Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 30

28Laban said, “Specify your payment due from me, and I will pay you accordingly.”   כחוַיֹּאמַ֑ר נָקְבָ֧ה שְׂכָֽרְךָ֛ עָלַ֖י וְאֶתֵּֽנָה:
נָקְבָה - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: פָּרֵשׁ אַגְרָךְ – “Specify your wage.”   נָקְבָה.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ פָּרֵשׁ אַגְרָךְ:
29Jacob said to him, “You know how faithfully I have toiled for you, and just how few were your livestock that you placed with me when I first began working for you.   כטוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתָּ אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲבַדְתִּ֑יךָ וְאֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה מִקְנְךָ֖ אִתִּֽי:
וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר הָיָה מִקְנְךָ אִתִּֽי - (lit.) And what your livestock was with me - i.e., how small was the sum of your livestock that was originally entrusted to me.   וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר הָיָה מִקְנְךָ אִתִּֽי.  אֶת חֶשְׁבּוֹן מִעוּט מִקְנְךָ שֶׁבָּא לְיָדִי מִתְּחִלָּה, כַּמָּה הָיוּ:
30For the little you had before my arrival has increased substantially, and God has blessed you on my account. But now, when will I have a chance to provide for my own household, as well?”   לכִּ֡י מְעַט֩ אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֨ה לְךָ֤ לְפָנַי֙ וַיִּפְרֹ֣ץ לָרֹ֔ב וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ יְהֹוָ֛ה אֹֽתְךָ֖ לְרַגְלִ֑י וְעַתָּ֗ה מָתַ֛י אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה גַם־אָֽנֹכִ֖י לְבֵיתִֽי:
לְרַגְלִי - (lit.) For my foot - means with my foot, i.e., on account of my coming, the Divine blessing has come to you. The word רֶגֶל is used similarly in “the people who follow you (בְּרַגְלֶיךָ)”; 1 “to the people אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלָי” 2 meaning: “who are coming with me.”   לְרַגְלִי.  עִם רַגְלִי, בִּשְׁבִיל בִּיאַת רַגְלִי בָּאת אֶצְלְךָ הַבְּרָכָה, כְּמוֹ הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלֶיךָ (שמות י"א), לָעָם אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלָי (שופטים ח') – הַבָּאִים עִמִּי:
גַם־אָֽנֹכִי לְבֵיתִֽי - (lit.) [When will] I too [be able to do] for my household - i.e., “for the needs of my household.” At present, only my sons are providing for my needs and I, too, must work with them to assist them. That is the meaning here of “too.”   גַם־אָֽנֹכִי לְבֵיתִֽי.  לְצֹרֶךְ בֵּיתִי; עַכְשָׁו אֵין עוֹשִׂין לְצָרְכִּי אֶלָּא בָּנַי וְצָרִיךְ אֲנִי לִהְיוֹת עוֹשֶׂה גַּם אֲנִי עִמָּהֶם לְסָמְכָן, וְזֶהוּ גַּם:
31Laban asked, “So what should I give you?” Jacob said, “Do not give me anything. If you will do this one thing for me, I will continue to pasture your flocks and to tend them:   לאוַיֹּ֖אמֶר מָ֣ה אֶתֶּן־לָ֑ךְ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹב֙ לֹֽא־תִתֶּן־לִ֣י מְא֔וּמָה אִם־תַּֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּי֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה אָשׁ֛וּבָה אֶרְעֶ֥ה צֹֽאנְךָ֖ אֶשְׁמֹֽר:
32Let me pass with you through all your flocks today. Remove from there every white-speckled or white-blotched he-goat, as well as every solid-auburn lamb, and every white-blotched or white-speckled she-goat. The sheep and goats that they bear from now on with the markings and colorings of those you segregated will be my payment.   לבאֶֽעֱבֹ֨ר בְּכָל־צֹֽאנְךָ֜ הַיּ֗וֹם הָסֵ֨ר מִשָּׁ֜ם כָּל־שֶׂ֣ה | נָקֹ֣ד וְטָל֗וּא וְכָל־שֶׂה־חוּם֙ בַּכְּשָׂבִ֔ים וְטָל֥וּא וְנָקֹ֖ד בָּֽעִזִּ֑ים וְהָיָ֖ה שְׂכָרִֽי:
נָקֹד - means speckled with fine spots like dots; “pointure” in Old French.   נָקֹד.  מְנֻמָּר בַּחֲבַרְבּוּרוֹת דַּקּוֹת כּמוֹ נְקֻדּוֹת, פיונטור"א בְּלַעַז:
