## Kli Yakar on Genesis Chapter 30

###### Kli Yakar on Genesis 30:2:1
[Kli Yakar on Genesis 30:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Genesis/r/30:2:1)

**הֲתַחַת אֱלֹהִים אָנֹכִי.** לְפִי שֶׁרָחֵל אָמְרָה הָיָה לְךָ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עָלַי, וְיַעֲקֹב הֵשִׁיב לָהּ וְכִי בַּעֲבוּר זֶה אָמַרְתְּ ״הָבָה לִּי בָנִים״, מַשְׁמָע עַל כָּל פָּנִים, וְכִי בָּטוּחַ אֲנִי שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל ה׳ תְּפִלָּתִי? כִּי אוּלַי יִגְרֹם הַחֵטְא שֶׁיָּסֵךְ ה׳ בֶּעָנָן לוֹ מֵעֲבוֹר תְּפִלָּה, כִּי כָּל מִי שֶׁנִּתְקַבְּלָה תְּפִלָּתוֹ דּוֹמֶה כְּאִלּוּ עוֹמֵד תַּחַת אֱלֹהִים מַמָּשׁ וְאֵין שׁוּם דָּבָר חוֹצֵץ בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין אֱלֹהִים, אֲבָל בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֵין תְּפִלָּתוֹ נִשְׁמַעַת דּוֹמֶה כְּאִלּוּ יֵשׁ מָסָךְ מַבְדִּיל וְחוֹצֵץ בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין אֱלֹהִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (איכה ג, מד) ״סַכּוֹתָ בֶעָנָן לָךְ מֵעֲבוֹר תְּפִלָּה״, וְעָנָן זֶה הוּא הַחוֹמֶר הָאָפֵל אֲשֶׁר עַל פִּיו יִהְיֶה כָּל רִיב וְכָל נָגַע, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיה נט, ב) ״עֲוֹנוֹתֵיכֶם הָיוּ מַבְדִּילִין בֵּינֵיכֶם לְבֵין אֱלֹהֵיכֶם״, וּלְכָךְ אָמַר ״אֲשֶׁר מָנַע מִמֵּךְ פְּרִי בָטֶן״, כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁמָּנַע מִמֵּךְ וְלֹא מִמֶּנִּי, אִם כֵּן וַדַּאי יוֹדֵעַ ה׳ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּךְ אֵיזוֹ עָוֹן אֲשֶׁר גָּרַם לִמְנוֹעַ מִמֵּךְ פְּרִי בֶּטֶן, וְאוֹתוֹ עָוֹן יָסֵךְ בְּלִי סָפֵק מֵעֲבוֹר תְּפִלָּה. מִיָּד נָתְנָה רָחֵל אֶל לִבָּהּ לְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ בְּמַעֲשֶׂיהָ אֵיזוֹ עָוֹן גָּרַם לָהּ, וְלֹא מָצְאָה כִּי אִם מִדַּת הַקִּנְאָה שֶׁהָיְתָה בָּהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ל, א) ״וַתְּקַנֵּא רָחֵל בַּאֲחוֹתָהּ״, וְחָשְׁבָה שֶׁעָוֹן זֶה גָּרַם לָהּ שֶׁלֹּא הוֹעִילָה תְּפִלַּת יַעֲקֹב, עַל כֵּן נָתְנָה אֶל לִבָּהּ לָשׁוּב בִּתְשׁוּבָה לְהַטּוֹת אֶל קָצֶה הָאַחֵר בַּדָּבָר שֶׁחָטְאָה בּוֹ, וְהוּא שֶׁמִּתְּחִלָּה נִתְקַנְּאָה אֲפִלּוּ בַּאֲחוֹתָהּ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ לֹא נִתְקַנְּאָה אֲפִלּוּ בְּשִׁפְחָתָהּ, עַל כֵּן אָמְרָה שֶׁבִּזְכוּת שֶׁאַכְנִיס צָרָתִי לְבֵיתִי אִבָּנֶה גַם אָנֹכִי מִמֶּנָּה.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**“Am I in place of God?”** Since Rachel said “you should have prayed for me,” Jacob replied to her, “Is this why you said *Give me children*? Do you think I am certain that God will accept my prayer? Perhaps sin will cause God to block my prayer with a cloud, for anyone whose prayer is accepted is like one who truly stands beneath God with nothing separating between him and God. But when one’s prayer is not heard, it is as if there is a dividing screen between him and God, as it is written *You have covered Yourself with a cloud so that prayer cannot pass through* (Lamentations 3:44). This cloud is the dark physicality through which all disputes and afflictions occur, as it is written *Your iniquities have separated between you and your God* (Isaiah 59:2). Therefore he said *who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb*, because since He withheld it from you and not from me, surely God knows that you have some sin which caused the withholding of children from you, and that sin will undoubtedly block prayer from passing through. Immediately Rachel took it to heart to examine her deeds to find which sin caused this, and she found nothing except the trait of jealousy that was in her, as it is said *Rachel was jealous of her sister*. She thought this sin caused Jacob’s prayer to be ineffective, therefore she took it to heart to repent by going to the opposite extreme in the matter in which she had sinned — whereas at first she was jealous even of her sister, afterwards she did not become jealous even of her maidservant. Therefore she said that in the merit of bringing her rival into her home, *I too will be built up through her*.”


###### Kli Yakar on Genesis 30:6:1
[Kli Yakar on Genesis 30:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Genesis/r/30:6:1)

**עַל כֵּן קָרְאָה שְׁמוֹ דָּן.** כָּל מִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ ״עַל כֵּן״ הָיָה מְרֻבֶּה בְּאוֹכְלוּסִין, חוּץ מִן שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה הָאָרוֹן מְכַלֶּה בָּהֶם. וְתֵדַע, שֶׁלְּשׁוֹן ״עַל כֵּן״ לֹא נֶאֱמַר כִּי אִם בְּלֵוִי וִיהוּדָה וְדָן, כִּי ״בְּרָב עָם הַדְרַת מֶלֶךְ״ (משלי יד:כח), וִיהוּדָה גּוּר אַרְיֵה (בראשית מט:ט) מִמֶּנּוּ הוֹד מַלְכוּת, וְ״דָן יָדִין עַמּוֹ״ (בראשית מט:טז) יִקַּח נִקְמוֹת עַמּוֹ ״כְּאַחַד שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, הַיְינוּ כְּדָוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמְיֻחָד שֶׁבַּשְּׁבָטִים, וְהַלּוֹקֵחַ נִקְמוֹת עַמּוֹ צָרִיךְ גַּם כֵּן אוֹכְלוּסִין. וּמִטַּעַם זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים לג:כב) ״דָּן גּוּר אַרְיֵה״, הִמְשִׁילוֹ לְדָוִד שֶׁנִּמְשַׁל גַּם כֵּן לְגוּר אַרְיֵה. וְשֵׁבֶט לֵוִי, מִמֶּנּוּ כֶּתֶר תּוֹרָה וְכֶתֶר כְּהֻנָּה, כִּי מֹשֶׁה קִבֵּל תּוֹרָה וְאַהֲרֹן הַכְּהֻנָּה, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁהָיָה מִן הָרָאוּי שֶׁשִּׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל לֵוִי יִהְיוּ רַבִּים, כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ מְשָׁרְתֵי אֱלֹהֵינוּ וּבְרָב עָם הַדְרָתָם, אַךְ שֶׁהָיָה הָאָרוֹן מְכַלֶּה בָּהֶם. יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁמִּצַּד שֶׁהָיוּ קְרוֹבִים אֶל הָאָרוֹן הָיוּ פְּרוּשִׁים מִנְּשׁוֹתֵיהֶם, וְעַל כֵּן לֹא פָּרוּ וְרָבוּ כָּל כָּךְ. וּמַקְשִׁים עַל זֶה, וַהֲלֹא הָיוּ מְעַטִּים קֹדֶם שֶׁנִּמְסַר לָהֶם מַשָּׂא הָאָרוֹן? עַל כֵּן פֵּרְשׁוּ שֶׁאָרוֹן זֶה הַיְינוּ אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב. וְאֵין צֹרֶךְ לָזֶה, כִּי לְעוֹלָם הָאָרוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ הַסִּבָּה, כִּי בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁלֵּוִי עָתִיד לִשָּׂא אֲרוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ, עַל כֵּן אָמַר יַעֲקֹב לֵוִי לֹא יִשָּׂא אֲרוֹנוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁלֶּעָתִיד יִשָּׂא אֲרוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ. וְעַל כֵּן נָהֲגוּ הַמִּצְרִים כָּבוֹד בְּשֵׁבֶט לֵוִי, כִּי רָאוּ שֶׁיַּעֲקֹב נָהַג בּוֹ כָּבוֹד, וְעַל כֵּן לֹא נִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ בָּהֶם הַמִּצְרִיִּים וְלֹא הָיוּ בִּכְלַל ״פֶּן יִרְבֶּה״ (שמות א:י), וְעַל כֵּן לֹא הָיוּ גַם בִּכְלַל ״כֵּן יִרְבֶּה״ (שמות א:יב). וְטַעֲמוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר, שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁהָיָה בִּכְלַל ״פֶּן יִרְבֶּה״ וּבִקְשׁוּ הַמִּצְרִים לְהַמְעִיטָם מֵעֹצֶר רָעָה וְיָגוֹן, הֻצְרַךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהַרְאוֹת לָהֶם שֶׁכָּל חָכְמָתָם לֹא עָמְדָה לָהֶם נֶגֶד רְצוֹן הָאֵל יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְהִפְרָם וְהִרְבָּם שֶׁלֹּא כְּדֶרֶךְ הָעוֹלָם. אֲבָל שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי, שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ בְּעִנּוּי מִצְרַיִם וְלֹא בִּקְשׁוּ לְהַמְעִיטָם, לֹא הֻצְרַךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהַרְבּוֹתָם כְּנֶגֶד הַטֶּבַע, עַל כֵּן לֹא הָיוּ מְרֻבִּים בְּאוֹכְלוּסִין כָּל כָּךְ. וְנִרְאֶה שֶׁגַּם מִטַּעַם זֶה הָיוּ שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי עֲנִיִּים וְלֹא הָיָה לָהֶם נַחֲלָה בָּאָרֶץ, כִּי כָּל שֶׁפָּרַע חוֹב ״כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ וַעֲבָדוּם וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם״ (בראשית טו:יג), הָיָה בִּכְלַל ״וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יֵצְאוּ בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדוֹל״ (בראשית טו:יד), וְקַל לְהָבִין.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**“Therefore she called his name Dan.”** Everyone about whom “therefore” [al ken] is mentioned had a large population, except for the tribe of Levi because the Ark would diminish them. Know that the phrase “therefore” is only mentioned regarding Levi, Judah, and Dan, for *in the multitude of people is the king’s glory*. *Judah is a lion cub*, from him comes the majesty of kingship, and *Dan shall judge his people* — he will take vengeance for his people as one of the tribes of Israel, like King David, the chosen among the tribes. One who takes vengeance for his people also needs a large population. For this reason it says *Dan is a lion cub* (Deuteronomy 33:22), comparing him to David who was also likened to a lion cub. The tribe of Levi possessed both the crown of Torah and the crown of priesthood, as Moses received the Torah and Aaron the priesthood. All the more so it would have been fitting for the tribe of Levi to be numerous since from them came the servants of our God, and *in the multitude of people is their glory*, but the Ark diminished them. Some say that because they were close to the Ark, they separated from their wives and therefore did not multiply as much. Others question this, since they were few even before they were given the task of carrying the Ark. Therefore, some explain that this refers to Jacob’s coffin, but this explanation is unnecessary. For it was actually the Holy Ark that was the cause, because Levi was destined to carry the Holy Ark. Therefore Jacob said Levi should not carry his coffin because in the future he would carry the Holy Ark. Consequently, the Egyptians showed respect to the tribe of Levi because they saw that Jacob honored them, and therefore the Egyptians did not enslave them and they were not included in the *lest they multiply* decree, and thus were also not included in the *so did they multiply* blessing. The reason being that all who were included in the *lest they multiply* decree, whom the Egyptians sought to diminish through oppression and affliction, the Holy One needed to show them that all their wisdom could not stand against God’s will, and He made them multiply supernaturally. But the tribe of Levi, who were not subjected to Egyptian oppression and whom they did not seek to diminish, God did not need to multiply them against nature, therefore they were not as numerous. It appears that for this reason also the tribe of Levi were poor and had no inheritance in the land, for all who paid the debt of *your descendants will be strangers… and they will oppress them* were included in *afterwards they will leave with great wealth* — this is easy to understand.


###### Kli Yakar on Genesis 30:25:1
[Kli Yakar on Genesis 30:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Genesis/r/30:25:1)

**וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה רָחֵל אֶת יוֹסֵף וְגוֹ׳.** טַעֲמוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא בִּקֵּשׁ יַעֲקֹב ״שַׁלְּחֵנִי נָא״ כִּי אִם אַחַר שֶׁנּוֹלַד יוֹסֵף, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה יַעֲקֹב מְסֻפָּק אִם יֵצְאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים אוֹ לֹא, כִּדְמַסִּיק (בבר״ר סח יא) אָמַר יַעֲקֹב: ״אִם הָאֲבָנִים מִתְאַחוֹת זוֹ לָזוֹ, יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁאֲנִי מַעֲמִיד שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים״ כוּ׳. שְׁמַע מִינָהּ שֶׁהָיָה מְסֻפָּק אִם יֵצְאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים. וּכְשֶׁאָמְרָה רָחֵל בִּנְבוּאָה ״יֹסֵף ה׳ לִי בֵּן אַחֵר״ וְלֹא בִּקְשָׁה בָּנִים הַרְבֵּה, שְׁמַע מִינָהּ שֶׁרוּחַ ה׳ דִּבֶּר בָּהּ שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ מִן יַעֲקֹב שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים וְלֹא יוֹתֵר. עַל כֵּן אָמַר יַעֲקֹב ״שַׁלְּחֵנִי נָא״, כִּי אָז הָיָה בָּטוּחַ שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל עֵשָׂו לְהָרְגוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי עֲדַיִן לֹא נוֹלַד בִּנְיָמִין, גַּם לֹא הָיְתָה מְעֻבֶּרֶת עֲדַיִן, שֶׁהֲרֵי עָשָׂה בְּסֻכּוֹת זְמַן רַב בְּעֵרֶךְ שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים וְאַחַר כָּךְ נוֹלַד בִּנְיָמִין. וּמִצַּד שֶׁהָיָה יַעֲקֹב בָּטוּחַ שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל לוֹ עֵשָׂו, עַל כֵּן אָמַר ״שַׁלְּחֵנִי נָא״ עַכְשָׁיו, כִּי וַדַּאי לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה לִי מְאוּמָה, מֵאַחַר שֶׁלֹּא יָצְאוּ מִמֶּנִּי עֲדַיִן כָּל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And it came to pass, when Rachel had given birth to Joseph, etc.** The reason why Jacob only requested *Please send me away* after Joseph was born was because Jacob was uncertain whether 12 tribes would descend from him or not, as explained in Genesis Rabbah 68:11: *Jacob said, If the stones join together with each other, I know that I will establish 12 tribes, etc.* From this we can deduce that he was uncertain whether 12 tribes would descend from him. And when Rachel prophetically said *May God add to me another son* and didn’t ask for many children, this implies that the spirit of God spoke through her, indicating that exactly 12 tribes would come from Jacob, no more. Therefore, Jacob then said *Please send me away*, because at that point he was confident that Esau would not be able to kill him, since Benjamin had not yet been born, and Rachel was not even pregnant with him yet — as Jacob stayed in Sukkot for a considerable time, approximately two years, before Benjamin was born. Because Jacob was confident that Esau would have no power over him, he therefore said *Please send me away* at this time, knowing with certainty that nothing would be done to him since all 12 tribes had not yet emerged from him.


