פרשת ויצא תש"ד - יעקב אצל לבן

There was a large stone. It was so large that the shepherds of all the flocks were required to move it. Nevertheless, with heaven’s aid Yaakov was able to move it alone, even though he had just completed a long and arduous journey.

HE CALLED THE NAME OF THST WELL ESEK. The Torah relates and goes to great lengths about the matter of the wells even though the story simply understood serves no purpose and doesnt give great honor to Isaac and [furthermore] he and his father made these wells. In truth there is a hidden matter contained in this incident, for it comes to inform a future [us about] event. For a "well of water" is a hint to the temple of G-d which the offspring's of Isaac would build. This is why it mentions "a well of flowing water" as it says (Jeremiah 17:13) "a source of flowing water Hashem" And he called the first well Esek (contention) which alludes to the first temple, over which our enemies contended with us, engaging us in many conflicts and wars until they destroyed it. HE called the second Sitnah (hatred) a harsher name than the first one it allude to second temple which is called by that very name, for its written "during the reign of Achashveirosh at the beginning of his reign they wrote a hateful accusation (sitnah) against the dwellers of Judah and Jerusalem" and all its days the enemies were hateful to us until the destroyed it and we went into a terrible exile from it. he called the third well Rechovot an allusion to the future temple may it be built speedily in our days. it'll be built without conflict or dispute and G-D will ex[and our borders s it says "When Hashem will ex[and your boundary's he swore" which speaks of a future time. And concerning the third temple its written "it broadened and expanded upward". our pasuk concludes "And we can be fruitful in the land" [alluding to the fact] that [in the future] "all the nations will serve Him with a single resolve"

וגללו AND THEY ROLLED THE STONE — it means and they used to roll. In the Targum it is therefore translated by ומגנדרין (a participle). The idea of frequentative action is expressed indifferently by the imperfect (future) or the perfect (past) because every action that occurs continually, has already happened and will again happen,

והשיבו AND RESTORED [THE STONE] — In the Targum it is translated by ומתיבין(a participle) — and they were always putting back.

ותחיין את הילדים This may mean THEY MAINTAINED THE CHILDREN IN LIFE — they provided them with food (Sotah 11b). The Targum renders ותחיין the first time it occurs (i. e. in this verse) by וקימא (which means, “and they — the women — preserved the babes”). and the second time (Exodus 1:18) by וקימתן (which means, “and ye women have preserved etc.”) The Targum is able to distinguish between the two meanings of this word, but this cannot be done in Hebrew because in the Hebrew language in the case of fem. plur. this word and similar forms (ending in נָה or ןָ) are used in the sense of “they did something” (3rd person) and in the sense of “ye did something” (2nd person). For example: (Exodus 2:19) “And they (the daughters of Jethro) said, (וַתֹּאמַרְןָ) “An Egyptian man etc.”, which is the past tense (the Rashi text must read here לשון עָבַר) (imperf. with Vau conv.), just as one would use וַיֹאמְרוּ if one were speaking of men; (Jeremiah 54:25) “Ye women have spoken (ותדברנה) with your mouths”, having the same meaning as דברתן, and corresponding to ותדברו when used of men; (Ezekiel 13:19) “And ye (women) have profaned Me (ותחללנה) among My people” which is a past tense, the same as חללתן corresponding to ותחללו when used of men.

הן עוד היום גדול LO, IT IS YET HIGH DAY — Because he saw them lying down he thought that they wished to take the cattle home, and that they should not graze any longer. He, therefore, said to them, “Lo, it is yet high day” — meaning, if you are hired men you have not yet finished your day’s task, and if these are your own cattle, nevertheless — 'לא עת האסף המקנה וגו IT IS NOT YET TIME FOR THE CATTLET TO BE GATHERED TOGETHER TO TAKE THEM HOME (Genesis Rabbah 70:11).

ויגש יעקב ויגל JACOB STEPPED NEAR AND ROLLED [THE STONE]- as easily as one draws the stopper from the mouth of a bottle — thus showing you how strong he was. (Bereishit Rabbah 70:12)

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.

מלאו ימי MY DAYS ARE FULFILLED — which my mother told me to remain with you. And another explanation is: MY DAYS ARE FULFILLED for I am now eighty-four years old and when shall I beget twelve tribes? That is what he meant by adding “that I may go in unto her”; for surely even the commonest of people would not use such an expression. But he said this because his mind was intent upon having issue (to fulfil his mission of rearing children who would carry on the religious traditions of his fathers) (Genesis Rabbah 70:18).

The son of Nachor. Lavan was identified by his grandfather’s name because he was more distinguished than his father. Alternatively, the family traced themselves to Nachor to emphasize their connection with Avraham.

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?’

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.

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

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”.

The word railing [Hebrew: maɒ qeh] has no cognates; its meaning is understood from context. One grammarian [it is not certain who is meant, but it could be Yosef Qimḥi — Translator] derived it from “the offenses [Hebrew: aqat] of the wicked” [Psalms 55: 4], and thereby succeeded only in being rather offensive himself.