Yalkut Shimoni on Torah Reader

Rabbi Bun said: "so that you may remember the day of your going out from the land of Egypt all the days of your life" (Deuteronomy 16:3) means the days on which you are occupied with the living, and not the days on which you are occupied with the dead.

Rav Asi said: as long as the obligation to bury him rests upon a person, it is regarded as if [the dead] lies before him, as it is said, "that I may bury my dead from before me" (Genesis 23:4). But was she lying before him at that moment? Is it not written, "And Abraham rose up from before his dead"? Rather, as long as the obligation to bury him rests upon a person, it is regarded as if the dead lies before him. And one who watches over the dead, even though it is not his own dead, [is exempt from the commandments]; even though he is not watching over it, he does not recite the blessing. And if he wishes to be stringent upon himself, he is not permitted.

"A stranger and a resident am I among you" (Genesis 23:4). A stranger is a tenant; a resident is a householder [owner of the house]. [Abraham meant:] If you are willing, I am a stranger; and if not, I am a householder, for thus the Holy One, blessed be He, said to me, "To your seed I have given this land." "Give me a possession for a burying place among you, that I may bury my dead" (Genesis 23:4): there is one dead. (Another interpretation: I ask of you nothing but a single grave, as it is said, "Give me a possession for a burying place.")

"And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, Hear us, my lord" (Genesis 23:5-6). They said to him: You are a king over us, you are a prince over us, you are a god over us. He said to them: Let the world not lack its King, and let it not lack its God. "In the choicest of our sepulchers": in the choicest among our graves. "Bury your dead": many dead. "And he spoke with them, saying, If it is your wish" (Genesis 23:8-12) "and entreat for me": intercede for me, act as brokers for me; and if not, pray to him on high. "And Abraham bowed down before the people of the land": from here we learn that one gives thanks for good tidings. "And Ephron was sitting [yoshev] among the children of Heth": it is written [defectively] yashav [he sat]; on that very day they had appointed him as their chief, lest no great man buy from a small one. "And let him give me the cave of Machpelah" (written at remez 13). "And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the ears of the children of Heth": this teaches that they locked their doors and went out to perform an act of kindness for Sarah.

(Genesis 23:13) There we learned: A woman is acquired in three ways: by money, by document, and by intercourse. By money, from where do we derive it? We learn it by a verbal analogy [gezeira shava] of "taking" and "taking" from the field of Ephron. It is written here, "When a man takes a woman and has relations with her" (Deuteronomy 24:1), and it is written there, "I have given the money of the field; take it from me" (Genesis 23:13). And "taking" is called an acquisition, as it is said, "the field that Abraham acquired" (Genesis 25:10); or alternatively, "fields shall be acquired with money" (Jeremiah 32:44). [Bracketed gloss: a gezeira shava is a tradition-based linkage of two passages through a shared term, here the verb "to take."]

"My lord, hear me: a land worth four hundred shekels of silver" (Genesis 23:15-16). This is what the verse says: "A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth" (Proverbs 28:22), this is Ephron, who cast an evil eye upon the money of Abraham. He said: if you wish to give four hundred centenaria of silver from the merchandise of your house, you are able to give it to me. "And he does not know that want will come upon him" (Proverbs 28:22), for Scripture diminished him a letter vav, as it is said, "And Abraham weighed out to Ephron [Efron]": "Ephron" is written here defectively, lacking a vav. [Bracketed gloss: in the spelling of Ephron's name in this verse the letter vav is omitted, hinting that he was "diminished."]

Rabbi Hanina said: The shekels mentioned in the Torah are sela coins; in the Prophets they are litrin [a larger weight]; in the Writings they are kantarin [a still heavier weight] — except for the shekels of Ephron, which are kantarin, as it is said, "four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant" (Genesis 23:16). It goes out as merchandise [the phrase "current with the merchant" shows the coin was reckoned at the heaviest commercial standard].

"And the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah arose" (Genesis 23:17). This teaches that it had fallen and rose: that it had belonged to a small man and was made to belong to a great man. "Which was in Machpelah [the doubled place]": this teaches that it was doubled in the eyes of each and every person, for whoever is buried there is assured that his reward is doubled and redoubled. Rabbi Abbahu said: the Holy One, blessed be He, bent down the stature of Adam and buried him within it. "The field and the cave that was in it" (Genesis 23:17): there we have learned [in the Mishnah], one who sells his field must write down its landmarks and its boundaries — from here, "the field and the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field."

One who sells a field has sold the ungrafted carob tree and the virgin sycamore [a young sycamore not yet cut]. And when he said to him, "it and everything in it," then all of these are sold. In either case he has not sold the grafted carob tree or the trunk of the sycamore [established trees], for Scripture says, "and the field of Ephron arose" (Genesis 23:17). Whatever needs a [surrounding] boundary is included; these that do not need a surrounding boundary are excluded. From here we learn [the law of] boundaries from the Torah.

