בראשית רבה ע״בBereshit Rabbah 72

Parashah 72 of 100 in Bereshit Rabbah — 6 sections

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Section 1א׳

וַיֵּלֶךְ רְאוּבֵן בִּימֵי קְצִיר חִטִּים (בראשית ל, יד), (משלי כב, ו): חֲנֹךְ לַנַּעַר עַל פִּי דַרְכּוֹ גַּם כִּי יַזְקִין לֹא יָסוּר מִמֶּנָּה. (במדבר לב, ה): יֻתַּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לַעֲבָדֶיךָ וגו'. (שמואל א ב, ה): שְׂבֵעִים בַּלֶּחֶם נִשְׂכָּרוּ וּרְעֵבִים חָדֵלּוּ עַד עֲקָרָה יָלְדָה שִׁבְעָה וְרַבַּת בָּנִים אֻמְלָלָה, שְׂבֵעִים בַּלֶּחֶם נִשְׂכָּרוּ, זוֹ לֵאָה שֶׁהָיְתָה שְׂבֵעָה בְּבָנִים וְנִשְׂכָּרָה. רְעֵבִים חָדֵלּוּ, זוֹ רָחֵל שֶׁהָיְתָה רְעֵבָה לְבָנִים חָדֵלָה. עַד עֲקָרָה יָלְדָה שִׁבְעָה, זוֹ לֵאָה שֶׁהָיְתָה עִקָּרָהּ שֶׁל בַּיִת יָלְדָה שִׁבְעָה. וְרַבַּת בָּנִים אֻמְלָלָה, זוֹ רָחֵל שֶׁהָיְתָה רְאוּיָה שֶׁיַּעַמְדוּ מִמֶּנָּה רֻבָּן שֶׁל בָּנִים, אֻמְלָלָה. וּמִי עָשָׂה כֵן, (שמואל א ב, ו): ה' מֵמִית וּמְחַיֶּה.

“Reuben went during the days of wheat harvest, found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to Leah, his mother. Rachel said to Leah: Please give me from your son’s mandrakes” (Genesis 30:14). “Reuben went during the days of wheat harvest.” “Train the lad in accordance with his way; even when he grows old, he will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6). “May this land be given to your servants…” (Numbers 32:5). “The sated were hired for bread, but the hungry have ceased; while the barren has borne seven, the one with many children is miserable” (I Samuel 2:5). “The sated were hired [niskaru] for bread” – this is Leah, who was sated with sons and was rewarded [niskara]. “But the hungry have ceased [ḥadelu]” – this is Rachel, who was hungry for children but was stymied [ḥadela]. “While the barren [akara] has borne seven” – this is Leah, who was the primary one [ikara] in the household, and bore seven. “The one with many children is miserable” – this is Rachel, who was worthy to have the majority of the children emerge from her, and was miserable. Who did this? It is: “The Lord puts to death and brings to life” (I Samuel 2:6).

Section 2ב׳

וַיֵּלֶךְ רְאוּבֵן בִּימֵי קְצִיר חִטִּים וַיִּמְצָא דוּדָאִים (בראשית ל, יד), רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר, יַבְרוּחִין. רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, שְׂעוֹרִין. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר' סִימוֹן אָמַר מַיְשִׁין. בֵּין לְדִבְרֵי אֵלּוּ וּבֵין לְדִבְרֵי אֵלּוּ הַכֹּל מוֹדִים שֶׁלֹא הֵבִיא אֶלָּא מִן הַהֶפְקֵר. לְמַאן דְּאָמַר שְׂעוֹרִים, שְׂעוֹרִים בִּימֵי קְצִיר חִטִּים כְּשָׂדֶה שֶׁל הֶפְקֵר הֵן, לְפִי שֶׁכְּבָר כָּלָה הַקָּצִיר שֶׁל שְׂעוֹרִים, תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁהָלַךְ בִּשְׁעַת הַקָּצִיר בִּשְׁעַת בִּכּוּר כָּל מִינֵי אִיפוֹרְיָא וְלֹא הֵבִיא אֶלָּא דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא מִן הַמֻּפְקָר, לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁמוּרִים מִגֶּזֶל הָאָרֶץ, וְאִם כָּךְ הָיוּ שְׁמוּרִים מִגֶּזֶל הָאָרֶץ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁמוּרִים מִכָּל הַגָּזֵל. (בראשית ל, יד): וַיָּבֵא אֹתָם אֶל לֵאָה אִמּוֹ, לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ עַד הֵיכָן הָיְתָה כְּבוֹדָהּ שֶׁל אִמּוֹ עָלָיו, שֶׁלֹא טְעָמָן עַד שֶׁהֱבִיאָם אֶל אִמּוֹ.

