ל״א
מ״גוַיַּ֨עַן לָבָ֜ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֗ב הַבָּנ֨וֹת בְּנֹתַ֜י וְהַבָּנִ֤ים בָּנַי֙ וְהַצֹּ֣אן צֹאנִ֔י וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה רֹאֶ֖ה לִי־ה֑וּא וְלִבְנֹתַ֞י מָֽה־אֶעֱשֶׂ֤ה לָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ הַיּ֔וֹם א֥וֹ לִבְנֵיהֶ֖ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָלָֽדוּ׃
43Then Laban spoke up and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks; all that you see is mine. Yet what can I do now about my daughters or the children they have borne?
מה אעשה לאלה. אֵיךְ תַּעֲלֶה עַל לִבִּי לְהָרַע לָהֶן:
מה אעשה לאלה WHAT CAN I DO UNTO THEM — How could it enter my mind injure them, my daughters!
מ״דוְעַתָּ֗ה לְכָ֛ה נִכְרְתָ֥ה בְרִ֖ית אֲנִ֣י וָאָ֑תָּה וְהָיָ֥ה לְעֵ֖ד בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֶֽךָ׃
44Come, then, let us make a pact, you and I, that there may be a witness between you and me.”
והיה לעד. הַקָּבָּ"ה:
והיה לעד means and LET GOD BE FOR A WITNESS.
מ״הוַיִּקַּ֥ח יַעֲקֹ֖ב אָ֑בֶן וַיְרִימֶ֖הָ מַצֵּבָֽה׃
45Thereupon Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar.
מ״ווַיֹּ֨אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֤ב לְאֶחָיו֙ לִקְט֣וּ אֲבָנִ֔ים וַיִּקְח֥וּ אֲבָנִ֖ים וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־גָ֑ל וַיֹּ֥אכְלוּ שָׁ֖ם עַל־הַגָּֽל׃
46And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” So they took stones and made a mound; and they partook of a meal there by the mound.
לאחיו. הֵם בָּנָיו שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ אַחִים, נִגָּשִׁים אֵלָיו לְצָרָה וּלְמִלְחָמָה (בראשית רבה):
לאחיו UNTO HIS BRETHREN — really his sons, who were like brothers to him since they were standing by him in trouble and in battle (Genesis Rabbah 74:13).
מ״זוַיִּקְרָא־ל֣וֹ לָבָ֔ן יְגַ֖ר שָׂהֲדוּתָ֑א וְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב קָ֥רָא ל֖וֹ גַּלְעֵֽד׃
47Laban named it Yegar-sahadutha,nYegar-sahadutha Aramaic for “the mound (or: stone-heap) of witness.” but Jacob named it Gal-ed.oGal-ed Heb. for “the mound (or: stone-heap) of witness,” reflecting the name Gilead, v. 23.
יגר שהדותא. תַּרְגּוּמוֹ שֶׁל גַּלְעֵד:
יגר שהדותא This is the Aramaic of גלעד.
גלעד. גַּל עֵד:
גלעד — is really two words — גל עד heap of testimony.
מ״חוַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָבָ֔ן הַגַּ֨ל הַזֶּ֥ה עֵ֛ד בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינְךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָרָֽא־שְׁמ֖וֹ גַּלְעֵֽד׃
48And Laban declared, “This mound is a witness between you and me this day.” That is why it was named Gal-ed;
מ״טוְהַמִּצְפָּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔ר יִ֥צֶף יְהֹוָ֖ה בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ כִּ֥י נִסָּתֵ֖ר אִ֥ישׁ מֵרֵעֵֽהוּ׃
49and [it was called] Mizpah, because he said, “May GOD watchpwatch Heb. yiṣeph, associated with miṣpah (Mizpah). between you and me, when we are out of sight of each other.
