Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 24

27He said, “Blessed be God, God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld His kindness and truth from my master. God has guided me along the right road, to the house of my master’s brothers!”   כזוַיֹּ֗אמֶר בָּר֤וּךְ יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹֽא־עָזַ֥ב חַסְדּ֛וֹ וַֽאֲמִתּ֖וֹ מֵעִ֣ם אֲדֹנִ֑י אָֽנֹכִ֗י בַּדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ נָחַ֣נִי יְהֹוָ֔ה בֵּ֖ית אֲחֵ֥י אֲדֹנִֽי:
בַּדֶּרֶךְ - Along the road - i.e., on the designated path; on the straight path; on that path that I needed. Similarly, wherever ב, ל, or ה are prefixed to a word and are vocalized with a patach, they refer to something obvious that has already been mentioned elsewhere, or it is clear and evident about what it is speaking.   בַּדֶּרֶךְ.  דֶּרֶךְ הַמְזֻמָּן, דֶּרֶך הַיָּשָׁר, בְּאוֹתוֹ דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁהָיִיתִי צָרִיךְ, וְכֵן כָּל בֵּי"ת וְלָמֶ"ד וְהֵ"א הַמְשַׁמְּשִׁים בְּרֹאש הַתֵּבָה וּנְקוּדִים בְּפַתָּח, מְדַבְּרִים בְּדָבָר הַפָּשׁוּט שֶׁנִּזְכַּר כְּבָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, אוֹ שֶׁהוּא מְבֹרָר וְנִכָּר בְּאֵיזוֹ הוּא מְדַבֵּר:
28The maiden ran to her mother’s quarters and related these events.   כחוַתָּ֨רָץ֙ הַנַּֽעֲרָ֔ה (כתיב הנער) וַתַּגֵּ֖ד לְבֵ֣ית אִמָּ֑הּ כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה:
לְבֵית אִמָּהּ - (lit.) To her mother’s house. It was customary for women to have a separate house in which to sit to do their work, and a daughter confides only in her mother.   לְבֵית אִמָּהּ.  דֶּרֶךְ הַנָּשִׁים הָיְתָה לִהְיוֹת לָהֶן בַּיִת לֵישֵׁב בּוֹ לִמְלַאכְתָּן, וְאֵין הַבַּת מַגֶּדֶת אֶלָּא לְאִמָּהּ:
29Now Rebecca had a brother named Laban. Laban ran outside to the man, to the spring,   כטוּלְרִבְקָ֥ה אָ֖ח וּשְׁמ֣וֹ לָבָ֑ן וַיָּ֨רָץ לָבָ֧ן אֶל־הָאִ֛ישׁ הַח֖וּצָה אֶל־הָעָֽיִן:
וַיָּרָץ - [Laban] ran. Why did he run, and for what did he run? The answer is: “Having seen the nose-ring…,” 1 he said, “This man is wealthy,” and he set his eyes on getting his money.   וַיָּרָץ.  לְמָה רָץ וְעַל מָה רָץ? ויהי כראות את הנזם, אָמַר עָשִׁיר הוּא זֶה, וְנָתָן עֵינָיו בַּמָּמוֹן:
30having seen the nose-ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and having heard the words of his sister Rebecca, saying, “This is how the man spoke to me.” He approached the man, who was still standing beside the camels near the spring.   לוַיְהִ֣י | כִּרְאֹ֣ת אֶת־הַנֶּ֗זֶם וְאֶת־הַצְּמִדִים֘ עַל־יְדֵ֣י אֲחֹתוֹ֒ וּכְשָׁמְע֗וֹ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֞י רִבְקָ֤ה אֲחֹתוֹ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּֽה־דִבֶּ֥ר אֵלַ֖י הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיָּבֹא֙ אֶל־הָאִ֔ישׁ וְהִנֵּ֛ה עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־הַגְּמַלִּ֖ים עַל־הָעָֽיִן:
עַל־הַגְּמַלִּים - Beside the camels - to watch over them. This is similar to: “he was waiting upon them (עֹמֵד עֲלֵיהֶם)” 2 – to serve them.   עַל־הַגְּמַלִּים.  לְשָׁמְרָן, כְּמוֹ וְהוּא עוֹמֵד עֲלֵיהֶם (בראשית י״ח:ח׳), לְשַׁמְּשָׁם:
31He said, “Come, you who are blessed by God! Why are you standing outside when I have cleared the house and prepared a place for the camels?”   לאוַיֹּ֕אמֶר בּ֖וֹא בְּר֣וּךְ יְהֹוָ֑ה לָ֤מָּה תַֽעֲמֹד֙ בַּח֔וּץ וְאָֽנֹכִי֙ פִּנִּ֣יתִי הַבַּ֔יִת וּמָק֖וֹם לַגְּמַלִּֽים:
פִּנִּיתִי הַבַּיִת - I have cleared the house - of idols.   פִּנִּיתִי הַבַּיִת.  מֵעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים (בראשית רבה):
