Who is your favorite Matriarch?

[admin]

Mine is Rachel.

[OdKahaneChai]

Then maybe you should put her in the poll... 

Anyway, once again my answer is all of them.  This whole thing is kinda stupid...

[newman]

I like Leah. She had to put up with being 'second fiddle' but was a loyal wife and a good mother.

I don't like Rachel because she stole Leah's mandrakes!

[Eliezer Ben Avraham]

Mine is Rachel.

Bilhah and zilpah dont count they were just maidservants

[OdKahaneChai]

Mine is Rachel.

Bilhah and zilpah dont count they were just maidservants

This is The Tomb of The Matriarchs in Tiberias. Leah's handmaid Zilpah who bore Jacob Gad and Asher, Rachel's handmaid Bilhah who bore Jacob Dan and Naphtali, Moses's mother Yocheved, Moses's wife Tzipora, Aaron's wife Elisheva, and King David's wife Avigail are buried here.

They still aren't counted as Imahot.

[shimon]

yeah they are they are still literally the mothers of the jewish people

[newman]

I'm just glad Abraham listened to G_d when he told him to give Hagar the boot. Imagine stinking arabs being the chosen people!

[OdKahaneChai]

I'm just glad Abraham listened to G_d when he told him to give Hagar the boot. Imagine stinking arabs being the chosen people!

Well actually, Hagar and Yishmael both eventually did Teshuva - it's some of Yishmael's descendants who are the problem...

And also, after Sarah's death, Avraham ended up taking Hagar back, as a concubine (here she is called Keturah), and she bore him six more children: Zimran, Yokshan, Medan, Midian, Yishbak, and Shuach, whom Avraham sent to the East with gifts.  There is a question, though, as to what those "gifts" were, as Avraham gave all of his property to Yitzchak.  (Some say it was a name by whose pronunciation they would be able to perform sorcery - although there is also a question as to whether non-Jews are allowed to perform sorcery.)

[Lisa]

Well actually, Hagar and Yishmael both eventually did Teshuva - it's some of Yishmael's descendants who are the problem...

And also, after Sarah's death, Avraham ended up taking Hagar back, as a concubine (here she is called Keturah), and she bore him six more children: Zimran, Yokshan, Medan, Midian, Yishbak, and Shuach, whom Avraham sent to the East with gifts.  There is a question, though, as to what those "gifts" were, as Avraham gave all of his property to Yitzchak.  (Some say it was a name by whose pronunciation they would be able to perform sorcery - although there is also a question as to whether non-Jews are allowed to perform sorcery.)

So why wasn't she called Keturah, rather than Hagar?

[OdKahaneChai]

Well actually, Hagar and Yishmael both eventually did Teshuva - it's some of Yishmael's descendants who are the problem...

And also, after Sarah's death, Avraham ended up taking Hagar back, as a concubine (here she is called Keturah), and she bore him six more children: Zimran, Yokshan, Medan, Midian, Yishbak, and Shuach, whom Avraham sent to the East with gifts.  There is a question, though, as to what those "gifts" were, as Avraham gave all of his property to Yitzchak.  (Some say it was a name by whose pronunciation they would be able to perform sorcery - although there is also a question as to whether non-Jews are allowed to perform sorcery.)

So why wasn't she called Keturah, rather than Hagar?

Do you mean originally why wasn't she called Hagar?

Rashi says:
"Zo Hagar, v'nik'reit Keturah al shena'im ma'ase'ha ki'ketoret; v'shekash'ra pit'cha, mi'yom she'per'sha me'Avraham."  "This is Hagar, but she is called Keturah because her deeds were as beautiful (i.e. pleasing) as incense; and because she bound up her entrance, in that she did not have relations with any man from the day she separated from Avraham."

[Raulmarrio2000]

Surprised that so many people voted Rachel. In fact Rachel also, but I'm not a Jew, and you may imagine why I chose Rachel. She was Ephrayim's grandmother!!!!

[Raulmarrio2000]

What does her being Ephraim's grandmother mean to you? Do you buy into the British-Israelism thing?

She was also Menashe's grandmother. So I'm after her husband and grandson.

What is British-Israelism?

I just like Eprayim because of what his name means.
(52) And the name of the second called he Ephraim: 'for God hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.'
Yoseph who apperently had no hope of surviving and suffered for years un Egypt, now had a son and thanked Hashem.

Later Israel blessed Ephrayim, and said he would be stronger than his brother, and both would be a blessing to Israel.