These two birthmothers merited to have descended from them some of the most remarkable personalities in our nation's history—Shimshon HaGibor from Dan; Devorah the Judge, from Naftali; Eliyahu the Prophet who will herald the redemption, from Gad. Yet nary an utterance is recorded in the Torah.

We are taught that Bilhah and Zilpah were Lavan's daughters who were born to his own handmaiden. When Lavan's daughters married Yaakov, they brought with them their handmaidens. At the instigation of Rochel who was yet barren, she gave Bilhah to Yaakov לאשה—as a 'wife', subsequently bearing Yaakov two children. When Leah ceased from giving birth, she followed suit and proffered Zilpah לאשה—as a 'wife' for Yaakov, and she too bore two children to Yaakov. (בראשית ל ד,ט)

These four children were numbered among the Twelve Tribes yet are often referred to in Jewish literature, seemingly derogatorily, as the בני השפחות—Children of the Handmaids.

In only one situation in the Torah are they presented as the offspring of handmaids. When Esav encounters the family of Yaakov, he situates the family by first 'placing the handmaids and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rochel and Yosef last'.

Although they were termed as 'wives' of Yaakov, they somehow are repeatedly referred to as the שפחות—handmaids of Rochel and Leah.

Were these women who mothered four of the twelve tribes that comprised the full scope of our great nation for all of eternity, just silent partners, totally eclipsed by their mistresses? Nary an utterance is recorded in their name.

  When Rochel saw that she had borne Yaakov no children, she became envious of her sister; and Rochel said to Yaakov, “Give me children, or I shall die.”

Yaakov was incensed at Rochel, and said, “Can I take the place of G-d, who has denied you fruit of the womb?”

She said, “Here is my maid Bilhah. Consort with her, that she may bear on my knees and that through her I too may have children.”

So, she gave him her maid Bilhah as concubine, and Yaakov cohabited with her.

Bilhah conceived and bore Yaakov a son.

And Rachel said, “G-d has judged me; indeed, [G-d] has heeded my plea and given me a son.” Therefore, she named him Dan.

Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Yaakov a second son.

And Rachel said, “A fateful contest I waged with my sister; yes, and I have prevailed.” So, she named him Naftali.

Through this painful exchange and resolution, Rochel seems to be focusing on desiring a son, as well as contending with her sister, to be equal to her, in becoming a mother.

Would Rochel's desire to raise a child have been lessened if she was an only sister.

The verse accents from the start that she was 'envious' of her sister.

When naming Dan Rochel emphasizes being judged. Rashi expounds that there were three stages of judgment. דנני—He judged me, חייבני—declared me guilty, זכני—and then declared me innocent. She was judged, found unworthy, and only later vindicated. Yet she sought to memorialize the fact she was judged, ignoring being found eventually worthy. Wasn't that the whole objective of her prayers?

In naming נפתלי—Naftali, Rashi provides three etymological theories.

With פתיל— bonds from the Omnipresent, I have joined my sister to merit children.

An expression stubbornly pleading many, פתלתל—tortuous pleas to the Omnipresent to be equal to my sister.

Onkelos, however, rendered it as an expression of prayer, תפילה—Requests beloved to Him were accepted on my behalf, and I was answered like my sister.

Strangely, each interpretation focuses on being like her sister either in having a child, or in her prayers being heard by G-d.

Perhaps her goal wasn't solely to bear a child, but rather her deep desire to bond with her sister in having shared similar experiences. Only one who has lived through similar crises can fathom and connect to others' experience in a most profound way.

In naming the first son Dan, once again it wasn't her joy in being judged worthy of a son, as much as it was the depth of connection she felt to G-d during that time, independent of her prayers being answered.

Whether in bonding with G-d or to her sister, Rochel was striving to attach herself to a world of unity, that all stems from search for G-d, which exhibits itself in our bonding with those closest to us in together fulfilling the will of G-d. With no other personal satisfaction other than that.

These holy handmaidens personified an uncompromising devotion to their mistresses. They so fully fused their personalities to the inspired influence of these selfless and righteous women, there was no possibility for self-expression.

There is an ancient correlation recorded in the works of the Rishonim, that the word ברזל—iron is an acronym for the four women who mothered the tribes: בלהה רחל זלפה לאה.

In two visions of the prophet Doniel he describes a statue with iron legs, and in another, a mighty beast with iron teeth. These refer to the nation of Edom, whose iron weapons of destruction symbolize its very essence, purveying the notion that man can dismantle the 'alleged' unified force of G-d that radiates through every aspect of Creation.

The counterforce to Esav, the patriarch of Edom, are the children of Yaakov, whose every breath and action promotes the presence of G-d in every aspect of life.

The first line of defense against the marauder Esav, are the בני השפחות—the proud sons of the handmaids, who, in the spirit of their birthmothers under the tutelage of the matriarchs, Rochel and Leah, remain iron-willed in their carrying out their mission uncompromisingly.

The Maharal points out that the enthused declaration of אחד we recite at the end of the first sentence of Shma, when broken down to its components, stands for א — One, the singular tribe of Levi, G-d's emissaries to the nation, ח — Eight, for the eight children of the mistresses, concluding with ד — Four, the four sons of the handmaids.

The total of אחד numerically equivalent to thirteen tribes, counting Yosef as two, Efraim and Menashe. 

My dear friend Rav Fishel Mael, may he be well, in his magnificent work Shivtei Yisroel, adds that without the last letter of ד we are left with אח, a word used for brother but more literally means 'to bring together' two distinct items.

Without the unstinting iron-willed role models of the children of the handmaids, we may be brothers but not 'one'.

In the allusion to the handmaids in the word ברזל, surprisingly the ב for בלהה precedes the ר for רחל. Similarly, the ז for זלפה precedes the ל for לאה.

Perhaps this is a tribute to the silent matriarchs, heroes of silent service and devotion, who invested within the Jewish nation the iron strength to overcome all challenges.

'Iron is strong due to its high atomic binding energy and dense metallic structure.'

We are strong due to our high binding energy: Adhering to the will of G-d, in the image of our matriarchs. It is only with that energy we will finally smash the iron swords of Esav!

באהבה,

צבי יהודה טייכמאן