Parasha: Chayei Sarah · Aliyah: Fourth (Netzach)

ולרבקה אח ושמו לבן, Rebeccah had a brother called Laban. Our sages observe that whenever the Bible mentions righteous people, their name precedes them, whereas the reverse is the case when the Bible mentions wicked people (Esther Rabbah 6,3). Examples are Ruth 2,1; 1,2. Samuel I 25,3. It is puzzling then that Laban is introduced here in the manner of the righteous. In order to understand this we must pay attention to the verse describing Laban as running. Our sages in Yalkut Shimoni 109 state that as soon as Laban saw the nose-ring on Rebeccah he became greedy for money. This does not throw any light on our problem. The Torah should have written: "As soon as he saw the nose-ring, etc., Laban ran," instead of mentioning the fact that Laban saw the nose-ring after he had already commenced to run towards Eliezer. Besides, why did the Torah repeat the words: "to the man outside at the well" in verse 29 and then again in verse 30?

The fact is that Laban was sincerely concerned about his sister's innocence, suspecting that the gifts to her of the jewelry by a total stranger could have been the beginning of an immoral relationship between them. The Torah here describes Laban as if he were a righteous person because it acknowledges his concern for his sister's chastity.

When the Torah states: "it was when he saw," this shows that Laban reacted first to what he saw and subsequently to what he heard. As long as he had not yet heard what transpired between the two he put an ugly intepretation on the manner in which he thought his sister had obtained the jewelry, suspecting Eliezer of seducing Rebeccah. Laban nevertheless continued on his way to meet Eliezer and to offer him hospitality.

ויבא אל האיש והנה עומד על הגמלים, he came to the man who was still standing by the camels. What do the words: "he was still standing, etc." teach us? According to Yalkut Shimoni 109, Eliezer interpreted Laban's running as an hostile act and he invoked the holy name of G'd as a result of which the camels stood over the well in the air. This is why the Torah describes the camels as "הגמלים על העין." Eliezer himself stood on top of the camels. He called out to Laban from an elevated position whereupon Laban addressed him with the words: "come in blessed one of the Lord!" If nothing unusual had occurred Laban would have reversed the wording of his invitation saying: "Why should you remain outside, come in blessed one of the Lord!"

Another reason why Eliezer is reported as remaining standing by the camels maybe that the Torah wants us to know that the mere fact that Rebeccah had indicated that there was lots of room in her father's home for Eliezer to spend the night together with his entourage was not enough reason for him to follow her to her home.

The wording of Laban's invitiation, prefaced by his description of Eliezer as a man blessed by the Lord, indicates that Laban did not invite him wholeheartedly but merely to save him the disgrace of having to remain outdoors, i.e. למה תעמוד בחוץ? Even when the wicked perform an act of graciousness such an act reflects a degree of their basic reluctance to do good.

אני טרם אכלה לדבר אל לבי, "I had not yet finished speaking (praying)." Eliezer said this so no one should think that Rebeccah's actions had been prompted by what she had overheard Eliezer saying.

ואשאל אותה…ואשים הנזם על אפה. "I asked her….and put the ring on her nose." He changed the sequence of events in his report so that Laban and his father in their craftiness should not be able to claim these trinkets as belonging to Bethuel since Rebeccah had obtained them as reward for services rendered. If, however, Rebeccah had obtained the jewelry only after she had identified herself as the daughter of Bethuel, it was clear that they were meant to effect the betrothal between her and Isaac, her father not being able to claim them as belonging to him.