how old was rachel when she married jacob

The account of Jacob and Rachel is presented to the reader as a love story, and quite a romantic one at that. In Ruth 4:11, she is named as one "from whom all the nation of Israel descended." The midrash explains that the education that Joseph received from his mother continued to guide him even after her death. Accordingly, after the birth of Joseph, Esaus foil, Jacob resolved that the time had come to return to his homeland(Gen. Rabbah73:7). Referred to alternatively as the "Day of Judgement" and the "Day of Blowing" (of the shofar).Rosh Ha-Shanah, like Sarah andHannah. At that time God was revealed to Jacob and He told him: Rachels children are with you, and you are afraid? As the four different plants with which the Jews were commanded to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. Agadat Bereshit li. 10:5], and therefore Rachel died during childbirth(Gen. 35:19). 123a; Midr. All the furrows that I plowed in your mother [i.e., acts of intercourse] should I not have done with Rachel? These midrashic expositions cast Rachels act in a positive light. 31:20Israel is called after her sons son: Truly, Ephraim is a dear son to Me(Ruth Rabbah7:11:13). Her first meeting with Jacob occurred at a well near Haran, whither she had taken the flocks for water. And there is hope for your futuredeclares the Lord: Your children shall return to their country(Gen. Rabbah82:10). Friedmann (Ish-Shalom)], chap. She spoke in precise language when she said: May the Lord add another son for meshe did not say other sons, rather, there will be one more son from me. Because of the curse which Jacob uttered to Laban(Gen. 31:32): But anyone with whom you find your gods shall not remain alive! (Gen. Rabbahloc. Buber],Vayeze13). Buber],Vayeze12). Read the latest from JWA from your inbox. The impregnation of Sarah and Rachel, the Matriarchs of the nation, heralds that God will also deliver their descendants from the troubles they would suffer in the future. Did I not go to Laban only for Rachel? pseudo-Jonathan to Gen. xxx. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. If she had, then she would not have been able to employ a ruse to stop her father from searching her belongings too closely (see below). When she realized that she was pregnant and that Jacob already had ten sons (six from Leah, two from Bilhah, and two from Zilpah), she said: Will my sister Rachel not be even as one of the handmaidens? Leah prayed to God on behalf of her sister. Jacob replied that he was her father's equal in trickery; and he agreed with Rachel upon certain signs which would enable him to recognize her. Jacob was quite old compared to other generat. When, toward the end of his life, Jacob told Joseph about Rachels death, he said(Gen. 48:7): I [do this because], when I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died, to my sorrow. The wording died, to my sorrow teach the Rabbis that Rachels death was the harshest of all the troubles that befell Jacob(Gen. Rabbah97:7, [ed. Jacob Proposes Marriage with Rachel to Laban, Antoine Trouvain, after Nicolas Poussin, 1666-1708. Omissions? That was a lie. "order." When Jacob introduced himself to Rachel, he told her (v. 12) that he was her fathers kinsman, that he was Rebekahs son. In the midrashic expansion, Jacob told Rachel: if to deceivehe was her fathers kinsman; and if for righteousnesshe was Rebekahs son. Rebekah had sent him there to be safe from his angry twin brother, Esau . Scripture says Rachel was beautiful. She possessed the art of silence [when she knew that her sister was given to Jacob deceitfully, but remained silent and did not tell him]; all of her descendants continued in this path, and could keep a secret. Thismidrashattributes a dual meaning to Gods statement: for there is a reward for your labor. Rachel acted in an extraordinary manner when she helped her sister to be married to Jacob and also when she prayed for her children. xxxi. Jewish philosopher, scholar, and physician. These two exegetical positions derive the word akarah from ikar. The first view maintains that even though Leah had children, Rachel continued to be the beloved and preferred wife, which was expressed in the running of the household. One tradition maintains that she became pregnant by merit of abundant prayers: by merit of her own prayer, by merit of her sisters prayer, by merit of Jacobs prayer, and by merit of the prayer of the handmaidens [Zilpah and Bilhah](Gen. Rabbah73:3). 