Tanach · Acharonim on Tanach · Or HaChaim · Torah
Or HaChaim on Genesis 30:16/אור החיים על בראשית ל׳:ט״ז
אוַתֵּצֵא לֵאָה וְגוֹ׳. טַעַם עֲשׂוֹתָהּ כָּכָה וְלֹא מִן הַמּוּסָר, לְפִי מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּתֵיבַת ״לָכֵן״ שֶׁאָמְרָה רָחֵל שֶׁהוּא ״עַל כֵּן״, חָשְׁשָׁה לֵאָה שֶׁתַּחְזֹר בָּהּ רָחֵל וְלָזֶה קָדְמָה וְיָצְאָה. וּלְפִי מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי ״לָכֵן״ שְׁבוּעָה, לְצַד שֶׁלֹּא דִּקְדְּקָה רָחֵל לוֹמַר הַלַּיְלָה הַזֹּאת, חָשְׁשָׁה שֶׁתִּדְחֶה אוֹתָהּ לְלַיְלָה אַחֶרֶת, וַהֲרֵי זוֹ זְרִיזָה וְנִשְׂכֶּרֶת.
1 ותצא לאה, Leah went out, etc.. The reason Leah went to meet Jacob, something that was not considered good manners was that she was afraid Rachel might change her mind. If we accept the view that Rachel swore to her and therefore could not go back on her word we must justify Leah's behaviour as being based on the lack of precision of Rachel's promise. Rachel had not said that Jacob could sleep with Leah on that night. Leah did not want to be put off. By displaying eagerness to sleep with her husband she profited by becoming pregnant.
בעוֹד יֵשׁ לָתֵת טַעַם לְלֵאָה, כִּי מִדַּת חֲסִידוּת עָשְׂתָה שֶׁלֹּא הִנִּיחָה עַד שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק לְאֹהֶל רָחֵל וְתוֹצִיאֶנּוּ מִשָּׁם, כִּי יֵשׁ בָּזֶה הַקְפָּדָה וְצַעַר גָּדוֹל לְרָחֵל וְקִנְאָה גְּדוֹלָה. לָזֶה קָדְמָה קוֹדֶם שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס אֶצְלָהּ, וְאֵין זֶה אֶלָּא מִדָּה טוֹבָה וַחֲסִידָה, וְכָל מְגַמָּתָהּ שֶׁל אוֹתָהּ צַדֶּקֶת לְהַעֲמִיד נִטְעֵי נַעֲמָן. וַה׳ עֵד בַּדָּבָר כִּי נָתַן שְׂכָרָהּ דִּכְתִיב ״וַיִּשְׁמַע״ וְגוֹ׳ (בראשית ל:יז), וְעַיֵּן בְּסָמוּךְ מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי (ספרים אחרים שפירש רש״י) בְּפָסוּק זֶה.
2Leah may also have walked towards her husband in order not to have to call him to her after Jacob had already entered Rachel's tent. This would have been an embarassment for her sister Rachel. It might have resulted in open jealousy. Leah's virtuous considerations therefore outweighed the unconventional manner of her behaviour. It is clear that G'd appreciated this as He rewarded her by letting her conceive; the Torah wrote: "G'd listened to Leah and she conceived." Look at my commentary on that verse
גשָׂכוֹר שְׂכַרְתִּיךָ וְגוֹ׳. פֵּירוּשׁ: נָתַתִּי שָׂכָר לַזּוּלַת בַּעַדְךָ. עוֹד נִתְכַּוְּנָה שֶׁשָּׂכְרָה שְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים: לִינָה וְזִיקָה.
3שכר שכרתיך, "I have rented you, etc." This means: "I have paid a fee to someone for the pleasure of your company." The repetition of the word שכר indicates that she referred to two things, i.e. that Jacob stay with her for the night and that he should have marital relations with her.
דבַּלַּיְלָה הוּא. פֵּירוּשׁ בִּרְצוֹנוֹ וְדַעְתּוֹ שֶׁהִסְכִּים עַל הַדָּבָר.
4בלילה הוא, that night. This is simply a reference to the fact that Jacob fully agreed.