והמצפה אשר אמר וגו'. וְהַמִּצְפָּה אֲשֶׁר בְּהַר הַגִּלְעָד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וַיַּעֲבֹר אֶת מִצְפֵּה גִלְעָד (שופטים י"א), וְלָמָּה נִקְרֵאת שְׁמָהּ מִצְפָּה? לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר אֶחָד מֵהֶם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, יִצֶף ה' בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ אִם תַּעֲבֹר אֶת הַבְּרִית:
והמצפה אשר אמר AND MIZPAH (literally, the Mizpah); BECAUSE HE SAID etc . — The word והמצפה and the Mizpah must refer to some well-known place bearing this name (for there are several places named Mizpah) it refers to the Mizpah which is in Mount Gilead — as it is written (Judges 11:29) “and he passed over Mizpah of Gilead”. Why was it also called Mizpah? Because each of them said to the other, “The Lord watch (יצף) between me and thee that thou shouldst not violate this covenant”.
כי נסתר. וְלֹא נִרְאֶה אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ:
כי נסתר WHEN WE ARE ABSENT, and shall not see (be able to watch) one another.
נ׳אִם־תְּעַנֶּ֣ה אֶת־בְּנֹתַ֗י וְאִם־תִּקַּ֤ח נָשִׁים֙ עַל־בְּנֹתַ֔י אֵ֥ין אִ֖ישׁ עִמָּ֑נוּ רְאֵ֕ה אֱלֹהִ֥ים עֵ֖ד בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֶֽךָ׃
50If you ill-treat my daughters or take other wives besides my daughters—though no one elseqno one else Among the witnesses to this agreement, who should intervene if it is violated; cf. Kimhi. be about, remember, it is God who will be witness between you and me.”
בנתי, בנתי. שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים, אַף בִּלְהָה וְזִלְפָּה בְּנוֹתָיו הָיוּ מִפִּילֶגֶשׁ:
בנתי....בנתי The word is written twice, referring once to Leah and Rachel and the second time to the handmaids, because Bilhah and Zilpah were also his daughters from a concubine (Genesis Rabbah 74:13).
אם תענה את בנתי. לִמְנֹע מֵהֶן עוֹנַת תַּשְׁמִישׁ (יומא ע"ז):
אם תענה את בנתי IF THOU SHALT AFFLICT MY DAUGHTERS by refusing them thy companionship (Yoma 77b).
נ״אוַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָבָ֖ן לְיַעֲקֹ֑ב הִנֵּ֣ה ׀ הַגַּ֣ל הַזֶּ֗ה וְהִנֵּה֙ הַמַּצֵּבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָרִ֖יתִי בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֶֽךָ׃
51And Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this mound and here the pillar that I have set up between you and me:
יריתי. כְּמוֹ יָרָה בַיָּם, כְּזֶה שֶׁהוּא יוֹרֶה הַחֵץ:
יריתי I HAVE SET UP (by casting stones down); the word has the same meaning as (Exodus 15:4) “He cast (ירה) into the sea”. Laban speaks like a person who casts (יורה) one arrow (Midrash Rabbah has “one spear”) and boasts of his prowess.
נ״בעֵ֚ד הַגַּ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה וְעֵדָ֖ה הַמַּצֵּבָ֑ה אִם־אָ֗נִי לֹֽא־אֶעֱבֹ֤ר אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־הַגַּ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה וְאִם־אַ֠תָּ֠ה לֹא־תַעֲבֹ֨ר אֵלַ֜י אֶת־הַגַּ֥ל הַזֶּ֛ה וְאֶת־הַמַּצֵּבָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לְרָעָֽה׃
52this mound shall be witness and this pillar shall be witness that I am not to cross to you past this mound, and that you are not to cross to me past this mound and this pillar, with hostile intent.
אם אני. הֲרֵי אִם מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר, כְּמוֹ עַד אִם דִּבַּרְתִּי דְּבָרָי:
אם אני THAT I WILL NOT — Here the word אם is used in the sense of אשר “that”, as (Genesis 24:33) “until that (אם) I have spoken my words”.
לרעה. לְרָעָה אִי אַתָּה עוֹבֵר, אַבָל אַתָּה עוֹבֵר לִפְרַקְמַטְיָה:
לרעה FOR EVIL — For evil you may not pass, but for trading purposes (as e. g., with a caravan) you may pass (Genesis Rabbah 74:16).
נ״גאֱלֹהֵ֨י אַבְרָהָ֜ם וֵֽאלֹהֵ֤י נָחוֹר֙ יִשְׁפְּט֣וּ בֵינֵ֔ינוּ אֱלֹהֵ֖י אֲבִיהֶ֑ם וַיִּשָּׁבַ֣ע יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּפַ֖חַד אָבִ֥יו יִצְחָֽק׃
53May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor”—their ancestral deities—“judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the FearrFear Meaning of Heb. paḥad uncertain. of his father Isaac.
אלהי אברהם. קֹדֶשׁ (בראשית רבה):
אלהי אברהם GOD OF ABRAHAM — Here the word אלהים is holy (i.e. it is the Divine Name). (Genesis Rabbah 74:17)
ואלהי נחור. חֹל:
אלהי נחור THE GOD OF NAHOR — Here the name is non-holy (i.e. it is a designation for an idol) (Genesis Rabbah 74:17).
אלהי אביהם. חֹל:
אלהי אביהם THE GOD OF THEIR FATHER — Here the name is non-holy (Genesis Rabbah 74:17).
נ״דוַיִּזְבַּ֨ח יַעֲקֹ֥ב זֶ֙בַח֙ בָּהָ֔ר וַיִּקְרָ֥א לְאֶחָ֖יו לֶאֱכׇל־לָ֑חֶם וַיֹּ֣אכְלוּ לֶ֔חֶם וַיָּלִ֖ינוּ בָּהָֽר׃
54Jacob then offered up a sacrifice on the Height, and invited his kinsmen to partake of the meal. After the meal, they spent the night on the Height.
ויזבח יעקב זבח. שָׁחַט בְּהֵמוֹת לְמִשְׁתֶּה:
ויזבח יעקב זבח AND JACOB OFFERED A SACRIFICE — he slaughtered cattle for the feast
לאחיו. לְאוֹהֲבָיו שֶׁעִם לָבָן:
לאחיו HIS BRETHREN — those of his friends who were with Laban (cf Targum Jonathan)
לאכל לחם. כָּל דְּבַר מַאֲכָל קָרוּי לֶחֶם, כְּמוֹ עֲבַד לְחֶם רַב (דניאל ה'), נַשְׁחִיתָה עֵץ בְּלַחְמוֹ (ירמיהו י"א):
לאכל לחם TO EAT BREAD — Any article of food is termed לחם bread, as (Daniel 5:1) “made a great feast (לחם רב)”, and (Jeremiah 11:19) “Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof (בלחמו)".
ל״ב
א׳וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם לָבָ֜ן בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיְנַשֵּׁ֧ק לְבָנָ֛יו וְלִבְנוֹתָ֖יו וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֶתְהֶ֑ם וַיֵּ֛לֶךְ וַיָּ֥שׇׁב לָבָ֖ן לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃
1aThis verse is labeled as 31.55 in some editions, and chapter 32 starts with the next verse. Early in the morning, Laban kissed his familybfamily See note at 31.28. and bade them good-by; then Laban left on his journey homeward.
ב׳וְיַעֲקֹ֖ב הָלַ֣ךְ לְדַרְכּ֑וֹ וַיִּפְגְּעוּ־ב֖וֹ מַלְאֲכֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃
2Jacob went on his way, and angelscangels Heb. “messengers.” of God encountered him.
ויפגעו בו מלאכי אלהים. מַלְאָכִים שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאוּ לִקְרָאתוֹ לְלַוּוֹתוֹ לָאָרֶץ:
ויפגעו בו מלאכי אלהים AND THE ANGELS OF GOD MET HIM — The angels who minister in the Land of Israel came to meet him in order to escort him into the Holy Land (see Genesis Rabbah 74:17).
ג׳וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר רָאָ֔ם מַחֲנֵ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים זֶ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֛א שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא מַֽחֲנָֽיִם׃ {פ}
3When he saw them, Jacob said, “This is God’s camp.” So he named that place Mahanaim.dMahanaim Connected with Heb. maḥaneh “camp.”
מחנים. שְׁתֵּי מַחֲנוֹת, שֶׁל חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ שֶׁבָּאוּ עִמּוֹ עַד כָּאן וְשֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבָּאוּ לִקְרָאתוֹ (ע' תנחומא פ' וישלח):
מחנים means two camps — the one consisting of the angels ministering outside the Holy Land who had come with him thus far, the other, of those ministering in the Land of Israel who had come to meet him (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayishlach 3).