rachel

Rachel (Hebrew: רחל, Russian: Рахиль, also spelled Rachael) "Ewe," also "innocence and gentility of a rose" and may mean "lovely". Standard Hebrew Raḥel, Tiberian Hebrew Rāḫēl, Rāḥēl) is the second and favorite wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin, first mentioned in the Book of Genesis of the Hebrew Bible. She is the daughter of Laban and the younger sister of Leah, Jacob's first wife. Jacob was her first cousin, as Jacob's mother Rebekah was Laban's sister. Despite common pronunciation, her name should be pronounced as though spelled "Rakhel".

Jacob journeyed to Rachel's home, sent by his mother Rebekah to avoid being killed by his brother Esau and possibly with the intention of finding a wife. He found Rachel, and wanted to marry her, but he was tricked by Laban into marrying Leah. He worked seven years as a shepherd for Laban in exchange for the right to marry Rachel, but on the wedding night, Laban dressed Leah in the wedding dress and veil and brought her to Jacob. According to Rashi, Jacob and Rachel suspected that Laban would pull a trick like this, so they made up a series of signs with which the veiled bride would identify herself to her bridegroom. When Rachel saw her father bringing Leah out to the wedding canopy, however, she could not bear to see her sister shamed in public, and revealed to Leah the signs.

When Jacob discovered the deception in the light of day, he was angry, but nevertheless accepted it and offered to work another seven years in order to marry Rachel as well (see Genesis 29). Along with each daughter, Laban also sent two handmaids (some say younger sisters of Rachel and Leah), Bilhah and Zilpah. Each of these handmaids later became full wives of Jacob.

When Rachel is introduced in the text (Gen. 29:17), she is lovingly described as being "beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance" (Hebrew: וְרָחֵל הָֽיְתָה יְפַת־תֹּאַר וִיפַת מַרְאֶה).

While Leah gave birth to four sons in quick succession, Rachel was unable to conceive for many years. She offered her handmaid (Bilhah) to her husband in marriage, as was the custom, and named the two sons Bilhah bore, indicating they were to be her heirs. Leah, who also desired more children, then offered her handmaid (Zilpah) to Jacob, and the latter bore two more sons. Finally, after Leah produced another two sons and a daughter, Rachel herself bore two sons. She died in childbirth on the eleventh day of the Hebrew month of Heshvan and was buried by Jacob on the road to Efrat, just outside Bethlehem. Today Rachel's Tomb, located between Bethlehem and the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo, is visited by tens of thousands of visitors each year.

In Jeremiah 31:15 the prophet speaks of 'Rachel weeping for her children' (KJV). This is interpreted in Judaism as Rachel crying for an end to her descendants' sufferings and exiles following the destruction of the First Temple in ancient Jerusalem. According to the Midrash, Rachel spoke before God: "I brought my rival (Leah) into my house; can't You forgive Your children, who brought a mere idol of wood and stone into Your house (the Temple in Jerusalem)?" God accepted her plea and promised that, eventually, the exile would end and the Jews would return to their land.

See also

• Rachel's Tomb
• Red string (taken from Rachel's tomb)
• Jacob
• Laban
• Leah
• Joseph
• Tribe of Joseph
• Benjamin
• Tribe of Benjamin