how old was rachel when she married jacob

Jacob told Reuben: The birthright, the priesthood, and kingship were yours. According to another exegetical approach, it is Rachels son who wins the birthright. 19:11) drippings of the comb [nofet zufim], which are in the portion of Naphtali, who will engage in Torah study (Gen. Rabbahloc. 15). (This mistaken belief was similar to the belief that both sisters had in the power of the common mandrake to confer fertility.) A compilation of the commentary and discussions of the amora'im on the Mishnah. https://www.learnreligions.com/rachel-favored-wife-of-jacob-701193 (accessed May 1, 2023). Your life, they will exact punishment from him whenever he threatens your children (Pesikta Rabbati[ed. 14; Tan., Wayee, 13). Rachel lost being buried next to Jacob because of her dealing with Leah, but she thereby merited having her son Joseph receive the birthright. No, he did not. The Rabbis commented on the sale of the mandrakes: This one lost and the other one lost, this one was rewarded and the other one was rewarded. Leah lost the mandrakes and was rewarded with tribes; Rachel lost burial, and was rewarded with the birthright(Gen. Rabbah72:3). Due to the shame that Benjamin suffered through no fault of his own, he merited having the Divine Presence rest in his portion [the Temple was erected in the portion of the tribe of Benjamin], which thereby publicly proclaimed his innocence. Jewish Women's Archive. Another tradition suggests that when Rachel saw that she did not bear children, she feared lest Esau take her from Jacob and marry her [because of the prior agreement between the parents of Jacob and Esau that each would marry one of the sisters, while Jacob had married both]. TheA type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules).midrash portrays Rachel as a prophetess, and her statements and the names she gave her sons contain allusions to the future. God took pity on Leah and allowed her to bear children, while Rachel was barren. God took pity on Leah and allowed her to bear children, while Rachel was barren. The Bible does not say when Rachel was born, nor how old she was when she married Jacob, nor how long she lived. In another exegetical tradition, Jacob placed Rachel and Joseph last because he wanted to protect them. Meet Rachel - Favored Wife of Jacob. 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. Gen 29:20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her. In an additional commentary, another son referred to the apportioning ofThe Land of IsraelErez Israel, since Benjamin did not have a portion with Joseph, but with the tribe of Judah(Gen. Rabbah73:56). As punishment for Jacobs behavior, Leahs sons will stand before Joseph, the ruler of all Egypt, hear the same words coming out of his mouth and fear him, not knowing how he will act toward them [after Jacobs death]. Gen. 30:1relates that when Rachel saw that she was not bearing children, she told Jacob: Give me children, or I shall die, leading the Rabbis to conclude that whoever is childless is regarded as dead (Lam. Answer (1 of 5): How old was Jacob when he married his wife in the Bible? But as she approached, a stranger (Jacob) rolled the stone away for her and watered the sheep. She hid these teraphim in her saddle bag, and sat on them. From the Jewish Museum, New York, via Wikimedia Commons. Gen. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The midrash relates that Rachel was twenty-two years old when she was married to Jacob (Seder Olam Rabbah 2), and her barrenness lasted for fourteen years (Seder Eliyahu Rabbah 18, p. 99). cit.). This means Jacob was Laban's nephew. Forced to serve Rachels father, Laban, for seven years to win her, Jacob was tricked at the end of that time into marrying her sister, Leah. At that time God was revealed to Jacob and He told him: Rachels children are with you, and you are afraid? Scripture says Rachel was beautiful. 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. She therefore insisted that Jacob pray to God for children, arguing that his father, Isaac, had done so(comp. He knew that he would marry her, just as Rebekah had been married to Isaac, and he also understood that he would bury her. 28:20) his tribe received the jasper [yashfe, with the meaning ofyesh pehthere is a mouth] stone in the High Priests breastpiece. This midrash criticizes Jacob for responding so harshly and inconsiderately to Rachel, who is presented as a bitter woman. 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. But Laban substituted Leah, Rachel's older sister, in her place. She spends much of her married life attempting to bear children for Jacob and eventually uses her maid Bilhah as a surrogate, but Rachel still craves biological children. Rachel's early decease was due, according to the general opinion of the Rabbis, to Jacob's involuntary curse uttered when Laban was searching for the teraphim, "With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live" (Gen. xxxi. 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. Jacob was quite old compared to other generations when he finally married. Features thousands of biographic and thematic essays on Jewish women around the world. He was then allowed to marry Rachel as well, in return for seven more years of labour. cit.) [Note Jacob was less than half this age when he met Rachel - this means that even compared to a modern man, he was in the prime of his life at that point.] When Jacob first met Laban (his mother's brother), he immediately fell in love with his younger daughter Rachel. cit.). The Rabbis learned from this that whoever makes a vow and delays fulfilling it will bury his wife (Lev. (Viewed on May 1, 2023) . 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. Whatever the case, she died young. [1] 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? Jacob is ultimately allowed to marry Rachel, which he does immediately after the festivities related to his wedding to Leah end, in exchange for another seven years' labor. So we would only be guessing if we came up with an age for Leah and Rachel. 11). In any case, Rachel cannot have conceived Benjamin earlier than the springtime. In another midrashic understanding, Rachel alluded to the disgrace during the time of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who was a descendant of the tribe of Ephraim, and who engaged in idolatry and denigrated the prophet Ahijah of Shiloh(I Kings 1214); this disgrace was taken away when Jeroboam was put to death(II Chron. 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. 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. Buber],Vayeze13). According to the second opinion, however, the fact that she was the chief person of the household was a result of her barrenness and did not necessarily reflect Jacobs preference for her. This midrash compares the barrenness of the three Matriarchs and the conduct of the three Patriarchs, which intensifies the criticism of Jacob, who should have acted as his forefathers did, and pray on behalf of Rachel in accordance with her wishes. Rachel married Jacob after he was tricked into marrying her sister Leah. ; Gen. R. lxxiv. Thismidrashindicates the physical trait shared by Rachel and Joseph, which the Bible expresses in identical language. The uncertainty arises from the unknown time between Jacob leaving Paddan-aram and arriving in Ephrath which was presumably at least 2 years (with Bethel in between) and when Joseph was 17 years old. Rachel's death was so deeply felt by Jacob that he considered it the greatest of all his sorrows (Ruth R. i. Though she and Jacob were deeply in love, she did not conceive for many years. 21). 6:23)(Gen. Rabbah82:7). By ancient custom, Bilhah's children would be credited to Rachel. Then she waived this status when she consented to Leahs marriage to Jacob. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Now that you have sinned, the birthright has been given to Joseph, the priesthood to Levi, and kingship to Judah (Gen. Rabbahloc. Buber],Vayeze18). When Rachel saw them, she asked Leah to give them to her [because of her barrenness]. 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. Most of the Rabbis consider the idea of Rachel being an envious woman as incompatible with what has been previously said of her. R., Petita, 25). 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the . By her merit, Joseph was given the birthright, and her descendants rose to royalty, leadership, and greatness. Theodor-Albeck, MS. Vatican, 99:20, p. 1270]). This midrash uses a common date to connect various historical events. 2). It was for my sake that he came here and served our father for so many years. Rachel (Hebrew: , Rl; "a ewe"[1]) (ca. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In another midrashic tradition, however, Jacob did not initially favor Rachel over Leah. Thus said the Lord: Restrain your voice from weeping, your eyes from shedding tears; for there is a reward for your labordeclares the Lord: They shall return from the enemys land. Rachels good deeds also positively influenced her children. This was the year in which Jacob fled in secret from Laban. Isaac married Rabecah and they had two sons - Esau and Jacob.. In thismidrash, Rachel has the insight that the birth of children is a reward from God. 2:20): But Esther still did not reveal her kindred or her people and did not mention her Jewish origins in the palace of Ahasuerus(Gen. Rabbah71:5;Tanhuma,Vayeze6). 