Kedumah 29 (4647) 165

וַתֵּלֶד שָׂרָה אֵשֶׁת אֲדֹנִי בֵן, לַאדֹנִי, אַחֲרֵי, זִקְנָתָהּ; וַיִּתֶּן-לוֹ, אֶת-כָּל-אֲשֶׁר-לוֹ. וַיַּשְׁבִּעֵנִי אֲדֹנִי, לֵאמֹר: לֹא-תִקַּח אִשָּׁה, לִבְנִי, מִבְּנוֹת הַכְּנַעֲנִי, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי יֹשֵׁב בְּאַרְצוֹ. אִם-לֹא אֶל-בֵּית-אָבִי תֵּלֵךְ, וְאֶל-מִשְׁפַּחְתִּי; וְלָקַחְתָּ אִשָּׁה, לִבְנִי. וָאֹמַר, אֶל-אֲדֹנִי: אֻלַי לֹא-תֵלֵךְ הָאִשָּׁה, אַחֲרָי. וַיֹּאמֶר, אֵלָי: יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר-הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי לְפָנָיו, יִשְׁלַח מַלְאָכוֹ אִתָּךְ וְהִצְלִיחַ דַּרְכֶּךָ, וְלָקַחְתָּ אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי, מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתִּי וּמִבֵּית אָבִי. אָז תִּנָּקֶה מֵאָלָתִי, כִּי תָבוֹא אֶל-מִשְׁפַּחְתִּי; וְאִם-לֹא יִתְּנוּ לָךְ, וְהָיִיתָ נָקִי מֵאָלָתִי. וָאָבֹא הַיּוֹם, אֶל-הָעָיִן; וָאֹמַר, יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם, אִם-יֶשְׁךָ-נָּא מַצְלִיחַ דַּרְכִּי, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי הֹלֵךְ עָלֶיהָ. הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נִצָּב, עַל-עֵין הַמָּיִם; וְהָיָה הָעַלְמָה, הַיֹּצֵאת לִשְׁאֹב, וְאָמַרְתִּי אֵלֶיהָ, הַשְׁקִינִי-נָא מְעַט-מַיִם מִכַּדֵּךְ. וְאָמְרָה אֵלַי גַּם-אַתָּה שְׁתֵה, וְגַם לִגְמַלֶּיךָ אֶשְׁאָב--הִוא הָאִשָּׁה, אֲשֶׁר-הֹכִיחַ יְהוָה לְבֶן-אֲדֹנִי. אֲנִי טֶרֶם אֲכַלֶּה לְדַבֵּר אֶל-לִבִּי, וְהִנֵּה רִבְקָה יֹצֵאת וְכַדָּהּ עַל-שִׁכְמָהּ, וַתֵּרֶד הָעַיְנָה, וַתִּשְׁאָב; וָאֹמַר אֵלֶיהָ, הַשְׁקִינִי נָא. וַתְּמַהֵר, וַתּוֹרֶד כַּדָּהּ מֵעָלֶיהָ, וַתֹּאמֶר שְׁתֵה, וְגַם-גְּמַלֶּיךָ אַשְׁקֶה; וָאֵשְׁתְּ, וְגַם הַגְּמַלִּים הִשְׁקָתָה. וָאֶשְׁאַל אֹתָהּ, וָאֹמַר בַּת-מִי אַתְּ, וַתֹּאמֶר בַּת-בְּתוּאֵל בֶּן-נָחוֹר, אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה-לּוֹ מִלְכָּה; וָאָשִׂם הַנֶּזֶם עַל-אַפָּהּ, וְהַצְּמִידִים עַל-יָדֶיהָ. וָאֶקֹּד וָאֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה, לַיהוָה; וָאֲבָרֵךְ, אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם, אֲשֶׁר הִנְחַנִי בְּדֶרֶךְ אֱמֶת, לָקַחַת אֶת-בַּת-אֲחִי אֲדֹנִי לִבְנוֹ

Sarah, my master's wife, bore my master a son after she had grown old, and he gave him all that he possesses. And my master had me take an oath saying, 'Do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell. Unless you go to my father's house and to my family and take a wife for my son.' And I said to my master, 'Perhaps the woman will not follow me?' He replied to me, 'Hashem, before Whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my family and my father's house. Then will you be absolved from my oath when you have come to my family; and if they will not give her to you, then, you shall be absolved from my oath.' "I came today to the spring and said, 'Hashem, God of my master Abraham, if You would graciously make successful the way on which I go. Behold, I am standing by the spring of water; let it be that the young woman who comes out to draw and to whom I shall say, "Please give me some water to drink from your jug," and who will answer, "You may also drink and I will draw water for your camels, too," she shall be the woman whom Hashem has designated for my master's son.' I had not yet finished meditating when suddenly Rebecca came out with a jug on her shoulder, and descended to the spring and drew water. Then I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.' She hurried and lowered her jug from upon herself and said, 'Drink, and I will even water your camels.' So I drank and she watered the camels also "Then I questioned her and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' And she said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.' And I placed the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her hands. Then I bowed and prostrated myself to Hashem and blessed Hashem, God of my master Abraham, Who led me on a true path to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.

Kedumah 28 (4482) 169

וְהָאִישׁ מִשְׁתָּאֵה, לָהּ; מַחֲרִישׁ--לָדַעַת הַהִצְלִיחַ יְהוָה דַּרְכּוֹ, אִם-לֹא. וַיְהִי, כַּאֲשֶׁר כִּלּוּ הַגְּמַלִּים לִשְׁתּוֹת, וַיִּקַּח הָאִישׁ נֶזֶם זָהָב, בֶּקַע מִשְׁקָלוֹ--וּשְׁנֵי צְמִידִים עַל-יָדֶיהָ, עֲשָׂרָה זָהָב מִשְׁקָלָם. וַיֹּאמֶר בַּת-מִי אַתְּ, הַגִּידִי נָא לִי; הֲיֵשׁ בֵּית-אָבִיךְ מָקוֹם לָנוּ, לָלִין. וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו, בַּת-בְּתוּאֵל אָנֹכִי--בֶּן-מִלְכָּה, אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לְנָחוֹר. וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו, גַּם-תֶּבֶן גַּם-מִסְפּוֹא רַב עִמָּנוּ--גַּם-מָקוֹם, לָלוּן. וַיִּקֹּד הָאִישׁ, וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ לַיהוָה. וַיֹּאמֶר, בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-עָזַב חַסְדּוֹ וַאֲמִתּוֹ, מֵעִם אֲדֹנִי; אָנֹכִי, בַּדֶּרֶךְ נָחַנִי יְהוָה, בֵּית, אֲחֵי אֲדֹנִי. וַתָּרָץ, הַנַּעֲרָ, וַתַּגֵּד, לְבֵית אִמָּהּ--כַּדְּבָרִים, הָאֵלֶּה. וּלְרִבְקָה אָח, וּשְׁמוֹ לָבָן; וַיָּרָץ לָבָן אֶל-הָאִישׁ הַחוּצָה, אֶל-הָעָיִן. וַיְהִי כִּרְאֹת אֶת-הַנֶּזֶם, וְאֶת-הַצְּמִדִים עַל-יְדֵי אֲחֹתוֹ, וּכְשָׁמְעוֹ אֶת-דִּבְרֵי רִבְקָה אֲחֹתוֹ לֵאמֹר, כֹּה-דִבֶּר אֵלַי הָאִישׁ; וַיָּבֹא, אֶל-הָאִישׁ, וְהִנֵּה עֹמֵד עַל-הַגְּמַלִּים, עַל-הָעָיִן. וַיֹּאמֶר, בּוֹא בְּרוּךְ יְהוָה; לָמָּה תַעֲמֹד, בַּחוּץ, וְאָנֹכִי פִּנִּיתִי הַבַּיִת, וּמָקוֹם לַגְּמַלִּים. וַיָּבֹא הָאִישׁ הַבַּיְתָה, וַיְפַתַּח הַגְּמַלִּים; וַיִּתֵּן תֶּבֶן וּמִסְפּוֹא, לַגְּמַלִּים, וּמַיִם לִרְחֹץ רַגְלָיו, וְרַגְלֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ. וַיּיֻשַׂם לְפָנָיו, לֶאֱכֹל, וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא אֹכַל, עַד אִם-דִּבַּרְתִּי דְּבָרָי; וַיֹּאמֶר, דַּבֵּר. וַיֹּאמַר: עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם, אָנֹכִי. וַיהוָה בֵּרַךְ אֶת-אֲדֹנִי, מְאֹד--וַיִּגְדָּל; וַיִּתֶּן-לוֹ צֹאן וּבָקָר, וְכֶסֶף וְזָהָב, וַעֲבָדִם וּשְׁפָחֹת, וּגְמַלִּים וַחֲמֹרִים