וְטָלוּא - is of a similar meaning to: טְלָאִים “patches” – i.e., wide spots.   וְטָלוּא.  לְשׁוֹן טְלָאִים – חֲבַרְבּוּרוֹת רְחָבוֹת:
חוּם - means a brownish color, close to red; “ros” in Old French. Mishnaic language uses a similar word: “If it is sold as dark red (שְׁחַמְתִּית) and it is found to be white,” 3 in connection with produce.   חוּם.  שָׁחוּם, דּוֹמֶה לְאָדֹם, רו"ש בְּלַעַז; לְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה שַׁחֲמָתִית וְנִמְצֵאת לְבָנָה, לְעִנְיַן הַתְּבוּאָה:
וְהָיָה שְׂכָרִֽי - And it will be my payment - i.e., from now on, those that are born speckled and blotched among the goats and auburn among the sheep will be mine. And as for those that are there now – separate them and put them in the charge of your sons, so that you not tell me about any such animals born from now on that they belong to the original flock and not part of my payment, and so you cannot claim that because of the males that are speckled and blotched, the females will from now on bear offspring of a similar kind.   וְהָיָה שְׂכָרִֽי.  אוֹתָן שֶׁיִּוָּלְדוּ מִכָּאן וּלְהַבָּא נְקֻדִּים וּטְלוּאִים בָּעִזִּים וּשְׁחוּמִים בַּכְּשָׂבִים, יִהְיוּ שֶׁלִּי, וְאוֹתָן שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָן עַכְשָׁו, הַפְרֵשׁ מֵהֶם וְהַפְקִידֵם בְּיַד בָּנֶיךָ, שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר לִי עַל הַנּוֹלָדִים מֵעַתָּה אֵלּוּ הָיוּ שָׁם מִתְּחִלָּה, וְעוֹד, שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר לִי, עַל יְדֵי הַזְּכָרִים שֶׁהֵן נְקֻדִּים וּטְלוּאִים תֵּלַדְנָה הַנְּקֵבוֹת דֻּגְמָתָן מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ:
33At some time in the future, if you ever suspect me of having appropriated any of your flock, my integrity will testify on my behalf regarding my payment: any animal that is neither white-speckled nor white-blotched among the goats, or solid auburn among the sheep, is in my possession by theft.”   לגוְעָֽנְתָה־בִּ֤י צִדְקָתִי֙ בְּי֣וֹם מָחָ֔ר כִּֽי־תָב֥וֹא עַל־שְׂכָרִ֖י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ כֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־אֵינֶ֩נּוּ֩ נָקֹ֨ד וְטָל֜וּא בָּֽעִזִּ֗ים וְחוּם֙ בַּכְּשָׂבִ֔ים גָּנ֥וּב ה֖וּא אִתִּֽי:
וְעָֽנְתָה־בִּי וגו' - [My integrity] will testify on my behalf…. If you suspect me of taking anything of yours, my righteousness will testify for me – for my integrity will come and testify before you about my wages, that you will find only speckled and blotched goats in my herd; and as for anything that you find among them that is not speckled or blotched, or auburn among my sheep, you may be certain that I have stolen it from you and it is in my possession by theft.   וְעָֽנְתָה־בִּי וגו'.  אִם תַּחְשְׁדֵנִי שֶׁאֲנִי נוֹטֵל מִשֶּׁלְּךָ כְּלוּם, תַּעֲנֶה בִי צִדְקָתִי כִּי תָבֹא צִדְקָתִי וְתָעִיד עַל שְׂכָרִי לְפָנֶיךָ, שֶׁלֹּא תִמְצָא בְעֶדְרִי כִּי אִם נְקֻדִּים וּטְלוּאִים, וְכָל שֶׁתִּמְצָא בָהֶן שֶׁאֵינוֹ נָקֹד אוֹ טָלוּא אוֹ חוּם, בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁגְּנַבְתִּיו לְךָ וּבִגְנֵבָה הוּא שָׁרוּי אֶצְלִי:
34Laban replied, “Very well, let it be as you say.”   לדוַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָבָ֖ן הֵ֑ן ל֖וּ יְהִ֥י כִדְבָרֶֽךָ:
הֵן - An expression of agreement with another’s words.   הֵן.  לְ' קַבָּלַת דְּבָרִים:
לוּ יְהִי כִדְבָרֶֽךָ - (lit.) If only it will be as you say - i.e., I wish that you would really want only this and keep to these terms.   לוּ יְהִי כִדְבָרֶֽךָ.  הַלְוַאי שֶׁתַּחְפֹּץ בְּכָךְ:
