“He said: Lord, God of my master Abraham, please arrange it for me today, and perform kindness with my master Abraham” (Genesis 24:12). “He said: Lord, God of my master Abraham, please arrange it for me today…” “Who among you fears the Lord, who heeds the voice of His servant…” (Isaiah 50:10). “Who among you fears the Lord” – this is Abraham;1See Genesis 22:12. “who heeds the voice of His servant…” – [this means] that the Holy One blessed be He heeded the voice of his [Abraham’s] servant. “Who walked in darkness” (Isaiah 50:10) – as he came forth from Mesopotamia and its environs, but he did not know where he was to go, like a person who is situated in the dark. “And there was no light for him” (Isaiah 50:10) – and who provided illumination for him? The Holy One blessed be He provided illumination for him every place that he would go. “Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God” (Isaiah 50:10) – “[You called his name Abraham,] and You found his heart faithful before You” (Nehemiah 9:7–8). Another interpretation, “Who among you fears the Lord” – this is Eliezer; “who heeds the voice of His servant…” – [he heeded] the voice of Abraham who was the servant of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “For the sake of My servant, Abraham” (Genesis 26:24). “Who walked in darkness” – when he went to bring Rebecca. “And there was no light for him” – and who provided illumination for him? The Holy One blessed be He provided illumination for him, with shooting stars and lightning. “Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God” – “He said: Lord, God of my master Abraham, please arrange it for me today.”
It is written: “A wise servant will dominate a shameful son and will share in an inheritance among brothers” (Proverbs 17:2). “A wise servant” – this refers to Eliezer. What was his wisdom? He said:2Before he became Abraham’s slave. ‘He3Referring to himself. already has the curse of that man upon him,4“Cursed be Canaan; a slave of slaves shall he be to his brothers” (Genesis 9:25). Eliezer was a descendant of Canaan (see Bereshit Rabba 59:9). perhaps a Kushite or barbarian will come along and enslave me. It is preferable to be enslaved in this household [of Abraham] and not in any other household.’ “Will dominate a shameful son” – this refers to Isaac,5Abraham gave him control over Isaac in the sense that he was entrusted to choose a bride for him. who put all the idolaters to shame when he was bound atop the altar.6With his complete dedication to God’s will, he put all the idolaters to shame. “And will share in an inheritance among brothers” – among Israel; just as they mention the merit of the patriarchs [in their prayers], so, too, this one mentioned the merit of the patriarchs [in his prayer]: “He said: Lord, God of my master Abraham…” “And perform kindness with my master Abraham” – [Eliezer said:] ‘If you begin something, finish it.’7This is a popular saying. Eliezer applied it in his prayer to God: ‘You shortened my path for Abraham’s sake, help me complete the mission.’ Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Everyone requires kindness. Even Abraham, for whose sake [divine] kindness spreads throughout the world, required kindness, as it is stated: “And perform kindness with my master Abraham” – if you begin something, finish it.
“Behold, I am standing by the spring of water and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water” (Genesis 24:13). “May it be that the girl to whom I will say: Tilt your jug please, and I will drink, and she will say: Drink, and I will also give your camels to drink; it is she You have confirmed for Your servant, for Isaac, and through her I will know that You have shown kindness to my master” (Genesis 24:14). “It was before he concluded to speak, and behold, Rebecca was coming out, who was born to Betuel, son of Milka, wife of Nahor, brother of Abraham, and her jug is on her shoulder” (Genesis 24:15). “Behold, I am standing by the spring of water and the daughters of the men of the city…May it be that the girl to whom I will say: Tilt…” – there are four people who made inappropriate demands [of God], three were granted appropriate responses, one was granted an inappropriate response. They are: Abraham’s servant Eliezer, Caleb, Saul, and Yiftaḥ. Eliezer said: “May it be that the girl to whom I will say….” What if some maidservant would emerge and give him to drink, would he have taken her to marry his master’s son? That is a rhetorical question. Yet the Holy One blessed be He made an appropriate arrangement for him: “It was before he concluded to speak, and behold, Rebecca was coming out…” Caleb said: “Whoever smites Kiryat Sefer and captures it, I will give him Akhsa my daughter as a wife” (Judges 1:12). What if some slave would have conquered it, would he have given him his daughter? Yet the Holy One blessed be He made an appropriate arrangement for him, as it is stated: “Otniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s…brother, captured it; and he gave him Akhsa his daughter as a wife” (Judges 1:13). Saul said: “It shall be, that whichever man smites him [Goliath], the king will enrich him with great wealth, and he will give him his daughter as a wife” (I Samuel 17:25). What if some Kushite or idolater or slave had emerged and smitten him, would he have given him his daughter? Yet the Holy One blessed be He made an appropriate arrangement for him, as it is written: “David, the son of that nobleman” (I Samuel 17:12). Yiftaḥ [said:] “It shall be that whatever emerges…I will offer it up as a burnt offering” (Judges 11:31). What if some dog or cat had emerged, would he have offered it up as a burnt offering? And the Holy One blessed be He made an inappropriate arrangement for him. That is what is written: “Yiftaḥ came…and behold, his daughter came out to greet him” (Judges 11:34). Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: He [Yiftaḥ] was obligated to pay for monetary consecration.8When his daughter came out to greet him, although he was of course not obliged to sacrifice her, he was obligated to redeem her with money, as one redeems consecrated property that cannot be used. Reish Lakish said: He was not even obligated to pay for monetary consecration, as we learn in a mishna:9Temura 5:6. If one said regarding an impure animal or a blemished animal: ‘These are hereby [consecrated as] a burnt offering, it is as if he has said nothing at all.’ [But if he said:] ‘These are hereby [consecrated] for use towards a burnt offering,’ they are to be sold, and he must bring a burnt offering with their money.10Yiftaḥ’s statement was analogous to the first case, so his declaration was null and void. Pinḥas [the high priest] was not there to abrogate his [Yiftaḥ’s] vow for him. Instead, Pinḥas said: ‘It is he who requires my services; shall I go to him?’ And Yiftaḥ said: ‘I am the head of the chieftains of Israel, shall I go to Pinḥas?’ Between the two of them, that young woman was lost.11Yiftaḥ did fulfill his vow through his daughter, although this was not in accordance with Torah law, as explained in the previous paragraph. This accords with [the saying] that people say: Between the midwife and the mother in childbirth, the son of the wretched woman is gone.12If the baby dies, each one blames the other. Both of them [Pinḥas and Yiftaḥ] were punished for the blood of the young woman. Yiftaḥ died as a result of his limbs falling off. Everywhere he would go, one of his limbs would fall off and they would bury it there. That is what is written: “Yiftaḥ died and he was buried in the cities of Gilad” (Judges 12:7) – “the city of Gilad” is not stated, but rather, “the cities of Gilad.”13Indicating that he was buried in several cities. As for Pinḥas, the Divine Spirit was stripped from him. That is what is written: “Pinḥas son of Elazar had been chief over them” (I Chronicles 9:20) – “is chief over them” is not written here, but rather, “had been chief.” “In earlier times the Lord had been with him” (I Chronicles 9:20).
“It was before he concluded to speak” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: There are three people who were answered [in their prayers] as soon as they spoke: Abraham’s servant Eliezer, Moses, and Solomon. Eliezer – “it was before he concluded to speak, and behold, Rebecca was coming out.” Moses, as it is written: “It was, as he concluded to speak all these words, the ground that was beneath them split” (Numbers 16:31). Solomon, as it is written: “When Solomon had concluded praying [to the Lord], fire descended from the heavens…” (II Chronicles 7:1).
“The girl was of very fair appearance, a virgin, and a man had not been intimate with her; she went down to the spring, she filled her jug, and came up” (Genesis 24:16). “The girl was of very fair appearance, a virgin” – we learn in a mishna:14Ketubot 1:3. The marriage contract of a woman whose hymen was ruptured by wood is two hundred [zuz], these are the words of Rabbi Meir.15Her legal status is that of a virgin, whose marriage contract must be two hundred zuz at a minimum. The Rabbis say: The marriage contract of a woman whose hymen was ruptured by wood is one hundred.16Her legal status is that of a non-virgin, whose marriage contract is only one hundred zuz. Rabbi Ḥanina in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: The source for Rabbi Meir is: “[A virgin,] and a man had not been intimate with her” – implying that if a girl’s hymen had been ruptured by wood, she is [still considered] a virgin.17According to Rabbi Meir, the words “a man had not been intimate with her” is intended to be the definition of the previous statement, “a virgin.” The source for the Rabbis is: “A virgin” – implying that if her hymen had been ruptured by wood, she is not a virgin.18According to the Rabbis, “a virgin” and “a man had not been intimate with her” are intended to be two separate statements. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: No one other than Rebecca was the first woman to consort with someone who was circumcised at eight days.19Of all those who were circumcised by Abraham (see Genesis 17:26–27), only Isaac was circumcised at the prescribed age of eight days (see Genesis 21:4). Reish Lakish said: Because the daughters of idolaters preserve themselves in the place of their virginity but are lax regarding their other orifices, [the Torah tells us that] this one was “a virgin” from the place of the hymen, “and a man had not been intimate with her” from other orifices. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From the fact that it states: “Virgin,” do we not know that “a man had not been intimate with her”?20The literal translation of the phrase is: “no man had known her.” The explanation is that she was not even propositioned by any man, in accordance with the verse: “Indeed, the rod of wickedness [will not rest upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous set their hands to wrongdoing]” (Psalms 125:3). “She went down to the spring, she filled her jug, and came up” – all the women were going down and drawing water from the spring, but this one, when the water saw her it immediately rose up [towards her].21The verse does not say that Rebecca drew the water from the well, but rather that she merely “filled her jug,” implying that she did not have to lower it down into the well. The Holy One blessed be He said to her: ‘You are a precursor for your descendants; just as you, when the water saw you it immediately rose up, so, too, your descendants, when the well will see them, it will immediately rise up.’ That is what is written: “Then Israel sang this song: Rise up, well; give voice for it” (Numbers 21:17).
“The servant ran toward her, and he said: Please allow me to sip a little water from your jug” (Genesis 24:17). “The servant ran toward her” – toward her good deeds.22Since he saw the water rise for her, he realized she must be exceptionally righteous. “Please allow me to sip a little water from your jug” – [just] one sip. “She said: Drink, my lord, and she hastened to lower her pitcher into her hand, and she gave him to drink” (Genesis 24:18). “When she had finished giving him to drink, she said: I will draw for your camels also, until they have finished drinking” (Genesis 24:19). “She hastened and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw, and drew for all his camels” (Genesis 24:20). “The man was astonished at her; he was silent, to know whether the Lord had made his journey successful or not” (Genesis 24:21). “The man was astonished at her…” – Rabbi Yoḥanan of Tzippori said: He was squinting23To see her more clearly. and looking at her [to see] if “the Lord had made [his journey] successful.” “When the camels concluded drinking, the man took a gold nose ring whose weight was one half shekel, and two bracelets to put on her hands, whose weight was ten gold shekels” (Genesis 24:22). “When the camels concluded drinking, [the man] took…” – Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Yosef: There was a precious stone in it that weighed half a shekel. “And two bracelets to put on her hands” – corresponding to the two tablets [of the Ten Commandments]. “Whose weight was ten gold shekels” – corresponding to the Ten Commandments. “He said: Whose daughter are you; please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay the night?” (Genesis 24:23). “He said: Whose daughter are you; please tell me. [Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay the night [lalin]?]” – a stay for one night. “She said to him: I am the daughter of Betuel, son of Milka, whom she bore to Naḥor” (Genesis 24:24). “She said to him: Both straw and feed is plentiful with us, as well as room for lodging” (Genesis 24:25). “She said to him: I am the daughter of Betuel, son of Milka…as well as room for lodging [lalun]” – to lodge for several nights.24Although he asked her about staying over for one night, she replied that he could stay for many nights. “The man bowed and prostrated himself to the Lord” (Genesis 24:26). “The man bowed and prostrated himself to the Lord” – from here we learn that one should express thanks [to God] for good tidings. “He said: Blessed is the Lord, God of my master Abraham, who did not withhold His kindness and His truth from my master; I, the Lord guided me on the way to the house of my master’s brethren” (Genesis 24:27). “He said: Blessed is the Lord, God of my master Abraham, who did not withhold His kindness…” – from the fact that the path was miraculously shortened, I knew that “the Lord guided me on the way to the house of my master's brethren.”