The man was astonished at her, reflecting silently to know whether Hashem had made his journey successful or not. And it was, when the camels had finished drinking, the man took a golden nose ring, its weight was a beka, and two bracelets on her arms, ten gold shekels was their weight. And he said, "Whose daughter are you? Pray tell me. Is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?" She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah whom she bore to Nahor." And she said to him, "Even straw and feed is plentiful with us as well as place to lodge." So the man bowed low and prostrated himself to Hashem. He said, "Blessed is Hashem, God of my master Abraham, Who has not withheld His kindness and truth from my master. As for me, Hashem has guided me on the way to the house of my master's brothers." The maiden ran and told her mother's household according to these events. Rebecca had a brother whose name was Laban - Laban ran to the man, outside to the spring. For upon seeing the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister's hands, and upon his hearing his sister Rebecca's words, saying, "Thus has the man spoken to me," he approached the man, who was still standing by the camels by the spring. He said, "Come, O blessed of Hashem! Why should you stand outside when I have cleared the house, and place for the camels?" So the man entered the house, and unmuzzled the camels. He gave straw and feed for the camels, and water to bathe his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. Food was set before him, but he said, "I will not eat until I have spoken my piece." And he said, "Speak." Then he said, "A servant of Abraham am I. Hashem has greatly blessed my master, and he prospered; He has given him flocks, cattle, silver and gold, servants and maidservants, camels and donkeys.

Kedumah 27 (4313) 160

וְאִם-לֹא תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה, לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֶיךָ--וְנִקִּיתָ, מִשְּׁבֻעָתִי זֹאת; רַק אֶת-בְּנִי, לֹא תָשֵׁב שָׁמָּה. וַיָּשֶׂם הָעֶבֶד אֶת-יָדוֹ, תַּחַת יֶרֶךְ אַבְרָהָם אֲדֹנָיו; וַיִּשָּׁבַע לוֹ, עַל-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה. וַיִּקַּח הָעֶבֶד עֲשָׂרָה גְמַלִּים מִגְּמַלֵּי אֲדֹנָיו, וַיֵּלֶךְ, וְכָל-טוּב אֲדֹנָיו, בְּיָדוֹ; וַיָּקָם, וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל-אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם--אֶל-עִיר נָחוֹר. וַיַּבְרֵךְ הַגְּמַלִּים מִחוּץ לָעִיר, אֶל-בְּאֵר הַמָּיִם, לְעֵת עֶרֶב, לְעֵת צֵאת הַשֹּׁאֲבֹת. וַיֹּאמַר--יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם, הַקְרֵה-נָא לְפָנַי הַיּוֹם; וַעֲשֵׂה-חֶסֶד, עִם אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם. הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נִצָּב, עַל-עֵין הַמָּיִם; וּבְנוֹת אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר, יֹצְאֹת לִשְׁאֹב מָיִם. וְהָיָה הַנַּעֲרָ, אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיהָ הַטִּי-נָא כַדֵּךְ וְאֶשְׁתֶּה, וְאָמְרָה שְׁתֵה, וְגַם-גְּמַלֶּיךָ אַשְׁקֶה--אֹתָהּ הֹכַחְתָּ, לְעַבְדְּךָ לְיִצְחָק, וּבָהּ אֵדַע, כִּי-עָשִׂיתָ חֶסֶד עִם-אֲדֹנִי. וַיְהִי-הוּא, טֶרֶם כִּלָּה לְדַבֵּר, וְהִנֵּה רִבְקָה יֹצֵאת אֲשֶׁר יֻלְּדָה לִבְתוּאֵל בֶּן-מִלְכָּה, אֵשֶׁת נָחוֹר אֲחִי אַבְרָהָם; וְכַדָּהּ, עַל-שִׁכְמָהּ. וְהַנַּעֲרָ, טֹבַת מַרְאֶה מְאֹד--בְּתוּלָה, וְאִישׁ לֹא יְדָעָהּ; וַתֵּרֶד הָעַיְנָה, וַתְּמַלֵּא כַדָּהּ וַתָּעַל. וַיָּרָץ הָעֶבֶד, לִקְרָאתָהּ; וַיֹּאמֶר, הַגְמִיאִינִי נָא מְעַט-מַיִם מִכַּדֵּךְ. וַתֹּאמֶר, שְׁתֵה אֲדֹנִי; וַתְּמַהֵר, וַתֹּרֶד כַּדָּהּ עַל-יָדָהּ--וַתַּשְׁקֵהוּ. וַתְּכַל, לְהַשְׁקֹתוֹ; וַתֹּאמֶר, גַּם לִגְמַלֶּיךָ אֶשְׁאָב, עַד אִם-כִּלּוּ, לִשְׁתֹּת. וַתְּמַהֵר, וַתְּעַר כַּדָּהּ אֶל-הַשֹּׁקֶת, וַתָּרָץ עוֹד אֶל-הַבְּאֵר, לִשְׁאֹב; וַתִּשְׁאַב, לְכָל-גְּמַלָּיו

