“It was when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the flock of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob approached, rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother” (Genesis 29:10). “It was when Jacob saw…Jacob approached, rolled the stone” – like one who is removing a stopper from the mouth of a jug. “Jacob kissed Rachel, and raised his voice, and wept” (Genesis 29:11).
“Jacob kissed Rachel” – every kiss is for promiscuity except for three: A kiss of greatness; a kiss of reunion; a kiss of parting. A kiss of greatness – “Samuel took the flask of oil, poured onto his head, and kissed him” (I Samuel 10:1). A kiss of reunion – “He went and he met him at the mountain of God and he kissed him” (Exodus 4:27). A kiss of parting – “Orpa kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her” (Ruth 1:14).
Rabbi Tanḥuma said: A kiss of kinship as well, as it is stated: “Jacob kissed Rachel,” who was his relative. “And raised his voice, and wept” – why did he weep? He said: ‘Eliezer, when he went to bring Rebecca, what is written in his regard? “The servant took ten camels from the camels of his master…” (Genesis 24:10), but I do not have even one nose-ring or one bracelet.’
Another matter, why did he weep? It is because he saw that she would not enter into the grave with him. That is what she [Rachel] said to her [Leah]: “That is why he will lie with you tonight” (Genesis 30:15) – he will lie with you, and he will not lie with me.26Lie, in the sense of burial. Another matter, why did he weep?
It is because he saw people whispering to one another because he kissed her, [saying]: ‘What, has this one come to introduce a matter of lewdness in our midst?’ This is because from the time that the world was stricken in the generation of the Flood, the nations of the world stood and distanced themselves from lewdness. That is what is said: The people of the East are distanced from lewdness.