"To Abraham for a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth" (Genesis 23:18). Rabbi Elazar said: how much ink is poured out, how many quills are broken, in order to write "the sons of Heth" ten times — to teach you that whoever clarifies the purchase of a righteous person, it is as if he fulfills the Ten Commandments. Rabbi Yudan said: five times it is written "and to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite" (1 Kings 2:7), to teach you that whoever feeds a morsel to a righteous person, it is as if he fulfills the five books of the Torah. "And after this Abraham buried Sarah his wife" (Genesis 23:19). This is what is written, "He who pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor" (Proverbs 21:21). "He who pursues righteousness" — this is Abraham, as it is said, "and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness" (Genesis 18:19). "And kindness" — for he did kindness toward Sarah. "Will find life" — as it is said, "and these are the days of the years of Abraham's life" (Genesis 25:7). "Righteousness and honor" — the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: My craft is deeds of loving-kindness; you have taken hold of My craft, come and put on My garment, as it is said, "and Abraham was old, well advanced in days" (Genesis 24:1).

"And Abraham was old, well advanced in days" (Genesis 24:1). It is written, "A crown of glory is gray hair; it is found in the way of righteousness" (Proverbs 16:31). Rabbi Meir went to Mamla and saw that they were all black-haired [dying young, none reaching gray]. He said to them: perhaps you are from the families of the sons of Eli, of whom it is written, "and all the increase of your house shall die as men" (1 Samuel 2:33). They said to him: Rabbi, pray for us. He said to them: go and busy yourselves with charity, and you will merit old age, as it is written, "a crown of glory is gray hair" — from where is it found? "In the way of righteousness." From whom do you learn it? From Abraham, of whom it is said, "and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness" (Genesis 18:19); he merited old age, as it is said, "and Abraham was old." "Strength and splendor are her clothing" (Proverbs 31:25) — strength and splendor are the clothing of the Torah. "And she laughs at the last day" — when does she laugh? At the last day, the giving of her reward in the time to come. From whom do you learn it? From Abraham. "Length of days is in her right hand" in the time to come; "in her left, riches and honor" in this world. Even when the Torah comes to give a person only what is on her left, she gives riches and honor; from whom do you learn it? From Abraham. "You are fairer than the children of men" (Psalms 45:3) — you were made beautiful among those above, as it is said, "the angels cry outside" (Isaiah 33:7); you were made beautiful among those below, "a prince of God are you among us" (Genesis 23:6); "therefore God has blessed you forever" — "and the LORD blessed Abraham in everything" (Genesis 24:1). "Who shall ascend the mountain of the LORD?" (Psalms 24:3) — this is Abraham. "And who shall stand in His holy place?" — this is Abraham, as it is said, "and Abraham rose early in the morning to the place" (Genesis 19:27). "Clean of hands" — "if from a thread to a shoelatchet" (Genesis 14:23). "And pure of heart" — "far be it from You to do such a thing" (Genesis 18:25). "Who has not lifted his soul to vanity" — this is the soul of Nimrod. "And has not sworn deceitfully" — "I have lifted my hand to the LORD" (Genesis 14:22). "He shall receive a blessing from the LORD" — "and the LORD blessed Abraham in everything." Abraham used to bless everyone, as it is said, "and in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). And who blesses Abraham? The Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "and the LORD blessed Abraham in everything." Moses was the banner of Israel, "why do you contend with me, why do you test the LORD?" (Exodus 17:2); and who is the banner of Moses? The Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "and he called its name the LORD is my banner" (Exodus 17:15). David was the shepherd of Israel, "you shall shepherd My people Israel"; and who is the shepherd of David? The Holy One, blessed be He, "the LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want" (Psalms 23:1). Jerusalem is the light of the world, "and nations shall walk by your light, and kings by the brightness of your rising" (Isaiah 60:3); and who is the light of Jerusalem? The Holy One, blessed be He, "and the LORD shall be for you an everlasting light" (Isaiah 60:19). "And Abraham was old, well advanced in days" — "old" [zaken] is one who has acquired [kanah] two worlds. There is a person who is in old age but not in days, and in days but not in old age; but here old age corresponds to days and days correspond to old age. "Advanced in days" — he entered through a double portal. Rabbi Berekhiah said: he entered through a passage opening onto the life of the world to come. Rabbi Yitzhak said: he came in those days of which it is written, "before the evil days come" (Ecclesiastes 12:1). "And the LORD blessed Abraham in everything" — Rabbi Yehudah says: that He gave him a daughter. Rabbi Nehemiah said: the essential part of a king's house has no blessing written of it, but "the LORD blessed Abraham in everything" means that He did not give him a daughter at all. Rabbi Levi said: three things — that He made him master over his evil inclination, that Ishmael repented in his days, and that his storehouse lacked nothing. Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Hama bar Hanina: that He did not test him again.

Rabbi Hama bar Hanina said: from the days of our fathers, a house of study never ceased among them. They had a house of study with them in Egypt, as it is said, "go and gather the elders of Israel" (Exodus 3:16). In the wilderness they had a house of study with them, as it is said, "gather to Me seventy men from the elders of Israel" (Numbers 11:16). Abraham was an elder who sat in a house of study, as it is said, "and Abraham was old." Isaac our father was an elder who sat in a house of study, as it is said, "and it came to pass when Isaac was old" (Genesis 27:1). Jacob our father was an elder who sat in a house of study, as it is said, "and the eyes of Israel were heavy from age" (Genesis 48:10). Eliezer the servant of Abraham was an elder who sat in a house of study, as it is said, "and Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house" (Genesis 24:2). What is "who ruled over all that he had"? Who ruled over [mastered] the Torah of his master. "He is Damascus Eliezer" — for he drew [doleh] and gave others to drink [mashkeh] the Torah of his master. "And Abraham was old" — this is one of seven wonders [as written in hint 77].