But if the woman will not wish to follow you, you shall then be absolved of this oath of mine. However, do not return my son to there." So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him regarding this matter. Then the servant took ten camels of his master's camels and set out with all the bounty of his master in his hand and made his way to Aram Naharaim to the city of Nachor. He made the camels kneel down outside the city towards a well of water at evening time, the time when women come out to draw. And he said, "Hashem, God of my master Abraham, may You so arrange it for me this day that You do kindness with my master Abraham. See, I stand here by the spring of water and the daughters of the townsmen come out to draw. Let it be that the maiden to whom I shall say, 'Please tip over your jug so I may drink,' and who replies, 'Drink, and I will even water your camels,' her will You have designated for Your servant, for Isaac; and may I know through her that You have done kindness with my master." And it was when he had not yet finished speaking that suddenly Rebecca was coming out — she who had been born to Bethuel the son of Milcah the wife of Nahor, brother of Abraham — with her jug upon her shoulder. Now the maiden was very fair to look upon; a virgin whom no man had known. She descended to the spring, filled her jug and ascended. The servant ran towards her and said, "Let me sip, if you please, a little water from your jug." She said, "Drink, my lord," and quickly she lowered her jug to her hand and gave him drink. When she finished giving him drink, she said, "I will draw water even for your camels until they have finished drinking." So she hurried and emptied her jug into the trough and kept running to the well to draw water; and she drew for all his camels.

Kedumah 26 (4153) 139

וַיְהִי, אַחֲרֵי הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, וַיֻּגַּד לְאַבְרָהָם, לֵאמֹר: הִנֵּה יָלְדָה מִלְכָּה גַם-הִוא, בָּנִים--לְנָחוֹר אָחִיךָ. אֶת-עוּץ בְּכֹרוֹ, וְאֶת-בּוּז אָחִיו, וְאֶת-קְמוּאֵל, אֲבִי אֲרָם. וְאֶת-כֶּשֶׂד וְאֶת-חֲזוֹ, וְאֶת-פִּלְדָּשׁ וְאֶת-יִדְלָף, וְאֵת, בְּתוּאֵל. וּבְתוּאֵל, יָלַד אֶת-רִבְקָה; שְׁמֹנָה אֵלֶּה יָלְדָה מִלְכָּה, לְנָחוֹר אֲחִי אַבְרָהָם. וּפִילַגְשׁוֹ, וּשְׁמָהּ רְאוּמָה; וַתֵּלֶד גַּם-הִוא אֶת-טֶבַח וְאֶת-גַּחַם, וְאֶת-תַּחַשׁ וְאֶת-מַעֲכָה

וְאַבְרָהָם זָקֵן, בָּא בַּיָּמִים; וַיהוָה בֵּרַךְ אֶת-אַבְרָהָם, בַּכֹּל. וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם, אֶל-עַבְדּוֹ זְקַן בֵּיתוֹ, הַמֹּשֵׁל, בְּכָל-אֲשֶׁר-לוֹ: שִׂים-נָא יָדְךָ, תַּחַת יְרֵכִי. וְאַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ--בַּיהוָה אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם, וֵאלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ: אֲשֶׁר לֹא-תִקַּח אִשָּׁה, לִבְנִי, מִבְּנוֹת הַכְּנַעֲנִי, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי יוֹשֵׁב בְּקִרְבּוֹ. כִּי אֶל-אַרְצִי וְאֶל-מוֹלַדְתִּי, תֵּלֵךְ; וְלָקַחְתָּ אִשָּׁה, לִבְנִי לְיִצְחָק. וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו, הָעֶבֶד, אוּלַי לֹא-תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה, לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרַי אֶל-הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת; הֶהָשֵׁב אָשִׁיב אֶת-בִּנְךָ, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר-יָצָאתָ מִשָּׁם. וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו, אַבְרָהָם: הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ, פֶּן-תָּשִׁיב אֶת-בְּנִי שָׁמָּה. יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם, אֲשֶׁר לְקָחַנִי מִבֵּית אָבִי וּמֵאֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתִּי, וַאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר-לִי וַאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע-לִי לֵאמֹר, לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת-הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת--הוּא, יִשְׁלַח מַלְאָכוֹ לְפָנֶיךָ, וְלָקַחְתָּ אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי, מִשָּׁם

It came to pass after these things, that Abraham was told, saying - Behold, Milcah too has borne children to Nahor, your brother: Uz, his firstborn; Buz, his brother; Kemuel, the father of Aram; and Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel; And Bethuel begot Rebecca. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother. And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore children - Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Now Abraham was old, well on in years, and Hashem had blessed Abraham with everything. And Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household who controlled all that was his - "Place now your hand under my thigh. And I will have you swear by Hashem, God of heaven and God of earth, that you not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell. Rather, to my land and to my kindred shall you go and take a wife for my son for Isaac." The servant said to him - "Perhaps the woman shall not wish to follow me to this land; shall I take your son back to the land from which you departed?" Abraham answered him, 'Beware not to return my son to there. Hashem, God of heaven, Who took me from the house of my father and from the land of my birth; Who spoke concerning me, and Who swore to me saying, 'To your offspring will I give this land,' He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there.