For an explanation of the methodology of this series, see the introduction.

"And the children struggled within her, and she said, "If so, for what am I [suffering like] this?" And she went to inquire of G‑d. (Gen. 25:22)

Peshat (basic meaning):

Rashi: "And she went to inquire:". to the academy of Shem.

Siftei Chachamim: Rashi explains, to where one would "go" to inquire of G‑d.

Remez (hinted meaning):

Rebecca was very sensitive to the inner worlds...

"within her": The word 'BeKiRBaH'/within her has the same letters as RiVKaH. (Aviva Zornberg, "The Murmuring Deep") Rivkah/Rebecca was very sensitive to the inner worlds, and therefore she wanted to understand the ultimate significance of such a trying pregnancy and ordeal, even to ask G‑d: "for what am I [like] this?"

Derash (interpretive meaning):

Targum Yonatan: And the children pressed in her womb, and she said, "If such be the anguish of childbirth, for what do I need children?" And she went to supplicate mercy before the L-rd in the academy of Shem.

Lubavitcher Rebbe: Why did she prefer to speak to Shem rather than Abraham or Isaac?
(1) She asked them first, but they did not give an explanation, so she went to Shem. But neither does Rashi mention this nor is it hinted in the Torah.
(2) She did not want to distress them, for after so many years, they might be pained to hear that the children struggled within her, causing her such anguish that she regretted wanting to have children. For Isaac and Abraham this would have been agonizing, reminding them of the Binding of Isaac when Abraham was asked to slaughter a son whom he waited years for. So too, for Isaac who had prayed for children for years, to hear that she was suffering from a difficult pregnancy would have been tough. So in order to save Isaac and Abraham from having to suffer a challenge of faith resembling the Binding of Isaac , Rebecca sought the advice of Shem instead. (Sichot Shabbat parashat Toldot 5748)

Sod (esoteric, mystical meaning):

Zohar Toledot 137: Where did she go? To the academy of Shem and Ever.

BeRahamim LeHayyim: To many, the academy of Shem and his great-grandson Ever seems frankly preposterous — Shem was Noah's son; what's he doing teaching in Rebecca's time?! But in fact, Shem lived until Isaac was 50 years old. [When my wife and I merited to be in Safed/Tzefat right after we married, of course we had to take my picture in front of the academy of Shem and Ever there!]

Shem and Eber...were the judges of the day...

In the above verse, what was Rebecca doing? She was bringing a question in Jewish law to a rabbi for a p'sak/resolution. She went to inquire of G‑d, so she went to those who were engaged in the learning of G‑d all the time — to the teachers Shem and Eber. They were the judges of the day (Deut 16:8) and she received an answer, either in direct prophecy but most likely through Shem and Eber. We are taught that a Chacham/Sage (whose source is chochma) is higher than a prophet (whose source is netzach and hod (see Shabbat mystical song Kel Mistater) for he is always connected to his source of wisdom in his learning, but a prophet needs to wait until he is called by the Source of prophecy.

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