Parshas Vayeitzei

(The Segulah of Learning Zera Shimshon)

The Zera Shimshon asks two questions:

The pasuk tells us that Hashem opened Leah's womb 'because she was unloved.' What is the connection between being 'unloved' and having children?

And secondly, the Torah tells us that Rochel saw that she hadn't borne children for Yaakov and she was jealous of her sister Leah. Is is possible that Rochel, who was such a great woman, the woman who allowed her sister to marry her own chosson before she did, was jealous?

To add to this second question, why does the Torah specify that she hadn't borne children for Yaakov? Why does it mention Yaakov here?

The Zera Shimshon brings a Gemara in Yevamos (64a) that explains that the Imahos were barren so that their husbands, the Avos, would daven for them, because Hashem desires the prayers of the holy ones.

Leah recognized this and realized that if Yaakov was going to daven for any of his wives, it would be Rochel. Leah felt unloved, and because of this Hashem gave her children.

Yaakov saw this, and once he had children from Leah he didn't feel the need to daven for Rochel. In his mind Leah had children without tefillah, so the Imahos couldn't be barren because Hashem wanted their husbands to daven.

Yaakov perceived that Sarah gave birth after her name was changed, and Rivka didn't have children right away after leaving home so the nations of the world wouldn't think she had children because of Lavan's blessing. He didn't see this pattern of the Avos having to daven so their wives would have children.

Because Yaakov did not think that Rochel was barren in order for him to daven, Rochel believed this as well, and she figured that having children was based on the strength of their own merits. And this is why she was jealous of Leah. She believed that Leah had more merits than her, for she had children while Rochel did not.

This jealousy was a kinas sofrim. This is a positive jealousy, wanting to be better, being jealous of someone else's good deeds, etc.

Rochel said to Yaakov, "Give me children, otherwise I am dead!" Indeed, if she believed having children was based on her own merits, and she did not possess the necessary merit to deserve a child, a sinner is compared to a dead person even when they are alive.

Thus, Rochel implored Yaakov to daven for her to have a child.

Source: Zera Shimshon Parshas Vayetzei