Person

Leah לאה

Yaakov's first wife, mother of six tribes

The Torah first says only that "Leah's eyes were weak". Midrash explains: from weeping, because Lavan's elder daughter was destined for Yitzchak's elder son, Esav, and she prayed it would not happen. The prayer was answered in the harshest way—Lavan substituted her at the wedding, and Yaakov, who loved Rachel, discovered it only in the morning.

She remains "the unloved one", and to her the children are given. Her sons' names are her diary: Reuven, "God has seen my humiliation"; Shimon, "He has heard"; Levi, "now my husband will be joined to me"; and finally Yehuda, "this time I will thank the Lord". The sages say she was the first person ever to give thanks in this way.

Six of the twelve tribes descend from her, including Levi and Yehuda, from whom the royal house of David comes. She died in Canaan and alone of the matriarchs lies beside Yaakov in Machpelah.

On the timeline

2192 · 1569 BCEJacob's Marriage to Leah and Rachel 2193 · 1568 BCEThe Birth of the Tribes of Israel and the Birth of Joseph 2205 · 1556 BCEThe Return from Haran, the Struggle with the Angel and the Meeting with Esau 2206 · 1555 BCEDinah and Shechem, the Return to Bethel and the Death of Rachel 2238 · 1523 BCEThe Famine and Jacob's Descent to Egypt

Places

Charan Hebron (Cave of the Patriarchs)

Jacob Rachel Laban Judah Levi

Sources

Tanakh

Bereishit 29–31; 49:31 — the marriage, the birth of the sons, and the burial in Machpelah

Chazal: Mishnah, Talmud, midrash, Zohar

Bereishit Rabbah 70–71 — “Leah’s eyes were weak” — from weeping over her lot
Bava Batra 123a — Leah’s prayer that her portion be changed
Berachot 7b — Leah was the first in the world to give thanks — at the birth of Yehudah

Basis: stated in the Tanakh.