Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 29

1Light of foot, Jacob set out for the land of the people of the east.   אוַיִּשָּׂ֥א יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב רַגְלָ֑יו וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אַ֥רְצָה בְנֵי־קֶֽדֶם:
וַיִּשָּׂא יַֽעֲקֹב רַגְלָיו - (lit.) Jacob raised his feet. When he received the good news that he was promised God’s protection, his heart lifted his feet and it became easy for him to walk. So it is explained in Bereshit Rabbah. 1   וַיִּשָּׂא יַֽעֲקֹב רַגְלָיו.  מִשֶּׁנִּתְבַּשֵּׂר בְּשׂוֹרָה טוֹבָה שֶׁהֻבְטַח בִּשְׁמִירָה נָשָׂא לִבּוֹ אֶת רַגְלָיו וְנַעֲשָׂה קַל לָלֶכֶת, כָּךְ מְפֹרָשׁ בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה:
2When he reached Aram Naharayim, he looked, and there before his eyes was a well in a field, and three flocks were lying there beside it, for the local shepherds watered the flocks from that well. The boulder covering the opening of the well was huge.   בוַיַּ֞רְא וְהִנֵּ֧ה בְאֵ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה וְהִנֵּה־שָׁ֞ם שְׁלשָׁ֤ה עֶדְרֵי־צֹאן֙ רֹֽבְצִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֚י מִן־הַבְּאֵ֣ר הַהִ֔וא יַשְׁק֖וּ הָֽעֲדָרִ֑ים וְהָאֶ֥בֶן גְּדֹלָ֖ה עַל־פִּ֥י הַבְּאֵֽר:
יַשְׁקוּ הָֽעֲדָרִים - They watered the flocks - i.e., the shepherds would water the flocks, but the verse speaks in an abbreviated way without mentioning the subject.   יַשְׁקוּ הָֽעֲדָרִים.  מַשְׁקִים הָרוֹעִים אֶת הָעֲדָרִים, וְהַמִּקְרָא דִבֵּר בְּלָשׁוֹן קְצָרָה:
3Every day, when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would together roll the boulder off the opening of the well and water the flocks, and then replace the boulder over the opening of the well.   גוְנֶֽאֶסְפוּ־שָׁ֣מָּה כָל־הָֽעֲדָרִ֗ים וְגָֽלֲל֤וּ אֶת־הָאֶ֨בֶן֙ מֵעַל֙ פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֔ר וְהִשְׁק֖וּ אֶת־הַצֹּ֑אן וְהֵשִׁ֧יבוּ אֶת־הָאֶ֛בֶן עַל־פִּ֥י הַבְּאֵ֖ר לִמְקֹמָֽהּ:
וְנֶֽאֶסְפוּ־ - They were gathered - means “they would usually be gathered,” because the stone was huge and required several shepherds to remove it.   וְנֶֽאֶסְפוּ־.  רְגִילִים הָיוּ לְהֵאָסֵף, לְפִי שֶׁהָיְתָה הָאֶבֶן גְּדוֹלָה:
וְגָֽלֲלוּ - means “they would roll,” and therefore Onkelos translates it as וּמְגַנְדְּרִין “they would roll off” (a continuous present tense). Any continuous present tense may be expressed interchangeably by a future form or a past form as here, since anything that occurs continuously already happened and will happen again in the future.   וְגָֽלֲלוּ.  וְגוֹלְלִים, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּמְגַנְדְּרִין, כָּל לְשׁוֹן הוֹוֶה מִשְׁתַּנֶּה לְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן עָתִיד וּבִלְשׁוֹן עָבָר, לְפִי שֶׁכָּל דָּבָר הַהוֹוֶה תָּמִיד כְּבָר הָיָה וְעָתִיד לִהְיוֹת:
וְהֵשִׁיבוּ - Onkelos translates it as וּמְתִיבִין – “And they would replace.”   וְהֵשִׁיבוּ.  תַּרְגּוּמוֹ וּמְתִיבִין:
4Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?” and they replied, “We are from Charan.”   דוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אַחַ֖י מֵאַ֣יִן אַתֶּ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מֵֽחָרָ֖ן אֲנָֽחְנוּ:
5He asked them, “Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nachor?” and they replied, “We know him.”   הוַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם הַיְדַעְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־לָבָ֣ן בֶּן־נָח֑וֹר וַיֹּֽאמְר֖וּ יָדָֽעְנוּ:
6He asked them, “Is he well?” and they replied, “He is well—and here is his daughter Rachel, approaching with the flocks.”   ווַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָהֶ֖ם הֲשָׁל֣וֹם ל֑וֹ וַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ שָׁל֔וֹם וְהִנֵּה֙ רָחֵ֣ל בִּתּ֔וֹ בָּאָ֖ה עִם־הַצֹּֽאן:
בָּאָה עִם־הַצֹּֽאן - Approaching with the flocks. The accent on בָּאָה is on the א, and therefore its translation is אָתְיָא “she is coming.” However, וְרָחֵל בָּאָה 2 has the accent of the first syllable, on the ב, and therefore its translation is אָתַת “she came.” The former means “she is doing” (present tense), and the latter means “she did” (past tense).   בָּאָה עִם־הַצֹּֽאן.  הַטַּעַם בָּאָלֶ"ף וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ אָתְיָא; וְרָחֵל בָּאָה – הַטַּעַם לְמַעְלָה בַּבֵּי"ת וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ אֲתָת; הָרִאשׁוֹן לְשׁוֹן עוֹשָׂה וְהַשֵּׁנִי לְשׁוֹן עָשְׂתָה:
7He said to them, “It is still broad daylight. It is still not yet time to round up the livestock and take them home. If they need to drink, water the flocks and go off and pasture them.”   זוַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֵ֥ן עוֹד֙ הַיּ֣וֹם גָּד֔וֹל לֹא־עֵ֖ת הֵֽאָסֵ֣ף הַמִּקְנֶ֑ה הַשְׁק֥וּ הַצֹּ֖אן וּלְכ֥וּ רְעֽוּ:
הֵן עוֹד הַיּוֹם גָּדוֹל - It is still broad daylight! Since he saw the flocks crouching, he thought that they wished to gather in the livestock and that they would no longer pasture that day. He therefore said to them, “The day is yet young!” as if to say: If you are day-laborers, you have not completed the day’s work; and if the animals are yours, nonetheless, “It is not yet time to round up the livestock….” Bereshit Rabbah.   הֵן עוֹד הַיּוֹם גָּדוֹל.  לְפִי שֶׁרָאָה אוֹתָם רוֹבְצִים, כַּסָּבוּר שֶׁרוֹצִים לֶאֱסֹף הַמִּקְנֶה הַבַּיְתָה וְלֹא יִרְעוּ עוֹד, אָמַר לָהֶן הֵן עוֹד הַיּוֹם גָּדוֹל, כְּלוֹמַר אִם שְׂכִירִים אַתֶּם לֹא שִׁלַּמְתֶּם פְּעֻלַּת הַיּוֹם, וְאִם הַבְּהֵמוֹת שֶׁלָּכֶם אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא עֵת הֵאָסֵף הַמִּקְנֶה וְגו' (בראשית רבה):
8They replied, “We cannot water the flocks until all the flocks are rounded up and all the shepherds can roll the boulder off the opening of the well together. Only then can we water the animals.”   חוַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֘ לֹ֣א נוּכַל֒ עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֲדָרִ֔ים וְגָֽלֲלוּ֙ אֶת־הָאֶ֔בֶן מֵעַ֖ל פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֑ר וְהִשְׁקִ֖ינוּ הַצֹּֽאן:
