“Had the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac, not been with me, then now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my hardship and the toil of my hands, and proved it last night” (Genesis 31:42). “Had the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac not been [lulei]” – Zavdi ben Levi and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, Zavdi ben Levi said: Everywhere that lulei is stated, it came by the merit of the patriarchs.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him: But is it not written: “For, had we not [lulei] tarried”? (Genesis 43:10).27Judah said it to Jacob while trying to convince him to send Benjamin with them to Egypt. He said to him: Their very ascent was by the merit of the patriarchs, as had it not been for the merit of the patriarchs, they would not have ascended from there28From Egypt. in peace. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: There are those who express the statement of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi to Zavdi ben Levi: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Everywhere that lulei is stated, it came by the merit of the patriarchs, except for this one.29The one from Genesis 43:10 which was just mentioned.
He said to him: This one, too, was by the merit of the patriarchs. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Due to the sanctity of the Name.30God saved them so they could sanctify His name. Rabbi Levi said: By the merit of faith and by the merit of Torah. By the merit of faith – “had I not [lulei] believed” (Psalms 27:13); by the merit of Torah – “had Your Torah not been my delight” (Psalms 119:92).
“God saw my hardship and the toil of my hands” – Rabbi Yirmeya said: Labor is more beloved than the merit of the patriarchs, as the merit of the patriarchs salvaged money, while labor saved lives. The merit of the patriarchs salvaged money, as it is stated: “Had the God of my father…not been…[then now you would have sent me away empty-handed].” Labor saved lives – “God saw my hardship and the toil of my hands, and proved it last night.”31When God warned Laban not to harm Jacob.