“The girl ran and told her mother’s household all about these matters” (Genesis 24:28). “The girl ran and told her mother’s household” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: A woman frequents only her mother’s household. They raised an objection to him: “She [Rachel] told her father” (Genesis 29:12). He said to them: That was because her mother had died. To whom could she have told? Is it not to her father? “Rebecca had a brother and his name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man, to the spring” (Genesis 24:29). “When he saw the nose ring and the bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebecca his sister, saying: So spoke the man to me, he came to the man and, behold, he was standing beside the camels at the spring” (Genesis 24:30). “Rebecca had a brother and his name was Laban” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said a favorable interpretation – he was very fair in complexion.25Lavan (Laban) means white. Rabbi Berekkya said an unfavorable interpretation – he was white, [i.e. pure], in wickedness. “Laban ran out to the man, to the spring [haayin]” – he was assessing [me’ayen] him.26He was looking over Eliezer, to see if he might get some money from him. “He was standing beside the camels at the spring [haayin]” – he [Laban] was assessing [me’ayen] himself.27Whether or not he would be able to deceive Eliezer to benefit himself. “He said: Come, blessed of the Lord; why are you standing outside, and I have cleared the house and place for the camels?” (Genesis 24:31). “He said: Come, blessed of the Lord” – he thought that he was Abraham, as the contours of his face resembled him. Rabbi Yosei ben Dosa said: Canaan28Canaan was cursed by Noah (Genesis 9:25). and Eliezer were one and the same, and because he faithfully served that righteous man [Abraham], he emerged from the ranks of the cursed and entered the ranks of the blessed. “He said: Come, blessed of the Lord” – Rabbi Yaakov said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan of Beit Guvrin, who would use this as a parting statement:29When taking leave of his host. If Eliezer, by means of faithfully serving that righteous man, emerged from the ranks of the cursed and entered the ranks of the blessed, then the people of Israel, who perform acts of kindness for their greater and lesser members with their hands and their feet, all the more so. “Why are you standing outside” – it is not in keeping with your esteem to remain outside. “And I have cleared the house” – from the filth of idol worship.
“The man came to the house and unfastened the camels. He gave straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him” (Genesis 24:33). “The man came to the house [and unfastened the camels]…” – he untied their muzzles. Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Yirmeya asked Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Rabba: Were the camels of Abraham our patriarch not like the donkey of Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair?30As the Midrash goes on to relate, Rabbi Pinḥas’ donkey would not touch forbidden food. Surely Abraham’s animals were no less righteous than those of Rabbi Pinḥas, therefore there was no need to muzzle them to prevent them from eating private vegetation, and the unfastening mentioned in the verse was referring to their saddles. Robbers once took the donkey of Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair. It spent three days with them and did not eat anything. They said: ‘In the end it will die, and stink up our cave for us. Let us return it to its owner.’ They sent it out and it came to its owner’s house. When it arrived it brayed, and he recognized its voice. He said: ‘Open the gate for that unfortunate one and give it to eat, as three days have passed during which it did not taste a thing.’ They gave it barley, but it would not taste it. They said to him: ‘We gave it barley but it would not taste it.’ He said to them: ‘Did you process it?’31By removing the chaff and other refuse. They said to him: ‘Yes.’ [He asked:] ‘Did you separate the tithes of demai from it?’32Demai is produce purchased from a person who is not trustworthy regarding the separation of tithes from his produce. One who buys such produce must separate the tithes himself, as a precaution. They said to him: ‘No. Did you not teach us, Rabbi: “One who purchases grain for an animal, or flour for hides, or oil for light, or oil to rub into leather is exempt from tithing demai?”’33Demai 1:3. He said to them: ‘What can we do for it if it is stringent with itself?’34The donkey was so righteous that it did not want to rely on the exemption from tithing animal feed. Rabbi Yirmeya once sent a basket of figs to Rabbi Ze’eira. Rabbi Yirmeya said: ‘Is it possible that Rabbi Ze’eira would eat them without tithing them?’35He therefore did not tithe them himself before sending them. Rabbi Ze’eira said: ‘Is it possible that Rabbi Yirmeya would send them without tithing?’ Between the two of them, the figs were eaten in their untithed state. The next day, Rabbi Yirmeya met Rabbi Ze’eira. He [Rabbi Ze’eira] said to him: ‘Did you tithe those figs?’ He said to him: ‘No.’ Rabbi Abba bar Yemina said to Rabbi Ze’eira: ‘If the people of early generations were likened to angels, we are likened to human beings. If they were likened to people, we are likened to donkeys. And [if we are likened to donkeys] we are not likened to the donkey of Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair, [but to an ordinary donkey]. When the donkey of Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair was given untithed food it would not eat it, but we ate untithed figs.’ “He gave straw and feed for the camels” – the conversation of the servants of the patriarch’s household are more significant than the Torah laws of the descendants. The passage about Eliezer is two or three columns long, it states it and repeats it. The [law of impurity of] creeping animals is one of the fundamental laws of the Torah, but the fact that its blood imparts ritual impurity, like its flesh,36The flesh of a creeping animal imparts impurity (see Leviticus 11:29–38), but the Torah does not state explicitly that its blood imparts impurity. is learned only from a derivation based on an extra letter in a verse. [What is that derivation?] Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Tameh, hatameh (Leviticus 11:29).37The verse, when speaking of creeping animals, could have said: “And these are impure [tamei],” but instead it says “And these are the impure ones [hatamei].” It is from the additional letter heh that the impurity of its blood is derived. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yosei says: Zeh, vezeh (Leviticus 11:29).38The verse, when speaking of creeping animals, could have said: “These [zeh] are the impure ones,“ but instead it says “And these [vezeh] are the impure ones.” It is from the additional letter vav that the impurity of its blood is derived. “And water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him” – Rabbi Aḥa said: The washing of the feet of the servants of the patriarch’s household is more significant than the Torah laws of the descendants, for [the Torah] found it necessary to write even about the washing of his feet, The creeping animal is one of the fundamental laws of the Torah, but the fact that its blood imparts impurity like its flesh is learned only from a derivation based on an extra letter in a verse. [What is that derivation?] Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Tameh, hatameh, Rabbi Eliezer ben Yosei says: Zeh, vezeh.
“Food was placed before him to eat, and he said: I will not eat until I have spoken my words. He said: Speak” (Genesis 24:33). “He said: I am Abraham's servant” (Genesis 24:34). “Food was placed before him to eat…He said: I am Abraham's servant” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: If you possess some uncomplimentary trait, say it first. “Now, if you will perform kindness and truth with my master, tell me, and if not, tell me, and I will turn to the right or to the left” (Genesis 24:49). “Now, if you will perform kindness and truth with my master, tell me…and I will turn right or left.” “Right” – this refers to Ishmael; “left” – this refers to Lot, just as it says: “[Abram said to Lot: …separate yourself from me.] If to the left, I will go right, and if to the right, I will go left” (Genesis 13:8–9).
“Laban and Betuel answered and said: The matter has come forth from the Lord; we can speak to you neither bad nor good” (Genesis 24:50). “Behold, Rebecca is before you, take her and go, and she will be a wife for your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken” (Genesis 24:51). “Laban and Betuel answered and said: The matter has come forth from the Lord” – from where did it come forth? Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak: It came forth from Mount Moriah.39It was immediately after Abraham’s binding of Isaac on Mount Moriah that Abraham was informed about Rebecca’s birth (Genesis 22:20–23). Her marriage to Isaac was foreordained from that point. The Rabbis say: From where did it come forth? “She will be a wife for your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”40The marriage of Isaac and Rebecca was not foreordained upon her birth. The match between them was ordained in Heaven only now.
“The servant took out vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and garments, and he gave them to Rebecca, and he gave her brother and her mother precious objects” (Genesis 24:53). “The servant took out vessels of silver […and precious objects]” – Rabbi Huna said: Fruit delicacies. The Rabbis said: Toasted grain and nuts. Is toasted grain then the most beloved of all these things?41Since it is listed last, after gold and silver vessels, the implication is that it is the most precious of all the items on the list. The explanation is that it comes to teach you that if a person sets out on a trip without provisions with him, he will suffer.42On the road, precious objects are no substitute for food. Similarly, “Each woman will borrow [silver vessels and gold vessels and] garments from her neighbor” (Exodus 3:22) – are garments most beloved of all these things? The explanation is that it comes to teach you that if a person sets out on a trip without taking his garments with him, he will suffer. Similarly: “All those surrounding them supported them [with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with livestock, and with precious objects]” (Ezra 1:6).
“Her brother and her mother said: Let the girl remain with us for some days, or ten months; afterward she shall go” (Genesis 24:55). “Her brother and her mother said: Let the girl remain with us” – where was [her father] Betuel? He wanted to impede [the betrothal of Rebecca] and was stricken down overnight. That is what is written: “The righteousness of the honest will straighten his way” (Proverbs 11:5). “The righteousness of the honest” – this is Isaac; “will straighten his way” – the way of Eliezer. “In his evil, the wicked one is rejected” (Proverbs 11:5) – this is Betuel, who was stricken down overnight. “Let the girl remain with us some days” – this refers to the seven days of mourning for him [Betuel]. “Or ten months [asor]” – this refers to the twelve months that a virgin is given to secure her needs for herself.43After betrothal, a fiancée is entitled to take twelve months before the wedding to prepare herself (Mishna Ketubot 5:2). Laban and his mother were willing to speed up the process, so they requested only ten months. “They said: We will call the girl, and ask her response” (Genesis 24:57). “They said: We will call the girl [and ask her response]” – from here we learn that one may marry off an orphan girl only with her consent. “They called Rebecca and said to her: Will you go with this man? She said: I will go” (Genesis 24:58). “They called Rebecca and said to her: [Will you go with this man?]” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: They were hinting to her: ‘Will you [really] go? Will you [really] go?’44They did not want her to go. It was as though they were asking: Are you even considering going with him? “She said: I will go” – I am going against your will, even if you disapprove.
“They sent Rebecca their sister, and her nursemaid, and Abraham’s servant, and his men” (Genesis 24:59). “They blessed Rebecca, and said to her: Our sister, may you become thousands and myriads, and let your descendants inherit the gate of their enemies” (Genesis 24:60). “They sent Rebecca…they blessed Rebecca” – they were downcast and despondent [that she was going], and they blessing her only with their mouths.45Not with their hearts. “Our sister, may you become thousands and myriads” – Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: Why was Rebecca granted [conception] only after Isaac prayed for her?46See Genesis 25:21. It was so that the idolaters [Laban and his mother] should not say: ‘Our prayer bore fruit.’ Instead, “Isaac entreated the Lord on behalf of his wife” (Genesis 25:21). Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “The blessing of the lost would come to me” (Job 29:13). “The blessing of the lost [oved]” – this refers to Laban the Aramean, as it is stated: “An Aramaean sought to destroy [oved] my father” (Deuteronomy 26:5). “Would come upon me” – this refers to Rebecca. “Our sister, may you become thousands [alfei] and myriads [revava]” – chieftains [alufim] emerged from her through Esau, and myriads through Jacob. Chieftains from Esau – “the chieftain of Teiman, the chieftain of Kenaz” (Genesis 36:15); myriads [revava] from Jacob, as it is written: “I rendered you numerous [revava] like the plants of the field” (Ezekiel 16:7). Some say that both of these emerged through Israel, as it is written: “When it rested, he said: Repose Lord, among the myriad [rivevot] thousands of [alfei] Israel” (Numbers 10:36).
