Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 24

53The servant took out articles of silver and gold, as well as articles of clothing, and gave them to Rebecca. He gave delectable fruits to her brother and mother.   נגוַיּוֹצֵ֨א הָעֶ֜בֶד כְּלֵי־כֶ֨סֶף וּכְלֵ֤י זָהָב֙ וּבְגָדִ֔ים וַיִּתֵּ֖ן לְרִבְקָ֑ה וּמִ֨גְדָּנֹ֔ת נָתַ֥ן לְאָחִ֖יהָ וּלְאִמָּֽהּ:
וּמִגְדָּנֹת - Delectable fruits. This has the same meaning as מְגָדִים “fine fruits”; i.e., he brought with him various fruits of the Land of Israel.   וּמִגְדָּנֹת.  לְשׁוֹן מְגָדִים, שֶׁהֵבִיא עִמּוֹ מִינֵי פֵּרוֹת שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
54He and the men who were with him ate, drank, and spent the night. When they rose in the morning, Eliezer said, “Send me forth to go back to my master with Rebecca.”   נדוַיֹּֽאכְל֣וּ וַיִּשְׁתּ֗וּ ה֛וּא וְהָֽאֲנָשִׁ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־עִמּ֖וֹ וַיָּלִ֑ינוּ וַיָּק֣וּמוּ בַבֹּ֔קֶר וַיֹּ֖אמֶר שַׁלְּחֻ֥נִי לַֽאדֹנִֽי:
וַיָּלִינוּ - And spent the night. Wherever an account of lodging (לינה) occurs in Scripture, it refers to spending one night.   וַיָּלִינוּ.  כָּל לִינָה שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לִינַת לַיְלָה אֶחָד:
55Rebecca’s brother and mother replied, “Let the girl remain with us for a year or 10 months. Afterwards, she can go.”   נהוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אָחִ֨יהָ֙ וְאִמָּ֔הּ תֵּשֵׁ֨ב הַנַּֽעֲרָ֥ה (כתיב הנער) אִתָּ֛נוּ יָמִ֖ים א֣וֹ עָשׂ֑וֹר אַחַ֖ר תֵּלֵֽךְ:
וַיֹּאמֶר אָחִיהָ וְאִמָּהּ - Her brother and mother replied. And where was Bethuel? He had wished to oppose the match, so an angel came and killed him.   וַיֹּאמֶר אָחִיהָ וְאִמָּהּ.  וּבְתוּאֵל הֵיכָן הָיָה? הָיָה רוֹצֶה לְעַכֵּב וּבָא מַלְאָךְ וֶהֱמִיתוֹ:
יָמִים - (lit.) Days - means here “a year,” as we find: “its period of redemption is one full year (יָמִים)” 1 – for so it is customary to give a maiden twelve months before marriage to provide herself with jewelry, etc.   יָמִים.  שָׁנָה, כְּמוֹ יָמִים תִּהְיֶה גְאֻלָּתוֹ (ויקרא כ"ה), שֶׁכָּךְ נוֹתְנִין לִבְתוּלָה זְמַן י"ב חֹדֶש לְפַרְנֵס עַצְמָהּ בְּתַכְשִׁיטִים (כתובות נ"ז):
אוֹ עָשׂוֹר - means “or 10 months.” Should you suggest that יָמִים means literally “days” (i.e., a few days), I will answer you that it is not usual for people to request a small amount, “and should you not agree, give us a greater amount.”   אוֹ עָשׂוֹר.  י' חֳדָשִׁים; וְאִם תֹּאמַר יָמִים מַמָּשׁ, אֵין דֶּרֶך הַמְבַקְשִׁים לְבַקֵּש דָּבָר מֻעָט, וְאִם לֹא תִּרְצֶה תֵּן לָנוּ מְרֻבֶּה מִזֶּה:
56He said to them, “Do not cause me to tarry, now that God has made my way prosper. Send me forth, so that I can go to my master.”   נווַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אַל־תְּאַֽחֲר֣וּ אֹתִ֔י וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה הִצְלִ֣יחַ דַּרְכִּ֑י שַׁלְּח֕וּנִי וְאֵֽלְכָ֖ה לַֽאדֹנִֽי:
57They said, “Let us summon the girl and ask her opinion.”   נזוַיֹּֽאמְר֖וּ נִקְרָ֣א לַנַּֽעֲרָ֑ה (כתיב לנער) וְנִשְׁאֲלָ֖ה אֶת־פִּֽיהָ:
וְנִשְׁאֲלָה אֶת־פִּֽיהָ - And ask her opinion. We learn from here that a woman should not be given in marriage without her consent.   וְנִשְׁאֲלָה אֶת־פִּֽיהָ.  מִכָּאן שֶׁאֵין מַשִּׂיאִין אֶת הָאִשָּׁה אֶלָּא מִדַּעְתָּהּ (בראשית רבה):
58They summoned Rebecca and said to her, “Do you want to go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”   נחוַיִּקְרְא֤וּ לְרִבְקָה֙ וַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יהָ הֲתֵֽלְכִ֖י עִם־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וַתֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלֵֽךְ:
וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלֵֽךְ - She said, “I will go - of my own accord, and even if you do not want.”   וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלֵֽךְ.  מֵעַצְמִי, וְאַף אִם אֵינְכֶם רוֹצִים:
59So they sent forth their sister Rebecca, along with her former wet nurse, who now served as her escort, Abraham’s servant, and his men.   נטוַיְשַׁלְּח֛וּ אֶת־רִבְקָ֥ה אֲחֹתָ֖ם וְאֶת־מֵֽנִקְתָּ֑הּ וְאֶת־עֶ֥בֶד אַבְרָהָ֖ם וְאֶת־אֲנָשָֽׁיו:
60They blessed Rebecca and said to her, “Our sister, may you grow into thousands of myriads! And may your descendants take possession of the cities of their foes!”   סוַיְבָֽרְכ֤וּ אֶת־רִבְקָה֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לָ֔הּ אֲחֹתֵ֕נוּ אַ֥תְּ הֲיִ֖י לְאַלְפֵ֣י רְבָבָ֑ה וְיִירַ֣שׁ זַרְעֵ֔ךְ אֵ֖ת שַׁ֥עַר שֽׂנְאָֽיו:
אַתְּ־הֲיִי לְאַלְפֵי רְבָבָה - May you grow into thousands of myriads - i.e., may you and your descendants receive that blessing that was said to Abraham at Mount Moriah: “and I will greatly increase your offspring….” 2 May it be God’s will that those descendants come from you and not from another woman.   אַתְּ־הֲיִי לְאַלְפֵי רְבָבָה.  אַתְּ וְזַרְעֵךְ תְּקַבְּלוּ אוֹתָהּ בְּרָכָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לְאַבְרָהָם בְּהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה וְהַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה אֶת זַרְעֲךָ וגו', יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁיְּהֵא אוֹתוֹ הַזֶּרַע מִמֵּךְ וְלֹא מֵאִשָּׁה אַחֶרֶת:
61Rebecca rose up with her maidens, and they rode on the camels, following the man. The servant thus took Rebecca and set out on his journey.   סאוַתָּ֨קָם רִבְקָ֜ה וְנַֽעֲרֹתֶ֗יהָ וַתִּרְכַּ֨בְנָה֙ עַל־הַגְּמַלִּ֔ים וַתֵּלַ֖כְנָה אַֽחֲרֵ֣י הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיִּקַּ֥ח הָעֶ֛בֶד אֶת־רִבְקָ֖ה וַיֵּלַֽךְ:
62Isaac had just come from Be’er LaChai Ro’i. He had been living in the southern region.   סבוְיִצְחָק֙ בָּ֣א מִבּ֔וֹא בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י וְה֥וּא יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ הַנֶּֽגֶב:
מִבּוֹא בְּאֵר לַחַי רואי - From Be’er LaChai Ro’i - for he had gone to bring Hagar to his father Abraham for him to remarry her.   מִבּוֹא בְּאֵר לַחַי רואי.  שֶׁהָלַךְ לְהָבִיא הָגָר לְאַבְרָהָם אָבִיו שֶׁיִּשָּׂאֶנָּה (בראשית רבה):
יוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּֽגֶב - Living in the southern region - near to that well, as it says: “Abraham journeyed from there to the southern region and settled between Kadesh and Shur,” 3 and there the well was situated, as it says: “It is between Kadesh and Bered.” 4   יוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּֽגֶב.  קָרוֹב לְאוֹתוֹ בְּאֵר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּסַּע מִשָּׁם אַבְרָהָם אַרְצָה הַנֶּגֶב וַיֵּשֶׁב בֵּין קָדֵשׁ וּבֵין שׁוּר (בראשית כ') וְשָׁם הָיָה הַבְּאֵר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הִנֵּה בֵין קָדֵשׁ וּבֵין בָּרֶד (שם ט"ז):
63Isaac went out to pray in the field in the afternoon. He looked up, and he saw camels approaching.   סגוַיֵּצֵ֥א יִצְחָ֛ק לָשׂ֥וּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶ֖ה לִפְנ֣וֹת עָ֑רֶב וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּ֥ה גְמַלִּ֖ים בָּאִֽים:
לָשׂוּחַ - This is an expression of praying, as in: “he pours out his prayer (שִׂיחוֹ).” 5   לָשׂוּחַ.  לְשׁוֹן תְּפִלָּה (בראשית רבה), כְּמוֹ יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ (תהילים ק"ב):
64When Rebecca looked up and saw Isaac, she slid partway off the camel.   סדוַתִּשָּׂ֤א רִבְקָה֙ אֶת־עֵינֶ֔יהָ וַתֵּ֖רֶא אֶת־יִצְחָ֑ק וַתִּפֹּ֖ל מֵעַ֥ל הַגָּמָֽל:
וַתֵּרֶא אֶת־יִצְחָק - And saw Isaac. She saw how majestic he was and was astonished at him.   וַתֵּרֶא אֶת־יִצְחָק.  רָאֲתָה אוֹתוֹ הָדוּר וְתוֹהָא מִפָּנָיו (בראשית רבה):
