“You shall not act in accordance with the practices of the land of Egypt in which you lived, and you shall not act in accordance with the practices of the land of Canaan where I am bringing you, and you shall not follow their statutes” (Leviticus 18:3). “In accordance with the practices of the land of Egypt” – that is what is written: “Like a lily among the thorns” (Song of Songs 2:2). Rabbi Yitzḥak interpreted the verse regarding Rebecca, as it is stated: “Isaac was forty years old [when he took Rebecca, daughter of Betuel the Aramean, from Padan Aram, sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife]” (Genesis 25:20).
If it is to teach that she was from Padan Aram, why does the verse state that she was the sister of Lavan the Aramean?1Once the verse states that she was from Padan Aram, why did it need to state that her father and brother were Arameans (see Bereishit Rabba 63:4). Rather, her father was a deceiver [ramai] and the people of her locality were deceivers, and this righteous woman emerged from their midst.
To what is she comparable? To a “lily among the thorns.” Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Simon: It is written: “Isaac sent Jacob and he went [to Padan Aram; to Laban, son of Betuel the Aramean]” (Genesis 28:5), he included them all in deceit.2The fact that the verse refers to Lavan son of Betuel the Aramean is to imply that Lavan and Betuel acted with deceit. The fact that the place was called Padan Aram implies that all the people of that locale acted with deceit.