“Rebecca and her maids rose, and rode upon the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebecca and went” (Genesis 24:61). “Rebecca and her maids rose, [and rode upon the camels]…” [Why did they ride on camels?]47Camels are difficult to ride. Rabbi Levi said: It is the nature of camels that they grow in the East.48So Rebecca and her maids were used to riding them. The Rabbis say: [Camels were used for a symbolic reason.] Just as a camel has one sign of purity49It chews its cud. and one sign of impurity,50It does not have split hooves. so Rebecca produced one righteous person and one wicked person. “And followed the man” – as it is unbefitting for a man to walk behind a woman. “Isaac came from going to Be’er Laḥai Ro’i and he was living in the land of the south” (Genesis 24:62). “Isaac came from going [ba mibo]” – he was coming [ba] back from bringing something.51Mibo is interpreted to mean: From bringing. And where had he gone? To Be’er Laḥai Ro’i. He had gone to bring Hagar back [to Abraham], she being the one who had sat by the well [be’er], and who had said to the One who lives [laḥai] forever: ‘See [re’eh] my misery.’52See Genesis 21:14–21:19. “Isaac went out to have some words in the field toward evening, and he lifted his eyes, and behold, he saw camels coming” (Genesis 24:63). “Isaac went out to have some words [lasuaḥ] in the field toward evening” – siḥa is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “The prayer of a poor man, when he feels overwhelmed and pours out his prayer [siḥo] before the Lord” (Psalms 102:1). Likewise it says: “Evening and morning and noon, I pray [asiḥa]…” (Psalms 55:18).
“Rebecca lifted her eyes, she saw Isaac, and she fell from upon the camel” (Genesis 24:64). “Rebecca lifted her eyes, she saw Isaac” – Rav Huna said: She saw that his hand was outstretched in prayer. She said: ‘He is certainly a great man,’ and that is why she inquired about him.53See the next verse. “She fell [vatipol] from upon the camel” – she tilted herself downward,54It does not mean that she actually fell to the ground. just as it says: “When he stumbles [yipol], he will not fall” (Psalms 37:24).55The verse shows that yipol does not necessarily mean to fall. “She said to the servant: Who is that man who is walking in the field toward us? The servant said: He is my master. She took the veil, and covered herself” (Genesis 24:65). “She said to the servant: [Who is that [halazeh] man]” – Rabbi Ḥiyya said: She saw that he was attractive and was overwhelmed before him, just as it says: “Behold, here comes that [halazeh] dreamer” (Genesis 37:19).56Halazeh is used in reference to Joseph, who was very attractive (see Genesis 39:6). The same was true of Isaac. The Rabbis said: [Halazeh means:] He and his accompanying angel; halazeh [as an abbreviation for] that different one [alon zeh].57Rebecca saw that the individual accompanying Isaac was no ordinary man. “The servant said: He is my master. [She took the veil, and covered herself]” – there are two people who covered themselves with a veil, and they both bore twins: Rebecca and Tamar. Rebecca – “she took the veil”; Tamar – “she covered herself with a veil, and she wrapped herself” (Genesis 38:14). “The servant related to Isaac all the matters that he had done” (Genesis 24:66). “The servant related to Isaac [all the matters]” – Rabbi Eliezer said: The general statements of the Torah58Such as here, where the Torah makes the general statement that Eliezer related “all the matters,” but does not specify what they were. are more common than its detailed statements, as, if it had desired to write it [the details of what had transpired], it would have written two or three [more] columns. The Rabbis say: He revealed to him the matters that involved praise [for God], [such as] that the path was miraculously shortened for him.
“Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah; he took Rebecca, she became his wife, and he loved her, and Isaac was comforted after his mother” (Genesis 24:67). “Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah”59The word “of” is actually missing in the Hebrew, so that the verse literally means: “Isaac brought her into the tent. Sarah his mother.” – all the days that Sarah was alive, there was a cloud suspended over the entrance to her tent. When she died, that cloud ceased. When Rebecca came, the cloud returned. All the days that Sarah was alive, the doors were kept wide open [for guests]. When Sarah died, that opening ceased. When Rebecca came, the opening returned. All the days that Sarah was alive, there was [divine] blessing bestowed upon her dough. When Sarah died, that blessing ceased. When Rebecca came, it returned. All the days that Sarah was alive, there was a lamp kindled from Shabbat night until Shabbat night. When Sarah died, that lamp ceased. When Rebecca came, it returned. When he saw that she was acting just like his mother, separating ḥalla in purity, and shaping loaves from her dough in purity, immediately, he “brought her into the tent.”60The verse means to say that he brought her into the tent because she was just like Sarah in her righteousness. Rabbi Yudan said: The Torah teaches you that if an [unmarried] person has adult children, he should see to marrying them off first and then take a wife for himself. From whom do you learn it? From Abraham. First, “Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah” and then, “Abraham took another wife, and her name was Ketura” (Genesis 25:1).
וַיֹּאמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם הַקְרֵה נָא לְפָנַי הַיּוֹם וגו' (בראשית כד, יב), (ישעיה נ, י): מִי בָכֶם יְרֵא ה' שֹׁמֵעַ בְּקוֹל עַבְדּוֹ, אָמַר מִי בָכֶם יְרֵא ה', זֶה אַבְרָהָם. שֹׁמֵעַ בְּקוֹל עַבְדּוֹ וגו', אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּקוֹלוֹ שֶׁל עַבְדּוֹ. (ישעיה נ, י): אֲשֶׁר הָלַךְ חֲשֵׁכִים, שֶׁבָּא מֵאַסְפַּמְיָא וּמֵחַבְרוֹתֶיהָ, וְלֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ הֵיכָן, כְּאָדָם שֶׁהוּא שָׁרוּי בַּחשֶׁךְ. (ישעיה נ, י): וְאֵין נֹגַהּ לוֹ, וּמִי הָיָה מֵאִיר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָיָה מֵאִיר לוֹ בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ. (ישעיה נ, י): יִבְטַח בְּשֵׁם ה' וְיִשָּׁעֵן בֵּאלֹהָיו, (נחמיה ט, ח): וּמָצָאתָ אֶת לְבָבוֹ נֶאֱמָן לְפָנֶיךָ, דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִי בָכֶם יְרֵא ה', זֶה אֱלִיעֶזֶר. שֹׁמֵעַ בְּקוֹל עַבְדּוֹ, בְּקוֹל אַבְרָהָם שֶׁהָיָה עֶבֶד לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כו, כד): בַּעֲבוּר אַבְרָהָם עַבְדִּי. אֲשֶׁר הָלַךְ חֲשֵׁכִים, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהָלַךְ לְהָבִיא אֶת רִבְקָה. וְאֵין נֹגַהּ לוֹ, וּמִי הָיָה מֵאִיר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָיָה מֵאִיר לוֹ בְּזִיקִים וּבִבְרָקִים. יִבְטַח בְּשֵׁם ה' וְיִשָּׁעֵן בֵּאלֹהָיו, וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֱלֹהֵי אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם הַקְרֵה נָא לְפָנַי הַיּוֹם.
“He said: Lord, God of my master Abraham, please arrange it for me today, and perform kindness with my master Abraham” (Genesis 24:12).
“He said: Lord, God of my master Abraham, please arrange it for me today…” “Who among you fears the Lord, who heeds the voice of His servant…” (Isaiah 50:10). “Who among you fears the Lord” – this is Abraham;1See Genesis 22:12. “who heeds the voice of His servant…” – [this means] that the Holy One blessed be He heeded the voice of his [Abraham’s] servant. “Who walked in darkness” (Isaiah 50:10) – as he came forth from Mesopotamia and its environs, but he did not know where he was to go, like a person who is situated in the dark. “And there was no light for him” (Isaiah 50:10) – and who provided illumination for him? The Holy One blessed be He provided illumination for him every place that he would go. “Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God” (Isaiah 50:10) – “[You called his name Abraham,] and You found his heart faithful before You” (Nehemiah 9:7–8).
Another interpretation, “Who among you fears the Lord” – this is Eliezer; “who heeds the voice of His servant…” – [he heeded] the voice of Abraham who was the servant of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “For the sake of My servant, Abraham” (Genesis 26:24). “Who walked in darkness” – when he went to bring Rebecca. “And there was no light for him” – and who provided illumination for him? The Holy One blessed be He provided illumination for him, with shooting stars and lightning. “Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God” – “He said: Lord, God of my master Abraham, please arrange it for me today.”
כְּתִיב (משלי יז, ב): עֶבֶד מַשְׂכִּיל יִמְשֹׁל בְּבֵן מֵבִישׁ וּבְתוֹךְ אַחִים יַחֲלֹק נַחֲלָה, עֶבֶד מַשְׂכִּיל, זֶה אֱלִיעֶזֶר, וּמָה הַשְׂכָּלָתוֹ, אָמַר כְּבָר קִלְלָתוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ בְּיָדוֹ, שֶׁמָּא יָבוֹא כּוּשִׁי אֶחָד אוֹ בַּרְבַּר אֶחָד וְיִשְׁתַּעְבֵּד בִּי, מוּטָב לִי לְהִשְׁתַּעְבֵּד בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה וְלֹא בְּבַיִת אַחֵר. יִמְשֹׁל בְּבֵן מֵבִישׁ, זֶה יִצְחָק, שֶׁבִּיֵּשׁ אֶת כָּל עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנֶּעֱקַד עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. וּבְתוֹךְ אַחִים יַחֲלֹק נַחֲלָה, בְּתוֹךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל, מָה אֵלּוּ מַזְכִּירִין זְכוּת אָבוֹת אַף זֶה מַזְכִּיר זְכוּת אָבוֹת, וַיֹּאמַר ה' אֱלֹהֵי אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם וגו'. (בראשית כד, יב): וַעֲשֵׂה חֶסֶד עִם אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם, הִתְחַלְתָּ גְּמֹר. רַבִּי חַגַּי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר הַכֹּל צְרִיכִין לְחֶסֶד אֲפִלּוּ אַבְרָהָם שֶׁהַחֶסֶד מִתְגַּלְגֵּל בָּעוֹלָם בִּשְׁבִילוֹ, נִצְרַךְ לְחֶסֶד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַעֲשֵׂה חֶסֶד עִם אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם, הִתְחַלְתָּ גְּמֹר.
It is written: “A wise servant will dominate a shameful son and will share in an inheritance among brothers” (Proverbs 17:2). “A wise servant” – this refers to Eliezer. What was his wisdom? He said:2Before he became Abraham’s slave. ‘He3Referring to himself. already has the curse of that man upon him,4“Cursed be Canaan; a slave of slaves shall he be to his brothers” (Genesis 9:25). Eliezer was a descendant of Canaan (see Bereshit Rabba 59:9). perhaps a Kushite or barbarian will come along and enslave me. It is preferable to be enslaved in this household [of Abraham] and not in any other household.’ “Will dominate a shameful son” – this refers to Isaac,5Abraham gave him control over Isaac in the sense that he was entrusted to choose a bride for him. who put all the idolaters to shame when he was bound atop the altar.6With his complete dedication to God’s will, he put all the idolaters to shame. “And will share in an inheritance among brothers” – among Israel; just as they mention the merit of the patriarchs [in their prayers], so, too, this one mentioned the merit of the patriarchs [in his prayer]: “He said: Lord, God of my master Abraham…”
“And perform kindness with my master Abraham” – [Eliezer said:] ‘If you begin something, finish it.’7This is a popular saying. Eliezer applied it in his prayer to God: ‘You shortened my path for Abraham’s sake, help me complete the mission.’ Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Everyone requires kindness. Even Abraham, for whose sake [divine] kindness spreads throughout the world, required kindness, as it is stated: “And perform kindness with my master Abraham” – if you begin something, finish it.
הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נִצָּב עַל עֵין הַמָּיִם וּבְנוֹת אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר, וְהָיָה הַנַּעֲרָ אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיהָ הַטִּי וגו' (בראשית כד, יג יד), אַרְבָּעָה הֵן שֶׁתָּבְעוּ שֶׁלֹא כְהֹגֶן, לִשְׁלשָׁה נִתַּן כְּהֹגֶן, לְאֶחָד נִתַּן שֶׁלֹא כְהֹגֶן. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: אֱלִיעֶזֶר עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם, כָּלֵב, שָׁאוּל, יִפְתָּח. אֱלִיעֶזֶר אָמַר: וְהָיָה הַנַּעֲרָ אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיהָ וגו', הָא אִלּוּ יָצְאָה אָמָה אַחַת וְהִשְׁקַתּוּ הָיָה מַשִּׂיאָהּ לְבֶן אֲדוֹנוֹ, אֶתְמְהָא, וְזִמֵּן לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּהֹגֶן, (בראשית כד, טו): וַיְהִי הוּא טֶרֶם כִּלָּה לְדַבֵּר וְהִנֵּה רִבְקָה יֹצֵאת וגו'. וְכָלֵב אָמַר (שופטים א, יב): אֲשֶׁר יַכֶּה אֶת קִרְיַת סֵפֶר וּלְכָדָהּ וְנָתַתִּי לוֹ אֶת עַכְסָה בִתִּי לְאִשָּׁה, אִלּוּ לְכָדוֹ עֶבֶד אֶחָד הָיָה נוֹתֵן לוֹ בִּתּוֹ, וְזִמֵּן לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּהֹגֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שופטים א, יג): וַיִּלְכְּדָהּ עָתְנִיאֵל בֶּן קְנַז אֲחִי כָלֵב וַיִּתֵּן לוֹ אֶת עַכְסָה בִתּוֹ לְאִשָּׁה. שָׁאוּל אָמַר (שמואל א יז, כה): וְהָיָה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יַכֶּנּוּ יַעְשְׁרֶנוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ עֹשֶׁר גָּדוֹל וְאֶת בִּתּוֹ יִתֶּן לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה, הָא אִלּוּ יָצָא כּוּשִׁי אֶחָד אוֹ עוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים אֶחָד אוֹ עֶבֶד וְהִכָּהוּ הָיָה נוֹתֵן לוֹ בִּתּוֹ, וְזִמֵּן לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּהֹגֶן, דִּכְתִיב (שמואל א יז, יב): וְדָוִד בֶּן אִישׁ אֶפְרָתִי. יִפְתָּח (שופטים יא, לא): וְהָיָה הַיּוֹצֵא אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא וגו' וְהַעֲלִיתִיהוּ עֹלָה לַה', הָא אִלּוּ יָצָא חֲמוֹר אוֹ כֶלֶב אֶחָד אוֹ חָתוּל אַחַת, הָיָה מַעֲלֵהוּ עוֹלָה, וְזִמֵּן לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁלֹא כְהֹגֶן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שופטים יא, לד): וַיָּבֹא יִפְתָּח וגו' וְהִנֵּה בִתּוֹ יֹצֵאת לִקְרָאתוֹ, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר הֶקְדֵּשׁ דָּמִים הָיָה חַיָּב, וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר אֲפִלּוּ הֶקְדֵּשׁ דָּמִים לֹא הָיָה חַיָּב, דִּתְנַן אָמַר עַל בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה וְעַל בַּעֲלַת מוּם הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ עוֹלָה, לֹא אָמַר כְּלוּם, אָמַר הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ לְעוֹלָה, יִמָּכְרוּ וְיָבִיא בִּדְמֵיהֶם עוֹלָה. וְלֹא הָיָה שָׁם פִּינְחָס שֶׁיַּתִּיר לוֹ אֶת נִדְרוֹ, אֶלָּא פִּינְחָס אָמַר הוּא צָרִיךְ לִי וַאֲנִי אֵלֵךְ אֶצְלוֹ, וְיִפְתָּח אָמַר אֲנִי רֹאשׁ קְצִינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַאֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ לִי אֵצֶל פִּינְחָס, בֵּין דֵּין לְדֵין אָבְדָה הַנַּעֲרָה הַהִיא, הֲדָא דְּבִרְיָתָא אָמְרָה בֵּין חָיְתָא לִמְחַבַּלְתָּא אֲזַל בְּרָא דַּעֲלוּבְתָּא. וּשְׁנֵיהֶם נֶעֶנְשׁוּ בְּדָמֶיהָ שֶׁל נַעֲרָה, יִפְתָּח מֵת בִּנְשִׁילַת אֵבָרִים, בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ בּוֹ הָיָה אֵבָר נִשּׁוֹל הֵימֶנוּ וְהָיוּ קוֹבְרִין אוֹתוֹ שָׁם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שופטים יב, ז): וַיָּמָת יִפְתָּח וַיִּקָּבֵר בְּעָרֵי גִלְעָד, בְּעִיר גִּלְעָד לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא בְּעָרֵי גִלְעָד. פִּינְחָס נִטְלָה מִמֶּנּוּ רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברי הימים א ט, כ): פִּינְחָס בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר נָגִיד הָיָה עֲלֵיהֶם, הוּא נָגִיד עֲלֵיהֶם אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא נָגִיד הָיָה, (דברי הימים א ט, כ): לְפָנִים ה' עִמּוֹ.
“Behold, I am standing by the spring of water and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water” (Genesis 24:13).
“May it be that the girl to whom I will say: Tilt your jug please, and I will drink, and she will say: Drink, and I will also give your camels to drink; it is she You have confirmed for Your servant, for Isaac, and through her I will know that You have shown kindness to my master” (Genesis 24:14).
“It was before he concluded to speak, and behold, Rebecca was coming out, who was born to Betuel, son of Milka, wife of Nahor, brother of Abraham, and her jug is on her shoulder” (Genesis 24:15).
“Behold, I am standing by the spring of water and the daughters of the men of the city…May it be that the girl to whom I will say: Tilt…” – there are four people who made inappropriate demands [of God], three were granted appropriate responses, one was granted an inappropriate response. They are: Abraham’s servant Eliezer, Caleb, Saul, and Yiftaḥ. Eliezer said: “May it be that the girl to whom I will say….” What if some maidservant would emerge and give him to drink, would he have taken her to marry his master’s son? That is a rhetorical question. Yet the Holy One blessed be He made an appropriate arrangement for him: “It was before he concluded to speak, and behold, Rebecca was coming out…”
Caleb said: “Whoever smites Kiryat Sefer and captures it, I will give him Akhsa my daughter as a wife” (Judges 1:12). What if some slave would have conquered it, would he have given him his daughter? Yet the Holy One blessed be He made an appropriate arrangement for him, as it is stated: “Otniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s…brother, captured it; and he gave him Akhsa his daughter as a wife” (Judges 1:13).
Saul said: “It shall be, that whichever man smites him [Goliath], the king will enrich him with great wealth, and he will give him his daughter as a wife” (I Samuel 17:25). What if some Kushite or idolater or slave had emerged and smitten him, would he have given him his daughter? Yet the Holy One blessed be He made an appropriate arrangement for him, as it is written: “David, the son of that nobleman” (I Samuel 17:12).
Yiftaḥ [said:] “It shall be that whatever emerges…I will offer it up as a burnt offering” (Judges 11:31). What if some dog or cat had emerged, would he have offered it up as a burnt offering? And the Holy One blessed be He made an inappropriate arrangement for him. That is what is written: “Yiftaḥ came…and behold, his daughter came out to greet him” (Judges 11:34).
Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: He [Yiftaḥ] was obligated to pay for monetary consecration.8When his daughter came out to greet him, although he was of course not obliged to sacrifice her, he was obligated to redeem her with money, as one redeems consecrated property that cannot be used. Reish Lakish said: He was not even obligated to pay for monetary consecration, as we learn in a mishna:9Temura 5:6. If one said regarding an impure animal or a blemished animal: ‘These are hereby [consecrated as] a burnt offering, it is as if he has said nothing at all.’ [But if he said:] ‘These are hereby [consecrated] for use towards a burnt offering,’ they are to be sold, and he must bring a burnt offering with their money.10Yiftaḥ’s statement was analogous to the first case, so his declaration was null and void.
Pinḥas [the high priest] was not there to abrogate his [Yiftaḥ’s] vow for him. Instead, Pinḥas said: ‘It is he who requires my services; shall I go to him?’ And Yiftaḥ said: ‘I am the head of the chieftains of Israel, shall I go to Pinḥas?’ Between the two of them, that young woman was lost.11Yiftaḥ did fulfill his vow through his daughter, although this was not in accordance with Torah law, as explained in the previous paragraph. This accords with [the saying] that people say: Between the midwife and the mother in childbirth, the son of the wretched woman is gone.12If the baby dies, each one blames the other.
Both of them [Pinḥas and Yiftaḥ] were punished for the blood of the young woman. Yiftaḥ died as a result of his limbs falling off. Everywhere he would go, one of his limbs would fall off and they would bury it there. That is what is written: “Yiftaḥ died and he was buried in the cities of Gilad” (Judges 12:7) – “the city of Gilad” is not stated, but rather, “the cities of Gilad.”13Indicating that he was buried in several cities. As for Pinḥas, the Divine Spirit was stripped from him. That is what is written: “Pinḥas son of Elazar had been chief over them” (I Chronicles 9:20) – “is chief over them” is not written here, but rather, “had been chief.” “In earlier times the Lord had been with him” (I Chronicles 9:20).
וַיְהִי הוּא טֶרֶם כִּלָּה לְדַבֵּר וגו' (בראשית כד, טו), תָּנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי שְׁלשָׁה הֵם נַעֲנוּ בְּמַעֲנֵה פִיהֶם, אֱלִיעֶזֶר עַבְדוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם, וּמשֶׁה, וּשְׁלֹמֹה. אֱלִיעֶזֶר, וַיְהִי הוּא טֶרֶם כִּלָּה לְדַבֵּר וְהִנֵּה רִבְקָה יֹצֵאת. משֶׁה, דִכְתִיב (במדבר טז, לא): וַיְהִי כְּכַלֹּתוֹ לְדַבֵּר אֶת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַתִּבָּקַע הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר תַּחְתֵּיהֶם. שְׁלֹמֹה, דִּכְתִיב (דברי הימים ב ז, א): וּכְכַלּוֹת שְׁלֹמֹה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל ה' וְהָאֵשׁ יָרְדָה מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וגו'.
“It was before he concluded to speak” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: There are three people who were answered [in their prayers] as soon as they spoke: Abraham’s servant Eliezer, Moses, and Solomon. Eliezer – “it was before he concluded to speak, and behold, Rebecca was coming out.” Moses, as it is written: “It was, as he concluded to speak all these words, the ground that was beneath them split” (Numbers 16:31). Solomon, as it is written: “When Solomon had concluded praying [to the Lord], fire descended from the heavens…” (II Chronicles 7:1).
וְהַנַּעֲרָ טֹבַת מַרְאֶה מְאֹד בְּתוּלָה (בראשית כד, טז), תְּנֵינַן מֻכַּת עֵץ כְּתֻבָּתָהּ מָאתַיִם, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים מֻכַּת עֵץ כְּתֻבָּתָהּ מָנֶה. רַבִּי חֲנִינָא מִשֵּׁם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר טַעְמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר (בראשית כד, טז): וְאִישׁ לֹא יְדָעָהּ, הָא אִם נִבְעֲלָה מֵעֵץ בְּתוּלָה. טַעְמַיְהוּ דְרַבָּנָן, בְּתוּלָה, הָא אִם נִבְעֲלָה מֵעֵץ אֵינָהּ בְּתוּלָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לֹא נִבְעֲלָה אִשָּׁה מִמָּהוּל לִשְׁמוֹנָה תְּחִלָּה אֶלָּא רִבְקָה. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ לְפִי שֶׁבְּנוֹתָן שֶׁל עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים מְשַׁמְּרוֹת עַצְמָן מִמְּקוֹם עֶרְוָתָן וּמַפְקִירוֹת עַצְמָן מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר, אֲבָל זֹאת בְּתוּלָה מִמְּקוֹם בְּתוּלִים, וְאִישׁ לֹא יְדָעָהּ, מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִמַּשְׁמַע שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּתוּלָה, אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים וְאִישׁ לֹא יְדָעָהּ, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ אָדָם לֹא תָבַע בָּהּ, עַל שֵׁם (תהלים קכה, ג): לֹא יָנוּחַ שֵׁבֶט הָרֶשַׁע וגו'. וַתֵּרֶד הָעַיְנָה וַתְּמַלֵּא כַדָּהּ וַתָּעַל, כָּל הַנָּשִׁים יוֹרְדוֹת וּמְמַלְּאוֹת מִן הָעַיִן, וְזוֹ כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ אוֹתָהּ הַמַּיִם מִיָּד עָלוּ, אָמַר לָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתְּ סִימָן לְבָנַיִךְ, מָה אַתְּ כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ אוֹתָךְ הַמַּיִם מִיָּד עָלוּ, אַף בָּנַיִךְ כֵּיוָן שֶׁהַבְּאֵר רוֹאָה אוֹתָן מִיָּד תִּהְיֶה עוֹלָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (במדבר כא, יז): אָז יָשִׁיר יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת עֲלִי בְאֵר.
“The girl was of very fair appearance, a virgin, and a man had not been intimate with her; she went down to the spring, she filled her jug, and came up” (Genesis 24:16).
“The girl was of very fair appearance, a virgin” – we learn in a mishna:14Ketubot 1:3. The marriage contract of a woman whose hymen was ruptured by wood is two hundred [zuz], these are the words of Rabbi Meir.15Her legal status is that of a virgin, whose marriage contract must be two hundred zuz at a minimum. The Rabbis say: The marriage contract of a woman whose hymen was ruptured by wood is one hundred.16Her legal status is that of a non-virgin, whose marriage contract is only one hundred zuz. Rabbi Ḥanina in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: The source for Rabbi Meir is: “[A virgin,] and a man had not been intimate with her” – implying that if a girl’s hymen had been ruptured by wood, she is [still considered] a virgin.17According to Rabbi Meir, the words “a man had not been intimate with her” is intended to be the definition of the previous statement, “a virgin.” The source for the Rabbis is: “A virgin” – implying that if her hymen had been ruptured by wood, she is not a virgin.18According to the Rabbis, “a virgin” and “a man had not been intimate with her” are intended to be two separate statements.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: No one other than Rebecca was the first woman to consort with someone who was circumcised at eight days.19Of all those who were circumcised by Abraham (see Genesis 17:26–27), only Isaac was circumcised at the prescribed age of eight days (see Genesis 21:4).
Reish Lakish said: Because the daughters of idolaters preserve themselves in the place of their virginity but are lax regarding their other orifices, [the Torah tells us that] this one was “a virgin” from the place of the hymen, “and a man had not been intimate with her” from other orifices.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From the fact that it states: “Virgin,” do we not know that “a man had not been intimate with her”?20The literal translation of the phrase is: “no man had known her.” The explanation is that she was not even propositioned by any man, in accordance with the verse: “Indeed, the rod of wickedness [will not rest upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous set their hands to wrongdoing]” (Psalms 125:3).
“She went down to the spring, she filled her jug, and came up” – all the women were going down and drawing water from the spring, but this one, when the water saw her it immediately rose up [towards her].21The verse does not say that Rebecca drew the water from the well, but rather that she merely “filled her jug,” implying that she did not have to lower it down into the well. The Holy One blessed be He said to her: ‘You are a precursor for your descendants; just as you, when the water saw you it immediately rose up, so, too, your descendants, when the well will see them, it will immediately rise up.’ That is what is written: “Then Israel sang this song: Rise up, well; give voice for it” (Numbers 21:17).
וַיָּרָץ הָעֶבֶד לִקְרָאתָהּ (בראשית כד, יז), לִקְרַאת מַעֲשֶׂיהָ הַטּוֹבִים. (בראשית כד, יז): וַיֹּאמֶר הַגְמִיאִינִי נָא מְעַט מַיִם מִכַּדֵּךְ, גְּמִיָּה אַחַת. (בראשית כד, כא): וְהָאִישׁ מִשְׁתָּאֵה לָהּ וגו', רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן דְּצִיפּוֹרִין אָמַר מְמַצְמֵץ וּמַבִּיט בָּהּ, (בראשית כד, כא): הַהִצְלִיחַ ה'. (בראשית כד, כב): וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר כִּלּוּ הַגְּמַלִּים לִשְׁתּוֹת וַיִּקַּח וגו', רַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹסֵף אֶבֶן יְקָרָה הָיָה בוֹ וְהָיָה מִשְׁקָלָהּ בֶּקַע. (בראשית כד, כב): וּשְׁנֵי צְמִידִים עַל יָדֶיהָ, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁנֵי לוּחוֹת. (בראשית כד, כב): עֲשָׂרָה זָהָב מִשְׁקָלָם, כְּנֶגֶד עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת. (בראשית כד, כג): וַיֹּאמֶר בַּת מִי אַתְּ הַגִּידִי נָא לִי וגו', לִינָה אַחַת. (בראשית כד, כד): וַתֹּאמֶר בַּת בְּתוּאֵל אָנֹכִי בֶּן מִלְכָּה, (בראשית כד, כה): גַּם מָקוֹם לָלוּן, לִינוֹת הַרְבֵּה. (בראשית כד, כו): וַיִּקֹּד הָאִישׁ וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ לַה', מִכָּאן שֶׁמּוֹדִים עַל בְּשׂוֹרָה טוֹבָה. (בראשית כד, כז): וַיֹּאמֶר בָּרוּךְ ה' אֱלֹהֵי אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָזַב חַסְדּוֹ וגו', מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּפְצָה הַדֶּרֶךְ לְפָנַי הָיִיתִי יוֹדֵעַ (בראשית כד, כז): שֶׁבַּדֶּרֶךְ נָחַנִּי ה' בֵּית אֲחֵי אֲדֹנִי.
“The servant ran toward her, and he said: Please allow me to sip a little water from your jug” (Genesis 24:17).
“The servant ran toward her” – toward her good deeds.22Since he saw the water rise for her, he realized she must be exceptionally righteous.
“Please allow me to sip a little water from your jug” – [just] one sip.
“She said: Drink, my lord, and she hastened to lower her pitcher into her hand, and she gave him to drink” (Genesis 24:18).
“When she had finished giving him to drink, she said: I will draw for your camels also, until they have finished drinking” (Genesis 24:19).
“She hastened and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw, and drew for all his camels” (Genesis 24:20).
“The man was astonished at her; he was silent, to know whether the Lord had made his journey successful or not” (Genesis 24:21).
“The man was astonished at her…” – Rabbi Yoḥanan of Tzippori said: He was squinting23To see her more clearly. and looking at her [to see] if “the Lord had made [his journey] successful.”
“When the camels concluded drinking, the man took a gold nose ring whose weight was one half shekel, and two bracelets to put on her hands, whose weight was ten gold shekels” (Genesis 24:22).
“When the camels concluded drinking, [the man] took…” – Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Yosef: There was a precious stone in it that weighed half a shekel.
“And two bracelets to put on her hands” – corresponding to the two tablets [of the Ten Commandments]. “Whose weight was ten gold shekels” – corresponding to the Ten Commandments.
“He said: Whose daughter are you; please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay the night?” (Genesis 24:23).
“He said: Whose daughter are you; please tell me. [Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay the night [lalin]?]” – a stay for one night.
“She said to him: I am the daughter of Betuel, son of Milka, whom she bore to Naḥor” (Genesis 24:24).
“She said to him: Both straw and feed is plentiful with us, as well as room for lodging” (Genesis 24:25).
“She said to him: I am the daughter of Betuel, son of Milka…as well as room for lodging [lalun]” – to lodge for several nights.24Although he asked her about staying over for one night, she replied that he could stay for many nights.
“The man bowed and prostrated himself to the Lord” (Genesis 24:26).
“The man bowed and prostrated himself to the Lord” – from here we learn that one should express thanks [to God] for good tidings.
“He said: Blessed is the Lord, God of my master Abraham, who did not withhold His kindness and His truth from my master; I, the Lord guided me on the way to the house of my master’s brethren” (Genesis 24:27).
“He said: Blessed is the Lord, God of my master Abraham, who did not withhold His kindness…” – from the fact that the path was miraculously shortened, I knew that “the Lord guided me on the way to the house of my master's brethren.”
וַתָּרָץ הַנַּעֲרָהּ וַתַּגֵּד לְבֵית אִמָּהּ (בראשית כד, כח), אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֵין הָאִשָּׁה רְגִילָה אֶלָּא לְבֵית אִמָּהּ, אֲתִיבוּן לֵיהּ וְהָכְתִיב (בראשית כט, יב): וַתַּגֵּד לְאָבִיהָ, אָמַר לָהֶם שֶׁמֵּתָה אִמָּהּ וּלְמִי הָיָה לָהּ לְהַגִּיד לֹא לְאָבִיהָ. (בראשית כד, כט): וּלְרִבְקָה אָח וּשְׁמוֹ לָבָן, רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר לְשֶׁבַח, פַּרְדּוֹכוֹס. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה אָמַר לִגְנַאי, מְלֻבֶּן בְּרֶשַׁע. (בראשית כד, כט): וַיָּרָץ לָבָן אֶל הָאִישׁ הַחוּצָה אֶל הָעָיִן, מְעַיְנֵיהּ לֵיהּ. (בראשית כד, ל): עֹמֵד עַל הַגְּמַלִּים עַל הָעָיִן, מְעַיֵּין גַּרְמֵיהּ. (בראשית כד, לא): וַיֹּאמֶר בּוֹא בְּרוּךְ ה', שֶׁהָיָה סָבוּר בּוֹ שֶׁהוּא אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁהָיָה קְלַסְתֵּר פָּנָיו דּוֹמֶה לוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן רַבִּי דוֹסָא כְּנַעַן הוּא אֱלִיעֶזֶר, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁשֵּׁרַת אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק בֶּאֱמוּנָה יָצָא מִכְּלַל אָרוּר לִכְלַל בָּרוּךְ. וַיֹּאמֶר בּוֹא בְּרוּךְ ה', אָמַר רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן דְּבֵית גּוּבְרִין עֲבַד לֵהּ אַפְטָרָה, וּמָה אִם אֱלִיעֶזֶר עַל יְדֵי שֶׁשֵׁרַת אֶת הַצַּדִּיק בֶּאֱמוּנָה יָצָא מִכְּלַל אָרוּר לִכְלַל בָּרוּךְ, יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁעוֹשִׂין חֶסֶד עִם גְּדוֹלֵיהֶם וְעִם קְטַנֵּיהֶם בִּידֵיהֶם וְרַגְלֵיהֶם, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. (בראשית כד, לא): לָמָּה תַעֲמֹד בַּחוּץ, אֵין כְּבוֹדְךָ שֶׁתֵּשֵׁב בַּחוּץ. (בראשית כד, לא): וְאָנֹכִי פִּנִּיתִי הַבַּיִת, מִטִּנֹּפֶת שֶׁל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים.
