פרשת ויצא תשי"ח - נתינת לאה ורחל ליעקב

And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father.

ותגד לאביה AND SHE TOLD HER FATHER, because her mother was dead and she had no one to tell except him (Bereishit Rabbah 70:13).

וירץ לקראתו HE RAN TOWARDS HIM — thinking that he was laden with money, for the servant of that household (Eliezer) had come there with ten camels fully laden (Bereishit Rabbah 70:13).

ויחבק AND EMBRACED HIM — When he saw that he had nothing with him, he thought, “Perhaps he has brought gold coins and they are hidden away in his bosom!”

וינשק לו HE KISSED HIM — he thought, “Perhaps he has brought pearls (or precious stones, in general) and they are in his mouth!” (Genesis Rabbah 70:13)

אך עצמי ובשרי SURELY THOU ART MY BONE AND MY FLESH — Really, I have no reason to take you into my house, since you have brought nothing with you; but because of our relationship I will put up with you for “the space of a month”. Thus, indeed, he did, but even this was not for nothing, for he tended Laban’s sheep.

הכי אחי אתה This is a question: — IS IT BECAUSE THOU ART MY BROTHER THAT THOU SHOULDST SERVE ME FOR NOUGHT?

ועבדתני is the same in sense as ותעבדני THAT THOU SHOULDST SERVE ME. So, too, in the case of every verb in the past tense, if one adds as prefix a ו it may change the verb to the future.

And Laban said to him: ‘Surely thou art my bone and my flesh.’ And he abode with him the space of a month.

אך עצמי ובשרי, you have therefore done well in coming to me.

אך עצמי ובשרי אתה, even though you are no doubt able to make a living without me by undertaking to look after the flocks or in some other manner, the fact remains that you are my flesh and blood and it is therefore appropriate that you should stay under my roof.

And Laban said unto Jacob: ‘Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?’

Must you work for me. Yaakov had been tending the flocks ever since he arrived so that Rochel would not have to do so.

And Laban said unto Jacob: ‘Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?’

And it came to pass in the morning that, behold, it was Leah; and he said to Laban: ‘What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?’

Fulfil the week of this one, and we will give thee the other also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.’

ונתנה לך AND WE WILL GIVE THEE — The verb is plural 1st pers. like (נרדה) (Genesis 11:7) “let us go down”, ונבלה “and let us confuse and (Genesis 11:3) ונשרפה “and let us burn": so, also here, it is a form of וְנִתֵּן “and we will give”.

ונתנה לך, it is possible to understand the word ונתנה as a passive construction in the feminine mode, or it could be understood as an active mode of the kal conjugation first person plural, meaning “we will give to you,” i.e. with the consent of the local inhabitants. Or, the letter נ represents what we know as the pluralis majestatis, the arrogant, pompous “we” employed by kings etc., people who consider their individual opinions as equivalent or superior to the collective wisdom of their subjects. In Scripture we find an example of this mode of speech in Song of Songs 1,4 משכני אחריך נרוצה, נגילה ונשמחה בך, “draw me after you! Let us run! Let us delight in your love.” There are a number of parallel examples in Scripture. After you will complete enjoying Leah for one week I will also give you Rachel and you may immediately celebrate another seven days of your nuptials with her. It is not proper to allow one celebration to interfere with another celebration at the same time.

ונתנה, she will be given to you; בעבודה אשר תעבוד עמדי , after having wed Rachel. We can confirm this seeing that when Joseph was born, at the end of these seven years, Yaakov wanted to take his leave and to return to his parents.(compare 30,25 “for I have served you for your two daughters”).