32Eliezer came into the house and unmuzzled the camels. Laban gave the camels straw and fodder, and provided Eliezer and the men with him with water to bathe their feet.   לבוַיָּבֹ֤א הָאִישׁ֙ הַבַּ֔יְתָה וַיְפַתַּ֖ח הַגְּמַלִּ֑ים וַיִּתֵּ֨ן תֶּ֤בֶן וּמִסְפּוֹא֙ לַגְּמַלִּ֔ים וּמַ֨יִם֙ לִרְחֹ֣ץ רַגְלָ֔יו וְרַגְלֵ֥י הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ:
וַיְפַתַּח - means: “he untied their muzzles,” for he would obstruct their mouths when on the way so they would not graze in other people’s fields.   וַיְפַתַּח.  הִתִּיר זְמָם שֶׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁהָיָה סוֹתֵם אֶת פִּיהֶם שֶׁלֹא יִרְעוּ בַדֶּרֶךְ בִּשְׂדוֹת אַחֵרִים:
33Food was served, but Eliezer said, “I will not eat until I have spoken my piece.” Laban said, “Speak.”   לגוַיּוּשָׂ֤ם (כתיב ויישם) לְפָנָיו֙ לֶֽאֱכֹ֔ל וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֹכַ֔ל עַ֥ד אִם־דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי דְּבָרָ֑י וַיֹּ֖אמֶר דַּבֵּֽר:
עַד אִם־דִּבַּרְתִּי - Until (lit.) that I have spoken. Here the word אִם (usually translated “if”) is used in the sense of אֲשֶׁר “that,” and we also find it used in the sense of כִּי, as in: “until (lit.) that (עַד כִּי) Shiloh comes.” 3 This corresponds to what our sages of blessed memory said: כִּי has four possible meanings, one of which is אִי, which is Aramaic for אִם.   עַד אִם־דִּבַּרְתִּי.  הֲרֵי אִם מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר וּבִלְשׁוֹן כִּי, כְּמוֹ: עַד כִּי יָבֹא שִׁילֹה (בראשית מ"ט) וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכָּרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בְּד' לְשׁוֹנוֹת, וְהָאֶחָד אִי, וְהוּא אִם:
34Eliezer began, “I am Abraham’s servant.   לדוַיֹּאמַ֑ר עֶ֥בֶד אַבְרָהָ֖ם אָנֹֽכִי:
35God greatly blessed my master, and he prospered. He granted him flocks, cattle, silver and gold, bondmen and bondwomen, camels and donkeys.   להוַֽיהֹוָ֞ה בֵּרַ֧ךְ אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֛י מְאֹ֖ד וַיִּגְדָּ֑ל וַיִּתֶּן־ל֞וֹ צֹ֤אן וּבָקָר֙ וְכֶ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֔ב וַֽעֲבָדִם֙ וּשְׁפָחֹ֔ת וּגְמַלִּ֖ים וַֽחֲמֹרִֽים:
36My master’s wife Sarah bore my master a son after she had grown old, and he gave him all that he owned.   לווַתֵּ֡לֶד שָׂרָה֩ אֵ֨שֶׁת אֲדֹנִ֥י בֵן֙ לַֽאדֹנִ֔י אַֽחֲרֵ֖י זִקְנָתָ֑הּ וַיִּתֶּן־ל֖וֹ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ:
וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ - And he gave him all that he owned. Eliezer showed them the gift deed.   וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ.  שְׁטָר הַמַּתָּנָה הֶרְאָה לָהֶם:
37My master bound me by an oath: ‘Do not take a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,   לזוַיַּשְׁבִּעֵ֥נִי אֲדֹנִ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹֽא־תִקַּ֤ח אִשָּׁה֙ לִבְנִ֔י מִבְּנוֹת֙ הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָֽנֹכִ֖י ישֵׁ֥ב בְּאַרְצֽוֹ:
לֹֽא־תִקַּח אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי מִבְּנוֹת הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי - Do not take a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Canaanites - unless you first go to my father’s house and the woman does not wish to follow you.   לֹֽא־תִקַּח אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי מִבְּנוֹת הַכְּנַֽעֲנִי.  אִם לֹא תֵּלֵךְ תְּחִלָּה אֶל בֵּית אָבִי וְלֹא תֹאבֶה לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֶיךָ:
38unless you first go to my father’s house, to my family, and select a wife for my son from among them.’   לחאִם־לֹ֧א אֶל־בֵּֽית־אָבִ֛י תֵּלֵ֖ךְ וְאֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתִּ֑י וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֥ אִשָּׁ֖ה לִבְנִֽי:
39I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the maiden will not agree to come back with me.’   לטוָֽאֹמַ֖ר אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֑י אֻלַ֛י לֹֽא־תֵלֵ֥ךְ הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אַֽחֲרָֽי:
אֻלַי לֹֽא־תֵלֵךְ הָֽאִשָּׁה - Perhaps the maiden will not [agree to] come. אוּלַי, although usually written with a ו, is written here without a ו, so that it may be read אֵלַי “to me.” This was the inner intention of Eliezer, for Eliezer had a daughter and he was looking for a pretext for Abraham to say to him that he is turning to him to marry his daughter to Isaac. Abraham said to him: “My son is blessed and you are cursed, and one who is cursed cannot unite with one who is blessed.”   אֻלַי לֹֽא־תֵלֵךְ הָֽאִשָּׁה.  אלי כְּתִיב, בַּת הָיְתָה לוֹ לֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר, וְהָיָה מְחַזֵּר לִמְצֹא עִלָּה שֶׁיֹּאמַר לוֹ אַבְרָהָם לִפְנוֹת אֵלָיו לְהַשִּׂיאוֹ בִּתּוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ אַבְרָהָם בְּנִי בָרוּךְ וְאַתָּה אָרוּר וְאֵין אָרוּר מִדַּבֵּק בְּבָרוּךְ:
40He replied to me, ‘God, before whom I have always walked, will send His angel with you and make your mission successful, and you will take a wife for my son from among my family members and from my father’s house.   מוַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑י יְהֹוָ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־הִתְהַלַּ֣כְתִּי לְפָנָ֗יו יִשְׁלַ֨ח מַלְאָכ֤וֹ אִתָּךְ֙ וְהִצְלִ֣יחַ דַּרְכֶּ֔ךָ וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֤ אִשָּׁה֙ לִבְנִ֔י מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתִּ֖י וּמִבֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי:
41Only thus will you be free of my oath: If you approach my family and they do not give you a maiden, you will be released from my oath.’   מאאָ֤ז תִּנָּקֶה֙ מֵאָ֣לָתִ֔י כִּ֥י תָב֖וֹא אֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתִּ֑י וְאִם־לֹ֤א יִתְּנוּ֙ לָ֔ךְ וְהָיִ֥יתָ נָקִ֖י מֵאָֽלָתִֽי:
42I arrived today at the spring. I said: ‘God, God of my master Abraham! If You will, crown this mission that I am undertaking with success.   מבוָֽאָבֹ֥א הַיּ֖וֹם אֶל־הָעָ֑יִן וָֽאֹמַ֗ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם אִם־יֶשְׁךָ־נָּא֙ מַצְלִ֣יחַ דַּרְכִּ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָֽנֹכִ֖י הֹלֵ֥ךְ עָלֶֽיהָ:
וָֽאָבֹא הַיּוֹם - I arrived today. I started out today and arrived today. We can deduce from here that the land shrank for him, i.e., his journey was miraculously shortened. Rabbi Acha said: Recounting the story of even our forefathers’ servants is more pleasing to the Omnipresent than the Torah of their descendants, for the passage concerning Eliezer is repeated in the Torah, yet many principles of the Torah are only given by brief allusions.   וָֽאָבֹא הַיּוֹם.  הַיּוֹם יָצָאתִי וְהַיּוֹם בָּאתִי, מִכָּאן שֶׁקָּפְצָה לוֹ הָאָרֶץ. אָמַר רַבִּי אֲחָא יָפָה שִׂיחָתָן שֶׁל עַבְדֵי אָבוֹת לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם מִתּוֹרָתָן שֶׁל בָּנִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי פָּרָשָׁה שֶׁל אֱלִיעֶזֶר כְּפוּלָה בַּתּוֹרָה וְהַרְבֵּה גּוּפֵי תוֹרָה לֹא נִתְּנוּ אֶלָּא בִּרְמִיזָה (בראשית רבה):
43Here I am, standing by the spring of water. Let it be that the maiden who comes out to draw water and to whom I will say, “Please give me a little water to drink from your pitcher,”   מגהִנֵּ֛ה אָֽנֹכִ֥י נִצָּ֖ב עַל־עֵ֣ין הַמָּ֑יִם וְהָיָ֤ה הָֽעַלְמָה֙ הַיֹּצֵ֣את לִשְׁאֹ֔ב וְאָֽמַרְתִּ֣י אֵלֶ֔יהָ הַשְׁקִֽינִי־נָ֥א מְעַט־מַ֖יִם מִכַּדֵּֽךְ:
44and who will answer, “Not only may you drink, but I will also draw water for your camels,” will be the wife destined by God for my master’s son.’   מדוְאָֽמְרָ֤ה אֵלַי֙ גַּם־אַתָּ֣ה שְׁתֵ֔ה וְגַ֥ם לִגְמַלֶּ֖יךָ אֶשְׁאָ֑ב הִ֣וא הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־הֹכִ֥יחַ יְהֹוָ֖ה לְבֶן־אֲדֹנִֽי:
גַּם־אַתָּה - (lit.) You also. The word גַּם “also” indicates that the girl would include the men with him in her offer.   גַּם־אַתָּה.  גַּם לְרַבּוֹת אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁעִמּוֹ:
הֹכִיחַ - Destined [by God] - i.e., He has clarified and demonstrated that she is a fitting match. Similarly, every expression of הוֹכָחָה in Scripture signifies the clarification of a matter.   הֹכִיחַ.  בֵּרֵר וְהוֹדִיעַ, וְכֵן כָּל הוֹכָחָה שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא בֵּרוּר דָּבָר:
45I had not yet finished speaking to myself, silently in my heart, and there was Rebecca coming out, with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the well and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’   מהאֲנִי֩ טֶ֨רֶם אֲכַלֶּ֜ה לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־לִבִּ֗י וְהִנֵּ֨ה רִבְקָ֤ה יֹצֵאת֙ וְכַדָּ֣הּ עַל־שִׁכְמָ֔הּ וַתֵּ֥רֶד הָעַ֖יְנָה וַתִּשְׁאָ֑ב וָֽאֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יהָ הַשְׁקִ֥ינִי נָֽא:
טֶרֶם אֲכַלֶּה - I had not yet finished - although the form used is that of the future tense, the phrase means: I was not yet finishing. Similarly, every expression of the present tense (i.e., “continuous past”) can sometimes use a past tense form, and it could have written here: טֶרֶם כִּלִּיתִי “I had not yet finished” – and sometimes it can use a future tense form, as here – טֶרֶם אֲכַלֶּה; e.g.: “for Job used to say (אָמַר)” 4 is a past tense form, and “so Job would do (יַעֲשֶׂה)” 5 is a future tense form, where the meaning of both is to express the continuous tense – “for Job used to say, ‘Perhaps my sons have sinned…’ and so he would do regularly, to offer sacrifices to atone for any possible misdeed by his children.”   טֶרֶם אֲכַלֶּה.  טֶרֶם שֶׁאֲנִי מְכַלֶּה, וְכֵן כָּל לְשׁוֹן הוֹוֶה, פְּעָמִים שֶׁהוּא מְדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן עָבָר וְיָכוֹל לִכְתֹּב טֶרֶם כִּלִּיתִי, וּפְעָמִים שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן עָתִיד, כְּמוֹ כִּי אָמַר אִיּוֹב, הֲרֵי לְשׁוֹן עָבָר, כָּכָה יַעֲשֶׂה אִיּוֹב (איוב א'), הֲרֵי לְשׁוֹן עָתִיד, וּפֵרוּשׁ שְׁנֵיהֶם לְשׁוֹן הוֹוֶה, כִּי אוֹמֵר הָיָה אִיּוֹב אוּלַי חָטְאוּ בָנַי וגו', וְהָיָה עוֹשֶׁה כָּךְ:
46She immediately lowered her pitcher from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink! I will also give water to your camels.’ I took a drink, and she also gave the camels water.   מווַתְּמַהֵ֗ר וַתּ֤וֹרֶד כַּדָּהּ֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יהָ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁתֵ֔ה וְגַם־גְּמַלֶּ֖יךָ אַשְׁקֶ֑ה וָאֵ֕שְׁתְּ וְגַ֥ם הַגְּמַלִּ֖ים הִשְׁקָֽתָה:
47I questioned her and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, son of Nachor, whom Milkah bore to him.’ I then placed a ring in her nose, and bracelets on her arms.   מזוָֽאֶשְׁאַ֣ל אֹתָ֗הּ וָֽאֹמַר֘ בַּת־מִ֣י אַתְּ֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר בַּת־בְּתוּאֵל֙ בֶּן־נָח֔וֹר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָֽלְדָה־לּ֖וֹ מִלְכָּ֑ה וָֽאָשִׂ֤ם הַנֶּ֨זֶם֙ עַל־אַפָּ֔הּ וְהַצְּמִידִ֖ים עַל־יָדֶֽיהָ:
