Jacob Comes In From the Field and the Hours of a Worker

"And Jacob came in from the field" (Genesis 30:16). We have learned: one who hires laborers and stipulated with them to begin early and finish late may not compel them to do so in a place where the custom is not to begin early and finish late. Rabbi Muna said: in a place where there is no fixed custom, it is a condition of the court that the going out is at the employer's expense and the coming in at the worker's expense. From where do we know the going out is at the employer's expense? As it is said, "The sun rises, they gather themselves and lie down in their dens" (Psalms 104:22), and from then on "man goes out to his work" (Psalms 104:23). From where do we know the coming in is at the worker's own expense? "And to his labor until evening" (Psalms 104:23). It does not say "until evening" but "unto the evening," to say until darkness. Rabbi Ammi in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: it burdened the employer, that if it were the eve of Shabbat the expense should be his, until when? Until each one goes to his house and fills himself a jug of water and roasts himself a fish and lights his lamp in honor of the Shabbat. "And Jacob came in from the field in the evening," this is what is written, "and to his labor unto the evening."