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How could Leah prophetically suggest that Reuven had a right to complain about losing his birthright if he sinned with Bilhah? Rashi (רש"י) reveals that Reuven acted to defend Leah's honor when Yaakov elevated Bilhah over her after Rochel's death. Leah agreed with Reuven's complaint while acknowledging his sinful method, reflecting a fundamental dispute about who should be the primary wife.
This shiur examines Rashi (רש"י)'s commentary on the naming of Reuven, where Leah prophetically contrasts her son to Esav. While Esav willingly sold his birthright yet wanted to kill Yaakov, Reuven lost his birthright involuntarily but still saved Yosef without complaint. The Gemara (גמרא) explains that Yaakov took Reuven's birthright away due to the incident with Bilhah ('bechalelo yetzuei aviv') and gave it to Yosef. Rabbi Yeshaya Greenberg ZT"L explores the fundamental question: if Reuven accepted responsibility and did teshuvah for his sin with Bilhah, how could Leah's prophecy suggest he had a right to complain about losing the birthright? The analysis reveals that Reuven's actions regarding Bilhah stemmed from defending his mother's honor. When Rochel died, instead of moving his bed to Leah's tent (making her the primary wife), Yaakov moved it to Bilhah's tent. Reuven protested this arrangement, arguing that if Rochel (his mother's sister) was already a co-wife, certainly her maidservant shouldn't take precedence over Leah. The Gemara explains the measure-for-measure punishment: since Reuven only became firstborn because Rochel gave Leah the signs to marry Yaakov first, and Reuven complained about Rochel's status, he lost his birthright to Rochel's son Yosef.
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Parshas Vayeitzei - Birth and naming of Reuven
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