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Ganz, Rafi (UK - London)

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Nov 27, 2014, 10:47:08 AM11/27/14

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I noticed yesterday an interesting amount of resemblance between Yaakov’s meeting Rachel at the well and Rivka’s meeting with Eliezer.

1) Obviously the basic outline of meeting a wife at the well is present in both. The interesting bit is the emphasis on the switch between Rivka’s superhuman efforts to give Eliezer and his camels to drink and Yaakov’s superhuman efforts to rive Rachel to drink (removing the heavy stone from the well).

2) In both cases the וַיַּשְׁקְ root is repeated many times over (which is related to the וַיִּשַּׁק יַעֲקֹב לְרָחֵלֹ – when Yaakov “kisses” Rachel – note Yaakov’s active role and Rachel’s passivity contrast to the passivity of Eliezer and the active role of Rivka).

3) עוֹדֶנּוּ, מְדַבֵּר עִמָּם; וְרָחֵל בָּאָה seems to correspond וַיְהִי-הוּא, טֶרֶם כִּלָּה לְדַבֵּר, וְהִנֵּה רִבְקָה יֹצֵאת

4) וַיַּגֵּד יַעֲקֹב לְרָחֵל, כִּי אֲחִי אָבִיהָ הוּא this forthcoming statement from Yaakov describing his own family seems to correspond to Eliezer’s statement to Rivka (again the proactive person here is Yaakov and Rachel is passive in contract to Rivka) וַיֹּאמֶר בַּת-מִי אַתְּ, הַגִּידִי נָא לִי

5) וַתָּרָץ, וַתַּגֵּד לְאָבִיהָ of Rachel parallels וַתָּרָץ, הַנַּעֲרָ, וַתַּגֵּד, לְבֵית אִמָּהּ of Rivka

6) וַיְסַפֵּר לְלָבָן, אֵת כָּל-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה is an odd expression given that nothing of exceptional note happened with Yaakov and Rachel. However it seems aimed to correspond (or contrast) to Rivka’s כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה followed shortly by Eliezer’s detailed recollection of the miraculous events

7) In both cases Lavan “runs” out to meet them

8) This seems to build up to the contrast between Eliezer’s grandiose reception by Lavan and the contrasting lukewarm response to Yaakov.

9) With Eliezer, Rivka doesn’t even stay the few days requested by Lavan. In contrast, Yaakov is the one who has to stay with Lavan for 20 years.

10) With Eliezer the response is מֵיְהוָה יָצָא הַדָּבָר; לֹא נוּכַל דַּבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ, רַע אוֹ-טוֹב. No such response is given in respect of Yaakov. Quite the contrary, 20 years later Hashem needs to warn Lavan הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן-תְּדַבֵּר עִם-יַעֲקֹב--מִטּוֹב עַד-רָע. This is an odd expression for several reasons but seems to be intended to contrast with Lavan’s words to Eliezer.

This all seems related to something I read from R Elchanan Samet that the story at the well with Rachel seems to be a mysterious illusion to Yaakov and Rachel’s short life together - the difficultly in accessing the well represents the difficulty Yaakov will face in getting to Rachel (a well is often used as parable for a woman in Tanach due to the common association with life giving potential). The “crying” of Yaakov and the rolling of the stone back over the well represents the premature “closing” of the well of Rachel as she dies a premature death. The seven years which feel to Yaakov like a “few days” is represented by the apparent ease with which Yaakov manages to move the heavy stone. The well in the case of RIvka also has some similar illusions but I’ve run out of time (and words)…

Rafi Ganz
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Daniel Levy

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Nov 28, 2014, 9:23:02 AM11/28/14

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Very interesting, Rafi. Thanks for sharing. I am sure that this can be extended further to other encounters. I am immediately reminded of Moshe Rabbeinu’s encounter with his wife at the well. I have supplemented your insights below by adding the relevant possuk from Shemos (Parsha excert reproduced in full at the bottom.)

1) Obviously the basic outline of meeting a wife at the well is present in both. (As well as being the first stop after running from people who wanted to kill him: Yaakov from Eisov & Moshe re Paroh. Not Eliezer though.) The interesting bit is the emphasis on the switch between Rivka’s superhuman efforts to give Eliezer and his camels to drink and Yaakov’s superhuman efforts to rive Rachel to drink (removing the heavy stone from the well).

And Moshe’s efforts in overcoming the sherpherds who’d driven them away by apparently simply ‘standing up’. ‘Taking a stand’, perhaps? . יז וַיָּבֹאוּ הָרֹעִים, וַיְגָרְשׁוּם; וַיָּקָם מֹשֶׁה וַיּוֹשִׁעָן, וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת-צֹאנָם.

With Moshe: וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת-צֹאנָם and וְגַם-דָּלֹה דָלָה לָנוּ, וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת-הַצֹּאן

There the focus is on the character in the story: Eliezer/Yaakov, and how an individual approached them. Contrasted to Moshe where we pause the story of our Leader to pause, randomly, to introduce the priest of Midyan and his large family of daughters, to then return in the next possuk: טו וַיִּשְׁמַע פַּרְעֹה אֶת-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה, וַיְבַקֵּשׁ לַהֲרֹג אֶת-מֹשֶׁה; וַיִּבְרַח מֹשֶׁה מִפְּנֵי פַרְעֹה, וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ-מִדְיָן וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל-הַבְּאֵר. טז וּלְכֹהֵן מִדְיָן, שֶׁבַע בָּנוֹת; וַתָּבֹאנָה וַתִּדְלֶנָה, וַתְּמַלֶּאנָה אֶת-הָרְהָטִים, לְהַשְׁקוֹת, צֹאן אֲבִיהֶן. יז וַיָּבֹאוּ הָרֹעִים,

There seems to be no interaction with Moshe and the daughter. Fascinatingly, Moshe’s entire history (wife = Tzipporah) is defined by Yisro being surprised at this lack of interaction and instructing the girls to get him.

5) וַתָּרָץ, וַתַּגֵּד לְאָבִיהָ of Rachel parallels וַתָּרָץ, הַנַּעֲרָ, וַתַּגֵּד, לְבֵית אִמָּהּ of Rivka

A similar rush back home to say the story of the miraculous/unexpected man at the well: יח וַתָּבֹאנָה, אֶל-רְעוּאֵל אֲבִיהֶן; וַיֹּאמֶר, מַדּוּעַ מִהַרְתֶּן בֹּא הַיּוֹם. יט וַתֹּאמַרְןָ--אִישׁ מִצְרִי, הִצִּילָנוּ מִיַּד הָרֹעִים; וְגַם-דָּלֹה דָלָה לָנוּ, וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת-הַצֹּאן.

A similar recap of events. See pesukim above.

7) In both cases Lavan “runs” out to meet them

Rivka/Rachel are quite impressed by the men, and seem to rush back quite excited (we could suggest). Lavan in both cases greets – at best – for his own gain. Yisro’s daughters seem to hurry back (Nervous? Embarrassed?) and it is Yisro who steps in to question them with “nu!? Where is he, then? Let’s give him some food! (Don’t tell me Yisro never became Jewish)” כ וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל-בְּנֹתָיו, וְאַיּוֹ; לָמָּה זֶּה עֲזַבְתֶּן אֶת-הָאִישׁ, קִרְאֶן לוֹ וְיֹאכַל לָחֶם.

8) This seems to build up to the contrast between Eliezer’s grandiose reception by Lavan and the contrasting lukewarm response to Yaakov.

See above.

9) With Eliezer, Rivka doesn’t even stay the few days requested by Lavan. In contrast, Yaakov is the one who has to stay with Lavan for 20 years.

With Moshe, after being just offered some food in the previous possuk, we skip (or not?) to this: כא וַיּוֹאֶל מֹשֶׁה, לָשֶׁבֶת אֶת-הָאִישׁ; וַיִּתֵּן אֶת-צִפֹּרָה בִתּוֹ, לְמֹשֶׁה.

With Moshe, there doesn’t seem to be any of this, though notice that the next Possuk sees Moshe ‘moving on’/settling down (birthing next generation in new situation) yet declaring that he does not belong in this place, implying that he yearns to get back to… (where?) כב וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן, וַיִּקְרָא אֶת-שְׁמוֹ גֵּרְשֹׁם: כִּי אָמַר--גֵּר הָיִיתִי, בְּאֶרֶץ נָכְרִיָּה.

A little (undeveloped) food for thought. Good Shabbos/Shabbat shalom to all

In full:

טו וַיִּשְׁמַע פַּרְעֹה אֶת-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה, וַיְבַקֵּשׁ לַהֲרֹג אֶת-מֹשֶׁה; וַיִּבְרַח מֹשֶׁה מִפְּנֵי פַרְעֹה, וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ-מִדְיָן וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל-הַבְּאֵר. טז וּלְכֹהֵן מִדְיָן, שֶׁבַע בָּנוֹת; וַתָּבֹאנָה וַתִּדְלֶנָה, וַתְּמַלֶּאנָה אֶת-הָרְהָטִים, לְהַשְׁקוֹת, צֹאן אֲבִיהֶן. יז וַיָּבֹאוּ הָרֹעִים, וַיְגָרְשׁוּם; וַיָּקָם מֹשֶׁה וַיּוֹשִׁעָן, וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת-צֹאנָם. יח וַתָּבֹאנָה, אֶל-רְעוּאֵל אֲבִיהֶן; וַיֹּאמֶר, מַדּוּעַ מִהַרְתֶּן בֹּא הַיּוֹם. יט וַתֹּאמַרְןָ--אִישׁ מִצְרִי, הִצִּילָנוּ מִיַּד הָרֹעִים; וְגַם-דָּלֹה דָלָה לָנוּ, וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת-הַצֹּאן. כ וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל-בְּנֹתָיו, וְאַיּוֹ; לָמָּה זֶּה עֲזַבְתֶּן אֶת-הָאִישׁ, קִרְאֶן לוֹ וְיֹאכַל לָחֶם. כא וַיּוֹאֶל מֹשֶׁה, לָשֶׁבֶת אֶת-הָאִישׁ; וַיִּתֵּן אֶת-צִפֹּרָה בִתּוֹ, לְמֹשֶׁה. כב וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן, וַיִּקְרָא אֶת-שְׁמוֹ גֵּרְשֹׁם: כִּי אָמַר--גֵּר הָיִיתִי, בְּאֶרֶץ נָכְרִיָּה. {פ}

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