“Reuben went during the days of wheat harvest, found mandrakes” – Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Mandrakes; Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Barley; Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: The hackberry tree. Both according to these and according to those, everyone agrees that he brought only from the ownerless. According to the one who said barley, during the days of the wheat harvest, barley is ownerless, as the barley harvest has already concluded. Know that he went at the time of the harvest, at the time of the ripening of all kinds of summer fruits, but brought only an item that was from the ownerless. This is to inform you that they would distance themselves from robbery of the land. If they would distance themselves in that manner from robbery of the land, all the more so, they distanced themselves from all types of robbery. “And brought them to Leah, his mother” – to inform you to what extent his mother’s honor was important to him, as he did not taste them until he brought them to his mother.

Section 3ג׳

וַתֹּאמֶר רָחֵל אֶל לֵאָה תְּנִי נָא לִי מִדּוּדָאֵי בְּנֵךְ. הַמְעַט קַחְתֵּךְ אֶת אִישִׁי (בראשית ל, יד טו), הַנֵּיאַת לְסָבִי מִן דִּקְנִי, תָּאנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לְפִי שֶׁזִּלְזְלָה בַּצַּדִּיק לְפִיכָךְ אֵינָהּ נִכְנֶסֶת עִמּוֹ בִּקְבוּרָה, הוּא דְּהִיא אָמְרָה לָהּ (בראשית ל, טו): לָכֵן יִשְׁכַּב עִמָּךְ הַלַּיְלָה, אָמְרָה לָהּ עִמָּךְ הוּא דָּמֵךְ, עִמִּי לֵית הוּא דָּמֵךְ. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר זוֹ הִפְסִידָה וְזוֹ הִפְסִידָה, זוֹ נִשְׂתַּכְּרָה וְזוֹ נִשְׂתַּכְּרָה, לֵאָה הִפְסִידָה דוּדָאִים וְנִשְׂתַּכְּרָה ב' שְׁבָטִים וּבְכוֹרָה, וְרָחֵל נִשְׂתַּכְּרָה דוּדָאִים וְהִפְסִידָה שְׁבָטִים וּבְכוֹרָה. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר זוֹ הִפְסִידָה דוּדָאִים וְנִשְׂתַּכְּרָה שְׁבָטִים וּקְבוּרָה עִמּוֹ, רָחֵל נִשְׂתַּכְּרָה דוּדָאִים וְהִפְסִידָה שְׁבָטִים וּקְבוּרָה עִמּוֹ.

She said to her: Is the taking of my husband insignificant, that you take my son’s mandrakes, as well? Rachel said: Therefore, he will lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes” (Genesis 30:15). “Rachel said to Leah: Please give me from your son’s mandrakes…is the taking of my husband insignificant” – will you take from my beard for my grandfather? Rabbi Shimon taught: Because she demeaned the righteous one, that is why she will not enter the grave with him. That is what she said to her: “Therefore, he will lie with you tonight” – he will lie in death with you; he will not lie in death with me. Rabbi Elazar said: This one lost and that one lost, this one gained and that one gained. Leah lost mandrakes and gained two tribes and primacy. Rachel gained mandrakes and lost tribes and primacy. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: This one lost mandrakes and gained tribes and burial with him. Rachel gained mandrakes and lost tribes and burial with him.