ואשאל. וָֽאָשִׂם - I questioned…I then placed. He changed the order of events, for he had in fact first given the jewelry and then had questioned her. However, he did so in order that they not catch him by his own words and say, “How could you give her anything when you did not yet know who she was?”   ואשאל. וָֽאָשִׂם.  שִׁנָּה הַסֵּדֶר, שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא תְּחִלָּה נָתַן וְאַחַר כָּךְ שָׁאַל, אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא יִתְפְּשׂוּהוּ בִּדְבָרָיו וְיֹאמְרוּ הַאֵיךְ נָתַתָּ לָהּ וַעֲדַיִן אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ מִי הִיא:
48I bowed my head and prostrated myself to God. I blessed God, God of my master Abraham, who led me on a true path to take the daughter of my master’s brother as a wife for his son.   מחוָֽאֶקֹּ֥ד וָֽאֶשְׁתַּֽחֲוֶ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה וָֽאֲבָרֵ֗ךְ אֶת־יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִנְחַ֨נִי֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אֱמֶ֔ת לָקַ֛חַת אֶת־בַּת־אֲחִ֥י אֲדֹנִ֖י לִבְנֽוֹ:
49Now, if you want to act in kindness and truth towards my master, tell me. If not, say so, and I will turn to the right or to the left.”   מטוְ֠עַתָּ֠ה אִם־יֶשְׁכֶ֨ם עֹשִׂ֜ים חֶ֧סֶד וֶֽאֱמֶ֛ת אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֖י הַגִּ֣ידוּ לִ֑י וְאִם־לֹ֕א הַגִּ֣ידוּ לִ֔י וְאֶפְנֶ֥ה עַל־יָמִ֖ין א֥וֹ עַל־שְׂמֹֽאל:
עַל־יָמִין - To the right - to take a wife from the daughters of Ishmael.   עַל־יָמִין.  מִבְּנוֹת יִשְׁמָעֵאל:
עַל־שְׂמֹֽאל - To the left - to take a wife from the daughters of Lot, who lived to the left (north) of Abraham.   עַל־שְׂמֹֽאל.  מִבְּנוֹת לוֹט, שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב לִשְׂמֹאלוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם:
50Laban and Bethuel answered, saying, “This has all clearly come forth from God! We, therefore, cannot say anything to refuse you, neither in a bad, disrespectful manner, nor in a nice, polite manner.   נוַיַּ֨עַן לָבָ֤ן וּבְתוּאֵל֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מֵֽיהֹוָ֖ה יָצָ֣א הַדָּבָ֑ר לֹ֥א נוּכַ֛ל דַּבֵּ֥ר אֵלֶ֖יךָ רַ֥ע אוֹ־טֽוֹב:
וַיַּעַן לָבָן וּבְתוּאֵל - Laban and Bethuel answered. Laban was wicked and he jumped in to answer before his father.   וַיַּעַן לָבָן וּבְתוּאֵל.  רָשָׁע הָיָה, וְקָפַץ לְהָשִׁיב לִפְנֵי אָבִיו:
לֹא נוּכַל דַּבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ - We cannot say anything to you - to refuse you in this matter – not by giving a bad (i.e., directly negative) response, nor by giving a reasonable response – for it is evident that this matter was determined by God, according to what you said that He arranged for her to meet you.   לֹא נוּכַל דַּבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ.  לְמָאֵן בַּדָּבָר הַזְֶּה לֹא עַל יְדֵי תְשׁוּבַת דָּבָר רַע וְלֹא עַל יְדֵי תְשׁוּבַת דָּבָר הָגוּן, וְנִכָּר שֶׁמֵּה' יָצָא הַדָּבָר, לְפִי דְּבָרֶיךָ שֶׁזִּמְּנָהּ לְךָ (בראשית רבה):
51Rebecca is here in front of you; take her and go, and let her be a wife for your master’s son, as God has spoken.”   נאהִנֵּֽה־רִבְקָ֥ה לְפָנֶ֖יךָ קַ֣ח וָלֵ֑ךְ וּתְהִ֤י אִשָּׁה֙ לְבֶן־אֲדֹנֶ֔יךָ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:
52When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he prostrated himself on the ground to God in thanksgiving.   נבוַיְהִ֕י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֛ע עֶ֥בֶד אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֶת־דִּבְרֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ אַ֖רְצָה לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אַרְצָה - He prostrated himself on the ground. From here we learn that one should give thanks for good tidings.   וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אַרְצָה.  מִכָּאן שֶׁמּוֹדִים עַל בְּשׂוֹרָה טוֹבָה: