Having said "va'Tekash b'Lidtah" (35:16), why does the Torah repeat "va'Yehi b'Hakshosah b'Lidtah"?
Oznayim la'Torah: It means when the pains became intense.
Why did the midwife tell Rachel not to be afraid?
Seforno: She attributed Rachel's labor-pains to her fear that she was giving birth to a girl, who causes more pain than a boy, 1 so she reassured her that it was a boy and that she needn't worry. 2
Ohr ha'Chayim: An extra twin was born with Binyamin (refer to 35:17:2:2). Do not fear that this birth is more painful (than of Yosef; it is due to the extra fetus).
Malbim: Rachel's entire desire was for children - "v'Im Ayin Mesah Anochi" (30:1). Even though she was on the verge of death, her only worry was lest the baby is a Nefel (not viable), 3 or will become a Nefel amidst the difficult labor. The midwife said "also this is a Ben," i.e. Ben Kayama (viable).
Ha'amek Davar: If a woman dies during birth, [normally] the baby dies first. Sometimes, the woman dies first [according to one opinion in Bava Basra 142b]. Tosfos (to Nidah 44a DH Ihu) says that the rule does not apply if the baby already started to leave. The midwife told her that the baby was still alive.
Nidah 31a; (I do not know why Ohr ha'Chayim cites the Gemara as saying that there is danger only during difficulty in the birth of a girl, but not of a boy. - PF)
Oznayim la'Torah: And to assure Rachel that her prayer when Yosef was born, "Yosef Hashem Li Ben Acher!" (30:24) had been answered.
One of the Simanim of a Nefel is that the hair is not finished (Tosefta Shabbos 15:7). The midwife could know this once the head began to leave. However, how could she know that the labor will not cause the child to die? Why does the Malbim not explain "Ben" simply? Rachel wanted specifically another son! (PF)
Why did the midwife add the word "Gam"?
Rashi #1: She was telling her that, apart from Yosef, this too, was a boy.
Rashi #2 (citing the Midrash): A twin sister was born with each of the tribes, 1 and with Binyamin, two.
Seforno: Refer to 35:17:1.1:1.
Above (Bereishis 32:23), it says that Yaakov took his 11 children. Chazal expounded that he hid Dinah. Perhaps this Midrash holds that he hid all his daughters. Or, he was concerned only for Dinah (perhaps she was very beautiful). Since the Torah named only her among Yaakov's daughters, we infer that he hid her. (PF)
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "A twin girl was born with each of the tribes; but with Binyamin an additional twin girl was born." Why was this so?
Gur Aryeh #1: Yosef had been born alone, without a twin sister, for he was destined to marry Asenas, in Egypt. 1 The girl that was to have been born with Yosef was later born with Binyamin, instead. 2
Gur Aryeh #2: Yosef was Yaakov's head chief offspring (Rashi to 37:2). He was born alone, for the root and essence of a matter must be one. (A female represents man's completion; a head is one and needs no supplementation). Binyamin was at the end of the tribes. He was born with two twin sisters 3 - one was for Binyamin's individual aspect as one of the tribes (each was born with the female that would make him complete), and one was because Binyamin had an extra level of completion; he himself was the completion of the twelve tribes.
Maharal (Chidushei Agados Vol. 2, p. 73, to Sotah 36a): Binyamin was the last of the Shevatim, their completion. He embodies two different traits, Din and Rachamim; 4 and therefore he was born with two twin sisters.
Additionally, many say that Leah had been expecting another boy at the time (see Rashi to 30:21) - and simultaneously, Rachel had been expecting a girl. Hashem switched them, such that Rachel gave birth to Yosef (alone, without a twin girl); and Leah gave birth to Dinah. Refer to 30:21:1:1**; 30:21:151:1; 30:21:151:2; and 30:24:2:3*.
Gur Aryeh expands this idea; Binyamin would also father ten children, completing the number of twelve children that were supposed to be born to Yosef (Sotah 36b).
Gur Aryeh: Hevel was also born with two sisters (Rashi to 4:1-2), for similar reasons. Also refer to 4:1:1.5:1.
Refer to 35:18:2.1:1.