Section 4ד׳

וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב מִן הַשָּׂדֶה בָּעֶרֶב (בראשית ל, טז), תַּמָּן תְּנֵינַן הַשֹּׂוֹכֵר אֶת הַפּוֹעֲלִים וּפָּסַק עִמָּהֶם לְהַשְׁכִּים וּלְהַעֲרִיב, מָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ שֶׁלֹא לְהַשְׁכִּים וּלְהַעֲרִיב אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְכוֹפָן, אָמַר רַבִּי מוּנָא מָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין מִנְהָג, תְּנַאי בֵּית דִּין הַגָּדוֹל הוּא שֶׁתְּהֵא הוֹצָאָה מִשֶּׁל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת וְהַכְנָסָה מִשֶּׁל פּוֹעֵל. הוֹצָאָה מִשֶּׁל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קד, כב): תִּזְרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ יֵאָסֵפוּן, מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ (תהלים קד, כג): יֵצֵא אָדָם לְפָעֳלוֹ. הַכְנָסָה מִשֶּׁל פּוֹעֵל מִנַּיִן, (תהלים קד, כג): וְלַעֲבֹדָתוֹ עֲדֵי עָרֶב, עַד עָרֶב לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא עֲדֵי עָרֶב, לוֹמַר עַד חֲשֵׁכָה, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (איוב ז, ד): עֲדֵי נָשֶׁף. רַבִּי אָמִי בְּשֵׁם רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר הִטְרִיחוּ עַל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת שֶׁאִם הָיְתָה עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת תְּהֵא הַכְנָסָה מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, עַד הֵיכָן עַד שֶׁיְהֵא כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מְמַלֵּא לוֹ חָבִית שֶׁל מַיִם וְצוֹלֶה לוֹ דָּג מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם מִשּׁוּם כְּבוֹד שַׁבָּת, וּמַדְלִיק נֵר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב מִן הַשָּׂדֶה בָּעָרֶב, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וְלַעֲבֹדָתוֹ עֲדֵי עָרֶב.

“Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him and said: You will consort with me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes. He lay with her that night” (Genesis 30:16). “God listened to Leah and she became pregnant and gave birth to Jacob, a fifth son” (Genesis 30:17). “Jacob came from the field in the evening” – there we learned: One who hires laborers and stipulates with them to rise early and to continue late, in a place where they are accustomed not to rise early or to continue late, he is not permitted to compel them. Rabbi Muna said: In a place where there is no custom, it is a stipulation of the High Court that going out will be at the expense of the employer, and coming in will be at the expense of the laborer. Going out is at the expense of the employer, from where is it derived? “When the sun rises, they will gather” (Psalms 104:22). From then on: “A person goes out to his work” (Psalms 104:23). Coming in will be at the expense of the laborer, from where is it derived? “And to his labor until evening [adei erev]” (Psalms 104:23) – “ad erev” is not stated, but rather, “adei erev,” meaning until dark, just as it says: “until complete darkness [adei neshef]” (Job 7:4). Rabbi Ami said in the name of Reish Lakish: They imposed upon the employer that if it was the day before Shabbat, the coming in would be at his expense. To what extent? It is so each and every one would fill a barrel of water for himself and roast a fish for himself while it is still day, in deference to Shabbat, and to kindle a lamp, as it is stated: “Jacob came from the field in the evening.” That is what is written: “And to his labor until evening.”

Section 5ה׳

וַתֵּצֵא לֵאָה לִקְרָאתוֹ (בראשית ל, טז), מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹא הִנִּיחָה אוֹתוֹ לִרְחֹץ רַגְלָיו. (בראשית ל, טז): וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלַי תָּבוֹא, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ צָפָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁלֹא הָיְתָה כַּוָּנָתָהּ אֶלָּא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם לְהַעֲמִיד שְׁבָטִים, לְפִיכָךְ הֻצְרַךְ הַכָּתוּב לוֹמַר (בראשית ל, יז): וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶל לֵאָה. וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלַי תָּבוֹא, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בּוֹא וּרְאֵה מַה יָּפָה הָיְתָה סַרְסָרוּתָן שֶׁל דּוּדָאִים לִפְנֵי מִי שֶׁאָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַדּוּדָאִים עָמְדוּ שְׁנֵי שְׁבָטִים גְּדוֹלִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יִשָׂשׂכָר וּזְבוּלֻן. יִשָׂשׂכָר יוֹשֵׁב וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה, וּזְבוּלֻן יוֹצֵא בַּיַּמִּים וּבָא וְנוֹתֵן לְתוֹךְ פִּיו שֶׁל יִשָׂשׂכָר, וְהַתּוֹרָה רַבָּה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, (שיר השירים ז, יד): וְהַדּוּדָאִים נָתְנוּ רֵיחַ, (בראשית ל, יח): וַתֹּאמֶר לֵאָה נָתַן אֱלֹהִים שְׂכָרִי וגו' וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יִשָׂשׂכָר, יִשָׂשׂכָר תְּשִׁיעִי לַשְּׁבָטִים וְהוּא הִקְרִיב שֵׁנִי לַמֶּלֶךְ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (במדבר ז, יח): בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי הִקְרִיב נְתַנְאֵל בֶּן צוּעָר נְשִׂיא יִשָׂשׂכָר, מִפְּנֵי מָה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיָה בֶּן תּוֹרָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברי הימים א יב, לג): וּמִבְּנֵי יִשָׂשׂכָר יוֹדְעֵי בִינָה לָעִתִּים, מַה לָּעִתִּים, רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא אָמַר לַקּוּרְנִיסִין. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן קֵיצָרִי אָמַר לָעִבּוּרִים. (דברי הימים א יב, לג): רָאשֵׁיהֶם מָאתַיִם וְכָל אֲחֵיהֶם עַל פִּיהֶם, מָאתַיִם רָאשֵׁי סַנְהֶדְרָאוֹת הָיָה יִשָׂשׂכָר מַעֲמִיד, וְכָל אֲחֵיהֶם עַל פִּיהֶם, וְכָל אֲחֵיהֶם מַסְכִּימִים הֲלָכָה עַל פִּיהֶם, וְהוּא מֵשִׁיב לָהֶם הֲלָכָה כַּהֲלָכָה לְמשֶׁה מִסִּינַי. וְכָל הַשֶּׁבַח הַזֶּה מִנַּיִן הָיָה לוֹ לְיִשָׂשׂכָר, מִשֶּׁל זְבוּלֻן, שֶׁהָיָה עוֹסֵק בִּפְרַגְמַטְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ וּמַאֲכִיל אֶת יִשָׂשׂכָר שֶׁהָיָה בֶּן תּוֹרָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית מט, יג): זְבוּלֻן לְחוֹף יַמִּים יִשְׁכֹּן. וּכְשֶׁבָּא משֶׁה לְבָרֵךְ אֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים הִקְדִּים בִּרְכַּת זְבוּלֻן לְבִרְכַּת יִשָׂשׂכָר (דברים לג, יח): שְׂמַח זְבוּלֻן בְּצֵאתֶךָ וְיִשָׂשׂכָר בְּאֹהָלֶיךָ, שְׂמַח זְבוּלֻן בְּצֵאתֶךָ מִמַּה שֶּׁיִּשָּׂשכָר בְּאֹהָלֶיךָ. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים יֵשׁ שָׂכָר בְּאָהֳלֵי זְבוּלֻן.

“Leah went out to meet him” – it teaches that she did not allow him to wash his feet. “And said: You will consort with me” – Rabbi Abahu said: The Holy One blessed be He saw that her intention was exclusively for the sake of Heaven, to produce tribes. That is why it was necessary for the verse to say: “God heeded Leah” (Genesis 30:17). “And said: You will consort with me” – Rabbi Levi said: Come and see how pleasing the mediation of mandrakes was before the One who spoke and the world came into being, as, by means of the mandrakes, two great tribes in Israel were produced – Issachar and Zebulun. Issachar sits and engages in Torah study, Zebulun sets out to the seas and comes and provides for Issachar’s mouth, and the Torah proliferates in Israel – “the mandrakes emitted fragrance” (Song of Songs 7:14). “Leah said: God has given me my reward, because I gave my maidservant to my husband. She called his name Issachar” (Genesis 30:18). “Leah said: God has given me my reward [sekhari]…She called his name Issachar.” Issachar was the ninth of the tribes, but he brought his offering second to the king. That is what is written: “On the second day, Netanel ben Tzuar, prince of Issachar, presented his offering” (Numbers 7:18). Why was that? It is because he was a Torah personality. That is what is written: “From the children of Issachar, possessors of understanding of the times” (I Chronicles 12:33). What is “of the times”? Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Of the propitious time for everything. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Of intercalations. “Their leaders were two hundred, and all their brethren at their command” (I Chronicles 12:33) – Issachar would produce two hundred heads of the Sanhedrin, and all their brethren in accordance with them, and they all agreed to rule halakha in accordance with them, and he would answer them with halakha like a halakha transmitted to Moses at Sinai. From where did Issachar come to all this prominence? It was from Zebulun, who would engage in his commerce, and would feed Issachar, who was a Torah personality. That is what is written: “Zebulun will dwell at the shore of seas” (Genesis 49:13). When Moses came to bless the tribes, he had the blessing of Zebulun precede the blessing of Issachar: “Of Zebulun he said: Rejoice, Zebulun, in your departure, and, Issachar, in your tents” (Deuteronomy 33:18) – Rejoice, Zebulun, in your departure from the fact that Issachar is in your tents. Some say: There is reward [yesh sakhar] in the tents of Zebulun.

…and 1 more section in this chapter.

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Bereshit Rabbah — Midrash Rabbah, TE edition, via Sefaria

English: The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah, 2022 — CC BY