“Then comes the old Rachel and Leah stuff we had drummed into us at the center. Give me children, or else I die. Am I in God’s stead. Who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? Behold my maid Bilhah, She shall bear upon my knee, that I may also have children to her (88)."
This is a biblical reference to the story of Jacob’s two wives, Rachel and Leah. When Jacob first saw his Uncle’s two daughters he fell in love with Rachel, the more beautiful of the two. Jacob made a deal with his Uncle to marry Rachel, but he was tricked into marrying Leah instead. He married Rachel as well shortly after. Rachel was beautiful, but could not bear children. Leah bore children easily, but Jacob never loved her at all. The maid, Billah, is a reference to Rachel’s maid who became a surrogate mother for her when Rachel became jealous of Leah’s ability to produce children. Although Rachel had Jacob’s love, Leah was never jealous or hateful towards Rachel. In the novel, the center where the handmaids are sent to be taught about the new society and its rules is called the Rachel and Leah center. It is possible that Atwood named it that because the center is used to turn the women from Rachels into Leahs. Leah is the biblical favorite of the two women.
http://www.wordlibrary.co.uk/article.php?id=167
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