4; "Sefer ha-Yashar," section "Wayee," p. 47a). Leah gives birth to four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. In Brief. Gen. 29:18attests: Jacob loved Rachel. The midrashic exegesis of this verse characterizes this love of Jacobs with a reference toCant. So did your mother shame our father when she stole the household idols from Laban! By merit of the blows that he received on his shoulders, theShekhinah(Divine Presence) would rest between Benjamins shoulders, as it is said in the blessing by Moses(Deut. Rachel died while giving birth to Benjamin. Jealous of her sister, Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife. InJer. Zavada, Jack. The 63-year-old Dirty Dancing icon appeared in the very first season of the show, playing Mindy. Rachel asked Leah for a portion of them, and Leah protested that Rachel already had the favor of Jacob, and now was asking for a supply of the one thing that each woman supposed would make her fertile. cit.). The Rabbis understand the wording(Gen. 29:31): but Rachel was barren [akarah] as teaching of Rachels merit: despite her not having children, she nonetheless was the chief person [ikar] of the household. 11). Jacob offered to serve Laban for seven years, in exchange for the right to marry Rachel. In any case, Rachel cannot have conceived Benjamin earlier than the springtime. This exposition aims to applaud Jacobs strength, which increased due to his love for Rachel. Midr. l.c. Bilhah bore children to Jacob, causing Leah to give her servant Zilpah to Jacob, who had children with her. According to this view, from the outset the birthright belonged to Rachels son, which was the intent of both God and Jacob. Theodor-Albeck, MS. Vatican, p. 1243]). Jealous of her sister, Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife. Since she suffered many years of barrenness, she was rewarded by the Israelites being called by her name, or by the name of her descendants. Jacob then married Rachel and worked for Laban another seven years for her. The competition between Rachel and Leah did not cease upon Rachels death, and is reflected in the question of the birthright: which of the firstborn of Jacobs wives would receive the birthright, Reuben or Joseph? Leah agreed, and when Jacob returned from the field, Leah told him directly that she had "hired" him for the evening, at the price of a few mandrakes. Episode 91: Israel at 75: Voices of Protest. (2022, December 6). Who was Rachel in the Bible? midrash relates that Rachel was twenty-two years old when she was married to Jacob ( "order.". The Rabbis further learned from Jacobs words that a wifes death profoundly affects her husband(BTSanhedrin22b). When not specified, "Talmud" refers to the Babylonian Talmud.Talmud asserts that the Matriarch Rachel was one of the first women prophets. Buber],Vayeze19). Agadah toGen. Jer. By her merit, Joseph was given the birthright, and her descendants rose to royalty, leadership, and greatness. Genesis chapters 29-30 and 35 detail the births of Jacob's many children. (NIV), Genesis 30:22Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb. God asked Leah: Is this the reward for a good deed? Jacob allowed Laban to search for the idols. The Rabbis were concerned with the nature of this kiss, which they regarded as an improper act. 2227 AM-m. 2245 AM-2266 AM) (ca. When Laban came to search her tent, Rachel asked him to excuse her for not rising, because she was menstruating. And this was not allI went under the bed where he lay with my sister: he would speak with her, and I responded every time, while she remained silent, so that he would not recognize her voice. Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women. According to another exegetical approach, it is Rachels son who wins the birthright. 26-28). So Rachel offered her handmaid, Bilhah, as her surrogate. 19:11) drippings of the comb [nofet zufim], which are in the portion of Naphtali, who will engage in Torah study (Gen. Rabbahloc. 15 (see Biblical Data, above) is the source of the midrashic legend that when the Israelites were driven into captivity by Nebuzar-adan, and the supplications of the Patriarchs and of Moses proved of no avail, Rachel arose from her grave and implored God's clemency, basing her plea upon her own self-abnegation with regard to her sister. Zilpah, Leah's maid, gives birth to Gad and Asher. According to Gen. R. (lxxii. Themidrashrecords a disagreement among the Rabbis concerning the origins of Elijah. The Rabbis speak of the passionate love for Rachel exhibited by Jacob, who already understood from their first encounter that she was his intended bride. In another tradition, Rachel envied Leahs good deeds. Did he not gird his loins for her [since Isaac strove and prayed so that Rebekah would become pregnant]? Jacob replied: He did not have children, I have children [I already have four sons from Leah]. Rachel retorted: And did not your grandfather [Abraham] have children [Abraham had Ishmael], yet he girded his loins for Sarah[nonetheless, he made the effort of praying so that Sarah would become pregnant]? He told her: You can do as my grandmother [Sarah] did. She asked him: And what did she do? He replied: She brought a rival wife [Hagar] into her house. She responded: If this is the obstacle, [then](Gen. 30:3): Here is my maid Bilhah. He suggests