and matriarchs in the Cave of Machpelah. In the book of Genesis, Jacob instructs his children to bury him in the Cave of Machpelah alongside his wife Leah and his parents and grandparents.
Leah and Dinah's Shared Path
JEWISH THOUGHT
Leah and her daughter Dinah are both described 'going out' in the Torah. Rivkah Lubitch, in this contemporary midrash, tells a new version of an ancient midrashic observation of similarity between mother and daughter, based on this repeated language.
The Deception of Leah's Wedding Night
MIDRASH
The story of Leah's wedding night in the Torah is one of intrigue and deception. The early medieval midrash, Bereshit Rabbah, provides an expanded narrative of Leah's wedding night, filling out the family drama, including an exchange in which Leah matches wits with Jacob the following morning.
The Hidden and Revealed Worlds
CHASIDUT
The biblical figures of Leah and Rachel have been understood in the Kabbalistic tradition to symbolize hidden and revealed mystical realms. In the Chasidic text Bat Ayin, Rabbi Avraham Dov Baer of Ovruch delves into these symbolic realms, contrasting the hidden, introspective nature of thought and negative commandments with the revealed, active nature of speech and positive commandments.
The Power of Prayer and Finding a Suitable Partner
MUSAR
The midrashic story of Leah crying over her planned match with Esav illustrates the power of prayer and the importance of finding a suitable life partner. Rabbi Eliezer Papo's early 19th-century ethical work, Pele Yoetz, uses Leah's fervent prayers and her match with Jacob to emphasize these themes.
A Blessing to be Like Leah
TANAKH
Leah, alongside Rachel, is recognized as a foundational figure in the continuity and prosperity of the Jewish people. The Book of Ruth includes a blessing that highlights Leah's significant role in building up the House of Israel, which may be the inspiration for a blessing said to children today.
Matriarchs in Midnight Prayers
RESPONSA
The Tikkun Hatzot, a mystical prayer service recited in the middle of the night, has sections named after Leah and Rachel. This legal correspondence by Rabbi Yosef Hayyim of Baghdad (also known as the Ben Ish Chai), explains the different aspects of the divine identified with these two matriarchs in the context of this midnight supplication.
Mandragora (Dudai'm), 19th-century botanical illustration.
Mandragora (Dudai'm), 19th-century botanical illustration.
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