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. 14-15), Rachel's feelings were wounded, and she replied bitterly: "Jacob is not thy husband; he is mine. Jealous of her sister, Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife. In another tradition, Rachel envied Leahs good deeds. 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. Continuing this exegetical orientation, in another midrashic depiction Jacob tells Reuben, while blessing his sons before his death: The birthright was not yours. Rachel, who was not so occupied, therefore became the mainstay of the household. Themidrashrelates that there was no maiden comelier than Rachel, which was why Jacob desired to wed her, and sent her presents. When Laban overtook Jacob in the hill country of Gilead, he reproached him(Gen. 31:30): but why did you steal my idols?, to which Jacob replied (v. 32): But anyone with whom you find your gods shall not remain alive! Themidrashexplains that this statement by Jacob was as an error committed by a ruler [which is nevertheless implementedfollowingEccl. 3 (2020): 299-333. Agadah to Gen. xxix. Through the fraud of Laban, Jacob's marriage with Rachel took place after he had married her elder sister, Leah, who, though less loved than Rachel, became the mother of four sons, while the latter was childless. The Rabbis ask why Jacob buried Rachel on the road to Ephrath, and not in the Cave of Machpelah. 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. 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. pseudo-Jonathan to Gen. xxx. Before her death, Rachel names the newborn. At first childless, Rachel eventually gave birth to Joseph and died giving birth to Benjamin. ; comp. Therefore, Jacob was 71 years old at the time he met Rachel. 16-20). And, indeed, she bore Jacob only a single additional son, Benjamin(JTBerakhot9:3, 14[ab]). Kadari, Tamar. We only know the age of Jacob during this period of time. Rachel bore Joseph, then the entire clan left Laban's country to return to Isaac. Laban's excuse was that it was not their custom to marry off the younger daughter before the older one. Rabbah[ed. [1] Jacob decided to leave quietly at night. This well had a heavy stone to cap it by night, and Rachel was accustomed to waiting for someone to roll the stone away when all the flocks were gathered. The Rabbis observe that a woman usually goes to her mothers household, but since Rachels mother was dead, she had none to tell about Jacob besides her father(Gen. Rabbah70:13). Later, in giving birth to Benjamin, Rachel died and was buried by Jacob near Bethlehem. Zavada, Jack. But the Bible makes no specific statement to this effect. The Rabbis claim that Rachel did so for the sake of Heaven. 14; Midr. 21:1517prescribes that If a man has two wives, one loved and the other unloved, and both [] have borne him sons [] he may not treat as first-born the son of the loved one in disregard of the son of the unloved one who is older. Jacob then married Rachel and worked for Laban another seven years for her. God thereupon promised her the restoration of Israel (Lam. DAY 34: Jacob Was 84 Years Old When He Married Rachel And Leah By richoka Leave a Comment We've now arrived at the third Biblical patriarch: Jacob. lxx. Her first son was Joseph, the future viceroy of Egypt. Joseph thereby is awarded a double portion, which is the right of the firstborn. The affair of the mandrakes is generally represented by the Rabbis as unfavorable to Rachel; and it was due to her mode of obtaining them (comp. This exegesis hints that in the rivalry between Israel and Esau [= Rome] Rachels children would emerge victorious. Jacob objecting on the ground that his father had one wife only, while he himself had two, and that though one of them was childless, he had children by the other, she urged him to follow Abraham's example, and to take her handmaid for a wife (Midr. According to this conception, Rachels son should from the outset have been the firstborn, but because God had compassion on the unloved Leah, He gave her the fruit of the womb and she bore Jacobs firstborn son. And there is hope for your futuredeclares the Lord: Your children shall return to their country(Gen. Rabbah82:10). Thus she would be eighteen years of age when she married. 