that the Apostles were also numbered twelve, though Judas Iscariot was dead by that time, (John 20:24 ) and cites Saint Augustine to support him. Jacobs response is described in v. 2: Jacob was incensed at Rachel, and said, Can I take the place of God, who has denied you fruit of the womb? The midrashic exegesis further intensifies Jacobs strong statement. We can't believe God's love is free for us to receive. "Meet Rachel - Favored Wife of Jacob." In yet another exegetical understanding, Rachel said: May the Lord add another son for me for exile, because the ten tribes were exiled beyond the Sambatyon river, while the tribes of Judah and Benjamin were dispersed throughout all the lands. I acted kindly with her, I was not jealous of her, and I did not cause her to be shamed and disgraced. l.c.) Rachel, in Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), one of the two wives of the patriarch Jacob. 13). But the Bible makes no specific statement to this effect. R. Judan's opinion, however, was that Rachel died before Leah because, although she was the younger sister, she spoke before Leah when they were addressed by their husband (ib. Buber],Vayeshev19). In the episode of the mandrakes, when Leah reproached her sister for having robbed her of her husband (Gen. xxx. ; Midr. Dates and ages are not given for very many women in the Scriptures. Themidrashasserts that the salvation that occurred in his time in the war at Gilgal(Josh. Rabbah[ed. 3). As related inGen. 32:7, before the meeting with Esau, Jacob was apprehensive that his brother was preparing to fight him, and he therefore divided his family into two camps. Jack Zavada is a writer who covers the Bible, theology, and other Christianity topics. This midrash awards the birthright to Joseph, since his two sons became tribes and he therefore received twice as much as any of his brothers. Corrections? Instead, he must accept the first-born, the son of the unloved one, and allot to him a double portion of all he possesses. The midrash compares this mandate with the story of Jacob. Leah's life as Jacob's wife was distressful. As compensation for this negative depiction, Scripture calls Israel after her, after her son, and after her sons son. B. Rachel was one of Jacob's wives through . Consequently, Rachel found herself in an inferior position, since Leah bore children to Jacob, while she herself had not. Rijksmuseum The story of how Jacob ends up marrying his two cousins, Leah and Rachel, begins in Canaan, with the marriage of his older twin, Esau, to two Hittite women of whom Isaac and Rebekah do not approve. Family relations of Rachel in the Bible. In the tableau inGen. 35:17, Rachel experiences difficulty in childbirth and the midwife tells her: Have no fear, for it is another boy for you. The Rabbis observe that this is how a womans spirit is restored during childbirth, by telling her not to fear, because she is giving birth to a son [which was regarded as an honor which would raise the womans spirits](Gen. Rabbah82:8). Agadat Bereshit li. Laban's excuse was that it was not their custom to marry off the younger daughter before the older one. Genesis 29:18Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "Ill work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel." Agadah to Gen. xxx. Thus she would be eighteen years of age when she married. Both bore him children. They consented, as is said inGen. 31:14: Then Rachel and Leah answered, saying []. Since Rachel spoke before her sister, she was punished by dying before her(Gen. Rabbah74:4). Benjamin was born on the road to Bethlehem, and therefore Rachel must have conceived him in Padan-aram, though she bore him in Canaan. By your life, your sons will stand before her son, and he will tell them(Gen. 50:19) Am I a substitute for God?(Gen. Rabbah71:7). According to one opinion, her death was a punishment for Jacob, for having made a vow and then not honoring it. The Rabbis did not view this exchange between the sisters favorably. The contention between the two women did not cease even after Rachels death, and arose again as regards the seniority of Jacobs sons: who would be considered the firstbornthe son of Leah, or of Rachel; and similarly, regarding the origin of Elijah, the harbinger of the Redemption. The regimen of rituals, songs and textual readings performed in a specific order on the first two nights (in Israel, on the first night) of Passover. The Rabbis learned from this that seven days of feasting are to be conducted for a bride and groom (Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer[ed. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the . 14). 