35On that day, Laban also removed the he-goats that were white-ankle-ringed—in addition to all the white-speckled and white-blotched he-goats and all the white-speckled and white-blotched she-goats. Laban removed all the auburn sheep with white markings in addition to all the solid-auburn sheep. He left all the animals that he took in the charge of his sons.   להוַיָּ֣סַר בַּיּוֹם֩ הַה֨וּא אֶת־הַתְּיָשִׁ֜ים הָֽעֲקֻדִּ֣ים וְהַטְּלֻאִ֗ים וְאֵ֤ת כָּל־הָֽעִזִּים֙ הַנְּקֻדּ֣וֹת וְהַטְּלֻאֹ֔ת כֹּ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־לָבָן֙ בּ֔וֹ וְכָל־ח֖וּם בַּכְּשָׂבִ֑ים וַיִּתֵּ֖ן בְּיַד־בָּנָֽיו:
וַיָּסַר - He removed - i.e., Laban – “on that day…”   וַיָּסַר.  לָבָן ביום ההוא:
אֶת־הַתְּיָשִׁים - i.e., he-goats.   אֶת־הַתְּיָשִׁים.  עִזִּים זְכָרִים:
כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָבָן בּוֹ - (lit.) Anything that had white in it - i.e., anything that had even any white markings in it.   כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָבָן בּוֹ.  כָּל אֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה בוֹ חֲבַרְבּוּרִית לְבָנָה:
וַיִּתֵּן - (lit.) And he gave [them] - i.e., Laban put them “into the charge of his sons.”   וַיִּתֵּן.  לָבָן ביד בניו:
36He then separated himself and his flocks from Jacob by a distance of a three-day journey. Jacob continued pasturing the rest of Laban’s flocks.   לווַיָּ֗שֶׂם דֶּ֚רֶךְ שְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים בֵּינ֖וֹ וּבֵ֣ין יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וְיַֽעֲקֹ֗ב רֹעֶ֛ה אֶת־צֹ֥אן לָבָ֖ן הַנּֽוֹתָרֹֽת:
הַנּֽוֹתָרֹֽת - The rest - i.e., the inferior ones among them, the sick and sterile ones which were only “remnants” – those animals Laban gave over to him.   הַנּֽוֹתָרֹֽת.  הָרְעוּעוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶן, הַחוֹלוֹת וְהָעֲקָרוֹת שֶׁאֵינָן אֶלָּא שִׁירַיִם, אוֹתָן מָסַר לוֹ:
37Jacob took himself fresh aspen sticks, hazel sticks, and chestnut sticks, and peeled white stripes in them by exposing the underlying white layer of the sticks.   לזוַיִּקַּח־ל֣וֹ יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב מַקַּ֥ל לִבְנֶ֛ה לַ֖ח וְל֣וּז וְעַרְמ֑וֹן וַיְפַצֵּ֤ל בָּהֵן֙ פְּצָל֣וֹת לְבָנ֔וֹת מַחְשׂף֙ הַלָּבָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַמַּקְלֽוֹת:
מַקַּל לִבְנֶה - Aspen sticks. It is of a kind of a tree whose name is לִבְנֶה, as you find: “under oaks and לִבְנֶה.” 4 I say it is the tree that is called in Old French “trenble” (“aspen”), which is whitish.   מַקַּל לִבְנֶה.  עֵץ הוּא, וּשְׁמוֹ לִבְנֶה, כְּמָא דְתֵימָא תַּחַת אַלּוֹן וְלִבְנֶה (הושע ד'), וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי הוּא שֶׁקּוֹרִין טרינבל"א בְּלַעַ"ז, שֶׁהוּא לָבָן:
לַח - Fresh - i.e., he took it when it was moist.   לַח.  כְּשֶׁהוּא רָטֹב:
לוּז - Hazel. He also took a stick of hazel, a tree on which small nuts grow; “coldre” in Old French.   לוּז.  וְעוֹד לָקַח מַקַּל לוּז, עֵץ שֶׁגְּדֵלִין בּוֹ אֱגוֹזִים דַּקִּים, קולדו"י בְּלַעַז:
וְעַרְמוֹן - And chestnut - “chastenier” in Old French.   וְעַרְמוֹן.  קשטני"יר בְּלַעַז:
פְּצָלוֹת - Stripes. He made several peelings, which made the wood streaked.   פְּצָלוֹת.  קִלּוּפִים קִלּוּפִים, שֶׁהָיָה עוֹשֵׂהוּ מְנֻמָּר:
מחשוף הַלָּבָן - means “revealing the white of the sticks” - i.e., when he peeled each one, its white layer became visible and exposed in the places where it was peeled.   מחשוף הַלָּבָן.  גִּלּוּי לֹבֶן שֶׁל מַקֵּל, כְּשֶׁהָיָה קוֹלְפוֹ הָיָה נִרְאֶה וְנִגְלֶה לֹבֶן שֶׁלּוֹ בַּמָּקוֹם הַקָּלוּף:
38He displayed the sticks that he had peeled, placing them in the water running through the troughs where the flocks came to drink, facing the animals. Thus they mated with the he-goats when they came to drink.   לחוַיַּצֵּ֗ג אֶת־הַמַּקְלוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר פִּצֵּ֔ל בָּֽרְהָטִ֖ים בְּשִֽׁקֲת֣וֹת הַמָּ֑יִם אֲשֶׁר֩ תָּבֹ֨אןָ הַצֹּ֤אן לִשְׁתּוֹת֙ לְנֹ֣כַח הַצֹּ֔אן וַיֵּחַ֖מְנָה בְּבֹאָ֥ן לִשְׁתּֽוֹת:
וַיַּצֵּג - He displayed. Onkelos translates it as וּדְעִיץ, an expression in Aramaic of “inserting and sticking in.” There are many such expressions in the Talmud: “he stuck it in (דָּצָהּ) and removed it”; 5 “if he stuck (דָּץ) something into it.” 6 דָּצָהּ is the same as דְּעָצָהּ, only in a shortened form.   וַיַּצֵּג.  תַּרְגּוּמוֹ וְדָעִיץ, לְשׁוֹן תְּחִיבָה וּנְעִיצָה הוּא בִלְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי, וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בַּתַּלְמוּד דָּצָהּ וּשְׁלָפָהּ, דָּץ בֵּיהּ מִידֵי, דָּצָהּ כְּמוֹ דְעָצָהּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁמְּקַצֵּר אֶת לְשׁוֹנוֹ:
בָּֽרְהָטִים - means: Into the running streams of water, the pools made in the ground for the flocks to drink there.   בָּֽרְהָטִים.  בִּמְרוּצוֹת הַמַּיִם, בַּבְּרֵכוֹת הָעֲשׂוּיוֹת בָּאָרֶץ לְהַשְׁקוֹת שָׁם הַצֹּאן:
אֲשֶׁר תָּבֹאןָ וגו' - Where [the flocks] came…. i.e., into the streams where the flocks would come to drink, there he inserted the sticks facing the animals.   אֲשֶׁר תָּבֹאןָ וגו'.  בָּרְהָטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּבֹאנָה הַצֹּאן לִשְׁתּוֹת שָׁם הִצִּיג הַמַּקְלוֹת לְנֹכַח הַצֹּאן:
וַיֵּחַמְנָה - (lit.) So that they would be stimulated. The female animal would see the sticks and be startled by them and recoil, whereupon the male would mate with her and she would give birth to young of similar appearance to the rod. R. Hoshaya says differently: The water became semen in their innards and they did not need a male in order to conceive, and that is what is meant by: וַיֵּחַמְנָה וגו׳ “they would be in heat…,” the word containing characteristics of both male (the י prefix) and female (the נָה suffix), and associating the heat with the act of drinking.   וַיֵּחַמְנָה.  הַבְּהֵמָה רוֹאָה אֶת הַמַּקְלוֹת וְהִיא נִרְתַּעַת לַאֲחוֹרֶיהָ וְהַזָּכָר רוֹבְעָהּ וְיוֹלֶדֶת כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ. רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה אוֹמֵר, הַמַּיִם נַעֲשִׂין זֶרַע בִּמְעֵיהֶן וְלֹא הָיוּ צְרִיכוֹת לְזָכָר, וְזֶהוּ וַיֵּחַמְנָה וְגוֹ' (בראשית רבה):
39Since the animals mated at the sight of the sticks, the young that the animals produced were all white-ankle-ringed, white-speckled, and white-blotched.   לטוַיֶּֽחֱמ֥וּ הַצֹּ֖אן אֶל־הַמַּקְל֑וֹת וַתֵּלַ֣דְןָ הַצֹּ֔אן עֲקֻדִּ֥ים נְקֻדִּ֖ים וּטְלֻאִֽים:
אֶל־הַמַּקְלוֹת - (lit.) To the sticks - means “at the sight of the sticks.”   אֶל־הַמַּקְלוֹת.  אֶל מַרְאוֹת הַמַּקְלוֹת:
עֲקֻדִּים - means that they were marked at the place where they are bound (עֲקֵדָתָן), i.e., the ankles of their forelegs and hind legs.   עֲקֻדִּים.  מְשֻׁנִּים בִּמְקוֹם עֲקִידָתָם, הֵם קַרְסֻלֵּי יְדֵיהֶם וְרַגְלֵיהֶם:
40Jacob segregated the white-marked sheep. He had the rest of the goat-flock face the white-ankle-ringed and otherwise white-marked sheep and goats. He had his sheep face all the auburn sheep among Laban’s flock that he produced. He made himself separate herds for this purpose and did not let them intermingle with the rest of Laban’s flocks.   מוְהַכְּשָׂבִים֘ הִפְרִ֣יד יַֽעֲקֹב֒ וַ֠יִּתֵּ֠ן פְּנֵ֨י הַצֹּ֧אן אֶל־עָקֹ֛ד וְכָל־ח֖וּם בְּצֹ֣אן לָבָ֑ן וַיָּ֨שֶׁת ל֤וֹ עֲדָרִים֙ לְבַדּ֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א שָׁתָ֖ם עַל־צֹ֥אן לָבָֽן:
וְהַכְּשָׂבִים הִפְרִיד יַֽעֲקֹב - Jacob segregated the sheep - i.e., those born ankle-ringed and speckled he separated and set apart by themselves, and made each type into an individual herd. He then led the ankle-ringed herd in front of the ordinary flocks, so the faces of the ordinary flocks that followed them would gaze at them. That is what is meant when it says: “he had the flock face the ankle-ringed sheep and goats,” that the faces of the flocks were directed towards the ankle-ringed ones and all the auburn ones that he found among Laban’s flocks.   וְהַכְּשָׂבִים הִפְרִיד יַֽעֲקֹב.  הַנּוֹלָדִים עֲקוּדִים נְקֻדִּים הִבְדִיל וְהִפְרִישׁ לְעַצְמָן וְעָשָׂה אוֹתָן עֵדֶר עֵדֶר לְבַדּוֹ, וְהוֹלִיךְ אוֹתוֹ הָעֵדֶר הָעָקוּד לִפְנֵי הַצֹּאן, וּפְנֵי הַצֹּאן הַהוֹלְכִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם צוֹפוֹת אֲלֵיהֶם; וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר וַיִּתֵּן פְּנֵי הַצֹּאן אֶל עָקֹד, שֶׁהָיוּ פְנֵי הַצֹּאן אֶל הָעֲקוּדִים, וְאֶל כָּל חוּם שֶׁמָּצָא בְּצֹאן לָבָן:
וַיָּשֶׁת לוֹ עֲדָרִים - He made himself herds. The meaning of this phrase is as I explained above.   וַיָּשֶׁת לוֹ עֲדָרִים.  כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי:
41Moreover, whenever the stronger, early-bearing female animals were in heat, Jacob would place the sticks in the currents of water in full view of the animals, so that they would be stimulated by means of the sticks.   מאוְהָיָ֗ה בְּכָל־יַחֵם֘ הַצֹּ֣אן הַֽמְקֻשָּׁרוֹת֒ וְשָׂ֨ם יַֽעֲקֹ֧ב אֶת־הַמַּקְל֛וֹת לְעֵינֵ֥י הַצֹּ֖אן בָּֽרְהָטִ֑ים לְיַחֲמֵ֖נָּה בַּמַּקְלֽוֹת:
הַֽמְקֻשָּׁרוֹת - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: מְבַכְּרָתָא “the early-bearing” but I have no evidence from Scripture to prove this. Menachem ben Saruk, however, classifies this word with “Achitofel is among the conspirators (בַּקֹּשְׁרִים)” 7 and “and the conspiracy (הַקֶּשֶׁר) was strong”; 8 i.e., those sheep that band together to hurry their pregnancy.   הַֽמְקֻשָּׁרוֹת.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ הַבַּכִּירוֹת, וְאֵין לִי עֵד בַּמִּקְרָא; וּמְנַחֵם חִבְּרוֹ עִם אֲחִיתֹפֶל בַּקֹּשְׁרִים (שמואל ב ט"ו), וַיְהִי הַקֶּשֶׁר אַמִּץ (שם), אוֹתָן הַמִּתְקַשְּׁרוֹת יַחַד לְמַהֵר עִבּוּרָן:
42But he did not place them in the water when the weaker, later-bearing animals were in heat. Thus, the weaker, late-born offspring became Laban’s, and the healthier, early-born offspring became Jacob’s.   מבוּבְהַֽעֲטִ֥יף הַצֹּ֖אן לֹ֣א יָשִׂ֑ים וְהָיָ֤ה הָֽעֲטֻפִים֙ לְלָבָ֔ן וְהַקְּשֻׁרִ֖ים לְיַֽעֲקֹֽב:
וּבְהַֽעֲטִיף - An expression of coming late, as Onkelos translates it: וּבְלַקִּישׁוּת – “But with the tarrying.” But Menachem ben Saruk classifies this word with “The fine robes and the cloaks (הַמַּעֲטָפוֹת),” 9 having the meaning of wrapping oneself in a garment; in other words, these sheep wrapped themselves in their skin and fur, and had no desire to be warmed by the males.   וּבְהַֽעֲטִיף.  לְשׁוֹן אִחוּר, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּבְלַקִּישׁוּת. וּמְנַחֵם חִבְּרוֹ עִם הַמַּחֲלָצוֹת וְהַמַּעֲטָפוֹת (ישעיהו ג'), לְשׁוֹן עֲטִיפַת כְּסוּת, כְּלוֹמַר מִתְעַטְּפוֹת בְּעוֹרָן וְצַמְרָן וְאֵינָן מִתְאַוּוֹת לְהִתְיַחֵם עַל יְדֵי הַזְּכָרִים:
43The man thus became exceedingly prosperous. He owned prolific flocks, bondwomen, bondmen, camels, and donkeys.   מגוַיִּפְרֹ֥ץ הָאִ֖ישׁ מְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד וַֽיְהִי־לוֹ֙ צֹ֣אן רַבּ֔וֹת וּשְׁפָחוֹת֙ וַֽעֲבָדִ֔ים וּגְמַלִּ֖ים וַֽחֲמֹרִֽים:
צֹאן רַבּוֹת - unlike the usual meaning of רַבּוֹת, “many,” here this word means: flocks that were more fruitful and prolific (רָבוֹת) than other flocks.   צֹאן רַבּוֹת.  פָּרוֹת וְרָבוֹת מִשְּׁאָר צֹאן:
וּשְׁפָחוֹת וַֽעֲבָדִים - Bondwomen and bondmen. He would sell his flocks for a high price and buy all these for himself.   וּשְׁפָחוֹת וַֽעֲבָדִים.  מוֹכֵר צֹאנוֹ בְדָמִים יְקָרִים וְלוֹקֵחַ לוֹ כָּל אֵלֶּה:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 31

1Jacob then heard what was being said by Laban’s sons: “Jacob expropriated everything belonging to our father, and from our father’s property he amassed all this wealth.”   אוַיִּשְׁמַ֗ע אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֤י בְנֵֽי־לָבָן֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לָקַ֣ח יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאָבִ֑ינוּ וּמֵֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאָבִ֔ינוּ עָשָׂ֕ה אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַכָּבֹ֖ד הַזֶּֽה:
עָשָׂה - (lit.) He made - here means “He amassed” as in: “He gathered (וַיַּעַשׂ) troops and smote Amalek.” 10   עָשָׂה.  כָּנַס, כְּמוֹ וַיַּעַשׂ חַיִל וַיַּךְ אֶת עֲמָלֵק (שמואל א י"ד):
2Jacob observed from the look on Laban’s face that his attitude towards him was not the same as it was previously.   בוַיַּ֥רְא יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י לָבָ֑ן וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵינֶ֛נּוּ עִמּ֖וֹ כִּתְמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם:
3God then said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your birthplace. I will be with you.”   גוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב שׁ֛וּב אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ אֲבוֹתֶ֖יךָ וּלְמֽוֹלַדְתֶּ֑ךָ וְאֶֽהְיֶ֖ה עִמָּֽךְ:
שׁוּב אֶל־אֶרֶץ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ - Return to the land of your fathers - and there “I will be with you,” but as long as you are associated with the impure Laban it is impossible for My Divine Presence to rest upon you.   שׁוּב אֶל־אֶרֶץ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ.  וְשָׁם אהיה עמך, אֲבָל בְּעוֹדְךָ מְחֻבָּר לַטָּמֵא אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַשְׁרוֹת שְׁכִינָתִי עָלֶיךָ (בראשית רבה):
4So Jacob summoned Rachel and Leah to the field where his flock was,   דוַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וַיִּקְרָ֖א לְרָחֵ֣ל וּלְלֵאָ֑ה הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה אֶל־צֹאנֽוֹ:
וַיִּקְרָא לְרָחֵל וּלְלֵאָה - [Jacob] summoned Rachel and Leah. First Rachel and afterward Leah, for Rachel was the principal wife, for whose sake Jacob met up with Laban. Even Leah’s descendants acknowledge this, for Bo’az and his judicial court, of the tribe of Judah, Leah’s son, said: “like Rachel and like Leah, who both built the House of Israel,” 11 mentioning Rachel before Leah.   וַיִּקְרָא לְרָחֵל וּלְלֵאָה.  לְרָחֵל תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ לְלֵאָה, שֶׁהִיא הָיְתָה עֲקֶרֶת הַבַּיִת שֶׁבִּשְׁבִילָהּ נִזְדַּוֵּג יַעֲקֹב עִם לָבָן, וְאַף בָּנֶיהָ שֶׁל לֵאָה מוֹדִים בַּדָּבָר, שֶׁהֲרֵי בֹּעַז וּבֵית דִּינוֹ מִשֵּׁבֶט יְהוּדָה אוֹמְרִים כְּרָחֵל וּכְלֵאָה אֲשֶׁר בָּנוּ שְׁתֵּיהֶם וְגוֹ' – הִקְדִּימוּ רָחֵל לְלֵאָה:
5and said to them, “I can see from the look on your father’s face that his attitude towards me is not as it was previously. But the reality is that the God of my father has been with me, aiding me during all these years.   הוַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ן רֹאֶ֤ה אָֽנֹכִי֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י אֲבִיכֶ֔ן כִּֽי־אֵינֶ֥נּוּ אֵלַ֖י כִּתְמֹ֣ל שִׁלְשֹׁ֑ם וֵֽאלֹהֵ֣י אָבִ֔י הָיָ֖ה עִמָּדִֽי:
6You know well that I served your father with all my power,   ווְאַתֵּ֖נָה יְדַעְתֶּ֑ן כִּ֚י בְּכָל־כֹּחִ֔י עָבַ֖דְתִּי אֶת־אֲבִיכֶֽן:
7yet your father deceived me and changed the conditions of my payment a hundred times, but God did not let him harm me.   זוַֽאֲבִיכֶן֙ הֵ֣תֶל בִּ֔י וְהֶֽחֱלִ֥ף אֶת־מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּ֖י עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת מֹנִ֑ים וְלֹֽא־נְתָנ֣וֹ אֱלֹהִ֔ים לְהָרַ֖ע עִמָּדִֽי:
עֲשֶׂרֶת מֹנִים - (lit.) Ten amounts. The word מֹנִים never refers to a group of less than 10.   עֲשֶׂרֶת מֹנִים.  אֵין מוֹנִים פָּחוֹת מֵעֲשָׂרָה:
מֹנִים - is a term denoting total sums of an amount, which are groups of 10. We thus derive that Laban changed his conditions 100 times.   מֹנִים.  לְשׁוֹן סְכוּם, כְּלַל הַחֶשְׁבּוֹן וְהֵן עֲשִׂירִיּוֹת; לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהֶחֱלִיף תְּנָאוֹ ק' פְּעָמִים:
8If he would say, ‘Your payment will be the speckled ones,’ then all the animals would produce speckled offspring, and if he would say, ‘Your payment will be the ankle-ringed ones,’ then all the animals would produce ankle-ringed offspring.   חאִם־כֹּ֣ה יֹאמַ֗ר נְקֻדִּים֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה שְׂכָרֶ֔ךָ וְיָֽלְד֥וּ כָל־הַצֹּ֖אן נְקֻדִּ֑ים וְאִם־כֹּ֣ה יֹאמַ֗ר עֲקֻדִּים֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה שְׂכָרֶ֔ךָ וְיָֽלְד֥וּ כָל־הַצֹּ֖אן עֲקֻדִּֽים:
9In this way God redeemed your father’s livestock from him and gave them to me.   טוַיַּצֵּ֧ל אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־מִקְנֵ֥ה אֲבִיכֶ֖ם וַיִּתֶּן־לִֽי:
10It happened that I looked up during the mating season of the flocks and beheld in a dream that the bucks mounting the she-goats were in fact ankle-ringed, white-speckled, and white-belted.   יוַיְהִ֗י בְּעֵת֙ יַחֵ֣ם הַצֹּ֔אן וָֽאֶשָּׂ֥א עֵינַ֛י וָאֵ֖רֶא בַּֽחֲל֑וֹם וְהִנֵּ֤ה הָֽעֲתֻּדִים֙ הָֽעֹלִ֣ים עַל־הַצֹּ֔אן עֲקֻדִּ֥ים נְקֻדִּ֖ים וּבְרֻדִּֽים:
וְהִנֵּה הָֽעֲתֻּדִים - That the bucks. Although Laban had separated all of them so that the flocks not conceive young similar to them, the angels were bringing them from the herd that had been placed in the charge of Laban’s sons to the herd in Jacob’s charge.   וְהִנֵּה הָֽעֲתֻּדִים.  אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִבְדִּילָם לָבָן כֻּלָּם שֶׁלֹּא יִתְעַבְּרוּ הַצֹּאן דֻּגְמָתָן, הָיוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים מְבִיאִין אוֹתָן מֵעֵדֶר הַמָּסוּר בְּיַד בְּנֵי לָבָן לָעֵדֶר שֶׁבְּיַד יַעֲקֹב (בראשית רבה):
וּבְרֻדִּֽים - And white-belted. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וּפַצִּיחִין “open”; “fayssed” in Old French (“streaked”). A white stripe surrounds its body with its spots open and connected from end to end; but I cannot provide evidence to this explanation from Scripture.   וּבְרֻדִּֽים.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּפַצִּיחִין, פייש"יר בְּלַעַ"ז, חוּט שֶׁל לָבָן מַקִּיף אֶת גּוּפוֹ סָבִיב, חֲבַרְבּוּרוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ פְתוּחָה וּמְפֻלֶּשֶׁת מִזּוֹ אֶל זוֹ; וְאֵין לְהָבִיא עֵד מִן הַמִּקְרָא:
11In the same dream, an angel of God called to me and said, ‘Jacob,’ and I replied, ‘Here I am.’   יאוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלַ֜י מַלְאַ֧ךְ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֛ים בַּֽחֲל֖וֹם יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וָֽאֹמַ֖ר הִנֵּֽנִי:
12He said, ‘Raise your eyes, and you will see that all the bucks mounting the she-goats are ankle-ringed, white-speckled, and white-belted, for I have seen everything that Laban is doing to you and I was sent to return the bucks to the herd you are tending.’   יבוַיֹּ֗אמֶר שָׂא־נָ֨א עֵינֶ֤יךָ וּרְאֵה֙ כָּל־הָֽעֲתֻּדִים֙ הָֽעֹלִ֣ים עַל־הַצֹּ֔אן עֲקֻדִּ֥ים נְקֻדִּ֖ים וּבְרֻדִּ֑ים כִּ֣י רָאִ֔יתִי אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָבָ֖ן עֹ֥שֶׂה לָּֽךְ:
13The angel then spoke to me in God’s name, saying, ‘I am the God of Bethel, the place where you consecrated a monument as an altar, and made a vow to Me to offer up sacrifices on it. Now arise and leave this land, and return to the land in which you were born.’”   יגאָֽנֹכִ֤י הָאֵל֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר מָשַׁ֤חְתָּ שָּׁם֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָדַ֥רְתָּ לִּ֛י שָׁ֖ם נֶ֑דֶר עַתָּ֗ה ק֥וּם צֵא֙ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וְשׁ֖וּב אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ מֽוֹלַדְתֶּֽךָ:
הָאֵל בֵּֽית־אֵל - The God of Bethel. This is the same as אֵל בֵּית אֵל, the ה prefix of הָאֵל being redundant, but it is usual for Scripture to speak this way, as in “When you arrive in the land of Canaan (הָאָרֶץ כְּנָעַן).” 12   הָאֵל בֵּֽית־אֵל.  כְּמוֹ אֵל בֵּית אֵל, הַהֵ"א יְתֵרָה, וְדֶרֶךְ מִקְרָאוֹת לְדַבֵּר כֵּן, כְּמוֹ כִּי אַתֶּם בָּאִים אֶל הָאָרֶץ כְּנָעַן (במדבר ל"ד):