“The girl ran and told her mother’s household all about these matters” (Genesis 24:28).
“The girl ran and told her mother’s household” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: A woman frequents only her mother’s household. They raised an objection to him: “She [Rachel] told her father” (Genesis 29:12). He said to them: That was because her mother had died. To whom could she have told? Is it not to her father?
“Rebecca had a brother and his name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man, to the spring” (Genesis 24:29).
“When he saw the nose ring and the bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebecca his sister, saying: So spoke the man to me, he came to the man and, behold, he was standing beside the camels at the spring” (Genesis 24:30).
“Rebecca had a brother and his name was Laban” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said a favorable interpretation – he was very fair in complexion.25Lavan (Laban) means white. Rabbi Berekkya said an unfavorable interpretation – he was white, [i.e. pure], in wickedness.
“Laban ran out to the man, to the spring [haayin]” – he was assessing [me’ayen] him.26He was looking over Eliezer, to see if he might get some money from him.
“He was standing beside the camels at the spring [haayin]” – he [Laban] was assessing [me’ayen] himself.27Whether or not he would be able to deceive Eliezer to benefit himself.
“He said: Come, blessed of the Lord; why are you standing outside, and I have cleared the house and place for the camels?” (Genesis 24:31).
“He said: Come, blessed of the Lord” – he thought that he was Abraham, as the contours of his face resembled him.
Rabbi Yosei ben Dosa said: Canaan28Canaan was cursed by Noah (Genesis 9:25). and Eliezer were one and the same, and because he faithfully served that righteous man [Abraham], he emerged from the ranks of the cursed and entered the ranks of the blessed.
“He said: Come, blessed of the Lord” – Rabbi Yaakov said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan of Beit Guvrin, who would use this as a parting statement:29When taking leave of his host. If Eliezer, by means of faithfully serving that righteous man, emerged from the ranks of the cursed and entered the ranks of the blessed, then the people of Israel, who perform acts of kindness for their greater and lesser members with their hands and their feet, all the more so.
“Why are you standing outside” – it is not in keeping with your esteem to remain outside.
“And I have cleared the house” – from the filth of idol worship.
וַיָּבֹא הָאִישׁ הַבַּיְתָה וגו' (בראשית כד, לב), הִתִּיר זְמוּמֵיהֶם. רַבִּי הוּנָא וְרַבִּי יִרְמְיָה שָׁאַל לְרַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר רַבָּה לֹא הָיוּ גְּמַלָּיו שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ דּוֹמִים לַחֲמוֹרוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי פִּינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר, חֲמָרְתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי פִּינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר נַסְבּוּהָ לִסְטָאֵי עֲבַדַּת גַּבּוֹן תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין וְלָא טָעֲמַת כְּלוּם, אָמְרִין סוֹפָהּ מָיְתָה וְתַסְרֵי מְעַרְתָּא עָלֵינוּ, נִמְסָרָהּ לְרִבּוֹנָהּ, שְׁלָחוּהָ וְעָלַת בְּבֵיתָא דְמָרָהּ, כֵּיוָן דְּעָלְתָה נְהַקַת וְחַכִּים קָלָה, אֲמַר פִּתְחוּ לְאוֹתָהּ הָעֲנִיָּה וִיהֲבוּ לָהּ דְּתֵיכוֹל, דְּאִית לָהּ תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין דְּלָא טָעֲמָה מִידֵי. יַהֲבִין לָהּ שְׂעוֹרִין לָא טְעַמְתּוֹן, אָמְרִין לֵיהּ רַבִּי יַהֲבִינָן לָהּ שְׂעָרִין וְלָא טְעַמְתּוֹן. אֲמַר לְהוֹן תִּקַנְתִּיהוּ, אֲמַרוּן לֵיהּ אֵין, אֲפִיקְתּוּן דְּמַאי, אָמְרוּ לָא כֵּן אַלְפִין רַבִּי הַלּוֹקֵחַ זֶרַע לִבְהֵמָה וְקֶמַח לְעוֹרוֹת וְשֶׁמֶן לְנֵר וְשֶׁמֶן לָסוּךְ בּוֹ אֶת הַכֵּלִים, פְּטוּרִין מִן הַדְּמַאי. אֲמַר לְהוֹן מַאי נַעֲבֵיד לָהּ וְהִיא מַחְמְרָה עַל גַּרְמָהּ. רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה שְׁלַח לְרַבִּי זְעֵירָא חַד קַרְטֵיל דִּתְאֵנִין, רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה אָמַר אֶפְשָׁר רַבִּי זְעֵירָא אָכֵילְהוֹן דְּלָא מְתַקְּנָן. רַבִּי זְעֵירָא אָמַר אֶפְשָׁר לְרַבִּי יִרְמְיָה דְּלָא מְשַׁלַּח לְהוֹן מְתַקְּנָן, בֵּין דֵּין לְדֵין אִתְאַכְלוּן תְּאֵנִים בְּטִבְלַיְהוּ. לְמָחָר קָם רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה עִם רַבִּי זְעֵירָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ תַּקַּנְתְּ אִילֵין תְּאֵנַיָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָא, אֲמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר יְמִינָא לְרַבִּי זְעֵירָא אִין הֲווֹן קַדְמָאִין מַלְאָכִין אֲנַן בְּנֵי נָשׁ, וְאִין הֲווֹן בְּנֵי נָשֵׁי אֲנַן חֲמָרִין, וְלֵית אֲנַן כַּחֲמָרְתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי פִּינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר, חֲמָרְתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי פִּינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר יְהַבוּן לָהּ שְׂעָרֵי דְטִבְלָא לָא אֲכָלַת יַתְהוֹן, וַאֲנַן אַכְלִינַן תְּאֵנַיָא דִּטְבִילִין. (בראשית כד, לב): וַיִּתֵּן תֶּבֶן וּמִסְפּוֹא לַגְּמַלִּים, אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא יָפָה שִׂיחָתָן שֶׁל עַבְדֵי בָּתֵּי אָבוֹת מִתּוֹרָתָן שֶׁל בָּנִים, פָּרָשָׁתוֹ שֶׁל אֱלִיעֶזֶר שְׁנַיִם וּשְׁלשָׁה דַפִּים הוּא אוֹמְרָהּ וְשׁוֹנָהּ, וְשֶׁרֶץ מִגּוּפֵי תּוֹרָה וְאֵין דָּמוֹ מְטַמֵּא כִּבְשָׂרוֹ אֶלָּא מֵרִבּוּי הַמִּקְרָא. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי אוֹמֵר: טָמֵא, הַטָּמֵא (ויקרא יא, כט). רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: זֶה, וָזֶה (ויקרא יא, כט). (בראשית כד, לב): וּמַיִם לִרְחֹץ רַגְלָיו וְרַגְלֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא יָפָה רְחִיצַת רַגְלֵי עַבְדֵי בָּתֵּי אָבוֹת מִתּוֹרָתָן שֶׁל בָּנִים, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ רְחִיצַת רַגְלַיִם צָרִיךְ לִכְתֹּב, וְהַשֶּׁרֶץ מִגּוּפֵי תּוֹרָה וְאֵין דָּמוֹ מְטַמֵּא כִּבְשָׂרוֹ אֶלָּא מֵרִבּוּי הַמִּקְרָא. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי אוֹמֵר: טָמֵא, הַטָּמֵא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר: זֶה, וְזֶה.
“The man came to the house and unfastened the camels. He gave straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him” (Genesis 24:33).
“The man came to the house [and unfastened the camels]…” – he untied their muzzles. Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Yirmeya asked Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Rabba: Were the camels of Abraham our patriarch not like the donkey of Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair?30As the Midrash goes on to relate, Rabbi Pinḥas’ donkey would not touch forbidden food. Surely Abraham’s animals were no less righteous than those of Rabbi Pinḥas, therefore there was no need to muzzle them to prevent them from eating private vegetation, and the unfastening mentioned in the verse was referring to their saddles. Robbers once took the donkey of Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair. It spent three days with them and did not eat anything. They said: ‘In the end it will die, and stink up our cave for us. Let us return it to its owner.’ They sent it out and it came to its owner’s house. When it arrived it brayed, and he recognized its voice. He said: ‘Open the gate for that unfortunate one and give it to eat, as three days have passed during which it did not taste a thing.’ They gave it barley, but it would not taste it. They said to him: ‘We gave it barley but it would not taste it.’ He said to them: ‘Did you process it?’31By removing the chaff and other refuse. They said to him: ‘Yes.’ [He asked:] ‘Did you separate the tithes of demai from it?’32Demai is produce purchased from a person who is not trustworthy regarding the separation of tithes from his produce. One who buys such produce must separate the tithes himself, as a precaution. They said to him: ‘No. Did you not teach us, Rabbi: “One who purchases grain for an animal, or flour for hides, or oil for light, or oil to rub into leather is exempt from tithing demai?”’33Demai 1:3. He said to them: ‘What can we do for it if it is stringent with itself?’34The donkey was so righteous that it did not want to rely on the exemption from tithing animal feed.
Rabbi Yirmeya once sent a basket of figs to Rabbi Ze’eira. Rabbi Yirmeya said: ‘Is it possible that Rabbi Ze’eira would eat them without tithing them?’35He therefore did not tithe them himself before sending them. Rabbi Ze’eira said: ‘Is it possible that Rabbi Yirmeya would send them without tithing?’ Between the two of them, the figs were eaten in their untithed state. The next day, Rabbi Yirmeya met Rabbi Ze’eira. He [Rabbi Ze’eira] said to him: ‘Did you tithe those figs?’ He said to him: ‘No.’ Rabbi Abba bar Yemina said to Rabbi Ze’eira: ‘If the people of early generations were likened to angels, we are likened to human beings. If they were likened to people, we are likened to donkeys. And [if we are likened to donkeys] we are not likened to the donkey of Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair, [but to an ordinary donkey]. When the donkey of Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair was given untithed food it would not eat it, but we ate untithed figs.’
“He gave straw and feed for the camels” – the conversation of the servants of the patriarch’s household are more significant than the Torah laws of the descendants. The passage about Eliezer is two or three columns long, it states it and repeats it. The [law of impurity of] creeping animals is one of the fundamental laws of the Torah, but the fact that its blood imparts ritual impurity, like its flesh,36The flesh of a creeping animal imparts impurity (see Leviticus 11:29–38), but the Torah does not state explicitly that its blood imparts impurity. is learned only from a derivation based on an extra letter in a verse. [What is that derivation?] Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Tameh, hatameh (Leviticus 11:29).37The verse, when speaking of creeping animals, could have said: “And these are impure [tamei],” but instead it says “And these are the impure ones [hatamei].” It is from the additional letter heh that the impurity of its blood is derived. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yosei says: Zeh, vezeh (Leviticus 11:29).38The verse, when speaking of creeping animals, could have said: “These [zeh] are the impure ones,“ but instead it says “And these [vezeh] are the impure ones.” It is from the additional letter vav that the impurity of its blood is derived.
“And water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him” – Rabbi Aḥa said: The washing of the feet of the servants of the patriarch’s household is more significant than the Torah laws of the descendants, for [the Torah] found it necessary to write even about the washing of his feet, The creeping animal is one of the fundamental laws of the Torah, but the fact that its blood imparts impurity like its flesh is learned only from a derivation based on an extra letter in a verse. [What is that derivation?] Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Tameh, hatameh, Rabbi Eliezer ben Yosei says: Zeh, vezeh.
וַיּוּשַׂם לְפָנָיו לֶאֱכֹל וַיֹּאמַר עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם אָנֹכִי (בראשית כד, לג לד), אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק מִלְּתָא דְּאִית בָּךְ מְגַנְיָא קְדֵים וְאֵמְרָהּ. וְעַתָּה אִם יֶשְׁכֶם עֹשִׂים חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת אֶת אֲדֹנִי הַגִּידוּ לִי וגו' וְאֶפְנֶה עַל יָמִין אוֹ עַל שְׂמֹאל (בראשית כד, מט), עַל יָמִין זֶה יִשְׁמָעֵאל, עַל שְׂמֹאל זֶה לוֹט, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (בראשית יג, ט): אִם הַשְּׂמֹאל וְאֵימִנָה וְאִם הַיָּמִין וְאַשְׂמְאִילָה.
“Food was placed before him to eat, and he said: I will not eat until I have spoken my words. He said: Speak” (Genesis 24:33).
“He said: I am Abraham's servant” (Genesis 24:34).
“Food was placed before him to eat…He said: I am Abraham's servant” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: If you possess some uncomplimentary trait, say it first.
“Now, if you will perform kindness and truth with my master, tell me, and if not, tell me, and I will turn to the right or to the left” (Genesis 24:49).
“Now, if you will perform kindness and truth with my master, tell me…and I will turn right or left.” “Right” – this refers to Ishmael; “left” – this refers to Lot, just as it says: “[Abram said to Lot: …separate yourself from me.] If to the left, I will go right, and if to the right, I will go left” (Genesis 13:8–9).
וַיַּעַן לָבָן וּבְתוּאֵל וַיֹּאמְרוּ מֵה' יָצָא הַדָּבָר (בראשית כד, נ), מֵהֵיכָן יָצָא, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר נְחֶמְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר יִצְחָק מֵהַר הַמּוֹרִיָה יָצָא. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי מֵהֵיכָן יָצָא (בראשית כד, נא): וּתְהִי אִשָּׁה לְבֶן אֲדֹנֶיךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה'.
“Laban and Betuel answered and said: The matter has come forth from the Lord; we can speak to you neither bad nor good” (Genesis 24:50).
“Behold, Rebecca is before you, take her and go, and she will be a wife for your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken” (Genesis 24:51).
“Laban and Betuel answered and said: The matter has come forth from the Lord” – from where did it come forth? Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak: It came forth from Mount Moriah.39It was immediately after Abraham’s binding of Isaac on Mount Moriah that Abraham was informed about Rebecca’s birth (Genesis 22:20–23). Her marriage to Isaac was foreordained from that point. The Rabbis say: From where did it come forth? “She will be a wife for your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”40The marriage of Isaac and Rebecca was not foreordained upon her birth. The match between them was ordained in Heaven only now.
וַיּוֹצֵא הָעֶבֶד כְּלֵי כֶסֶף (בראשית כד, נג), רַבִּי הוּנָא אָמַר קוּנַבֵּי. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי קְלָיוֹת וֶאֱגוֹזִים, וּקְלָיוֹת הָיוּ חֲבִיבִין מִכֹּל, אֶלָּא לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁאִם יוֹצֵא אָדָם לַדֶּרֶךְ וְאֵין אִצְטְרָכַיָא עִמּוֹ מִסְתַּגֵּף הוּא. וְדִכְוָתָהּ (שמות ג, כב): וְשָׁאֲלָה אִשָּׁה מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ וגו', וּשְׂמָלוֹת הָיוּ חֲבִיבוֹת מִן הַכֹּל, אֶלָּא לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁאִם יֵצֵא אָדָם לַדֶּרֶךְ וְאֵין כְּסוּתוֹ עִמּוֹ מִסְתַּגֵּף. וְדִכְוָתָהּ (עזרא א, ו): וְכָל סְבִיבֹתֵיהֶם חִזְּקוּ בִידֵיהֶם וגו'.
“The servant took out vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and garments, and he gave them to Rebecca, and he gave her brother and her mother precious objects” (Genesis 24:53).
“The servant took out vessels of silver […and precious objects]” – Rabbi Huna said: Fruit delicacies. The Rabbis said: Toasted grain and nuts. Is toasted grain then the most beloved of all these things?41Since it is listed last, after gold and silver vessels, the implication is that it is the most precious of all the items on the list. The explanation is that it comes to teach you that if a person sets out on a trip without provisions with him, he will suffer.42On the road, precious objects are no substitute for food. Similarly, “Each woman will borrow [silver vessels and gold vessels and] garments from her neighbor” (Exodus 3:22) – are garments most beloved of all these things? The explanation is that it comes to teach you that if a person sets out on a trip without taking his garments with him, he will suffer. Similarly: “All those surrounding them supported them [with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with livestock, and with precious objects]” (Ezra 1:6).
וַיֹּאמֶר אָחִיהָ וְאִמָּהּ תֵּשֵׁב הַנַּעֲרָ אִתָּנוּ (בראשית כד, נה), וּבְתוּאֵל הֵיכָן הוּא, בִּקֵּשׁ לְעַכֵּב וְנִגַּף בַּלַּיְלָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי יא, ה): צִדְקַת תָּמִים תְּיַשֵּׁר דַּרְכּוֹ, צִדְקַת תָּמִים זֶה יִצְחָק, תְּיַשֵּׁר דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל אֱלִיעֶזֶר. (משלי יד, לב): וּבְּרָעָתוֹ יִדָחֶה רָשָׁע, זֶה בְּתוּאֵל שֶׁנִּגַּף בַּלַּיְלָה. תֵּשֵׁב הַנַּעֲרָ אִתָּנוּ יָמִים, אֵלּוּ שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי אֶבְלוֹ. אוֹ עָשוֹר, אֵלּוּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין לִבְתוּלָה לְפַרְנֵס אֶת עַצְמָהּ. (בראשית כד, נז): וַיֹּאמְרוּ נִקְרָא לַנַּעֲרָ, מִכָּאן שֶׁאֵין מַשִּׂיאִין אֶת הַיְתוֹמָה אֶלָּא עַל פִּיהָ. (בראשית כד, נח): וַיִּקְרְאוּ לְרִבְקָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָהּ, רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר מְרַמְזִים בָּהּ הֲתֵלְכִי הֲתֵלְכִי (בראשית כד, נח): וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלֵךְ, הוֹלֶכֶת אֲנִי עַל כָּרְחֲכֶם שֶׁלֹא בְטוֹבַתְכֶם.
“Her brother and her mother said: Let the girl remain with us for some days, or ten months; afterward she shall go” (Genesis 24:55).
“Her brother and her mother said: Let the girl remain with us” – where was [her father] Betuel? He wanted to impede [the betrothal of Rebecca] and was stricken down overnight. That is what is written: “The righteousness of the honest will straighten his way” (Proverbs 11:5). “The righteousness of the honest” – this is Isaac; “will straighten his way” – the way of Eliezer. “In his evil, the wicked one is rejected” (Proverbs 11:5) – this is Betuel, who was stricken down overnight.
“Let the girl remain with us some days” – this refers to the seven days of mourning for him [Betuel]. “Or ten months [asor]” – this refers to the twelve months that a virgin is given to secure her needs for herself.43After betrothal, a fiancée is entitled to take twelve months before the wedding to prepare herself (Mishna Ketubot 5:2). Laban and his mother were willing to speed up the process, so they requested only ten months.
“They said: We will call the girl, and ask her response” (Genesis 24:57).
“They said: We will call the girl [and ask her response]” – from here we learn that one may marry off an orphan girl only with her consent.
“They called Rebecca and said to her: Will you go with this man? She said: I will go” (Genesis 24:58).
“They called Rebecca and said to her: [Will you go with this man?]” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: They were hinting to her: ‘Will you [really] go? Will you [really] go?’44They did not want her to go. It was as though they were asking: Are you even considering going with him? “She said: I will go” – I am going against your will, even if you disapprove.
וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ אֶת רִבְקָה וגו' וַיְבָרְכוּ אֶת רִבְקָה (בראשית כד, נט ס), אָמַר רַבִּי אַיְּבוּ דְּווּיִין וּשְׁפוּפִין הָיוּ וְלֹא הָיוּ מַפְרִינִין אֶלָּא בַּפֶּה. (בראשית כד, ס): אֲחֹתֵנוּ אַתְּ הֲיִי לְאַלְפֵי רְבָבָה, רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה וְרַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָה מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא נִפְקְדָה רִבְקָה עַד שֶׁנִּתְפַּלֵּל עָלֶיהָ יִצְחָק, שֶׁלֹא יִהְיוּ עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים אוֹמְרִים תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ עָשְׂתָה פֵּרוֹת, אֶלָּא (בראשית כה, כא): וַיֶּעְתַּר יִצְחָק לַה' לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר (איוב כט, יג): בִּרְכַּת אֹבֵד עָלַי תָּבֹא, בִּרְכַּת אֹבֵד זֶה לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כו, ה): אֲרַמִּי אֹבֵד אָבִי. עָלַי תָּבֹא זוֹ רִבְקָה, אֲחֹתֵנוּ אַתְּ הֲיִי לְאַלְפֵי רְבָבָה, וְעָמְדוּ מִמֶּנָּהּ אַלּוּפִים מֵעֵשָׂו וּרְבָבָה מִיַּעֲקֹב. אַלּוּפִים מֵעֵשָׂו (בראשית לו, טו): אַלּוּף תֵּימָן אַלּוּף קְנַז. מִיַּעֲקֹב רְבָבָה, דִּכְתִיב (יחזקאל טז, ז): רְבָבָה כְּצֶמַח הַשָּׂדֶה נְתַתִּיךְ. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אַף אֵלּוּ וְאֵלּוּ עָמְדוּ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב (במדבר י, לו): וּבְנֻחֹה יֹאמַר שׁוּבָה ה' רִבְבוֹת אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
“They sent Rebecca their sister, and her nursemaid, and Abraham’s servant, and his men” (Genesis 24:59).
“They blessed Rebecca, and said to her: Our sister, may you become thousands and myriads, and let your descendants inherit the gate of their enemies” (Genesis 24:60).
“They sent Rebecca…they blessed Rebecca” – they were downcast and despondent [that she was going], and they blessing her only with their mouths.45Not with their hearts.
“Our sister, may you become thousands and myriads” – Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: Why was Rebecca granted [conception] only after Isaac prayed for her?46See Genesis 25:21. It was so that the idolaters [Laban and his mother] should not say: ‘Our prayer bore fruit.’ Instead, “Isaac entreated the Lord on behalf of his wife” (Genesis 25:21).
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “The blessing of the lost would come to me” (Job 29:13). “The blessing of the lost [oved]” – this refers to Laban the Aramean, as it is stated: “An Aramaean sought to destroy [oved] my father” (Deuteronomy 26:5). “Would come upon me” – this refers to Rebecca.