1777 BC-1759 BC-1738 BC) was the second wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. "teaching," "study," or "learning." From the Jewish Museum, New York, via Wikimedia Commons. "order." Later, when Leah was given in marriage instead of Rachel, the latter revealed the signs to her sister in order to spare her from being disgraced by Jacob. Thismidrashincorporates several aggadic traditions according to which Leah gave birth to Issachar and Zebulun by merit of the mandrakes that she gave her sister. When Rachel heard this, she ran to tell her father. So we would only be guessing if we came up with an age for Leah and Rachel. Rachel unquestionably had Jacob's favor, but Rachel was sterile, while Leah was fertile. Lit. 31:15Israel is called after Rachel: Rachel weeping for her children; inAmos 5:15Israel is named after her son: Perhaps the Lord, the God of Hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph; and inJer. Some rabbinical writings suggest that Rachel and Leah were twins, and were fourteen years old at the time of Jacob's first meeting with Rachel. 113:9states: He sets the childless woman among her household as a happy mother of children (Pesikta de-Rav Kahana[ed. The Rabbis differ as to the reason why Rachel stole her father's teraphim. Learn Religions, Dec. 6, 2022, learnreligions.com/rachel-favored-wife-of-jacob-701193. The Bible says that this took place at sheep-shearing time,[5] which is always in the springtime. Consort with her [] that through her I too may have children (Gen. Rabbahloc. Themidrashrelates that Rachel was twenty-two years old when she was married to Jacob (SederOlam Rabbah2), and her barrenness lasted for fourteen years (Seder Eliyahu Rabbah18, p. 99). Before she died, she said that the child should be named Ben-oni, or "son of my pain." Jacob said to Rachel: who has deniedyoufruit of the wombHe denied you, but me He did not deny [since I have sons from Leah]. Themidrashrelates that there was no maiden comelier than Rachel, which was why Jacob desired to wed her, and sent her presents. 11). Gen. 30:23records that when Rachel gave birth to Joseph she explained: God has taken away [asaf] my disgrace. The Rabbis observe that until a woman gives birth, whatever blame [there is, within the house] is placed upon her. Themidrashperceives Rachel as an educational figure who delineated the path that her offspring were to follow. 2, 7). These two reasons reveal the fact that, already at the instant of his first meeting with Rachel, Jacob realized that she was the woman meant for him. Various Jewish sources say Rachel died at age 36 and other sources say age 45. She had started from a position of superiority over her sister, since she was the desired wife. The midrash connects these actions, both of which express Rachels compassionate nature. She did not want to adhere to the paganism of her fathers house, but rather sought to prevent Laban from engaging in idolatry. Laban's younger daughter, who became one of Jacob's wives (Gen. xxix. Rachel and her sister Leah are mentioned as the two women who founded the house of Israel, Rachel, though younger, being mentioned first (Ruth iv. Jacob then married Rachel and worked for Laban another seven years for her. 16). Before his death, Jacob praises Joseph for acting in this manner, when he says of his son(Gen. 49:22): Joseph is a wild ass, a wild ass by a spring [ayin, also meaning eye]I must reward you for that eye [for having concealed Rachel from Esaus eye](Gen. Rabbah78:10). Rabbah3:2). Gen. 33:2relates: putting the maids and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last, to which the midrash comments: The more behind, the more beloved(Gen. Rabbah78:8). Deut. Rachel and Joseph were most beloved by Jacob, and therefore they stood last. This midrash bore a message of consolation to the Rabbis and the Jews of their time, since, for the Rabbis, Esau symbolized the Roman empire. Recall Jacob had to flee from his family's house because of his treachery toward his brother Esau. Rachel Stevens has shut down ex-fianc Jeremy Edwards's claim that she cheated on him. Themidrashfurther relates that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, and he even loved Bilhah, Rachels handmaiden, more than he loved Zilpah, the handmaiden of Leah (Gen. Rabbati,Vayeze, p. 120). 60a, and Targ. Jacob was 77 years old, and he loved Rachel immediately. 22-24). Rachel initially relies on her handmaiden Bilhah to bear children in her place, but Rachel eventually becomes pregnant and goes on to have one other child. Why did Rachel die? 10). 3). xxxi. 33:6): May Reuben live and not die. This blessing expresses Reubens standing as firstborn, who took a double portion [as is the law of the firstborn]: May Reuben live and not dieMay Reuben live, in this world; and not die, in the World to Come (Tanhuma[ed. "teaching," "study," or "learning." It was for my sake that he came here and served our father for so many years. She told her father she was having her period, making her ceremonially unclean, so he did not search near her. Buber],Vayeze12). Buber],Vayeze19). But Rachel was not content with this. The restrictions on her date of birth are: The maximum likely age for Rachel at the time of the birth of Benjamin is thirty-nine years. 