מָשַׁחְתָּ שָּׁם - (lit.) Where you anointed. The word מָשַׁחְתָּ here is an expression of raising to eminence, as when a person is anointed king; similarly, when “he poured oil on the top of the monument” 13 so that it be consecrated as an altar.   מָשַׁחְתָּ שָּׁם.  לְ' רִבּוּי וּגְדֻלָּה כְּשֶׁנִּמְשָׁח לַמַּלְכוּת, כָּךְ וַיִּצֹק שֶׁמֶן עַל רֹאשָׁהּ – לִהְיוֹת מְשׁוּחָה לְמִזְבֵּחַ:
אֲשֶׁר נָדַרְתָּ לִּי - And made a vow to Me - and you must fulfill it, for you said: “this stone… will become a house of God,” 14 signifying that you would offer sacrifices there.   אֲשֶׁר נָדַרְתָּ לִּי.  וְצָרִיךְ אַתָּה לְשַׁלְּמוֹ, שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ יִהְיֶה בֵּית אֱלֹהִים, שֶׁתַּקְרִיב שָׁם קָרְבָּנוֹת:
14Rachel and Leah responded, saying to him, “Do we still have a share and inheritance in our father’s household?!   ידוַתַּ֤עַן רָחֵל֨ וְלֵאָ֔ה וַתֹּאמַ֖רְנָה ל֑וֹ הַע֥וֹד לָ֛נוּ חֵ֥לֶק וְנַֽחֲלָ֖ה בְּבֵ֥ית אָבִֽינוּ:
הַעוֹד לָנוּ - Do we still have. “Why should we oppose your return? Are we hoping at all to inherit anything of our father’s possessions along with his sons?”   הַעוֹד לָנוּ.  לָמָּה נְעַכֵּב עַל יָדְךָ מִלָּשׁוּב? כְּלוּם אָנוּ מְיַחֲלוֹת לִירַשׁ מִנִּכְסֵי אָבִינוּ כְּלוּם בֵּין הַזְּכָרִים:
15Why, we were considered by him as strangers, for he sold us to you in exchange for 14 years of labor! And he spent our wage-money on himself!   טוהֲל֧וֹא נָכְרִיּ֛וֹת נֶחְשַׁ֥בְנוּ ל֖וֹ כִּ֣י מְכָרָ֑נוּ וַיֹּ֥אכַל גַּם־אָכ֖וֹל אֶת־כַּסְפֵּֽנוּ:
הלא נָכְרִיּוֹת נֶחְשַׁבְנוּ לוֹ - Why, we were considered by him as strangers. Even at a time when people usually give a dowry to their daughters, at the time of their marriage, he acted with us as with strangers, “for he sold us” to you, as you worked for him for 14 years to marry us, and he simply gave us to you as payment for your work.   הלא נָכְרִיּוֹת נֶחְשַׁבְנוּ לוֹ.  אֲפִלּוּ בְשָׁעָה שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם לָתֵת נְדוּנְיָה לִבְנוֹתָיו – בִּשְׁעַת נִשּׂוּאִין – נָהַג עִמָּנוּ כְּנָכְרִיּוֹת, כִּי מְכָרָנוּ לְךָ בִּשְׂכַר הַפְּעֻלָּה:
אֶת־כַּסְפֵּֽנוּ - Our money - for he withheld the full payment of your additional six years of work.   אֶת־כַּסְפֵּֽנוּ.  שֶׁעִכֵּב דְּמֵי שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתְךָ:
16The only thing that belongs to us and to our children is all the wealth that God took away from our father. So now, do whatever God has instructed you.”   טזכִּ֣י כָל־הָעֹ֗שֶׁר אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִצִּ֤יל אֱלֹהִים֙ מֵֽאָבִ֔ינוּ לָ֥נוּ ה֖וּא וּלְבָנֵ֑ינוּ וְעַתָּ֗ה כֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֧ר אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֵלֶ֖יךָ עֲשֵֽׂה:
כִּי כָל־הָעֹשֶׁר - Only all the wealth. This כִּי is used with the meaning “but”; in other words: of our father’s property we have nothing, but only that which the Holy One, blessed be He, has taken away from our father belongs to us.   כִּי כָל־הָעֹשֶׁר.  כִּי זֶה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן אֶלָּא; כְּלוֹמַר, מִשֶּׁל אָבִינוּ אֵין לָנוּ כְּלוּם, אֶלָּא מַה שֶּׁהִצִּיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵאָבִינוּ שֶׁלָּנוּ הוּא:
הִצִּיל - means “He removed”; and similarly every expression of הַצָּלָה (rescue) used in Scripture has the connotation of separation in that the rescuer removes the rescued from evil or from the enemy.   הִצִּיל.  לְשׁוֹן הִפְרִישׁ, וְכֵן כָּל לְשׁוֹן הַצָּלָה שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן הַפְרָשָׁה, שֶׁמַּפְרִישׁוֹ מִן הָרָעָה וּמִן הָאוֹיֵב: