In Bereshit 31:35 we learn that Rachel was able to hide the Teraphim under her saddle by telling her father Lavan that "The way of women is upon me", presumably a euphemism for menstruation.
Just a few chapters later, though, while still travelling from Paddan-aram to Eprath, (Bereshit 35:16) we have her giving birth to Benjamin.
Since she would presumably have been well advanced in her pregnancy at the time the incident at Galeed occurred, and Lavan was a wily trickster, this successful deceit seems problematic.
Are there any traditional sources that discuss how Rachel Imeinu was able to deceive her father?
Answer
The Midrash (Megillah 17a) says Yaakov spent 2 years tarrying on his way back from Lavan (18 months in Sukkot and 6 months in Beit-El). So there's no way Rachel was already pregnant when she saw her father.
Even from the verses, what you describe as "just a few chapters later" doesn't seem to have been so quick. In 33:17-18 we have Yaakov arriving in two different places and setting up infrastructure in each. It seems a bit odd that Yaakov would build houses, set up farm sheds, and buy land if he was staying for just a few weeks.
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