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Why does the Torah (תורה) describe Rochel Imeinu as jealous of her sister Leah—a seemingly negative trait? The shiur develops a yesod distinguishing two forms of jealousy: destructive covetousness of what belongs to others versus the mitzvah (מצוה)-level obligation to protect what is rightfully yours. Rochel's jealousy was healthy—she knew prophetically she was entitled to three children and saw that entitlement threatened, which explains Yaakov's reaction and teaches us how to address our own jealousy.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a powerful observation: the Torah (תורה)'s unflinching criticism of our ancestors—including Rochel Imeinu—proves its divine authorship, since no human-authored work would portray its heroes so harshly. The parsha describes Rochel as jealous ("vatekane Rochel ba'achotah") when she sees Leah bearing children, a description that seems incompatible with the Torah's sensitivity not to denigrate even an animal ("behemah asher einenah tehorah" rather than "behemah temei'ah"). Yet the text explicitly states jealousy motivated Rochel to demand children from Yaakov. The shiur presents three related difficulties: (1) How could the Torah attribute such a destructive middah to Rochel Imeinu? (2) How do we reconcile Chazal's teaching that people are not jealous of their children or students with the reality that some children feel parental jealousy? (3) How could Moshe Rabbeinu—the epitome of humility—say in the Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni, Parashas Ha'azinu) that he preferred to die a hundred deaths rather than experience the pang of jealousy he felt when Yehoshua received prophecy privately and refused to share it?
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Parshas Vayeitzei, Bereishis 30:1
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