###### Kli Yakar on Genesis 30:25:2
[Kli Yakar on Genesis 30:25:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Genesis/r/30:25:2)

וְרז״ל אָמְרוּ (בראשית רבה עג ז) מִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד שְׂטָנוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו, דְּהַיְנוּ יוֹסֵף, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עובדיה א יח) ״וְהָיָה בֵית יַעֲקֹב אֵשׁ וּבֵית יוֹסֵף לֶהָבָה וּבֵית עֵשָׂו לְקַשׁ״ כוּ׳. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמִּקְרָא זֶה נֶאֱמַר לֶעָתִיד, אוּלַי יָדַע יַעֲקֹב בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לִפּוֹל בְּיַד יוֹסֵף, וְאַף עַל גַּב שֶׁאִיהוּ לָא חֲזָא, מַזָּלֵיהּ חֲזָא, עַל כֵּן וַדַּאי יִפּוֹל לִבּוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו בִּרְאוֹתוֹ אֶת יוֹסֵף, וְעַל כֵּן לֹא יוּכַל לוֹ לְיַעֲקֹב. וְעוֹד, שֶׁיּוֹסֵף שְׂטָנוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁעֵשָׂו אֵין לוֹ טַעֲנָה עַל יַעֲקֹב כִּי אִם מַה שֶּׁלָּקַח מִמֶּנּוּ הַבְּכוֹרָה, וְלֶעָתִיד יוֹסֵף מֵשִׁיב לוֹ: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנִּלְקְחָה הַבְּכוֹרָה מֵרְאוּבֵן עַל יְדֵי חִלּוּל יְצוּעֵי אָבִיו וְנִתְּנָה לְיוֹסֵף, כָּךְ בַּדִּין נִלְקְחָה מֵעֵשָׂו שֶׁהָיָה צָד נָשִׁים תַּחַת בַּעֲלֵיהֶן וְנִתְּנָה לְיַעֲקֹב, וְקַבָּלַת הַבְּרָכוֹת תָּלוּי בַּבְּכוֹרָה, כַּמְבֹאָר לְמַעְלָה פָּרָשַׁת תּוֹלְדוֹת (בראשית כה לא). טַעַם אַחֵר: קֹדֶם שֶׁיָּלְדָה רָחֵל, הָיָה מִתְבַּיֵּשׁ לָבוֹא אֶל אָבִיו, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר שֶׁלָּקַח אֵשֶׁת יְפַת תֹּאַר לְשֵׁם תַּאֲוָה, כִּי מִטַּעַם זֶה אָמְרָה רָחֵל ״אָסַף אֱלֹהִים חֶרְפָּתִי״ (בראשית ל לג), כִּי חוּשׁ הַמִּשּׁוּשׁ שֶׁלֹּא לְקִיּוּם הַמִּין, חֶרְפָּה הִיא לָנוּ.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And our Sages said** (Bereishit Rabbah 73:7): When Esau’s adversary was born, namely Joseph, as it is said (Obadiah 1:18), *The house of Jacob shall be fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble, etc.* Although this verse refers to the future, perhaps Jacob knew through Divine inspiration that Esau would ultimately fall by Joseph’s hand. And even though he [Jacob] did not see this directly, his spiritual intuition perceived it. Therefore, Esau’s heart would surely falter upon seeing Joseph, and consequently, he could not prevail over Jacob. Furthermore, Joseph was his adversary because Esau’s only claim against Jacob was that he took the birthright from him. In the future, Joseph would respond to him: Just as the birthright was taken from Reuben due to his defiling his father’s bed and was given to Joseph, so too it was justly taken from Esau, who would seduce married women from their husbands, and given to Jacob. And the receiving of the blessings was dependent on the birthright, as explained above in Parashat Toldot (25:31). Another reason: before Rachel gave birth, Jacob was ashamed to go to his father, lest it be said that he took a beautiful wife merely for lustful purposes. For this reason, Rachel said, *God has taken away my reproach*, because physical intimacy not for the purpose of procreation is a disgrace to us.