וַתִּפֹּל - (lit.) And she fell - means she let herself move down towards the ground; as Onkelos translates it: וְאִתְרְכִינַת – i.e., she leaned down towards the ground but did not reach the ground. Similarly, Onkelos translates “Please tilt (הַטִּי) your pitcher” 6 by אַרְכִינִי; and “He bent (וַיֵּט) heaven” 7 is translated וְאַרְכִין, meaning “inclined towards the earth”; and in a similar vein: “If he (lit.) falls (יִפֹּל), he will not be thrown down,” 8 which means: even if he will be inclined towards the earth, he will not touch the ground.   וַתִּפֹּל.  הִשְׁמִיטָה עַצְמָהּ לָאָרֶץ, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְאִתְרְכִינַת, הִטְּתָה עַצְמָהּ לָאָרֶץ וְלֹא הִגִּיעָה עַד הַקַּרְקַע, כְּמוֹ הַטִּי נָא כַדֵּךְ, אַרְכִינִי, וַיֵּט שָׁמַיִם (תהילים י"ח), וְאַרְכִּין, לְשׁוֹן מֻטֶּה לָאָרֶץ, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ כִּי יִפֹּל לֹא יוּטָל (תהילים ל"ז), כְּלוֹמַר אִם יִטֶּה לָאָרֶץ לֹא יַגִּיעַ עַד הַקַּרְקַע:
65She said to the servant, “Who is this man walking towards us in the field?” The servant said, “That is my master.” She then took her veil and covered herself.   סהוַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־הָעֶ֗בֶד מִֽי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הַלָּזֶה֙ הַֽהֹלֵ֤ךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה֙ לִקְרָאתֵ֔נוּ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הָעֶ֖בֶד ה֣וּא אֲדֹנִ֑י וַתִּקַּ֥ח הַצָּעִ֖יף וַתִּתְכָּֽס:
וַתִּתְכָּֽס - And covered herself. This is a hitpa’el (reflexive) form which expresses a passive meaning, like: וַתִּקָּבֵר “and she was buried,” 9 and: וַתִּשָּׁבֵר “and it was broken.” 10   וַתִּתְכָּֽס.  לְשׁוֹן וַתִּתְפַּעֵל, כְּמוֹ וַתִּקָּבֵר וַתִּשָּׁבֵר:
66The servant told Isaac all that he had done.   סווַיְסַפֵּ֥ר הָעֶ֖בֶד לְיִצְחָ֑ק אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה:
וַיְסַפֵּר הָעֶבֶד - The servant told. He revealed to him the miracles that had happened to him: that the earth had shrunk for him and that Rebecca came his way during his prayer.   וַיְסַפֵּר הָעֶבֶד.  גִּלָּה לוֹ נִסִּים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לוֹ, שֶׁקָּפְצָה לוֹ הָאָרֶץ וְשֶׁנִּזְדַּמְּנָה לוֹ רִבְקָה בִּתְּפִלָּתוֹ (בראשית רבה):
67Isaac brought Rebecca into the tent of his mother Sarah, and married Rebecca. She became his wife, and he loved her. Isaac was then consoled over the loss of his mother.   סזוַיְבִאֶ֣הָ יִצְחָ֗ק הָאֹ֨הֱלָה֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִמּ֔וֹ וַיִּקַּ֧ח אֶת־רִבְקָ֛ה וַתְּהִי־ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֖ה וַיֶּֽאֱהָבֶ֑הָ וַיִּנָּחֵ֥ם יִצְחָ֖ק אַֽחֲרֵ֥י אִמּֽוֹ:
הָאֹהֱלָה שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ - Into the tent of his mother Sarah. The phrase is superfluous and is written to indicate Rebecca’s merit: He brought her into the tent and “she was his mother Sarah” – in other words, she became exactly like his mother Sarah. For as long as Sarah was alive, the lamp would remain lit in her tent from one Sabbath eve until the next Sabbath eve, there was always a blessing (i.e., a miraculous increase) in the dough, and a cloud constantly hovered over the tent, but since she died all these had ceased. And when Rebecca came they resumed (Bereshit Rabbah).   הָאֹהֱלָה שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ.  וַיְבִיאֶהָ הָאֹהֱלָה וְנַעֲשֵׂית דֻּגְמַת שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ, כְּלוֹמַר וַהֲרֵי הִיא שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ, שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁשָּׂרָה קַיֶּמֶת הָיָה נֵר דָּלוּק מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת לְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת וּבְרָכָה מְצוּיָה בָּעִסָּה וְעָנָן קָשׁוּר עַל הָאֹהֶל, וּמִשֶּׁמֵּתָה פָּסְקוּ, וּכְשֶׁבָּאת רִבְקָה חָזְרוּ (בראשית רבה):
אַֽחֲרֵי אִמּוֹ - Over the loss of his mother. It is natural that as long as a man’s mother is alive he is attached to her, and once she dies he finds consolation in his wife.   אַֽחֲרֵי אִמּוֹ.  דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאִמּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם קַיֶּמֶת, כָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶצְלָהּ; וּמִשֶּׁמֵּתָה, הוּא מִתְנַחֵם בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ: