Chapter 30

אותקנא רחל באחותה. קִנְּאָה בְמַעֲשֶׂיהָ הַטּוֹבִים, אָמְרָה אִלּוּלֵי שֶׁצָּדְקָה מִמֶּנִּי לֹא זָכְתָה לְבָנִים (בראשית רבה):

1ותקנא רחל באחתה RACHEL ENVIED HER SISTER — She was envious of her because of her good deeds, thinking, “Unless she were more righteous than I am she would not have been privileged to bear children (Genesis Rabbah 71:6).”

בהבה לי. וְכִי כָּךְ עָשָׂה אָבִיךָ לְאִמְּךָ? וְהֲלֹא הִתְפַּלֵּל עָלֶיהָ:

2הבה לי GIVE ME [CHILDREN ] — Did, then, your father act so towards your mother? Did he not pray on her behalf (Genesis Rabbah 71:6).

גמתה אנכי. מִכָּאן לְמִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בָנִים שֶׁחָשׁוּב כַּמֵּת (בראשית רבה):

3מתה אנכי I AM A DEAD WOMAN — One may infer from this that he who is childless may be regarded as dead (Genesis Rabbah 71:6).

אהתחת. וְכִי בִמְקוֹמוֹ אֲנִי?

1התחת means AM I IN HIS STEAD?

באשר מנע ממך. אַתְּ אוֹמֶרֶת שֶׁאֶעֱשֶׂה כְאַבָּא, אֲנִי אֵינִי כְּאַבָּא, אַבָּא לֹא הָיוּ לוֹ בָנִים, אֲנִי יֵשׁ לִי בָּנִים; מִמֵּךְ מָנַע וְלֹא מִמֶּנִּי:

2אשר מנע ממך WHO HATH WITHHELD FROM THEE —You say that I should do as my father did; but I am not circumstanced as my father was. My father had no children at all, I, however, have children. From you He has withheld children and not from me (Genesis Rabbah 71:7).

אעל ברכי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וַאֲנָא אֱרַבֵּי:

1על ברכי UPON MY KNEES — as the Targum takes it: she will bear children and I will rear them.

בואבנה גם אנכי. מַהוּ גַּם? אָמְרָה לוֹ זְקֶנְךָ אַבְרָהָם הָיוּ לוֹ בָנִים מֵהָגָר וְחָגַר מָתְנָיו כְּנֶגֶד שָׂרָה, אָמַר לָהּ זְקֵנָתִי הִכְנִיסָה צָרָתָהּ לְבֵיתָהּ, אָמְרָה לוֹ אִם הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה מְעַכֵּב, הִנֵּה אֲמָתִי:

2ואבנה גם אנכי AND I ALSO MAY HAVE CHILDREN — What force has “also”? She said to him, “Your grandfather, Abraham, had children from Hagar and yet he girded up his loins (actively interceded) for Sarah and she afterwards was blessed with a child”. He replied, “But my grandmother brought an associate wife unto her house”. She retorted, “If that is what prevents me being blessed with children, הנה אמתי BEHOLD MY HANDMAID” etc.

גואבנה גם אנכי. כְּשָׂרָה:

3ואבנה נם אנכי AND I ALSO MAY HAVE CHILDREN through her as Sarah was built up through her handmaid (Genesis Rabbah 71:7).

אדנני אלהים. דָּנַנִּי וְחִיְּבַנִי וְזִכַּנִי (בראשית רבה):

1דנני אלהים GOD HATH PRONOUNCED JUDGMENT UPON ME — He judged me and found me guilty; he judged me again and found me guiltless (Genesis Rabbah 71:7).

אנפתולי אלהים. מְנַחֵם בֶּן סָרוּק פֵּרְשׁוֹ בְּמַחְבֶּרֶת צָמִיד פָּתִיל, חִבּוּרִים מֵאֵת הַמָּקוֹם נִתְחַבַּרְתִּי עִם אֲחוֹתִי לִזְכּוֹת לְבָנִים. וַאֲנִי מְפָרְשׁוֹ לְשׁוֹן עִקֵּשׁ וּפְתַלְתֹּל (דברים ל"ב) – נִתְעַקַּשְׁתִּי וְהִפְצַרְתִּי פְצִירוֹת וְנַפְתּוּלִים הַרְבֵּה לַמָּקוֹם, לִהְיוֹת שָׁוָה לַאֲחוֹתִי:

1נפתולי אלהים WRESTLINGS OF GOD — Menachem ben Seruk explains in his Machbereth (Dictionary) that the word נפתולי is of the same root as פתיל in (Numbers 19:15) “a covering (פתיל) closely bound upon it”, so that the words here mean: By bonds from God have I been joined to my sister (made equal to her) to merit the privilege of having children. I, however, explain it in the same sense as (Deuteronomy 32:5) “perverse and crooked (עקש ופתלתול)”. I have been persistent and have made many importunities and wrestlings with God that I may become like my sister.

בגם יכלתי. הִסְכִּים עַל יָדִי; וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגֵּם לְשׁוֹן תְּפִלָּה, כְּמוֹ נַפְתּוּלֵי אֱלֹהִים נִתְפַּלְתִּי בַּקָּשׁוֹת הַחֲבִיבוֹת לְפָנָיו; נִתְקַבַּלְתִּי, וְנֶעֱתַרְתִּי כַאֲחוֹתִי:

2גם יכלתי AND I HAVE PREVAILED — He has yielded to my importunities. Onkelos translated it in the sense of prayer (תפלה), in this way: נפתולי אלהים נפתלתי means prayers that were pleasing to God I offered and I was accepted and was answered like my sister.

גנפתלתי. נִתְקַבְּלָה תְפִלָּתִי, וּמִ"אַ יֵשׁ רַבִּים בִּלְשׁוֹן נוֹטָרִיקוֹן:

3נפתלתי means my prayer was accepted. There are many Midrashic explanations in the manner of Notaricon (i.e. making the letters of the word the initial letters of phrases having reference to the matter in question) (Genesis Rabbah 71:8).

אותלד זלפה. בְּכֻלָּן נֶאֱמַר הֵרָיוֹן חוּץ מִזִּלְפָּה, לְפִי שֶׁהָיְתָה בַחוּרָה מִכֻּלָּן וְתִינֹקֶת בְּשָׁנִים וְאֵין הֵרָיוֹן נִכָּר בָּהּ; וּכְדֵי לְרַמּוֹת לְיַעֲקֹב, נְתָנָהּ לָבָן לְלֵאָה, שֶׁלֹּא יָבִין שֶׁמַּכְנִיסִין לוֹ אֶת לֵאָה, שֶׁכָּךְ מִנְהָג לִתֵּן שִׁפְחָה הַגְּדוֹלָה לַגְּדוֹלָה וּקְטַנָּה לַקְּטַנָּה:

1ותלד זלפה AND ZILPAH BARE — In the case of all Jacob’s wives there is mention of their having been with child (i. e. Scripture states ותהר) except in the case of Zilpah. This was because she was the youngest of all and quite a child in age so that her being with child was not noticeable (Genesis Rabbah 71:9) Laban had given her to Leah in order to deceive Jacob — that he might not perceive that they were bringing Leah to him in marriage — for thus was the custom: to give the elder handmaid to the elder daughter, and the younger handmaid to the younger daughter.

אבא גד. בָּא מַזָּל טוֹב, כְּמוֹ גַּד גַּדִּי וְסָנוּק לָא (שבת ס"ז), וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ הַעֹרְכִים לַגַּד שֻׁלְחָן (ישעיהו ס"ה), וּמִ"אַ שֶׁנּוֹלַד מָהוּל, כְּמוֹ גֹּדּוּ אִילָנָא (דניאל ד'), וְלֹא יָדַעְתִּי עַל מָה נִכְתְּבָה תֵּבָה אַחַת; דָּ"אַ לָמָּה נִקְרֵאת תֵּבָה אַחַת בָּגָד, כְּמוֹ בָּגַדְתָּ בִּי, כְּשֶׁבָּאתָ אֶל שִׁפְחָתִי, כְּאִישׁ שֶׁבָּגַד בְּאֵשֶׁת נְעוּרִים:

1בא גד FOR MY HAPPINESS! — Good luck has come, as (Shabbat 67b) “Be lucky, my luck (גד גדי) and tire not”. Similar, also, is (Isaiah 65:11) “That prepare a table for fortune (גד)”. The Midrashic explanation is that he was born with the sign of the covenant upon him. It would then be like (Daniel 4:11) “cut down (גדו) the tree”. I do not know why it (בגד) is written as one word. Another comment on בגד is: why is it read as one word? It may be connected with the root בגד which denotes faithless as though Leah said to Jacob, “You proved faithless to me when you married my handmaid”, like a man who is faithless (בגד) to the wife of his youth).

אבימי קציר חטים. לְהַגִּיד שִׁבְחָן שֶׁל שְׁבָטִים; שְׁעַת הַקָּצִיר הָיָה וְלֹא פָשַׁט יָדוֹ בַגֶּזֶל לְהָבִיא חִטִּים וּשְׂעוֹרִים, אֶלָּא דְּבַר הַהֶפְקֵר, שֶׁאֵין אָדָם מַקְפִּיד בּוֹ:

1בימי קציר חטים IN THE DAYS OF WHEAT HARVEST — This is stated in praise of the tribes (שבטים a common term for Jacob’s twelve sons, the ancestors of the Tribes of Israel): it was harvest-time, yet he (Reuben) did not put forth his hand upon private property (literally, that which is stolen) by bringing home wheat or barley, but he brought home only ownerless things (such as were free for all to take) about which no one is particular (Genesis Rabbah 72:2).

בדודאים. סִיגְלִי, עֵשֶׂב הוּא (סנהדרין צ"ט), וּבִלְשׁוֹן יִשְׁמָעֵאל יַסְמִי"ן:

2דודאים are violets: it is a plant. In Arabic it is called Jasmin.

אולקחת גם את דודאי בני. בִּתְמִיהָ, וְלַעֲשׂוֹת עוֹד זֹאת לִקַּח גַם אֶת דּוּדָאֵי בְּנִי; וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּלְמֵיסַב:

1Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband and that thou wouldst do this in addition — TO TAKE MY SON’S MANDRAKES ALSO? It should therefore be translated in the Targum by ולמיטב, the infinitive like the Hebrew infinitive ולקחת “and to take.”

בלכן ישכב עמך הלילה. שֶׁלִּי הָיְתָה שְׁכִיבַת לַיְלָה זוֹ, וַאֲנִי נוֹתְנָה לָךְ תַּחַת דּוּדָאֵי בְנֵךְ, וּלְפִי שֶׁזִּלְזְלָה בְּמִשְׁכַּב הַצַּדִּיק לֹא זָכְתָה לְהִקָּבֵר עִמּוֹ (נדה ל"א):

2לכן ישכב עמך הלילה THEREFORE SHALL HE BE WITH THEE TONIGHT —He should have stayed this night with me but I cede it to you in return for your son’s mandrakes. Because she thought lightly of companionship with so righteous a man she was not privileged to be buried together with him (Genesis Rabbah 72:3).

אשכר שכרתיך. נָתַתִּי לְרָחֵל שְׂכָרָהּ:

1שכר שכרתיך FOR SURELY I HAVE HIRED THEE — I have given Rachel the hire she demanded.

בבלילה הוא. הַקָּבָּ"ה סִיְּעוֹ, שֶׁיָּצָא מִשָּׁם יִשָּׂשכָר (בראשית רבה):

2בלילה הוא THAT NIGHT — With God’s help Isaachar was born (Niddah 31a, and cf. Genesis Rabbah 99).

אוישמע אלהים אל לאה. שֶׁהָיְתָה מִתְאַוָּה וּמְחַזֶּרֶת לְהַרְבּוֹת שְׁבָטִים:

1וישמע אלהים אל לאה AND GOD HEARKENED UNTO LEAH —for she eagerly desired and sought means to increase the number of the tribes (Genesis Rabbah 72:5).

אזבד טוב. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:

1זבד טוב A GOOD DOWRY — explain it as the Targum renders it: a good portion.

ביזבלני. לְ' בֵּית זְבֻל (מלכים א ח' י"ג), הירבריי"א בְּלַעַז, בֵּית מָדוֹר, מֵעַתָּה לֹא תְהֵא עִקַּר דִּירָתוֹ אֶלָּא עִמִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי בָנִים כְּנֶגֶד כָּל נָשָׁיו:

2יזבלני WILL RESIDE WITH ME — It has the same meaning as (1 Kings 8:13) “a house for dwelling (זבול)”. In old French herbergerie, a dwelling house. Leah meant: From now on his real home will be with me since I have as many children as all his other wives together.

אדינה. פֵּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁדָּנָה לֵאָה דִּין בְּעַצְמָהּ, אִם זֶה זָכָר לֹא תְהֵא רָחֵל אֲחוֹתִי כְּאַחַת הַשְּׁפָחוֹת, וְהִתְפַּלְּלָה עָלָיו וְנֶהְפַּךְ לִנְקֵבָה (ברכות ס'):

1דינה DINAH (Judgment) — Our Rabbis explained, that Leah set herself up as judge (דנה) against herself saying: “If this be a son, my sister Rachel cannot be even the equal of any of the handmaids”. She, therefore, offered prayer regarding it, and its sex was changed (Berakhot 60a).

