Vayeitzei 30:14 · unit 1
Parashas Vayeitzei · Passuk 30:14
The Complete Passuk
וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ רְאוּבֵ֜ן בִּימֵ֣י קְצִיר־חִטִּ֗ים וַיִּמְצָ֤א דוּדָאִים֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיָּבֵ֣א אֹתָ֔ם אֶל־לֵאָ֖ה אִמּ֑וֹ וַתֹּ֤אמֶר רָחֵל֙ אֶל־לֵאָ֔ה תְּנִי־נָ֣א לִ֔י מִדּוּדָאֵ֖י בְּנֵֽךְ׃
And Reuven went in the days of wheat harvest and found dudaim in the field and brought them to Leah his mother. And Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s dudaim.”
Chabad / Judaica Press
Source Citation
Torah Temimah points to classical sources on the nature of the dudaim.
TT lemma: דודאים .
Sefaria — Genesis 30:14
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
אָמְרוּ: דּוּדָאִים — יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים סִיגְלֵי, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים בַּרְיוֹחֵי.
English: They said: Dudaim — some say they are siglei (mandrakes), and some say they are bariochei (a fragrant plant).
On the daf / in context: The identity of the plant is discussed; both views treat it as a fertility-related or aromatic herb that Rachel desired.
Type of Learning
Derash on the verse (midrashic) — not a formal named middah of the 13 . The plant is identified and its significance for the sisters is derived.
What Is Learned
The dudaim were a plant sought for its properties; Rachel’s request sets the stage for the exchange that follows.
Source pointed to by Torah Temimah. Only Chazal’s words and what they derived are presented. Ashkenazi transliteration.