"Hashem remembered Rachel; listened to her, and opened her womb…" (30: 20).
Rachel was distressed that she might end up married to Esau. She feared that Yaakov would divorce her for having no sons. This also occurred to Esau when he heard that she had no children.
Rashi tells us that the relationship between Yaakov and his wife was dependent on Rachel bearing sons. If she remained barren then Yaakov would cast her aside and she might find herself as Esau's wife.
Further, why does Rashi say that Yaakov would have divorced her and that she would be at the mercy of Esau? Did she deserve such a fate? Didn't Yaakov express a clear preference for Rachel before they were married-why did that change at this time?
Rashi in his commentary adds one more point. He mentions that in the piyyut said on Rosh Hashana the following line appears: "The red one, Esau, when he saw that she did not conceive, desired to take her for himself, and she was terrified."
In the poem, it is Esau who introduces this notion that if Rachel did not conceive she might be divorced from her husband and that he would be able to take her as a wife. Apparently, this was a common event in the world of Esau. He had hopes of "conquering" the primary wife of Yaakov, and thereby establishing some sort of dominion over his brother.
This may be the reason that Rashi takes the trouble to quote the piyyut, in addition to the medrash tanchuma. This particular piyyut was composed by R Elazar Hakalir who was held in high regard and considered as an Amora. In fact, Rashi is mitigating the version of the story in the medrash by quoting the piyyut. Rachel was distressed because in the world of Esau the divorce seemed a reasonable act and remarrying the brother was accepted custom.
"When G-d destroyed the cities….He remembered Avraham…" (31: 29).
Lot was saved because of the merit he accrued through a kindness to Avraham. That is the meaning of the verb vayyizkor. There was a specific merit that allowed Hashem to act towards Lot as though he was truly a righteous person and to treat him as though he deserved to be saved.
The specific merit referred to in the verse is the fact that she prayed for a child. In this regard she places herself alongside the other "mothers" all of whom conceived with difficulty and only after intense acts of prayer.
Rachel's prayer is added to the independent prayer of Leah. Rashi (verse 21) explains: "Leah knew that if Rachel's next child was a male then Rachel would maintain a the status higher than the maidservants. She prayed that her own child would be a female child. Her prayer was answered and her child was named Dina.
Leah new that Yaakov was destined to have twelve sons. She had six and each maid had two. If her next birth would be a son then Rachel could have only one, less than one of the maids.
Leah understood that Rachel was fighting for a certain status. Rachel wanted to be considered more than the mother of Yaakov's children, as were the maids. She wanted to be one of "the mothers," the matriarchs who created the family if Yisrael. At this time, when it seemed that she was about to lose her dream, both she and her sister Leah prayed. Leah that her own pregnancy bring her a girl. Rachel prayed for a son.
Both Rachel and Leah's prayers were answered.
Hashem remembered that Rachel had protected Leah. This was the merit that caused Leah to pray for Rachel at this time. This was the "memory" which enabled this great plea to heaven to be made (Leah and Rachel together) and this was the reason that she was answered. She had a son and Leah had a daughter.
Gut Shabbos, Chaim Brovender
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