Biblical Parallels Index – Bereshit 29/0

Biblical Parallels Index – Bereshit 29

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Favored and Unfavored Wives

Bereshit 29 speaks of Yaakov's differing feelings towards each of his wives, "loving" the barren Rachel and "hating" the child-bearing Leah.  This parallels other stories of multiple wives where the barren wife is preferred over the non barren wife, most notably the story of Channah and Peninah.

Tools

• Makbilot Bamikra points out that the notion of a preferred (אהובה, lit. beloved) and less preferred (שנואה, lit. hated) wife appears not only in stories of multiple wives, but also in a legal context, in Devarim 21:15-17. The parallel raises the question of how to understand Bereshit 29:30-31's description of Rachel as "beloved" and Leah as "hated".  Was Leah actually hated or more simply less favored than Rachel?
• Makbilot Bamikra also lists other stories of barren wives, with the story of Channah and Peninah being perhaps the most similar to Rachel's ordeal.

Articles

• See Yaakov's Wives for discussion of how various commentators view Yaakov's relationship with Leah, and whether her deception led to such distrust that Yaakov actively disliked her or whether she was simply less beloved than Rachel.
• See Rachel and Channah for an exploration of the parallels and contrasts between the stories. While there are key similarities (both are beloved wives who are childless while their husband’s other wife has children), there are also a number of important differences. These differences tend to reflect positively on Channah’s nobility and piety, casting Channah and Elkanah in a more positive light than Rachel and Yaakov, and Peninah in a more negative light than Leah.  

Yaakov and Rachel vs. David and Michal

Articles

• See מערכת היחסים בין דוד ומיכל על רקע יחסי יעקב ורחל, by R. Amnon Bazak, for analysis of the many parallels between the stories of these two relationships looking at three decisive stages in their lives: marriage, when in conflict with their in-laws, and when crisis hits.¹ This comparison sheds light on the strong love of Yaakov and Rachel, and the unbridgeable gap that characterizes the relationship of David and Michal.
• For a broader set of comparisons between Yaakov and David, discussing not only their marriages, but also their sibling relations,  interactions with in-laws, and favoring of children, see Yaakov and David.

¹ Sme parallels include the exorbitant bride price each of Yaakov and David are asked to pay, the fact that each pays double that price, a switching of wives, difficulties with in-laws, and the presence of "תרפים" in each story.