Shabbat Vayetze ~ Rachel, tears and prayers

(4) Jacob said to them, “My friends, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.” (5) He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “Yes, we do.” (6) He continued, “Is he well?” They answered, “Yes, he is; and there is his daughter Rachel, coming with the flock.” (7) He said, “It is still broad daylight, too early to round up the animals; water the flock and take them to pasture.” (8) But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are rounded up; then the stone is rolled off the mouth of the well and we water the sheep.” (9) While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s flock; for she was a shepherdess. (10) And when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, and the flock of his uncle Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of his uncle Laban. (11) Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and broke into tears. (12) Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, that he was Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father.

(16) Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older one was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. (17) Leah had weak eyes; Rachel was shapely and beautiful. (18) Jacob loved Rachel; so he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” (19) Laban said, “Better that I give her to you than that I should give her to an outsider. Stay with me.” (20) So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her. (21) Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time is fulfilled, that I may cohabit with her.” (22) And Laban gathered all the people of the place and made a feast. (23) When evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him; and he cohabited with her.— (24) Laban had given his maidservant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maid.— (25) When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I was in your service for Rachel! Why did you deceive me?” (26) Laban said, “It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the older. (27) Wait until the bridal week of this one is over and we will give you that one too, provided you serve me another seven years.” (28) Jacob did so; he waited out the bridal week of the one, and then he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife.— (29) Laban had given his maidservant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid.— (30) And Jacob cohabited with Rachel also; indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served him another seven years. (31) The LORD saw that Leah was unloved and he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.

(1) When Rachel saw that she had borne Jacob no children, she became envious of her sister; and Rachel said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die.” (2) Jacob was incensed at Rachel, and said, “Can I take the place of God, who has denied you fruit of the womb?” (3) She said, “Here is my maid Bilhah. Consort with her, that she may bear on my knees and that through her I too may have children.”

There are prayers that are frivolous. How so? [If a person] gathered one hundred Kor [of grain, and then] said [to God] “May it be Your will that there will be two hundred [Kor of grain]. [A person] obtained one hundred barrels [of wine and then] said [to God] “May it be Your will that there will be two hundred [barrels of wine].” All of this is a prayer in vain. But a person may pray that they (i.e. the grain or the barrels) should be blessed and not be cursed.