אויזכור אלהים את רחל. זָכַר לָהּ שֶׁמָּסְרָה סִימָנֶיהָ לַאֲחוֹתָהּ וְשֶׁהָיְתָה מְצֵרָה שֶׁמָּא תַּעֲלֶה בְּגוֹרָלוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו, שֶׁמָּא יְגָרְשֶׁנָּה יַעֲקֹב לְפִי שֶׁאֵין לָהּ בָּנִים, וְאַף עֵשָׂו הָרָשָׁע כָּךְ עָלָה בְּלִבּוֹ כְּשֶׁשָּׁמַע שֶׁאֵין לָהּ בָּנִים; הוּא שֶׁיִּסֵּד הַפַּיָּט הָאַדְמוֹן כְּבָט שֶׁלֹּא חָלָה, צָבָה לְקַחְתָּהּ לוֹ וְנִתְבֶּהָלָה:

1ויזכר אלהים את רחל AND GOD REMEMBERED RACHEL — He remembered it to her as a merit that she had transmitted the secret signs to her sister and that she was greatly troubled lest she should fall to Esau’s lot if Jacob were to divorce her because she was childless. Indeed, this had entered Esau’s mind when he heard that she was childless (Genesis Rabbah 73:4). The poet refers to this in his Composition (for the First Day of the New Year) “When the Ruddy One (Esau) perceived that she did not travail with child, he hoped to take her for himself and she became terrified”.

אאסף. הִכְנִיסָהּ בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁלֹּא תֵרָאֶה, וְכֵן אֱסֹף חֶרְפָּתֵנוּ (ישעיהו ד'), וְלֹא יֵאָסֵף הַבַּיתָה (שמות ט'), אָסְפוּ נָגְהָם (יואל ד'), וִירֵחֵךְ לֹא יֵאָסֵף (ישעיהו ס') – לֹא יִטָּמֵן:

1אסף [GOD] HATH TAKEN AWAY [MY DISGRACE] — He has laid it up somewhere where it cannot be seen. Similar examples are (Isaiah 4:1) “Take thou away (אסוף) our reproach”; (Exodus 9:19) “and shall not have been taken away (יאסף) into the house “; (Joel 4:13) “withdraw (אספו) their shining”; (Isaiah 60:20) “neither shall thy moon withdraw itself (יאסף) — meaning shall not hide itself.

בחרפתי. שֶׁהָיִיתִי לְחֶרְפָּה שֶׁאֲנִי עֲקָרָה וְהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים עָלַי שֶׁאֱעֶלֶה לְחֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו הָרָשָׁע. וְאַגָּדָה: כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאֵין לָאִשָּׁה בֵּן, אֵין לָהּ בְּמִי לִתְלוֹת סִרְחוֹנָהּ, מִשֶּׁיֵשׁ לָהּ בֵּן תּוֹלָה בוֹ: מִי שִׁבֵּר כְּלִי זֶה? בִּנְךָ. מִי אָכַל תְּאֵנִים אֵלּוּ? בִּנְךָ:

2חרפתי DISGRACE — because I had become an object of reproach as I was barren for people said about me that I would fall to the lot of Esau, the wicked. A Midrashic explanation is (Genesis Rabbah 73:5): So long as a woman has no child she has no-one to blame for her faults; when, however, she has a child, she puts it on him. “Who broke this vessel?” “Your son!” “Who ate those figs?” “Your son!”

איסף ה' לי בן אחר. יוֹדַעַת הָיְתָה בִנְבוּאָה שֶׁאֵין יַעֲקֹב עָתִיד לְהַעֲמִיד אֶלָּא שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים, אָמְרָה יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁאוֹתוֹ שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לְהַעֲמִיד יְהֵא מִמֶּנִּי, לְכָךְ לֹא נִתְפַּלְּלָה אֶלָּא עַל בֵּן אַחֵר:

1יסף ה' לי בן אחר THE ETERNAL WILL ADD TO ME ANOTHER SON — She knew prophetically that Jacob would rear only twelve tribes. She therefore prayed: “May it be God’s will that the tribe which he is yet destined to rear may issue from me”. For this reason she prayed only for one other son (Genesis Rabbah 72:6).

אכאשר ילדה רחל את יוסף. מִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד שְׂטָנוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהָיָה בֵית יַעֲקֹב אֵשׁ וּבֵית יוֹסֵף לֶהָבָה וּבֵית עֵשָׂו לְקַשׁ (עובדיה א'), אֵשׁ בְּלֹא לֶהָבָה אֵינוֹ שׁוֹלֵט לְמֵרָחוֹק, מִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד יוֹסֵף בָּטַח יַעֲקֹב בְּהַקָּבָּ"ה וְרָצָה לָשׁוּב:

1כאשר ילדה רחל את יוסף WHEN RACHEL HAD BORN JOSEPH — after the birth of him who was to become Esau’s adversary (Genesis Rabbah 73:7) — as it is said (Obadiah 1:18) “And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame and the house of Esau for stubble“. Fire (Jacob) that has no flame (Joseph) has no effect at a distance. Therefore, when Joseph was born Jacob put his trust in the Holy One, blessed be He, and wished to return home (Obadiah 1:18).

אתנה את נשי וגו'. אֵינִי רוֹצֶה לָצֵאת כִּי אִם בִּרְשׁוּת:

1תנה את נשי וגו GIVE ME MY WIVES etc. — I have no wish to go away except with your permission.

אנחשתי. מְנַחֵשׁ הָיָה, נִסִּיתִי בְּנִחוּשׁ שֶׁלִּי שֶׁעַל יָדְךָ בָּאָה לִי בְרָכָה; כְּשֶׁבָּאתָ לְכָאן לֹא הָיוּ לִי בָנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהִנֵּה רָחֵל בִּתּוֹ בָּאָה עִם הַצֹּאן (בראשית כ״ט:ו׳), אֶפְשַׁר יֵשׁ לוֹ בָנִים וְהוּא שׁוֹלֵחַ בִתּוֹ אֵצֶל הָרוֹעִים? עַכְשָׁיו הָיוּ לוֹ בָנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּשְׁמַע אֶת דִּבְרֵי בְנֵי לָבָן (שם ל"א):

1נחשתי I HAVE DIVINED — He was a diviner. “I have discovered by my art of divination that through you a blessing has come to me. When you first came here I had no sons” — for it is said (29:6) “And, behold, Rachel his daughter is coming with the flock”: is it possible if he had sons that he would have let his daughter go among the shepherds ? — now, however, he had sons, as it is said (31:1) “And he heard the words of Laban’s sons”.

אנקבה. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ פָּרֵשׁ אַגְרָךְ:

1נקבה— Explain it as the Targum renders it: state plainly thy wage.

אואת אשר היה מקנך אתי. אֶת חֶשְׁבּוֹן מִעוּט מִקְנְךָ שֶׁבָּא לְיָדִי מִתְּחִלָּה, כַּמָּה הָיוּ:

1ואת אשר היה מקנך אתי AND WHAT THY CATTLE HATH BECOME WITH ME — You know the number of your few cattle that were entrusted to me at first — how small their number was.

אלרגלי. עִם רַגְלִי, בִּשְׁבִיל בִּיאַת רַגְלִי בָּאת אֶצְלְךָ הַבְּרָכָה, כְּמוֹ הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלֶיךָ (שמות י"א), לָעָם אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלָי (שופטים ח') – הַבָּאִים עִמִּי:

1לרגלי SINCE MY COMING — The word is the same as עם רגלי “with my coming” (lit, with my foot)— on account of my coming has the blessing come to you (Genesis Rabbah 73:8). Similar is (Exodus 11:8) “And all the people that come with thee (ברגלך)”, and (Judges 8:5) “and the people that are ברגלי” — ie. that are coming with me.

בגם אנכי לביתי. לְצֹרֶךְ בֵּיתִי; עַכְשָׁו אֵין עוֹשִׂין לְצָרְכִּי אֶלָּא בָּנַי וְצָרִיךְ אֲנִי לִהְיוֹת עוֹשֶׂה גַּם אֲנִי עִמָּהֶם לְסָמְכָן, וְזֶהוּ גַּם:

2גם אנכי לביתי WHEN SHALL I PROVIDE FOR MINE OWN HOUSE ALSO? — לביתי means for the needs of my household. At present my sons alone provide for my needs, but I, also, ought to work together with them, to assist them. This is the force of the word גם also.

אנקד. מְנֻמָּר בַּחֲבַרְבּוּרוֹת דַּקּוֹת כּמוֹ נְקֻדּוֹת, פיונטור"א בְּלַעַז:

1נקוד SPECKLED — marked with small specks like dots old French pointure; English points.

בוטלוא. לְשׁוֹן טְלָאִים – חֲבַרְבּוּרוֹת רְחָבוֹת:

2וטלוא AND SPOTTED — The word has the same meaning as טלאים “patches” — wide spots.

גחום. שָׁחוּם, דּוֹמֶה לְאָדֹם, רו"ש בְּלַעַז; לְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה שַׁחֲמָתִית וְנִמְצֵאת לְבָנָה, לְעִנְיַן הַתְּבוּאָה:

3חום BROWN — dark, somewhat reddish, old French rouge. In the language of the Mishna (Bava Batra 5:6): “If he sells it as reddish-dark coloured (שחמתית) and it is found to be white”—a statement made in reference to grain.

דוהיה שכרי. אוֹתָן שֶׁיִּוָּלְדוּ מִכָּאן וּלְהַבָּא נְקֻדִּים וּטְלוּאִים בָּעִזִּים וּשְׁחוּמִים בַּכְּשָׂבִים, יִהְיוּ שֶׁלִּי, וְאוֹתָן שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָן עַכְשָׁו, הַפְרֵשׁ מֵהֶם וְהַפְקִידֵם בְּיַד בָּנֶיךָ, שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר לִי עַל הַנּוֹלָדִים מֵעַתָּה אֵלּוּ הָיוּ שָׁם מִתְּחִלָּה, וְעוֹד, שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר לִי, עַל יְדֵי הַזְּכָרִים שֶׁהֵן נְקֻדִּים וּטְלוּאִים תֵּלַדְנָה הַנְּקֵבוֹת דֻּגְמָתָן מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ:

4והיה שכרי AND THEY SHALL BE MY HIRE — those which from now on will be born speckled and spotted among the goats and the brownish ones amongst the sheep shall belong to me. Those that are at present such set them apart and place them in charge of your sons, so that you may not be able to say to me about those that will be born in the future spotted and speckled and brownish. “These were there originally”. And a further reason why these should be set apart is, in order that you may not be able to say to me, “Because of the male animals that are speckled and spotted the females will give birth from now onwards to offspring of their own kind” (i.e., speckled etc.).

אוענתה בי וגו'. אִם תַּחְשְׁדֵנִי שֶׁאֲנִי נוֹטֵל מִשֶּׁלְּךָ כְּלוּם, תַּעֲנֶה בִי צִדְקָתִי כִּי תָבֹא צִדְקָתִי וְתָעִיד עַל שְׂכָרִי לְפָנֶיךָ, שֶׁלֹּא תִמְצָא בְעֶדְרִי כִּי אִם נְקֻדִּים וּטְלוּאִים, וְכָל שֶׁתִּמְצָא בָהֶן שֶׁאֵינוֹ נָקֹד אוֹ טָלוּא אוֹ חוּם, בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁגְּנַבְתִּיו לְךָ וּבִגְנֵבָה הוּא שָׁרוּי אֶצְלִי:

1'וענתה בי וגו AND MY RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL ANSWER FOR ME etc. — Should you suspect me of taking any animals that are yours my righteousness will answer for me, — for my righteousness will come and bear witness before thee as to my hire that you will find in my herd only speckled and spotted ones. Whatever, however, you find amongst them (amongst the animals) that is not speckled or spotted or brownish it will be certain that I have stolen it from your flocks and that it is in my possession by way of theft.

אהן. לְ' קַבָּלַת דְּבָרִים:

1הן WELL! — an expression denoting agreement with a statement.

בלו יהי כדברך. הַלְוַאי שֶׁתַּחְפֹּץ בְּכָךְ:

2לו יהי כדברך I WOULD IT MIGHT BE ACCORDING TO THY WORD — Would that you will remain satisfied with this!

אויסר. לָבָן ביום ההוא:

1ויסר AND HE REMOVED i.e., Laban removed ביום ההוא ON THAT DAY

באת התישים. עִזִּים זְכָרִים:

2את התישים i.e. THE HE-GOATS.

גכל אשר לבן בו. כָּל אֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה בוֹ חֲבַרְבּוּרִית לְבָנָה:

3כל אשר לבן בו EVERY ONE THAT HAD WHITE IN IT — all that had a white spot.

דויתן. לָבָן ביד בניו:

4ויתן AND HE i.e. Laban, GAVE THEM ביד בניו INTO THE HAND OF HIS SONS.

אהנותרות. הָרְעוּעוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶן, הַחוֹלוֹת וְהָעֲקָרוֹת שֶׁאֵינָן אֶלָּא שִׁירַיִם, אוֹתָן מָסַר לוֹ:

1הנותרות [THE FLOCK OF LABAN] THAT WAS LEFT — The defective animals amongst them, the sickly and the barren, which were nothing but the leavings — these he (Laban) handed over to him (Genesis Rabbah 73:9).

אמקל לבנה. עֵץ הוּא, וּשְׁמוֹ לִבְנֶה, כְּמָא דְתֵימָא תַּחַת אַלּוֹן וְלִבְנֶה (הושע ד'), וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי הוּא שֶׁקּוֹרִין טרינבל"א בְּלַעַ"ז, שֶׁהוּא לָבָן:

1מקל לבנה STICKS OF לבנה — a tree that is called לבנה — just as you say (Hosea 4:13) “Under oaks and poplars (ולבנה)” I think it is what is called in old French tremble; English trembling-poplar, which is white.

בלח. כְּשֶׁהוּא רָטֹב:

2לח FRESH — He took it when it was moist.

גלוז. וְעוֹד לָקַח מַקַּל לוּז, עֵץ שֶׁגְּדֵלִין בּוֹ אֱגוֹזִים דַּקִּים, קולדו"י בְּלַעַז:

3לוז ALMOND — He also took rods of לוז, a tree upon which small nuts growold French coudre; English hazel.

דוערמון. קשטני"יר בְּלַעַז:

4וערמון is old French chastenier, English chestnut.

הפצלות. קִלּוּפִים קִלּוּפִים, שֶׁהָיָה עוֹשֵׂהוּ מְנֻמָּר:

5פצלות STREAKS — many peelings so that he gave it the appearence of being striped.

ומחשוף הלבן. גִּלּוּי לֹבֶן שֶׁל מַקֵּל, כְּשֶׁהָיָה קוֹלְפוֹ הָיָה נִרְאֶה וְנִגְלֶה לֹבֶן שֶׁלּוֹ בַּמָּקוֹם הַקָּלוּף:

6מחשוף הלבן MAKING BARE THE WHITE — there was thus an uncovering of the white part of the rod: when he peeled it the white in it became uncovered and visible in the places where it was peeled.

אויצג. תַּרְגּוּמוֹ וְדָעִיץ, לְשׁוֹן תְּחִיבָה וּנְעִיצָה הוּא בִלְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי, וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בַּתַּלְמוּד דָּצָהּ וּשְׁלָפָהּ, דָּץ בֵּיהּ מִידֵי, דָּצָהּ כְּמוֹ דְעָצָהּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁמְּקַצֵּר אֶת לְשׁוֹנוֹ:

1ויצג AND HE SET — In the Targum it is rendered by ודעיץ which signifies in the Aramaic language sticking in and inserting. It occurs many times in the Talmud: (Shabbat 50b) “if he stuck it in (דצה) and pulled it out”; (Chullin 93b) “he stuck (דץ) something into it”, where דצה is the same as דעצה, being really a contracted form of it.

בברהטים. בִּמְרוּצוֹת הַמַּיִם, בַּבְּרֵכוֹת הָעֲשׂוּיוֹת בָּאָרֶץ לְהַשְׁקוֹת שָׁם הַצֹּאן:

2ברהטים IN THE GUTTERS — in the currents (מרוצות) of water running in the trenches made in the ground to water the sheep there (רהט is the Aramaic of רוץ).

גאשר תבאן וגו'. בָּרְהָטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּבֹאנָה הַצֹּאן לִשְׁתּוֹת שָׁם הִצִּיג הַמַּקְלוֹת לְנֹכַח הַצֹּאן:

3אשר תבאנה WHERE THE FLOCKS COME TO DRINK etc. — In the currents whither the sheep come to drink, there did he set the rods in front of the sheep.

דויחמנה. הַבְּהֵמָה רוֹאָה אֶת הַמַּקְלוֹת וְהִיא נִרְתַּעַת לַאֲחוֹרֶיהָ וְהַזָּכָר רוֹבְעָהּ וְיוֹלֶדֶת כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ. רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה אוֹמֵר, הַמַּיִם נַעֲשִׂין זֶרַע בִּמְעֵיהֶן וְלֹא הָיוּ צְרִיכוֹת לְזָכָר, וְזֶהוּ וַיֵּחַמְנָה וְגוֹ' (בראשית רבה):

4ויחמנה AND THEY CONCEIVED — The female animal saw the rods, it was startled at the sight of them and recoiled; its mate then pairing with it, it afterwards gave birth to young marked similar to the rods (Genesis Rabbah 73:10).

אאל המקלות. אֶל מַרְאוֹת הַמַּקְלוֹת:

1אל המקלות means at the sight of the rods.

בעקדים. מְשֻׁנִּים בִּמְקוֹם עֲקִידָתָם, הֵם קַרְסֻלֵּי יְדֵיהֶם וְרַגְלֵיהֶם:

2עקודים RING-STRAKED — the word is connected with the root עקד “to bind” — differently coloured at that place where they are bound, viz., the ankles of the forelegs and hindlegs.

אוהכשבים הפריד יעקב. הַנּוֹלָדִים עֲקוּדִים נְקֻדִּים הִבְדִיל וְהִפְרִישׁ לְעַצְמָן וְעָשָׂה אוֹתָן עֵדֶר עֵדֶר לְבַדּוֹ, וְהוֹלִיךְ אוֹתוֹ הָעֵדֶר הָעָקוּד לִפְנֵי הַצֹּאן, וּפְנֵי הַצֹּאן הַהוֹלְכִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם צוֹפוֹת אֲלֵיהֶם; וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר וַיִּתֵּן פְּנֵי הַצֹּאן אֶל עָקֹד, שֶׁהָיוּ פְנֵי הַצֹּאן אֶל הָעֲקוּדִים, וְאֶל כָּל חוּם שֶׁמָּצָא בְּצֹאן לָבָן:

1והכשבים הפריד יעקב AND JACOB PARTED THE LAMBS — Those sheep that were thus born spotted on the ankles and speckled he separated and set apart by themselves, thus forming them into a separate flock. He led that spotted flock in front of ordinary sheep so that the faces of the sheep that followed behind them were gazing at them. This is what Scripture means in saying, “He set the faces of the flocks towards the spotted” — that the faces of the sheep were directed towards the spotted animals and towards all that were brownish which he found amongst Laban’s sheep (i. e., amongst the sickly sheep which Laban had left him; cf. Genesis 5:36).

בוישת לו עדרים. כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי:

2וישת לו עדרים means he formed them into a separate flock as I have already explained.

אהמקשרות. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ הַבַּכִּירוֹת, וְאֵין לִי עֵד בַּמִּקְרָא; וּמְנַחֵם חִבְּרוֹ עִם אֲחִיתֹפֶל בַּקֹּשְׁרִים (שמואל ב ט"ו), וַיְהִי הַקֶּשֶׁר אַמִּץ (שם), אוֹתָן הַמִּתְקַשְּׁרוֹת יַחַד לְמַהֵר עִבּוּרָן:

1המקשרות THE STRONGER—Explain it as the Targum renders it: הבכירות the early-bearing sheep; but I have no evidence in the Scripture (i.e. I have no other example of the use of this word) to prove that this is its meaning. Menachem classifies it under the same root as (2 Samuel 15:31) “Ahitophel is among the conspirators (בקשרים)”, and as (2 Samuel 15:12) “And the conspiracy (הקשר) was strong” — so that the meaning would be those sheep that banded themselves together (mated) in order to accelerate their pregnancy (i.e. in order that they might become בכירות, early-bearing sheep).

אובהעטיף. לְשׁוֹן אִחוּר, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּבְלַקִּישׁוּת. וּמְנַחֵם חִבְּרוֹ עִם הַמַּחֲלָצוֹת וְהַמַּעֲטָפוֹת (ישעיהו ג'), לְשׁוֹן עֲטִיפַת כְּסוּת, כְּלוֹמַר מִתְעַטְּפוֹת בְּעוֹרָן וְצַמְרָן וְאֵינָן מִתְאַוּוֹת לְהִתְיַחֵם עַ"יְ הַזְּכָרִים:

1ובהעטיף WHEN THE FLOCKS WERE FEEBLE — the word has the meaning of “being late”, as the Targum renders it בלקישות the late-bearing ones (cf. מלקוש the “latter” rain). Menachem classifies it under the same root as (Isaiah 3:22) “the aprons and the mantelets (המעטפות)”, so that it has the meaning of wrapping oneself in a garment, and the word denotes those animals that are well wrapped up in their skin and fur so that they do not desire to be warmed by the males.

אצאן רבות. פָּרוֹת וְרָבוֹת מִשְּׁאָר צֹאן:

1צאן רבות MANY SHEEP — sheep that multiplied and were fruitful more than other sheep (Genesis Rabbah 73:11).

בושפחות ועבדים. מוֹכֵר צֹאנוֹ בְדָמִים יְקָרִים וְלוֹקֵחַ לוֹ כָּל אֵלֶּה:

2ושפחות ועבדים AND HANDMAIDS, AND MEN-SERVANTS — he used to sell his sheep at a high price and he bought for himself all these (Tanchuma Yashan 1:7:24).

Sefaria: Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934 · Public domain · sefaria.org

Sefaria: Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934 · Public domain · sefaria.org