Rashi on TanakhGenesis 24

Blessed Avraham in all things. בַּכֹּל is numerically equal to בֵּן [son], and since he had a son he needed to find a wife for him.

The senior [servant] of his household. Since [the word זְקַן] is in the construct state it is punctuated זְקַן [rather than זָקֵן].

Under my thigh. Since one who takes an oath requires holding a sacred object in his hand such as a Sefer Torah or Tefillin, and circumcision was his first mitzvah and came to him through pain, it was, therefore, dear to him, and he took it.

Adonoy, God of heaven Who took me from my father’s house. Here he did not say “and the God of earth,” whereas, above he did say, “And I will have you swear, etc.” He, [Avraham] [in effect,] said to him [the servant], “Now He is the God of heaven and earth for I have made Him current on everyone’s tongue.” But at the time that He took me from my father’s house, He was the God of the heavens but not the God of the earth because humanity did not acknowledge Him and His Name was not common on earth.

From my father’s house. [I.e.,] from Charan.

And from the land of my birth. [I.e.,] from Ur Kasdim.

Who spoke to me. [Here לִי means] concerning me. As in “Which he spoke concerning me.” So, too, every time לִי, לוֹ, לָהֶם which follow the verb דִבּוּר —speak are to be explained as עַל — concerning, and their Targum is עֲלַי, עֲלוֹהִי, עֲלֵיהוֹן because the verb דִבּוּר does not take לִי, לוֹ, לָהֶם but, rather אֵלַי, אֵלָיו, אֲלֵיהֶם and their Targum is עִמִּי, עִמֵּיהּ, עִמְּהוֹן. However, following the verb אמר [say] the terms לִי, לוֹ, לָהֶם are used.

And who swore to me. At the covenant “Between the Pieces.”

You are absolved from this oath, etc. And you may take a wife for him from the daughters of Aner, Eshkol and Mamrei.

But my son, etc. The word רַק is used to denote an exception. [I.e.,] “My son will not return there, but, Yaakov my grandson will eventually return.”

From his master’s camels. They were distinguishable from other camels, for they would go out only muzzled, out of concern for robbery that they not graze in others’ fields.

And all the property of his master was in his hand. He [Avraham] wrote a gift-deed to Yitzchok of all his possessions so that they would be eager to send their daughter to him.

Aram Naharayim. It is situated between two rivers.

He made the camels kneel. [Meaning:] he made them lie down.

[She] will be the one whom You have determined. She is fitting for him for she will perform kind deeds and is worthy to enter the house of Avraham. The term הֹכַחְתָּ means “You selected,” Approuvest in Old French.

With her I will know. This was a plea. [I.e.,] “Let me know through her…

That You have dealt kindly. If she will be from his family and fit [to be a wife] for him, I will know that You have done kindness.

A virgin. [She was a virgin] at her maidenhood.

No man had known her. [She had no] unnatural relations. Since the gentile maidens guard their maidenhood and are promiscuous in unnatural ways, Scripture therefore testifies about her that she was innocent of all this.

The servant ran toward her. Because he saw the water rise toward her.

Please let me sip. [הַגְמִיאִינִי is] from the term גְמִיעָה [sipping], humer in old French.

[She] lowered her pitcher. From her shoulder.

Until they will have finished. Here אִם is used to mean “that.” Onkelos translates it “they had enough” because that is the end of their drinking— when they have had enough to drink.

[She] emptied. Meaning to pour out. This term is prevalent in the Mishnah: “One who pours from one vessel to another.” It is similarly found in Scripture, “Do not pour out my soul” [and,] “That he poured out his soul to death.”

The trough. A hollowed out stone from which camels drink.

Wondering. From the term שְׁאִיּה [desolated] as in “the cities become desolate, and the land becomes totally wasted.”

Wondering. [Meaning:] astounded and shocked because he saw his undertaking nearing success, yet he did not yet know whether or not she was of Avraham’s family. Do not wonder concerning the letter ת' in the word מִשְׁתָּאֵה, for there is not a single word whose first root-letter is a ש' which is used in the reflexive form where the letter ת' does not separate between two of the root-letters, as in the word מִשְׁתָּאֵה, or מִשְׁתּוֹלֵל, from the same root as שׁוֹלָל, or וַיִּשְׁתּוֹמֵם from the same root as שְׁמָמָה or וְיִּשְׁתַּמֵּר חֻקּוֹת עָמְרִי from the same root as וַיִּשְׁמֹר. Here, too, מִשְׁתָּאֵה is from the same root as תִּשָּׁאֶה. Now, you will find the term מְשׁוֹמֵם concerning a person who is shocked and dumbstruck and is deep in thought as in, “Concerning his day, נָשַׁמּוּ —there will be astonishment to those who come later,” or שׁוֹמּוּ שָׁמַיִם —“Let the heavens be astonished” or אֶשְׁתּוֹמֵם —“He was momentarily astonished.” Likewise should you explain the term שְׁאִיָּה concerning a shocked person and one who is deep in thought. [However,] Onkelos translates it from the term שְׁהִיָּה —waiting. “The man waited,” [i.e.] he stood in one spot and waited to see whether God had brought him success. [מִשְׁתָּאֵה] should not be translated שָׁתֵי — drinking for it [מִשְׁתָּאֵה] does not mean drinking, because the verb “drink” does not take an א'.

Wondering at her. [Meaning:] he was wondering about her, as in, “Say about me, ‘He is my brother’” and as in, “The people of the place asked about his wife.”

Half a shekel. This is symbolic of the shekels of Israel [which were] a בֶקַע [half-shekel] per head.

And two bracelets. Symbolic of the two linked [מצוּמָדוֹת] Tablets.

Weighing ten gold shekels. Symbolic of the Ten Commandments [inscribed] in them.

He said to her, “Whose daughter are you?” He asked her this after giving her [the gifts] because he had confidence that due to Avraham’s merit God had brought him success.

To spend the night. [לִין] refers to one night’s lodging. לִין is a noun. However, she used the verb לָלוּן referring to many lodgings.

The daughter of Besueil. She responded to his first [question] first and the last [question] last.

Fodder. All camels’ foods are called מִסְפּוֹא, such as hay and barley.

On the road. [Meaning:] the designated road, the straight path, the very road that I needed. Similarly every ל', ב' and ה' when they are used as a prefix and are vocalized with a פַּתַּח refer to something specific that has already been mentioned elsewhere, or if it has been clear and obvious about which one he is speaking.

Her mother’s household. It was customary for women to have a house in which to sit to do their work, and a daughter confides only in her mother.

He ran. Why did he [Lavan] run and for what did he run? “When he had seen the nose ring,” he said, “This one is rich” and made plans to get at his money.

Beside the camels. To watch over them, as in “He stood over them,” [meaning:] in order to serve them.

Emptied the house. Of idols.

[He] unmuzzled. [Meaning:] he removed their muzzles for he had muzzled them so that they not graze along the way in fields that belonged to others.

Until I have spoken. Here אִם is used as a term for אֲשֶׁר [that] as well as כִּי [when], as in “Until that Shiloh will come.” This is what is meant when our Sages said, כִּי is used for four meanings and one is אִי which means אִם.

And he has given him all that he possesses. He showed them a gift deed.

Do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites. Unless you first go to my father’s family and she will not be willing to follow you.

Perhaps the woman will not come. It is written אֵלַי. Eliezer had a daughter and he was looking for an excuse that Avraham should tell him that he is turning to him to allow his daughter to marry [Yitzchok]. Avraham responded to him, “My son is blessed, whereas you are cursed and one who is cursed cannot cleave to one who is blessed.”

I came this day. Today I left [Avraham] and today I arrived [here.] We infer from this that the “land shrank for him.” R. Acha said: The conversation of the Patriarchs’ servants is held in higher esteem before God than the Torah discourses of their children; for the chapter of Eliezer is repeated in the Torah, whereas many principles of the Torah were given only through a hint [of the text].

You, too. גַּם also includes the people who were with him.

Has determined. [Meaning:] He clarified and made known. Similarly every term of הוֹכָחָה in Scripture refers to clarifying something.

Before [I had] finished. [Meaning:] I had yet to finish Similarly wherever the present tense [is indicated] sometimes the past tense is used and he could have written “I had not yet finished,” and sometimes the future tense is used as in, “For Iyov was saying” where the past tense [אָמַר] is used; [or] “Thus was Iyov doing” where the future tense is used. Yet, the meaning of both is the present tense for Iyov was saying, “Perhaps my sons have sinned, etc.” and he would [continually] do this.

I asked, I [then] placed. [Eliezer] changed the order [of the events] for he first gave [the jewelry] and then asked [about her family]. However, he did not want to be caught by his words, and have them say, “How could you give her [the jewelry] and you did not yet know who she was?”

To the right. [Refers to a wife] from the daughters of Yishmael.

To the left. [Or a wife] from the daughters of Lot who resided to the “left” of Avraham.

Lavan and Besueil answered. [Lavan] was a wicked person and jumped in to answer before his father.

We cannot say anything to you. To oppose this matter, neither by a “bad” [i.e., inappropriate] response nor by anything appropriate and obvious, because this has been ordained by God, according to your claim that He brought her to you.

He prostrated himself to the ground. From here [we learn] that thanks should be given for good tidings.

Precious fruit. [וּמִגְדָּנֹת] has a common root with מְגָדִים [fine fruits]; for he had brought with him various fruits of Eretz Yisrael.

And they stayed over night. Wherever the term לִינָה appears in Scripture [it refers to] one-night’s lodging.

Her brother and mother said. But, where was Besueil [her father]? He wanted to prevent [Rivkah’s leaving] [therefore] an angel came and killed him.

A year. [Meaning] a year — as in “For one year he has the right of redemption.” For a maiden is given a twelve-month period to obtain for herself jewelry and ornaments.

Or ten months. [I.e.,] ten months. If you might claim that יָמִים is [interpreted literally as] “days” [I would respond,] it is not the way of people who make requests to [first] ask for something insignificant and [then], if you refuse, give us more than that.

And ask her. From here [it is derived] that a woman may not be given in marriage unless it is with her consent.

She said, “I will go.” Of my own accord even if you do not desire it.

May you become thousands of myriads. [I.e.,] may you and your descendants receive the same blessing that was given to Avraham at Mount Moriah: “I will make your descendants as numerous…” May it be His will that those descendants will be from you and not from another woman.

Just come from the well [called] Lachai Ro’i. For he had gone there to bring Hagar to his father Avraham so that he marry her.

Lived in the land of the Negev. Close to that well as it is said “Avraham journeyed from there to the land of the Negev and he lived between Kadeish and Shur” which is where the well was located as it is said “It is between Kadeish and Bered.”

To meditate. A term for prayer, as in, “He pours out his prayer.”

And [she] saw Yitzchok. She saw that he was majestic and was astonished at his sight.

She let herself down. She slipped off toward the ground as the Targum translates, “she leaned”; [I.e.,] she leaned towards the ground but did not [actually] reach the ground; as in, “Please, tip over your pitcher,” [which is translated by Onkelos,] “tilt,” [or as in] וַיֵּט שָׁמַים which is translated וְאַרְכִין meaning, it leaned toward the earth. Similarly, כִּי יִפֹּל לֹא יוּטָל meaning, though he falls toward the earth, he will not reach the ground.

And covered herself. [וַתִּתְכָּס] is in the reflexive form as in וַתִּקָּבֵר [she was buried] and וַתִּשָּׁבֵר [it was broken].

The servant told. He revealed to him [Yitzchok] the miracles that happened to him, [the facts that] the earth had shrunk for him and that Rivkah appeared to him as a result of his prayer.

Into the tent of his mother, Sarah. [Meaning:] he brought her to the tent and, behold, she is his mother Sarah. That is, she became the image of his mother Sarah. For, as long as Sarah was alive a candle burned from Friday to Friday, a blessing was constantly in the dough, and a cloud hung over the tent. When she died [these things] ceased and when Rivkah arrived, they returned.

For the loss of his mother. It is the way of the world. As long as one’s mother is alive he is attached to her and when she dies he is consoled by his wife.