Until Abraham there was no old age: whoever wished to speak with Abraham would speak with Isaac, and whoever wished to speak with Isaac would speak with Abraham [since father and son looked identical]. Abraham came and sought mercy, and there was old age, as it is said, "and Abraham was old" (Genesis 24:1). Until Jacob came there was no weakness [from illness]; Jacob came and sought mercy, and there was weakness, as it is said, "and one said to Joseph, behold, your father is sick" (Genesis 48:1). Until Elisha came there was no sick person who recovered; Elisha came and sought mercy, as it is said, "and Elisha fell sick of his sickness" — and he was sick with three illnesses, and so on.

And there are those who render it in this language: Abraham requested old age. He said before Him: Master of the world, when a man and his sons enter one place, the world does not know whom to honor; but since You crown him with old age and gray hair, a man knows whom to honor. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: by your life, you have requested a good thing, and it will begin with you. From the beginning of the book until here there is no old age, and once Abraham our father stood, He gave him old age. This is what is written, "and Abraham was old." Isaac requested sufferings. He said before Him: Master of the world, when a man dies without sufferings, the attribute of justice is stretched out against him; but if You bring sufferings upon him, the attribute of justice is not stretched out against him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: by your life, you have requested a good thing, and it will begin with you. From the beginning of the book until here sufferings are not written, and once Isaac our father stood, He gave him sufferings, as it is written, "and it came to pass when Isaac was old, that his eyes were dim from seeing" (Genesis 27:1). Jacob requested illness. He said before Him: Master of the worlds, when a man dies without illness he does not set his affairs in order among his sons; but since he is sick two or three days, he sets his affairs in order among his sons. He said to him: by your life, you have requested a good thing, and it will begin with you. This is what is written, "and one said to Joseph, behold, your father is sick" (Genesis 48:1). Abraham introduced old age, Isaac introduced sufferings, Jacob introduced illness; Hezekiah king of Judah introduced a second illness [recovery and then a fresh illness]. He said before Him: Master of the worlds, it is not good for a man that You keep him standing until the day of his death; rather, since a man falls ill and then rises, he makes complete repentance. He said to him: by your life, you have requested a good thing, and it will begin with you. This is what is written, "a writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and recovered from his sickness" (Isaiah 38:9) — from here, that between one illness and the other there was an illness heavier than both of them.

"And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things" (Genesis 24:1). Already while he was between the pieces [at the Covenant of the Pieces], He brought him the good tidings that He would give him a son after fifty-two years. At the age of forty-eight he recognized his Creator, and at that very moment He announced the tidings to him. "In all things" - by the merit of the tithe, as it is said, "and he gave him a tithe of all" (Genesis 14:20).

It was taught: "And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things." Rabbi Meir says: that he had no daughter. Rabbi Yehudah says: that he did have a daughter. Others say: he had a daughter, and "In-All" was her name. Rabbi Elazar of Modi'in says: Abraham possessed great astrological wisdom in his heart, so that all the kings of the east and the west would rise early to come to his door. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: a precious pearl hung around the neck of Abraham our father, and any sick person who looked upon it was immediately healed; and when Abraham our father passed away, the Holy One, blessed be He, took it and hung it upon the wheel of the sun. Abaye said: this is what people say - "as the day rises, the sickness lifts."

Another interpretation [of "in all things"]: that Esau did not rebel in his days. Another interpretation: that Ishmael repented in his days.

Our rabbis taught: three there were over whom the evil inclination held no power, and they are these - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for it is written concerning them "in all," "of all," "all" [the words bakkol, mikkol, kol appearing in their three stories]. Three the Holy One, blessed be He, let taste of the World to Come [in this life], and they are these - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for it is written concerning them "in all," "of all," "all." Six there were over whom the angel of death held no power - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for it is written concerning them "in all," "of all," "all"; Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, for it is written concerning them "by the mouth of the LORD" (Numbers 33:38; Deuteronomy 34:5). And Miriam, although it is not written explicitly of her, it is derived by the verbal analogy of "there" and "there" from Moses. And why was it not stated of her? Because it is unseemly to say such a thing concerning a woman [that she died by the mouth, i.e. the kiss, of God]. Our rabbis taught: seven there were over whom worm and maggot held no power - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, of whom it is written "in all," "of all," "all"; Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, of whom it is written "by the mouth of the LORD"; Benjamin son of Jacob, of whom it is written "the beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety" (Deuteronomy 33:12); and some say also David, of whom it is written "my flesh also shall dwell in safety" (Psalms 16:9).

"And Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household" (Genesis 24:2) - for the radiance of his features resembled his own. "Who ruled over all that he had" - for he was master of his own impulse just as Abraham was. "Put now your hand under my thigh" - because circumcision had been given to them through pain, therefore one swears only by it.

Another interpretation: why did they so cherish circumcision? Because they knew that it was destined to save their children from Gehinnom, as it is said, "Therefore Sheol has enlarged her appetite and opened her mouth without measure [li-vli choq]" (Isaiah 5:14) - and choq means nothing other than circumcision, as it is said, "which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac, and confirmed it to Jacob for a statute [le-choq]" (Psalms 105:9-10). And Israel, who were circumcised, escape from it, as it is said, "When you pass through the waters I will be with you... when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned" (Isaiah 43:2).

"And I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven" (Genesis 24:3) - until I made Him known to His creatures, He was God of heaven; but once I made Him known to His creatures, He is also God of the earth. "That you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanite" - he warned him also against the daughters of Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre. "But you shall go to my land and to my kindred" (Genesis 24:4) - as people say, "the wheat of your own town, though poor, sow from it." "And the servant said to him, perhaps..." (Genesis 24:5) - this is the meaning of what is written, "Canaan, in whose hand are deceitful balances" (Hosea 12:8). "Canaan" - this is Eliezer. "In whose hand are deceitful balances" - for he sat and weighed his own daughter, whether she was worthy or not. "He loves to oppress" - he desired the beloved of the world, namely Isaac. He said, perhaps the woman will not be willing, and I will give him my daughter. Abraham said to him: you are cursed and my son is blessed, and the cursed cannot cleave to the blessed. "The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house" (Genesis 24:7) - this is my father's house; "and from the land of my birth" - this is my neighborhood; "and who spoke to me" - in Haran; "and who swore to me" - at the Covenant of the Pieces. "He will send His angel before you" - here is a specific angel. When Abraham said "He will send His angel," the Holy One, blessed be He, appointed for him two angels, one to bring out Rebecca and one to accompany Eliezer. "And if the woman is not willing... only you shall not bring my son back there" (Genesis 24:8). "Only" indicates a limitation: my son does not return, but my son's son may return. "And the servant took ten camels of his master's camels" (Genesis 24:10) - the camels of Abraham our father were recognizable, for wherever they went out they went out muzzled [to keep them from grazing in others' fields]. "And he went to Aram-Naharaim" - it was the same day; this accords with the view of Rabbi Berechiah, for it is written later, "and I came this day to the spring" (Genesis 24:42) - I set out this day and I arrived this day. This is the meaning of what is written, "You have made the earth tremble, You have split it open" (Psalms 60:4) - "made it tremble" in the days of Abraham, "split it open" in the days of Eliezer, "heal its breaches" in the days of Jacob, "for it totters" in the days of Yishbi of Nob. This is the meaning of what is written, "and Yishbi of Nob, who was of the descendants of the giant" (II Samuel 21:16). He brandished David upon his shield; David leaped backward eighteen cubits. Each was afraid of the other. This one was afraid, saying: if he leaped backward like this, how much more could he leap forward. And that one was afraid, saying: if he hurled me upon his shield like this, how can I stand against him. At that moment David said: would that I had one of my sister's sons to help me. Immediately, "and Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid" (II Samuel 21:17). Was he standing behind the gate? The rabbis say: even had he been at the end of the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, flew him and brought him, so that this righteous man should not stand in distress. Our rabbis taught: for three the earth leaped [contracted beneath them] - Eliezer the servant of Abraham, Jacob our father, and Abishai son of Zeruiah. Abishai, as written concerning Yishbi of Nob. Eliezer, as it is written, "and I came this day to the spring" - is it to say that he set out that same day? Rather, it teaches that the earth leaped for him. Jacob our father, as it is written, "and Jacob went out" (Genesis 28:10), and it is written, "and he reached the place and lodged there." Rather, when he reached Haran he said: is it possible that I passed the place where my fathers prayed and did not pray there? As soon as he resolved in his mind to return, immediately the earth leaped for him, and he came and prayed, as it is written, "and he reached [va-yifga] the place" - and "reaching" means nothing other than prayer. And there was still daytime to the day; after he had prayed he wished to return [to the holy place], but the Holy One, blessed be He, said: shall this righteous man come to my lodging-house and depart without staying the night? Immediately, "and he lodged there, for the sun had set." It is written, "and the sun rose for him" (Genesis 32:32) - and did it rise for him alone? Did it not rise for the whole world? Rather, the sun that had set on his account rose on his account.

"And he made the camels kneel" (Genesis 24:11) - he made them lie down. "At evening time, at the time when the women who draw water come out." Rav Huna said: when a person goes to take a wife and hears the sound of dogs barking, let him listen carefully to what they are saying - "at evening time, at the time when the women who draw water come out."

"And he said: O LORD, God of my master Abraham, send me, I pray, good speed this day" (Genesis 24:12). "Who among you fears the LORD" (Isaiah 50:10) - this is Eliezer; "who hearkens to the voice of His servant" - to the voice of Abraham; "who walks in darkness" - at the hour when he went to bring Rebecca; "and has no light" - and who gives him light? The Holy One, blessed be He, gives him light with flashes and lightning; "let him trust in the name of the LORD and lean upon" his God - this is "send me, I pray, good speed this day." It is written: "A wise servant shall rule over a son who causes shame" (Proverbs 17:2). "A wise servant" - this is Eliezer. And what was his wisdom? He said: That man [Abraham] has already cursed Canaan into bondage; perhaps another Cushite or another barbarian will come and enslave me. Better that I be a servant in this household than be enslaved in another household. "Shall rule over a son who causes shame" - this is Isaac, who shamed the whole world when he was bound upon the altar. "And shall share the inheritance among the brothers" - among Israel: just as they invoke the merit of the fathers, so too this one invokes the merit of the fathers, as it is said, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham." "Send me, I pray, good speed" - You have begun; finish and do kindness with my master Abraham. All need kindness, even Abraham, through whom kindness rolls through the world; he too needed kindness, as it is said, "and do kindness with my master Abraham."

"Behold, I stand by the well of water, and let it be that the maiden" (Genesis 24:13-14). Four there were who made requests improperly. To three of them He gave fittingly, and to one He gave unfittingly. And these are they: Eliezer the servant of Abraham, and Caleb, and Saul, and Jephthah. Eliezer: "and let it be that the maiden to whom I shall say" - had a mere bondwoman come out and given him drink, he would have married her to his master's son! The Holy One, blessed be He, arranged for him fittingly, "and behold, Rebecca came out" (Genesis 24:15). Caleb said: "He that smites Kiriath-sefer and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife" (Joshua 15:16) - had a slave captured it, he would have given him his daughter! The Holy One, blessed be He, arranged for him fittingly: "And Othniel son of Kenaz captured it" (Joshua 15:17). Saul said: "And it shall be that the man who smites him" and so forth - had a Cushite or a gentile or a slave gone out and smitten him, he would have given him his daughter! The Holy One, blessed be He, arranged for him fittingly: "And David, the son of an Ephrathite man" (1 Samuel 17:12). Jephthah said: "And it shall be that whatever comes forth, that comes out of the doors of my house" - had a donkey or a dog come out, he would have offered it up as a burnt offering! The Holy One, blessed be He, arranged for him unfittingly: "And Jephthah came to Mizpah, and behold, his daughter came out to meet him" (Judges 11:34).

"And it came to pass, before he had finished speaking" (Genesis 24:15). Three there were who were answered while the words were yet in their mouths: Eliezer the servant of Abraham, Moses, and Solomon. Eliezer, as it is written, "And it came to pass, before he had finished speaking." Moses, as it is written, "And it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split open beneath them" (Numbers 16:31). Solomon, as it is written, "And as Solomon finished praying, the fire came down from heaven" (2 Chronicles 7:1). "And the maiden was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her" (Genesis 24:16). There we learned: a woman injured by wood [whose hymen was broken by accident], her marriage settlement is two hundred, the words of Rabbi Meir; but the sages say her settlement is a maneh. Rabbi Meir's reasoning is from here: "neither had any man known her" - but if she had been so injured she is still called a virgin. The sages' reasoning: "a virgin" - but had she been so injured she would not be called a virgin. Rabbi Yochanan said: no woman was ever first taken by one circumcised on the eighth day except Rebecca. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: the daughters of the gentiles guard themselves in the place of nakedness but make themselves licentious in another place; but this one was a virgin in the place of virginity, "and no man had known her" in another place. Rabbi Yochanan said: from the implication of "a virgin" we do not yet know that no man had known her; rather, even no man had sought her, on the basis of "the scepter of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous" (Psalms 125:3). "And she went down to the spring and filled" (Genesis 24:16). All the women would go down and fill from the spring, but this one - as soon as the waters saw her they rose up at once. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her: you are a sign for your children. As you - the moment the waters saw you they rose - so your children, the moment the well sees them it shall rise, as it is written, "Then Israel sang this song: Spring up, O well, sing to it" (Numbers 21:17). "And the servant ran to meet her" (Genesis 24:17) - to meet her good deeds.

"Let me sip, I pray, a little water" (Genesis 24:43) - a single sip. This is what is written: "The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul" (Proverbs 13:25) - this is Eliezer, who said, "Let me sip, I pray," a single sip. "But the belly of the wicked shall want" - this is Esau the wicked, who said to our father Jacob, "Let me gulp down, I pray" (Genesis 25:30). Rabbi Ze'ira said: that wicked one opened his mouth like a camel. He said: I will open my mouth and you keep pouring it in and it will go down, like that which we learned: one does not stuff a camel by hand but one may force-feed it down the throat. "And the man, gazing at her, kept silent" (Genesis 24:21) - he was blinking and staring at her.

"And the man took a gold nose-ring" (Genesis 24:22) - there was a precious stone in it, and its weight was a beka; "and two bracelets upon her hands" - corresponding to the two tablets; "ten gold in weight" - corresponding to the Ten Commandments. "Is there room in your father's house for us to lodge?" (Genesis 24:23-25) - one lodging. "There is also room to lodge" - many lodgings. "And the man bowed his head and prostrated himself to the LORD" (Genesis 24:26) - from here that one gives thanks for good tidings. "And he said: Blessed be the LORD, God of my master Abraham" (Genesis 24:27) - since the land and the road had leaped before me, I knew that "on the way the LORD has led me" to the house of my master's kinsmen. "And the maiden ran and told her mother's house" (Genesis 24:28) - a woman is accustomed to tell only her mother's house. They objected to him: but is it not written, "And she ran and told her father" (Genesis 29:12)? He said to them: her mother had died, and to whom should she tell, if not her father? "And Rebecca had a brother, and his name was Laban" (Genesis 24:29-31). Rabbi Berekhiah said: [his name is] to his discredit - he was whitened in wickedness. "And Laban ran out to the man, to the spring" - he eyed him. "And it came to pass, when he saw the nose-ring" - he eyed it for himself.

"And it came to pass, when he saw the nose-ring" (Genesis 24:30) - at once he went out to kill him. When he recognized that his haste was for evil, [Eliezer] uttered a Name and set the camels upon the spring in the air, and he himself stood upon the camels in the air. When [Laban] saw this, he recognized that he was righteous and said, "Come, blessed of the LORD" - for he supposed he was Abraham, since his features resembled his. "Canaan" - this is Eliezer; and because he served the righteous one faithfully, he passed out of the category of cursed into the category of blessed. "And he said: Come, blessed of the LORD" (Genesis 24:31). Rabbi Yaakov in the name of Rabbi Yochanan of Bet Guvrin made of it a lesson: if Eliezer, because he served the righteous one faithfully, passed from cursed to blessed, then Israel, who do kindness with their great ones with their hands and their feet, how much more so. "Why do you stand outside?" - it is not your honor to stand outside. "And I have cleared the house" - from the filth of idolatry. "And the man came into the house, and he ungirded the camels" (Genesis 24:32) - he untied their muzzles. Rabbi Yirmiyah asked Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba: were not the camels of Abraham like the donkey of Rabbi Pinchas? The donkey of Rabbi Pinchas - robbers took her, and she was with them three days and tasted nothing at all. They said: in the end she will die and her stench will be upon us; let us return her to her owner. They sent her off, and she entered the house of her master. As she entered she brayed, and he recognized her voice. He said: open for that poor creature and give her to eat, for she has gone three days tasting nothing. They gave her barley and she would not taste it. He said to them: have you fixed [tithed] it? They said to him: yes. He said: have you removed the demai [doubtfully tithed produce]? They said to him: but did you not teach us, master, that one who buys for seed, for cattle, flour for hides, oil for a lamp, or oil to anoint vessels is exempt from demai? He said to them: what shall we do for her, for she is strict with herself? Rabbi Yirmiyah sent Rabbi Ze'ira a basket of figs. Rabbi Ze'ira said: is it possible Rabbi Yirmiyah sends them untithed? Rabbi Yirmiyah said: is it possible Rabbi Ze'ira eats them untithed? Between this one and that one the figs were eaten untithed. The next day Rabbi Yirmiyah met Rabbi Ze'ira and said: did you tithe those figs? He said: no. Rabbi Ze'ira said: if the earlier ones were angels, we are men; and if they were men, we are donkeys. Rabbi Mana said: we are not even donkeys, for the donkey of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair - they gave her untithed barley and she would not taste it, while we eat untithed figs. "And he gave straw and fodder to the camels" (Genesis 24:32-35). The ordinary talk of the servants of the fathers is finer than the Torah of the sons, for behold the chapter of Eliezer is told over two and three pages, while the creeping thing is among the essentials of Torah and yet its blood does not defile like its flesh except from a redundancy in Scripture. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says: from "the unclean, the unclean"; Rabbi Elazar bar Yose says: from "this and this." "And food was set before him to eat" (Genesis 24:33) - Rabbi Acha said: the washing of the feet of the servants of the fathers is finer than the Torah of the sons, for if their foot-washing had to be written, while the creeping thing is among the essentials of Torah, and so forth.

"And he said: I am Abraham's servant" (Genesis 24:34) - the thing of which you are ashamed, say it first. "And I came this day to the spring" (Genesis 24:42) - from Kiriath-arba to Haran is a journey of seventeen days, and in three hours the servant came to Haran, and he was astonished in his heart and kept saying: today I set out and today I arrived, as it is said, "And I came this day to the spring." The Holy One, blessed be He, wished to do kindness for Isaac, and He sent an angel before Eliezer, and the road leaped before him; and a king's daughter who had never gone out to draw water in her life went out at that very hour. And the maiden, who did not know what a man was, accepted upon herself to be joined to Isaac, for she was fitted for him from her mother's womb, and it is written, "Behold, Rebecca is before you" (Genesis 24:51). And the servant rose early in the morning and saw the angel standing and waiting for him outside. He said to them, "Do not delay me" (Genesis 24:56). And so that the servant should not be alone with the maiden by night, the earth leaped before him, and in three hours he came to Hebron at the time of the evening prayer; "And Isaac went out" (Genesis 24:63) to pray the evening Minchah prayer. Abraham said to Isaac: this servant is suspect in all the transgressions of the Torah, and deceit is in his hand, as it is said, "a Canaanite, in whose hand are deceitful balances" (Hosea 12:8). Bring the maiden into the tent and bring forth her tokens of virginity by finger; if she is pure in her virginity she is fit for you. And so he did, and he showed them to Abraham, and afterward he took her to wife. And because Eliezer did kindness for Isaac, He brought him out to freedom, and the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him his reward in this world and set him up as a king, and he is Og king of Bashan.

When they saw the bracelets, they gathered to kill Eliezer, and they saw that he was lifting two camels with his two hands and carrying them across the stream. When they saw this they said: we cannot kill him. And they set a dish before him with deadly poison in it; and through the merit of Abraham the dish was switched, and Bethuel ate of it and died. And "and it was set [vayusam]" means nothing other than poison [sam]. And why did Bethuel die? Because he was king in Aram-naharaim, and every virgin who was to be married, he would lie with her the first night and afterward she would return to her husband. All the princes gathered and said: if he does to his daughter as he did to our daughters, well and good; and if not, we will kill him and his daughter. Therefore he died, so that Eliezer and Rebecca should be saved. At two hours of the day they left Haran, and the earth leaped before them. "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field" (Genesis 24:63) - from where did he come out? From the Garden of Eden. "And she fell from off the camel" (Genesis 24:64) - because she saw by the holy spirit that Esau the wicked was destined to come from him, she trembled and was injured by wood [her hymen broke], and the blood of virginity came out of her. At once the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Gabriel: go down and guard the blood, that it not putrefy and have no blemish. Isaac came to her and did not find her tokens of virginity. He suspected her of Eliezer. He said to her: where is your virginity? She said to him: when I fell from the camel I was injured by wood. He said to her: you speak falsely; rather Eliezer assaulted you. And she swore to him that he had not touched her. They went and found the wood stained with blood. At once Isaac knew that she was pure. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: what shall I do for this servant who was suspected? He said to the ministering angels: bring him alive into the Garden of Eden. He is Eliezer son of Nimrod, and it is a great wonder: Isaac went out of the Garden of Eden alive, and Eliezer entered the Garden of Eden alive.

(Genesis 24:49-51) "And Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing has come forth from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good." From the Torah, from the Prophets, and from the Writings we learn that a man's mate comes only from the Holy One, blessed be He. From the Torah: "And they said, The thing has come forth from the LORD." From the Prophets: "But his father and his mother did not know that it was from the LORD" (Judges 14:4). And from the Writings: "House and wealth are the inheritance of fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD" (Proverbs 19:14).

"And now if you will deal kindly and truly" and so forth, "that I may turn to the right hand" - this is Ishmael, "or to the left" - this is Lot, as you say, "If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right" (Genesis 13:9). "The thing has come forth from the LORD" - from where did it come forth? From Mount Moriah it came forth. And the Rabbis say, from where did it come forth? From "Let her be a wife to your master's son." (Genesis 24:53) "And the servant brought forth vessels of silver and vessels of gold and garments" and gifts. Rav Huna said, sweet delicacies; the Rabbis say, parched grain and nuts. And the parched grain was more precious than everything - but this is to teach you that if a man sets out on the road and his provisions are not with him, he suffers. (Genesis 24:55) "And her brother and her mother said" - and where was Bethuel? He sought to obstruct the matter and was struck down in the night. This is what is written, "The righteousness of the blameless makes his way straight, but by his own wickedness the wicked is cast down" (Proverbs 11:5). "The righteousness of the blameless" - this is Isaac. "Makes his way straight" - the way of Eliezer. "By his own wickedness the wicked is cast down" - this is Bethuel, who sought to obstruct and was struck down in the night.

There we learned: they grant a virgin twelve months from when the husband has claimed her, in order to provide for herself. From where are these words derived? For Scripture says, "Let the maiden remain with us days, or ten" (Genesis 24:55). What is "days"? If you say two days - does a person speak this way, saying to him "two days," and he says to them "no," and then they say to him "ten days"? Rather, what is "days"? A year, as it is written, "Days shall be the time of his redemption" (Leviticus 25:29). But say, what is "days"? A month, as it is written, "until a month of days" (Numbers 11:20). We derive plain "days" from plain "days," and we do not derive plain "days" from "days" concerning which the term "months" is stated [the gezeira shava links the two unqualified uses of "days"].

"Let the maiden remain with us days" - these are the seven days of mourning for Bethuel; "or ten" - these are the twelve months that are granted a virgin to provide for herself. (Genesis 24:57) "And they said, Let us call the maiden" - from here we learn that one does not marry off a minor girl except with her consent. (Verse 58) "And they called Rebecca and said to her, Will you go?" She said, "I am going, even against your will, and not by your favor." (Genesis 24:60) "And they blessed Rebecca" - Rabbi Aibu said: they were grieved and downcast, and they did not enrich her except with words.

A bride without a blessing is forbidden to her husband like a menstruant who has not immersed. And from where do we derive the blessing of bridegrooms from the Torah? As it is said, "And they blessed Rebecca." And from where that even a widow requires a blessing? As it is said, "And Boaz took ten men" (Ruth 4:2).

"Our sister, may you become thousands of myriads." Why was Rebecca not remembered with child until Isaac prayed for her? So that the nations of the world should not say, "Our prayer bore fruit," but rather "And Isaac entreated the LORD" (Genesis 25:21). "The blessing of one perishing comes upon me" - this is Laban the Aramean, as it is said, "An Aramean sought to destroy my father" (Deuteronomy 26:5). "Comes upon me" - this is Rebecca, as it is said, "Our sister, may you become thousands of myriads," and there arose from her chieftains from Esau and a myriad from Jacob. Chieftains from Esau: "chief Teman, chief Omar" (Genesis 36:15). A myriad from Jacob, as it is said, "a myriad like the growth of the field" (Ezekiel 16:7). And some say both these and those arose from Israel, as it is said, "And when it rested he would say, Return, O LORD, to the myriads of the thousands of Israel" (Numbers 10:36). (Genesis 24:61) "And Rebecca arose, and her maidens, and they rode upon the camels and went after the man" - and not before the man, for it is unseemly for a man to walk behind a woman. Rav Nachman said, Manoah was an ignoramus, as it is said, "And Manoah went after his wife" (Judges 13:11). But perhaps he went after her words and her counsel? And according to what Rav Nachman said, that Manoah was an ignoramus, he had not even read the verses of the schoolhouse, as it is written, "And Rebecca arose, and her maidens," and so forth. "And they rode upon the camels" - for such is the way of camels, that they grow in the East. The Rabbis say, just as this camel has a sign of impurity and a sign of purity, so Rebecca raised up a righteous one and a wicked one. (Genesis 24:62) "And Isaac came from coming" - he came from going where? To Beer-lahai-roi; he went to bring Hagar - she who had sat by the well and said to the Living One of the worlds, "See my humiliation." "And Isaac went out to meditate" - meditation means only prayer.

(Genesis 24:64) "And Rebecca lifted up her eyes and saw Isaac" - she saw that his hand was spread out in prayer. She said, surely this is a great man, and so she asked about him. "And she fell off the camel" - she sank down, as you say, "Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down" (Psalms 37:24). (Genesis 24:65) "And she said, Who is that man?" She saw him glorious. The Rabbis say, he and that oak of his. "And she took the veil and covered herself" - there are two who covered themselves in a veil and bore twins: Rebecca, "and she took the veil and covered herself"; Tamar, "she covered herself with a veil" (Genesis 38:14). (Genesis 24:66) "And the servant told Isaac." Rabbi Elazar said, the general rules of the Torah are more abundant than its details, for had it come to write them out it would have written two or three columns. And the Rabbis say, he told him words of praise - how the earth had leaped before him on the way. (Genesis 24:67) "And Isaac brought her into the tent, Sarah his mother." All the days that Sarah was alive a cloud was tied over the tent, and when she died that cloud ceased; and when Rebecca came, the cloud returned. All the time Sarah was alive a blessing was sent into the dough, and when Sarah died that blessing ceased, and when Rebecca came the blessing returned. All the time Sarah was alive her doors were open wide, and when Sarah died that openness ceased, and when Rebecca came it returned. All the time Sarah was alive a lamp burned from one Sabbath eve to the next, and when Sarah died it ceased, and when Rebecca came that lamp returned. And when Isaac saw that she did as his mother had done - she made her dough in purity, and separated her dough-offering in purity - immediately "Isaac brought her into the tent, Sarah his mother."

"And Isaac was comforted after his mother." Rabbi Yose said, Isaac mourned three years for his mother, and after three years he took Rebecca and forgot the mourning for his mother. From here you learn that before a man takes a wife, his love goes after his parents; once a man takes a wife, his love goes after his wife, as it is said, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother" (Genesis 2:24) and so forth. Does a man then forsake the commandment to honor his parents? Rather, the love of his soul cleaves after his wife, as it is said, "and he shall cleave to his wife."

Rabbi Yudan said: The Torah has taught you proper conduct, that if a person has grown children, he should first marry them off, and only afterward take a wife for himself. From whom do you learn this? From Abraham. First it says, "And Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother" (Genesis 24:67), and only at the end, "And Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah" (Genesis 25:1).

"And Abraham took another wife" (Genesis 25:1). It is written, "Happy is the man" (Psalms 1:1-3): this is Abraham. "Who walks not in the counsel of the wicked": this is the generation of the Dispersion. "And stands not in the way of sinners": these are the men of Sodom, as it is said, "And the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners" (Genesis 13:13). "And sits not in the seat of the scornful": this is Abimelech, who said to him, "Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it is good in your eyes" (Genesis 20:15), yet Abraham did not accept it of him. "But his delight is in the Torah of the LORD": as it is said, "For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children" (Genesis 18:19). "And in His Torah he meditates day and night": no father taught him and he had no master. From where did he learn Torah? Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, prepared for him his two kidneys like two sages, and they flowed and taught him wisdom, as it is written, "I bless the LORD who counsels me; my kidneys also instruct me in the nights" (Psalms 16:7). "And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water" (Psalms 1:3): that the Holy One, blessed be He, planted him in the Land of Israel. "That brings forth its fruit in its season": this is Isaac. "Whose leaf does not wither": this is Ishmael. "And in all that he does he prospers": these are the children of Keturah, as it is said, "And Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah." "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age" (Psalms 92:15): this is Abraham. "They shall be full of sap and richness": "And Abraham took another wife." "For there is hope for a tree" (Job 14:7-9): this is our father Abraham, who had hope. "If it be cut down, it will sprout again": if the Holy One, blessed be He, says to him, cut the covenant, he cuts the covenant and still renews with commandments and good deeds. "And its tender shoot will not cease": this is the moisture within him. "Though its root grow old in the earth": "And Abraham was old, advanced in days" (Genesis 24:1). "And its stock die in the ground": "And Sarah died in Kiryat-Arba" (Genesis 23:2). "Yet through the scent of water it will bud": through the scent of commandments and good deeds it will bud. "And bring forth boughs like a young plant": it is not written "a plant" here, but "like a young plant"; the addition is greater than the original, "And Abraham took another wife." "In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not let your hand rest" (Ecclesiastes 11:6): if you have children in your youth, take a wife in your old age and raise children. From whom do you learn this? From Abraham, who took a wife and had children in his youth and took a wife in his old age, "And Abraham took another wife." "And her name was Keturah": Rabbi Yehudah says, this is Hagar. Rav Nachman said to him, but it is written "took another [vayosef]." He said to him, by command of the divine word, as you say, "And the LORD spoke yet again [vayosef] to me" (Isaiah 8:5). He said to him, but it is written "and her name was Keturah": because she bound up [kitrah] commandments and good deeds. He said to him, but it is written, "and to the sons of the concubines that Abraham had" (Genesis 25:6). He said to him, "concubine" is written here singular. "While he yet lived" (Genesis 25:6): she who sat by the well and said to the Life of all worlds, "see my disgrace." Rabbi Berekhyah said: even though you say, "and she went and wandered in the wilderness" (Genesis 21:14) you might think a creature was suspected concerning her; therefore the text teaches, "and her name was Keturah," like one who seals a treasury and finds it with its seal intact.