“Truly, all the wealth that God salvaged from our father, it is for us and for our children. And now, everything that God said to you, do” (Genesis 31:16). “Jacob arose, and placed his sons and his wives upon the camels” (Genesis 31:17). “Truly, all the wealth that God salvaged from our father…arose and placed his children” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “The heart of the wise inclines to his right, and the heart of a fool to his left” (Ecclesiastes 10:2).
“The heart of the wise inclines to his right” – this is Jacob, as it is stated: “Jacob arose, and placed his sons” and then, “and his wives.” “And the heart of a fool to his left” – this is Esau: “Esau took his wives” (Genesis 36:6), and then, “and his sons, and his daughters” (Genesis 36:6). “He led all his livestock, and all his property that he attained, his acquisitions that he acquired, which he attained in Padan Aram, to come to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan” (Genesis 31:18).
“He led all his livestock, and all his property that he attained, his acquisitions that he acquired” – what he acquired from the acquisitions of Laban. “Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s” (Genesis 31:19). “Had gone to shear his sheep” – everywhere that shearing is stated, it makes an impression.14It leaves a negative impression, as was the case with Judah (Genesis 38:12), Naval (I Samuel 25:4), and Absalom (II Samuel 13:23).
“Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s” – but her intentions were only for the sake of Heaven. She said: ‘What, am I going to go on my way and leave this elder in his corruption?’ That is why it was necessary for the verse to say: “Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s.”15She took them for his sake, to remove idolatry from him, not because she wanted them herself.