Genesis 30:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Observe how powerfully she expresses the anguish of her heart with these words. Is it not sufficient, she laments, that you have taken my spouse? Will you also claim the mandrakes belonging to my son? ‘Rachel said, ‘So let him lie down with thee this night, for thy son's mandrakes.’’ She pleads for the mandrakes, saying, take my husband for the night. Notice how Jacob’s affection is entirely for Rachel, despite Leah bearing him numerous offspring; his devotion is clearly directed toward Rachel. If that were not the case, how could Leah have borne the burden of living alongside her sister?

Is it not sufficient for you to claim my husband, that you also desire the mandrakes of my son? Jealousy engulfs Leah in a whirlwind of emotions. She laments over a trivial matter, yet fails to disclose the long-hidden source of her sorrow appropriately. However, Rachel remains as barren as ever, even when she acknowledges her need for Leah, reconciles with her, and relinquishes her own advantage. Similarly, a life of contemplation does not yield fruit unless it understands the significance of the cross and embraces it, prepared to relinquish its comforts in servitude to this sacred commitment.