לֹא נוּכַל - We cannot - water them, because the stone is too big.   לֹא נוּכַל.  לְהַשְׁקוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁהָאֶבֶן גְּדוֹלָה:
וְגָֽלֲלוּ - This is translated by Onkelos as וִיגַנְדְּרוּן – “And they will roll” because here it is in the future tense.   וְגָֽלֲלוּ.  זֶה מְתֻרְגָּם וִיגַנְדְּרוּן, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן עָתִיד:
9He was still speaking with them when Rachel arrived with her father’s flock, for she was a shepherdess.   טעוֹדֶ֖נּוּ מְדַבֵּ֣ר עִמָּ֑ם וְרָחֵ֣ל | בָּ֗אָה עִם־הַצֹּאן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאָבִ֔יהָ כִּ֥י רֹעָ֖ה הִֽוא:
10When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the flocks of Laban, his mother’s brother, Jacob stepped forward and rolled the boulder off the opening of the well and watered the flocks of Laban, his mother’s brother.   יוַיְהִ֡י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֩ רָאָ֨ה יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב אֶת־רָחֵ֗ל בַּת־לָבָן֙ אֲחִ֣י אִמּ֔וֹ וְאֶת־צֹ֥אן לָבָ֖ן אֲחִ֣י אִמּ֑וֹ וַיִּגַּ֣שׁ יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב וַיָּ֤גֶל אֶת־הָאֶ֨בֶן֙ מֵעַל֙ פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֔ר וַיַּ֕שְׁקְ אֶת־צֹ֥אן לָבָ֖ן אֲחִ֥י אִמּֽוֹ:
וַיִּגַּשׁ יַֽעֲקֹב וַיָּגֶל - Jacob stepped forward and rolled - as effortlessly as removing the stopper from a container. This is stated to let you know that his strength was great.   וַיִּגַּשׁ יַֽעֲקֹב וַיָּגֶל.  כְּמִי שֶׁמַּעֲבִיר אֶת הַפְּקָק מֵעַל פִּי צְלוֹחִית; לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁכֹּחוֹ גָּדוֹל (בראשית רבה):
11Then Jacob kissed Rachel. He burst out crying.   יאוַיִּשַּׁ֥ק יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב לְרָחֵ֑ל וַיִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־קֹל֖וֹ וַיֵּֽבְךְּ:
וַיֵּֽבְךְּ - He burst out crying - because he foresaw through Divine Inspiration that she would not be buried with him. Another explanation: He cried because he came empty-handed. He said, “Eliezer, my grandfather’s servant, had with him nose-rings, bracelets, and delicacies, but I have nothing with me.” The reason for this was because Eliphaz son of Esau had pursued him and caught up with him, instructed by his father to kill him. However since Eliphaz had grown up in Isaac’s care, he refrained, not being able to kill him. Instead he asked Jacob, “What shall I do about my father’s command?” Jacob answered him, “Take whatever I have, for a poor person is considered dead.”   וַיֵּֽבְךְּ.  לְפִי שֶׁצָּפָה בְרוּח הַקֹּדֶש שֶאֵינָהּ נִכְנֶסֶת עִמּוֹ לִקְבוּרָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר לְפִי שֶׁבָּא בְּיָדַיִם רֵקָנִיּוֹת; אָמַר, אֱלִיעֶזֶר עֶבֶד אֲבִי אַבָּא הָיוּ בְיָדָיו נְזָמִים וּצְמִידִים וּמִגְדָּנוֹת וַאֲנִי אֵין בְּיָדִי כְלוּם; לְפִי שֶׁרָדַף אֶלִיפַז בֶּן עֵשָׂו בְּמִצְוַת אָבִיו אַחֲרָיו לְהָרְגוֹ וְהִשִּׂיגוֹ, וּלְפִי שֶׁגָּדַל אֶלִיפַז בְּחֵיקוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק, מָשַׁךְ יָדָיו. אָמַר לוֹ מָה אֱעֱשֶׂה לַצִּוּוּי שֶׁל אַבָּא? אָמַר לוֹ יַעֲקֹב טֹל מַה שֶּׁבְּיָדִי, וְהֶעָנִי חָשׁוּב כַּמֵּת:
12Jacob told Rachel that he was both her father’s relative as well as Rebecca’s son. She ran and told her father of Jacob’s arrival.   יבוַיַּגֵּ֨ד יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב לְרָחֵ֗ל כִּ֣י אֲחִ֤י אָבִ֨יהָ֙ ה֔וּא וְכִ֥י בֶן־רִבְקָ֖ה ה֑וּא וַתָּ֖רָץ וַתַּגֵּ֥ד לְאָבִֽיהָ:
כִּי אֲחִי אָבִיהָ הוּא - That he was her father’s (lit.) brother - i.e., her father’s relative, as in: “for we are relatives (אַחִים).” 3 But the Midrashic explanation of this phrase is: If he intends to deceive me – I am also his “brother” (his equal) in deception; but if he is an upright person – I am also the son of his righteous sister, Rebecca.   כִּי אֲחִי אָבִיהָ הוּא.  קָרוֹב לְאָבִיהָ, כְּמוֹ אֲנָשִׁים אַחִים אֲנָחְנוּ. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ, אִם לְרַמָּאוּת הוּא בָא, גַם אֲנִי אָחִיו בְּרַמָּאוּת, וְאִם אָדָם כָּשֵׁר הוּא, גַּם אֲנִי בֶן רִבְקָה אֲחוֹתוֹ הַכְּשֵׁרָה:
וַתַּגֵּד לְאָבִֽיהָ - And told her father - Because her mother had died, and she had no one to tell besides him.   וַתַּגֵּד לְאָבִֽיהָ.  לְפִי שֶׁאִמָּהּ מֵתָה, וְלֹא הָיָה לָהּ לְהַגִּיד אֶלָּא לוֹ (בראשית רבה):
13When Laban heard the news of the arrival of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to greet him. He embraced him, kissed him, and brought him home. Jacob told Laban of all these events.   יגוַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ לָבָ֜ן אֶת־שֵׁ֣מַע | יַֽעֲקֹ֣ב בֶּן־אֲחֹת֗וֹ וַיָּ֤רָץ לִקְרָאתוֹ֙ וַיְחַבֶּק־לוֹ֙ וַיְנַשֶּׁק־ל֔וֹ וַיְבִיאֵ֖הוּ אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ וַיְסַפֵּ֣ר לְלָבָ֔ן אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה:
וַיָּרָץ לִקְרָאתוֹ - He ran to greet him - He thought: “Jacob is laden with money, for even the servant of that house – Eliezer – arrived here with 10 laden camels.”   וַיָּרָץ לִקְרָאתוֹ.  כַּסָּבוּר מָמוֹן הוּא טָעוּן, שֶׁהֲרֵי עֶבֶד הַבַּית בָּא לְכָאן בַּעֲשָׂרָה גְמַלִּים טְעוּנִים:
וַיְחַבֶּק־ - He embraced. When he saw nothing with him, he said, “Maybe he has brought gold coins, and they are hidden in his bosom.”   וַיְחַבֶּק־.  כְּשֶׁלֹּא רָאָה עִמּוֹ כְלוּם, אָמַר שֶׁמָּא זְהוּבִים הֵבִיא וְהִנָּם בְּחֵיקוֹ:
וַיְנַשֶּׁק־לוֹ - Kissed him. He said, “Maybe he has brought pearls, and they are hidden in his mouth.”   וַיְנַשֶּׁק־לוֹ.  אָמַר שֶׁמָּא מַרְגָּלִיוֹת הֵבִיא וְהֵם בְּפִיו, בּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה:
וַיְסַפֵּר לְלָבָן - [Jacob] told Laban - that he only came because he was forced to on account of his brother Esau, and that his money had been taken from him.   וַיְסַפֵּר לְלָבָן.  שֶׁלֹּא בָא אֶלָּא מִתּוֹך אֹנֶס אָחִיו, וְשֶׁנָּטְלוּ מָמוֹנוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ:
14Laban said to him, “You are truly my own flesh and blood.” Jacob stayed with him for a month and tended his flocks.   ידוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ לָבָ֔ן אַ֛ךְ עַצְמִ֥י וּבְשָׂרִ֖י אָ֑תָּה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב עִמּ֖וֹ חֹ֥דֶשׁ יָמִֽים:
אַךְ עַצְמִי וּבְשָׂרִי - [You are] truly my own flesh and blood. Laban said, “Really, I have no reason to take you into my home since you have nothing with you. However, since we are relatives I will take care of you for a month.” So he did, but even this was not for free, for Jacob tended his flocks.   אַךְ עַצְמִי וּבְשָׂרִי.  מֵעַתָּה אֵין לִי לְאָסְפְּךָ הַבַּיְתָה, הוֹאִיל וְאֵין בְּיָדְךָ כְלוּם, אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי קוּרְבָה אֲטַפֵּל בְּךָ חֹדֶש יָמִים, וְכֵן עָשָׂה, וְאַף זוֹ לֹא לְחִנָּם, שֶׁהָיָה רוֹעֶה צֹאנוֹ:
15Laban then said to Jacob, “Just because you are my close relative, does it mean that you must work for me for free?! Tell me what your wages should be.”   טווַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָבָן֙ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב הֲכִֽי־אָחִ֣י אַ֔תָּה וַֽעֲבַדְתַּ֖נִי חִנָּ֑ם הַגִּ֥ידָה לִּ֖י מַה־מַּשְׂכֻּרְתֶּֽךָ:
הֲכִֽי־אָחִי אַתָּה - This is the introduction to a question: “Just because you are my relative - should you work for me for nothing?”   הֲכִֽי־אָחִי אַתָּה.  לְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ, וְכִי בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאָחִי אַתָּה תַּעַבְדֵנִי חִנָּם:
וַֽעֲבַדְתַּנִי - is the equivalent of וְתַעַבְדֵנִי – “Should you work for me.” Similarly with any word in the past tense, when a ו is added at the beginning it changes the word to the future tense.   וַֽעֲבַדְתַּנִי.  כְּמוֹ וְתַעַבְדֵנִי; וְכֵן כָּל תֵּבָה שֶׁהִיא לְשׁוֹן עָבָר הוֹסִיף וָי"ו בְּרֹאשָׁהּ, וְהִיא הוֹפֶכֶת הַתֵּבָה לְהַבָּא:
16Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older one was Leah, and the name of the younger one was Rachel.   טזוּלְלָבָ֖ן שְׁתֵּ֣י בָנ֑וֹת שֵׁ֤ם הַגְּדֹלָה֙ לֵאָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַקְּטַנָּ֖ה רָחֵֽל:
17Leah’s eyes were tender, while Rachel was a woman of beautiful facial features and complexion.   יזוְעֵינֵ֥י לֵאָ֖ה רַכּ֑וֹת וְרָחֵל֨ הָֽיְתָ֔ה יְפַת־תֹּ֖אַר וִיפַ֥ת מַרְאֶֽה:
רַכּוֹת - Tender - for she thought that she would fall to the lot of Esau, and she was therefore constantly weeping; for everyone was saying, “Rebecca has two sons and Laban has two daughters – the elder daughter is for the elder son, and the younger daughter for the younger son.”   רַכּוֹת.  שֶׁהָיְתָה סְבוּרָה לַעֲלוֹת בְּגוֹרָלוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו וּבוֹכָה, שֶׁהָיוּ הַכֹּל אוֹמְרִים שְׁנֵי בָנִים לְרִבְקָה וּשְׁתֵּי בָנוֹת לְלָבָן, הַגְּדוֹלָה לַגָּדוֹל וְהַקְּטַנָּה לַקָּטָן (בבא בתרא קכ"ג):
תֹּאַר - (lit.) Form. This refers to the form of the face, having the same root as: “he shapes it (יְתָאֲרֵהוּ) with a saw”; 4 “conpas” in Old French.   תֹּאַר.  הוּא צוּרַת הַפַּרְצוּף, לְשׁוֹן יְתָאֲרֵהוּ בַשֶּׂרֶד: (ישעיהו מ"ד, י"ג), קונ"פאש בלע"ז:
מַרְאֶֽה - (lit.) Appearance. This refers to the complexion of her features.   מַרְאֶֽה.  הוּא זִיו קְלַסְתֵּר: