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 by common reckoning 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.