Duda-what?

Yasher koach to Allison on what I heard was a phenomenally successful Parsha Club about the story of the dudaim (you're hired!).  This was originally going to be a debate between the two of us offering competing explanations of the story.  When we decided against that, I was still hoping to go and hear it, but got stuck in a meeting and couldn't make it - if anyone wants to send in a summary I would be appreciative personally to see what I missed, and post it here for the Olam to enjoy.

My take on it is very simple:  It is the story of two sisters who are so caught up in what they lack (and the other has) that they lose all appreciation for what they have.  Leah is immediately blessed with four children, and names them all after her imperfect relationship with her husband.  Rachel has a loving and devoted husband, but confronts him, demanding a child "ואם אין מתה אנכי" - and if not I am (as if) dead.  "What about me?" we can imagine Yaakov thinking in response.

Then comes the story of the dudaim, found by Reuven (who is not really a character).  Many מפרשים explain that they were a fertility drug.  When Rachel sees Leah receive exactly what she needs, it's too much for her to bear, and she demands (or asks for) them.  Leah replies, you already have Yaakov, now you also want me to give you the dudaim - children, leaving me with nothing to draw Yaakov to me.  Rachel basically says, what good is Yaakov - take my husband, I want the children.  And that is the deal that they strike.

Interestingly, we find that both sisters are punished for their role in the episode.  When Dina is abducted, it calls her בת לאה and Rashi connects it to the story of the dudaim. Apparently, Hashem responded that if Leah was not going to appreciate her children, then He would not protect her children either. (Rashi also quotes that the episode was a punishment for Yaakov.  How to understand Dina getting punished for her parents sins is beyond the scope of this post - IY"H we'll talk about it at Parsha Club this week.)  Yet, as we will see below, she gets what she ultimately wanted - and is buried in מערת המכפילה as Yaakov's only wife.

Rashi quotes that because she trivialized her relationship with Yaakov, Rachel was not buried with him.  However, we find that she is buried in בית לחם, where she later comes to the defense of all of בני ישראל on their way into galut - (רחל מבכה על בניה) - so while she loses eternity with her husband who she didn't sufficiently value, she gets to serve as the אם when no one else can, the role that she wanted so badly all her life.