The Boldness of the Fathers When Jacob Rebuked Laban

Hear. Therefore, men of understanding, hear me: far be it from God to do wickedness, and from the Almighty to do wrong (Job 34:10). Rabbi Azariah and Rabbi Yonatan bar Haggai in the name of Rabbi Samuel bar Rabbi Yitzhak: the boldness of the fathers and not the meekness of the sons. The boldness of the fathers, from our father Jacob: And Jacob was angry and quarreled with Laban, and Jacob answered and said, and so forth (Genesis 31:36). And not the meekness of the sons, from David: And David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? What is my guilt and what is my sin before your father, and so forth (1 Samuel 20:1), mentioning bloodshed in his plea for peace. Rabbi Simon said: It is the way of the world that a son-in-law dwells with his father-in-law, and when he goes out from his father-in-law's house, it is impossible that not even some small thing be found in his possession. Yet of this one, not even a needle, not even a knife, was found in his possession, this is what is written, For you have felt through all my belongings, and what have you found of all your household goods, and so forth (Genesis 31:37). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: By your life, in the same language with which you rebuked your father-in-law, in that very language I will rebuke your children, Thus says the LORD, What wrong did your fathers find in Me that they went far from Me (Jeremiah 2:5).