29a; R. H. 11a), and it was particularly her self-abnegation at the time of her sister's marriage which gained for her the divine clemency (Gen. R. lxxiii. The Bible does not say when Rachel was born, nor how old she was when she married Jacob, nor how long she lived. She had started from a position of superiority over her sister, since she was the desired wife. He buried her on the road to Ephrath because he foresaw that the Israelites, when driven into captivity along that road, would need her intercession with God in their behalf (Midr. Rachel and Joseph were most beloved by Jacob, and therefore they stood last. 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. Those sons became the founders of the 12 tribes of Israel. 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. The midrash includes Rachel among the seven barren women who were eventually blessed with offspring:Sarah, Rebekah,Rachel, Leah,Manoahs Wife,Hannah andZion [in a metaphorical sense], of whomPs. Let us know. 10:5], and therefore Rachel died during childbirth(Gen. 35:19). Theodor-Albeck, MS. Vatican, 99:3, p. 1253]). Rachel immediately told her father Laban about the helpful stranger at the well. 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. xxiii. Rachel married Andrew Jackson (twice) and at age 61, prior to her husband's inauguration Rachel Jackson died of a heart attack at age 61. She was responsible for taking the sheep to the well for water every day. 14-16, 19, 34-35). Buber],Vayeze6). Buber],Vayeshev19). In Ruth 4:11, she is named as one "from whom all the nation of Israel descended." Leah's life as Jacob's wife was distressful. Rebekah had sent him there to be safe from his angry twin brother, Esau . So Rachel offered her handmaid, Bilhah, as her surrogate. However, since he was delayed in fulfilling his vow [as is related inGen. 35:17], he was punished by having to bury Rachel. Episode 91: Israel at 75: Voices of Protest. Agadah toGen. This filled Rachel with envy, and, having expressed her feelings to Jacob, she bade him take her handmaid Bilhah to wife in order that she might obtain a family through her (xxix. All the furrows that I plowed in your mother [i.e., acts of intercourse] should I not have done with Rachel? [3] This traditional site lies four miles south of Jerusalem and one mile north of Bethlehem. She died after bearing her second son, in 2266 AM. Before she died, she said that the child should be named Ben-oni, or "son of my pain." Learn Religions. 19; Gen. R. lxxxii. 8:6: Passion [kinah, literally, jealousy] is mighty as Sheolthis was Rachels jealousy of her sister (Tanhuma[ed. 1777 BC-1759 BC-1738 BC) was the second wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. 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. Tadshe, in Epstein, "Mi-admoniyyot ha-Yehudim," Supplement, p. Jacob then married Rachel and worked for Laban another seven years for her. xxxv. Buber],Vayeze12). 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. 10:16) but he did not tell him [his uncle] anything [] about [his being anointed for] the kingship. Esther, who was descended from Rachel, was similarly reticent(Esth. 5:14): From Ephraim came they whose roots are in Amalek [literally: From Ephraim came those who will destroy Amalek from its roots]and Israel will be rescued only by the son of Rachel. Gen. 33:67describes the meeting with Esau: Then the maids, with their children, came forward and bowed low; next Leah, with her children, came forward and bowed low; and lastly, Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed low. The Rabbis noted that the other wives came first and their children after them, while Joseph stepped forward before his mother Rachel. The Rabbis differ as to the reason why Rachel stole her father's teraphim. According to the Rabbis, Laban would not have succeeded in deceiving Jacob without Rachels involvement. But Rachel was not content with this. Genesis chapters 29-30 and 35 detail the births of Jacob's many children. Corrections? At Naphtalis birth, Rachel said(Gen. 30:8): A contest of God, a fateful contest I waged [naftuleiniftalti] with my sister; yes, and I have prevailed. Themidrashgives four different interpretations of this name. Leah was busy with raising her children and therefore could not care for the needs of the household. Laban agreed to the arrangement. In Sivan of 2251 AM (MayJune 1754 BC, or literally, "in the days of the wheat harvest"), Reuben went into the field and gathered mandrakes (Mandragora officinarum) for his mother Leah.

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