A reading from the book of Genesis.

When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister.

She said to Jacob, give me children, or I shall die.

Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said,

Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the

womb? Then she said, Here is my servant Bilha. Go in to her so that she may give birth on my

behalf, that even I may have children through her. So she gave him her servant Bilha as a wife,

and Jacob went into her. And Bilha conceived and bore Jacob a son.

Then Rachel said,

God has judged me and has also heard my voice and given me a son.

Therefore she called his name Dan.

Rachel's servant Bilha conceived again, and bore Jacob a second son.

Then Rachel said, with mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.

So she called his name Naftali.

When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpa and gave her to Jacob as a wife.

Then Leah's servant Zilpa bore Jacob a son.

And Leah said, Good fortune has come.

So she called his name Gad.

Leah's servant Zilpa bore Jacob a second son.

And Leah said, happy am I, for women have called me happy, so she called his name Asher.

In the days of wheat harvest, Rubin went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother, Leah.

Then Rachel said to Leah, please give me some of your son's mandrakes.

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