3 (2020): 299-333. ; Gen. R. lxxiv. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Isaac married Rabecah and they had two sons - Esau and Jacob. According to a third tradition, Jacob wept for grief, for he realized that after he kissed Rachel people were whispering to one another: Why has this one come, to teach us this indecent behavior? The midrash comments that after the world had been struck by the Flood, the nations of the world hedged themselves against illicit sexual behavior [i.e., they accepted all manner of sexual prohibitions] (Gen. Rabbahloc. She bore another son and a daughter over the next two years. Buber],Vayeze18). Jacobs other wife is Rachels sister Leah, which causes issues between the sisters, especially because Leah is able to bear children. In the New Testament, this same verse in Jeremiah is cited in Matthew 2:18 as a prophecy fulfilled through Herods order to kill all male children under two in Bethlehem and the surrounding areas. Themidrashstates that Leah carried a male fetus in her womb during her seventh pregnancy. Rachel then offered to allow Leah to lie with Jacob that evening. Answer Rachel is a major character in the early Old Testament; she was a daughter of Laban, sister of Leah, favored wife of Jacob, and mother of two of Jacob's children. When Rachel realized that she was barren, she emulated Sarah and gave Bilhah to Jacob, saying: "Just as this one was built by her rival wife, so, too, shall I be built by my rival wife" (Gen. Rabbah 71:30). Gen. Captivated by her, "Jacob went over to the well and moved the stone from its mouth and watered his uncles flock." At such an age, a girl might be given adult responsibility in a family that did not (yet) have sons. Jacob said to Joseph that he had buried Rachel near Ephrath, where Bethlehem now stands. How old was Rachel when Jacob married her? Jacob protested, and Laban answered that local custom did not permit a younger sister to marry before the older sister. Rachel and Leah were twin sisters, fourteen years old when Jacob came to their father's house; consequently they were twenty-one years old at the time of their marriage to Jacob (Seder 'Olam Rabbah ii.). 3; Pire R. El. This exposition emphasizes that Jacob acted in accordance with the commandment of the Torah and did not prefer the son of the loved wife to the son of the unloved one. 1; Gen. R. lxxi. Rather, he told the latter(Gen. 49:3): Reuben, you are my first-born; notwithstanding this, Jacob also spoke disparagingly of him (v. 4): Unstable as water, you shall excel no longer. Many years later, Moses would bless Reuben and release him from this disgrace(Deut. Some midrashim view the name given by Rachel to her son Joseph as a prophecy for what would befall his descendants. Yet a third tradition explains that Rachel merited pregnancy because she brought her rival wife [Bilhah] into her house. 6), this prayer of Rachel caused Leah's seventh child, which at the time of conception was a son, to be transformed into a daughter; otherwise Rachel would have been the mother of only one son (comp., however, Ber. Who is Rachel in The Bible? Most of the Rabbis consider the idea of Rachel being an envious woman as incompatible with what has been previously said of her. In the narrative inGen. 31:19, when Jacob fled from Labans house, Rachel stole her fathers household idols. Systems of Transliteration Citation of Proper Names. But Laban substituted Leah, Rachel's older sister, in her place. Zavada, Jack. TheTorahrelates that it was Joseph who ordered that the goblet be hidden in Benjamins sack. His prophecy was fulfilled, asJer. (Genesis 29:10, NLT). Rachel had been given Bilhah as a handmaiden by her father Laban upon her marriage to Jacob. Referred to alternatively as the "Day of Judgement" and the "Day of Blowing" (of the, Lit. When Potiphars wife attempted to seduce Joseph, he raised his eyes and saw the image of his mother Rachel and was thereby saved from the sin of adultery(JTHorayot2:5, 46[d]). (NIV). God accepted her prayer and the sex of the fetus in her womb changed to female(BTBerakhot60a;Tanhuma[ed. Another tradition explains the Torahs statement(Gen. 29:16): Now Laban had two daughters as meaning that both were equal in beauty and in their erect stature (Tanhuma[ed. Forced to serve Rachel's father, Laban, for seven years to win her, Jacob was tricked at the end of that time into marrying her sister, Leah. Bilhah, Rachel's servant and Jacob's concubine, bears two more sons, Dan and Naphtali. When Jacob saw Rachel coming with the flock, he rolled the heavy stone from the mouth of the well by himself, a task that normally required more than three men; in the midrashic exposition, he rolled the stone as someone who removes a stopper from a flask(Gen. Rabbah70:12).

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