“Our sister, may you become thousands [alfei] and myriads [revava]” – chieftains [alufim] emerged from her through Esau, and myriads through Jacob. Chieftains from Esau – “the chieftain of Teiman, the chieftain of Kenaz” (Genesis 36:15); myriads [revava] from Jacob, as it is written: “I rendered you numerous [revava] like the plants of the field” (Ezekiel 16:7). Some say that both of these emerged through Israel, as it is written: “When it rested, he said: Repose Lord, among the myriad [rivevot] thousands of [alfei] Israel” (Numbers 10:36).
וַתָּקָם רִבְקָה וְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ וגו' (בראשית כד, סא), אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי שֶׁכֵּן דֶּרֶךְ הַגְּמַלִּים גְּדֵלִים בַּמִּזְרָח. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי מַה גָּמָל זֶה יֵשׁ בּוֹ סִימָן טֻמְאָה וְסִימָן טָהֳרָה, כָּךְ הֶעֱמִידָה רִבְקָה צַדִּיק וְרָשָׁע. (בראשית כד, סא): וַתֵּלַכְנָה אַחֲרֵי הָאִישׁ, שֶׁכָּעוּר לָאִישׁ לִהְיוֹת מְהַלֵּךְ אַחַר הָאִשָּׁה. (בראשית כד, סב): וְיִצְחָק בָּא מִבּוֹא, אֲתָא מִמֵּיתָא, וּלְהֵיכָן הָלַךְ, (בראשית כד, סא): בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי, הָלַךְ לְהָבִיא אֶת הָגָר, אוֹתָהּ שֶׁיָּשְׁבָה עַל הַבְּאֵר וְאָמְרָה לְחַי הָעוֹלָמִים רְאֵה בְּעֶלְבּוֹנִי. (בראשית כד, סג): וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִפְנוֹת עָרֶב, אֵין שִׂיחָה אֶלָּא תְּפִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קב, א): תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי כִי יַעֲטֹף וְלִפְנֵי ה' יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (תהלים נה, יח): עֶרֶב וָבֹקֶר וְצָהֳרָיִם אָשִׂיחָה וגו'.
“Rebecca and her maids rose, and rode upon the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebecca and went” (Genesis 24:61).
“Rebecca and her maids rose, [and rode upon the camels]…” [Why did they ride on camels?]47Camels are difficult to ride. Rabbi Levi said: It is the nature of camels that they grow in the East.48So Rebecca and her maids were used to riding them. The Rabbis say: [Camels were used for a symbolic reason.] Just as a camel has one sign of purity49It chews its cud. and one sign of impurity,50It does not have split hooves. so Rebecca produced one righteous person and one wicked person.
“And followed the man” – as it is unbefitting for a man to walk behind a woman.
“Isaac came from going to Be’er Laḥai Ro’i and he was living in the land of the south” (Genesis 24:62).
“Isaac came from going [ba mibo]” – he was coming [ba] back from bringing something.51Mibo is interpreted to mean: From bringing. And where had he gone? To Be’er Laḥai Ro’i. He had gone to bring Hagar back [to Abraham], she being the one who had sat by the well [be’er], and who had said to the One who lives [laḥai] forever: ‘See [re’eh] my misery.’52See Genesis 21:14–21:19.
“Isaac went out to have some words in the field toward evening, and he lifted his eyes, and behold, he saw camels coming” (Genesis 24:63).
“Isaac went out to have some words [lasuaḥ] in the field toward evening” – siḥa is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “The prayer of a poor man, when he feels overwhelmed and pours out his prayer [siḥo] before the Lord” (Psalms 102:1). Likewise it says: “Evening and morning and noon, I pray [asiḥa]…” (Psalms 55:18).
וַתִּשָּׂא רִבְקָה אֶת עֵינֶיהָ וַתֵּרֶא אֶת יִצְחָק (בראשית כד, סד), אָמַר רַב הוּנָא צָפָת שֶׁיָּדוֹ שְׁטוּחָה בִּתְפִלָּה, אָמְרָה וַדַּאי אָדָם גָּדוֹל הוּא, לְכָךְ שָׁאֲלָה עָלָיו. (בראשית כד, סד): וַתִּפֹּל מֵעַל הַגָּמָל, אִתְרְכִינַת, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (תהלים לז, כד): כִּי יִפֹּל לֹא יוּטָל. (בראשית כד, סה): וַתֹּאמֶר אֶל הָעֶבֶד, רַבִּי חִיָּא אָמַר רָאֲתָה אוֹתוֹ הָדוּר, וְתוֹהָא מִפָּנָיו, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (בראשית לז, יט): הִנֵּה בַּעַל הַחֲלֹמוֹת הַלָּזֶה בָּא. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי הוּא וּפִלְסוֹנוֹ, הֲלָזֶה, אַלּוֹן זֶה. (בראשית כד, סה): וַיֹּאמֶר הָעֶבֶד הוּא אֲדֹנִי, שְׁתַּיִם הֵם שֶׁנִּתְכַּסוּ בַּצָּעִיף וְיָלְדוּ תְּאוֹמִים, רִבְקָה וְתָמָר, רִבְקָה, (בראשית כד, סה): וַתִּקַּח הַצָּעִיף, תָּמָר, (בראשית לח, יד): וַתְּכַס בַּצָּעִיף וַתִּתְעַלָּף. (בראשית כד, סו): וַיְסַפֵּר הָעֶבֶד לְיִצְחָק, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר כְּלָלָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה מְרֻבִּים מִפְּרָטֶיהָ, שֶׁאִלּוּ בָּא לִכְתֹּב שְׁנַיִם וּשְׁלשָׁה דַּפִּין הָיָה כוֹתֵב. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי דִּבְרֵי שֶׁבַח גִּלָּה לוֹ, מַה שֶּׁקָּפְצָה הָאָרֶץ לְפָנָיו.
“Rebecca lifted her eyes, she saw Isaac, and she fell from upon the camel” (Genesis 24:64).
“Rebecca lifted her eyes, she saw Isaac” – Rav Huna said: She saw that his hand was outstretched in prayer. She said: ‘He is certainly a great man,’ and that is why she inquired about him.53See the next verse.
“She fell [vatipol] from upon the camel” – she tilted herself downward,54It does not mean that she actually fell to the ground. just as it says: “When he stumbles [yipol], he will not fall” (Psalms 37:24).55The verse shows that yipol does not necessarily mean to fall.
“She said to the servant: Who is that man who is walking in the field toward us? The servant said: He is my master. She took the veil, and covered herself” (Genesis 24:65).
“She said to the servant: [Who is that [halazeh] man]” – Rabbi Ḥiyya said: She saw that he was attractive and was overwhelmed before him, just as it says: “Behold, here comes that [halazeh] dreamer” (Genesis 37:19).56Halazeh is used in reference to Joseph, who was very attractive (see Genesis 39:6). The same was true of Isaac. The Rabbis said: [Halazeh means:] He and his accompanying angel; halazeh [as an abbreviation for] that different one [alon zeh].57Rebecca saw that the individual accompanying Isaac was no ordinary man.
“The servant said: He is my master. [She took the veil, and covered herself]” – there are two people who covered themselves with a veil, and they both bore twins: Rebecca and Tamar. Rebecca – “she took the veil”; Tamar – “she covered herself with a veil, and she wrapped herself” (Genesis 38:14).
“The servant related to Isaac all the matters that he had done” (Genesis 24:66).
“The servant related to Isaac [all the matters]” – Rabbi Eliezer said: The general statements of the Torah58Such as here, where the Torah makes the general statement that Eliezer related “all the matters,” but does not specify what they were. are more common than its detailed statements, as, if it had desired to write it [the details of what had transpired], it would have written two or three [more] columns. The Rabbis say: He revealed to him the matters that involved praise [for God], [such as] that the path was miraculously shortened for him.
וַיְבִאֶהָ יִצְחָק הָאֹהֱלָה שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ (בראשית כד, סז), כָּל יָמִים שֶׁהָיְתָה שָׂרָה קַיֶּמֶת הָיָה עָנָן קָשׁוּר עַל פֶּתַח אָהֳלָהּ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁמֵּתָה פָּסַק אוֹתוֹ עָנָן, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁבָּאת רִבְקָה חָזַר אוֹתוֹ עָנָן. כָּל יָמִים שֶׁהָיְתָה שָׂרָה קַיֶּמֶת הָיוּ דְּלָתוֹת פְּתוּחוֹת לִרְוָחָה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמֵּתָה שָׂרָה פָּסְקָה אוֹתָהּ הָרְוָחָה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁבָּאת רִבְקָה חָזְרָה אוֹתָהּ הָרְוָחָה. וְכָל יָמִים שֶׁהָיְתָה שָׂרָה קַיֶּמֶת הָיָה בְּרָכָה מְשֻׁלַּחַת בָּעִסָּה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמֵּתָה שָׂרָה פָּסְקָה אוֹתָהּ הַבְּרָכָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאת רִבְקָה חָזְרָה. כָּל יָמִים שֶׁהָיְתָה שָׂרָה קַיֶּמֶת הָיָה נֵר דּוֹלֵק מִלֵּילֵי שַׁבָּת וְעַד לֵילֵי שַׁבָּת, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמֵּתָה פָּסַק אוֹתוֹ הַנֵּר, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁבָּאת רִבְקָה חָזַר. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אוֹתָהּ שֶׁהִיא עוֹשָׂה כְּמַעֲשֵׂה אִמּוֹ, קוֹצָה חַלָּתָהּ בְּטָהֳרָה וְקוֹצָה עִסָּתָהּ בְּטָהֳרָה, מִיָּד וַיְּבִאֶהָ יִצְחָק הָאֹהֱלָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן לִמְדָתְךָ תּוֹרָה שֶׁאִם יִהְיֶה לָאָדָם בָּנִים גְּדוֹלִים יִהְיֶה מַשִּׂיאָן מִתְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ הוּא נוֹשֵׂא לוֹ אִשָּׁה, מִמִּי אַתָּה לָמֵד מֵאַבְרָהָם, בַּתְּחִלָּה וַיְבִאֶהָ יִצְחָק הָאֹהֱלָה שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ (בראשית כה, א): וַיֹּסֶף אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח אִשָּׁה.
“Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah; he took Rebecca, she became his wife, and he loved her, and Isaac was comforted after his mother” (Genesis 24:67).
“Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah”59The word “of” is actually missing in the Hebrew, so that the verse literally means: “Isaac brought her into the tent. Sarah his mother.” – all the days that Sarah was alive, there was a cloud suspended over the entrance to her tent. When she died, that cloud ceased. When Rebecca came, the cloud returned. All the days that Sarah was alive, the doors were kept wide open [for guests]. When Sarah died, that opening ceased. When Rebecca came, the opening returned. All the days that Sarah was alive, there was [divine] blessing bestowed upon her dough. When Sarah died, that blessing ceased. When Rebecca came, it returned. All the days that Sarah was alive, there was a lamp kindled from Shabbat night until Shabbat night. When Sarah died, that lamp ceased. When Rebecca came, it returned. When he saw that she was acting just like his mother, separating ḥalla in purity, and shaping loaves from her dough in purity, immediately, he “brought her into the tent.”60The verse means to say that he brought her into the tent because she was just like Sarah in her righteousness.
Rabbi Yudan said: The Torah teaches you that if an [unmarried] person has adult children, he should see to marrying them off first and then take a wife for himself. From whom do you learn it? From Abraham. First, “Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah” and then, “Abraham took another wife, and her name was Ketura” (Genesis 25:1).