וְהָיָ֣ה הַֽנַּעֲרָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֹמַ֤ר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ הַטִּי־נָ֤א כַדֵּךְ֙ וְאֶשְׁתֶּ֔ה וְאָמְרָ֣ה שְׁתֵ֔ה וְגַם־גְּמַלֶּ֖יךָ אַשְׁקֶ֑ה אֹתָ֤הּ הֹכַ֙חְתָּ֙ לְעַבְדְּךָ֣ לְיִצְחָ֔ק וּבָ֣הּ אֵדַ֔ע כִּי־עָשִׂ֥יתָ חֶ֖סֶד עִם־אֲדֹנִֽי׃ וַֽיְהִי־ה֗וּא טֶ֘רֶם֮ כִּלָּ֣ה לְדַבֵּר֒ וְהִנֵּ֧ה רִבְקָ֣ה יֹצֵ֗את אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֻלְּדָה֙ לִבְתוּאֵ֣ל בֶּן־מִלְכָּ֔ה אֵ֥שֶׁת נָח֖וֹר אֲחִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְכַדָּ֖הּ עַל־שִׁכְמָֽהּ׃
May it be
that the maiden to whom I say: Pray lower your pitcher that I may drink,
and she says: Drink, and I will also give your camels to drink—
let her be the one whom you have decided on for your servant, for Yitzhak,
by means of her may I know that you have dealt in loyalty with my lord. And it was: not yet had he finished speaking,
when here, Rivka came out,
who had been born to Betuel, son of Milca, wife of Nahor, brother of Avraham,
her pitcher on her shoulder.
Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (Rashi) lived in Troyes, France (1040-1105). Rashi’s commentary is an essential explanation of the Tanakh and resides in a place of honor on the page of almost all editions of the Tanakh. Over 300 supercommentaries have been written to further explain Rashi’s comments on the Torah. While quoting many midrashim and Talmudic passages, Rashi, in his commentary, states that his purpose is to present the pshat (contextual meaning) of the text.
Rabbi Moses ben Nahman (1194–1270), commonly known as the Ramban, wrote his famous commentary in Spain, c.1246 - c.1286 CE. He usually begins his comments with Rashi’s explanation and then expounds further with insights from Kabbalah and Oral Tradition. His comments include respectful criticism of Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Rambam.
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ בַּת־מִ֣י אַ֔תְּ הַגִּ֥ידִי נָ֖א לִ֑י הֲיֵ֧שׁ בֵּית־אָבִ֛יךְ מָק֥וֹם לָ֖נוּ לָלִֽין׃ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו בַּת־בְּתוּאֵ֖ל אָנֹ֑כִי בֶּן־מִלְכָּ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָלְדָ֖ה לְנָחֽוֹר׃
and said:
Whose daughter are you? Pray tell me!
And is there perhaps in your father’s house a place for us to spend the night? She said to him:
I am the daughter of Betuel, son of Milca, whom she bore to Nahor.
Or HaChaim is a classical commentary on the Torah written by Rabbi Hayyim ben Moshe ibn Attar c.1718 - c.1742 CE. Rabbi Hayyim was a Moroccan Kabbalist and Talmudist, which is reflected in his commentary.
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ נִקְרָ֣א לַֽנַּעֲרָ֑ וְנִשְׁאֲלָ֖ה אֶת־פִּֽיהָ׃ וַיִּקְרְא֤וּ לְרִבְקָה֙ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יהָ הֲתֵלְכִ֖י עִם־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וַתֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלֵֽךְ׃ וַֽיְשַׁלְּח֛וּ אֶת־רִבְקָ֥ה אֲחֹתָ֖ם וְאֶת־מֵנִקְתָּ֑הּ וְאֶת־עֶ֥בֶד אַבְרָהָ֖ם וְאֶת־אֲנָשָֽׁיו׃
They said:
Let us call the girl and ask [for an answer from] her own mouth. They called Rivka and said to her:
Will you go with this man?
She said:
I will go. So they sent off Rivka their sister with her nurse, and Avraham’s servant with his men,
Rabbi David Kimchi (1160–1236), known as Radak, lived in France. One of the the most famous Bible commentators of his time, Radak was a grammarian, which is reflected in his commentary.
The Zohar (Splendor or Radiance) was composed in Spain during the Middle Ages and is the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material on mysticism, the nature of God, the origin and structure of the universe, the nature of souls, redemption, the relationship of Ego to Darkness and "true self" to "The Light of God", and the relationship between the "universal energy" and man.
תָּא שְׁמַע כֵּיוָן שֶׁהַגּוּף נִבְנָה וְעוֹמֵד בְּקִיּוּמוֹ, מַאי כְּתִיב וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ אֶת רִבְקָה אֲחוֹתָם וְגו'. מַאי (הוי) וְאֶת מֵנִיקְתָּהּ, זֶה כֹּחַ הַתְּנוּעָה. רִבִּי יִצְּחָק אָמַר זְה כֹּחַ הַגּוּף.
Come and listen, Since the body was constructed and established, why is it then written, "And they sent away Rivkah, their sister, and her nurse..." (Gen. 24:59). What does the phrase "and her nurse" imply? It is the power of movement. Rabbi Yitzchak further clarifies this by explaining that this is the power of the body.
וַיֵּצֵ֥א יִצְחָ֛ק לָשׂ֥וּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶ֖ה לִפְנ֣וֹת עָ֑רֶב וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּ֥ה גְמַלִּ֖ים בָּאִֽים׃ וַתִּשָּׂ֤א רִבְקָה֙ אֶת־עֵינֶ֔יהָ וַתֵּ֖רֶא אֶת־יִצְחָ֑ק וַתִּפֹּ֖ל מֵעַ֥ל הַגָּמָֽל׃ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־הָעֶ֗בֶד מִֽי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הַלָּזֶה֙ הַהֹלֵ֤ךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה֙ לִקְרָאתֵ֔נוּ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הָעֶ֖בֶד ה֣וּא אֲדֹנִ֑י וַתִּקַּ֥ח הַצָּעִ֖יף וַתִּתְכָּֽס׃
And Yitzhak went out to stroll in the field around the turning of sunset.
He lifted up his eyes and saw: here, camels coming! And Rivka lifted up her eyes and saw Yitzhak; she got down from the camel and said to the servant:
Who is the man over there that is walking in the field to meet us?
The servant said:
That is my lord.
So she took a veil and covered herself.
Ibn Ezra’s commentary on the Tanakh was written c.1155 - c.1165 CE in France/Italy/England. His commentary is terse and aims to discover the pshat, the contextual meaning, of the text. Many view Ibn Ezra as the forefather of Biblical criticism.
וַיְהִ֤י יִצְחָק֙ בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּקַחְתּ֣וֹ אֶת־רִבְקָ֗ה בַּת־בְּתוּאֵל֙ הָֽאֲרַמִּ֔י מִפַּדַּ֖ן אֲרָ֑ם אֲח֛וֹת לָבָ֥ן הָאֲרַמִּ֖י ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ וַיֶּעְתַּ֨ר יִצְחָ֤ק לַֽיהֹוָה֙ לְנֹ֣כַח אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ כִּ֥י עֲקָרָ֖ה הִ֑וא וַיֵּעָ֤תֶר לוֹ֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וַתַּ֖הַר רִבְקָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃ וַיִּתְרֹֽצְצ֤וּ הַבָּנִים֙ בְּקִרְבָּ֔הּ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אִם־כֵּ֔ן לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה אָנֹ֑כִי וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ לִדְרֹ֥שׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה לָ֗הּ שְׁנֵ֤י (גיים) [גוֹיִם֙] בְּבִטְנֵ֔ךְ וּשְׁנֵ֣י לְאֻמִּ֔ים מִמֵּעַ֖יִךְ יִפָּרֵ֑דוּ וּלְאֹם֙ מִלְאֹ֣ם יֶֽאֱמָ֔ץ וְרַ֖ב יַעֲבֹ֥ד צָעִֽיר׃
Yitzhak was forty years old when he took Rivka daughter of Betuel the Aramean, from country of Aram, sister of Lavan the Aramean, for himself as a wife. Yitzhak entreated YHWH on behalf of his wife, for she was barren, and YHWH granted-his-entreaty: Rivka his wife became pregnant. But the children [almost] crushed one another inside her, so she said: If so, why do I exist? And she went to inquire of YHWH. YHWH said to her: Two nations are in your belly, two tribes from your body shall be divided; tribe shall be mightier than tribe, elder shall be servant to younger!
וְרִבְקָ֣ה שֹׁמַ֔עַת בְּדַבֵּ֣ר יִצְחָ֔ק אֶל־עֵשָׂ֖ו בְּנ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ עֵשָׂו֙ הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לָצ֥וּד צַ֖יִד לְהָבִֽיא׃ וְרִבְקָה֙ אָֽמְרָ֔ה אֶל־יַעֲקֹ֥ב בְּנָ֖הּ לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּ֤ה שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֶת־אָבִ֔יךָ מְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶל־עֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִ֖יךָ לֵאמֹֽר׃ הָבִ֨יאָה לִּ֥י צַ֛יִד וַעֲשֵׂה־לִ֥י מַטְעַמִּ֖ים וְאֹכֵ֑לָה וַאֲבָרֶכְכָ֛ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י מוֹתִֽי׃ וְעַתָּ֥ה בְנִ֖י שְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹלִ֑י לַאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י מְצַוָּ֥ה אֹתָֽךְ׃ לֶךְ־נָא֙ אֶל־הַצֹּ֔אן וְקַֽח־לִ֣י מִשָּׁ֗ם שְׁנֵ֛י גְּדָיֵ֥י עִזִּ֖ים טֹבִ֑ים וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂ֨ה אֹתָ֧ם מַטְעַמִּ֛ים לְאָבִ֖יךָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָהֵֽב׃ וְהֵבֵאתָ֥ לְאָבִ֖יךָ וְאָכָ֑ל בַּעֲבֻ֛ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְבָרֶכְךָ֖ לִפְנֵ֥י מוֹתֽוֹ׃
Now Rivka was listening as Yitzhak spoke to Esav his son,
and Esav went off into the fields to hunt down hunted-game to bring [to him], so Rivka said to Yaakov her son, saying:
Here, I was listening as your father spoke to Esav your brother, saying: Bring me some hunted-game and make me a tasty-dish, I will eat it
and give you blessing before YHWH, before my death. So now, my son, listen to my voice, to what I command you: pray go to the flock and take me two fine goats’ kids from there,
I will make them into a tasty-dish for your father, such as he loves; you bring it to your father, and he will eat,
so that he may give you blessing before his death.
Haamek Davar is a commentary on the Torah written by Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, also known as the Netziv, c.1840 - c.1880 CE. The commentary is mostly based on the Netziv’s Parashat Hashavua shiur in the Volozhin Yeshiva in Lithuania.
Let your curse be on me, my son!
Only: listen to my voice and go, take them for me.
Rabbi Ovadiah ben Jacob Sforno, a 16th-century Italian rabbi and physician, wrote his Torah commentary c.1500 - c.1550 CE. The author often cites rabbinic statements to address philosophical as well as textual issues, and offers many novel interpretations rooted in these traditions.
עלי קללתך. עלי להכנס תחתיך אם תארע לך קללה:
עלי קללתך, I will take your curse in your place should you become the subject of a curse.
Chizkuni is the commentary on the Torah of Rabbi Hezekiah ben Manoah, composed in mid-13th century in France. It is actually a compilation of insights culled from the Midrashim, as well as the writings of twenty other Rishonim, including Rashi, Rashbam and Ibn Ezra. However, Chizkuni does not name any of his sources (other than Rashi), in order to encourage objective study, as he felt that one should focus on the message rather than the messenger.
עלי קללתך בני אין לי ולך לירא מן הקללה שהרי בטוחה אני כמה שאמר הקב״ה ורב יעבד צעיר. ד״א אפי׳ ימושך לא יקללך כי מעצמו יבין שלא עשית זאת מדעתך כי אם מדעתי שאני רגילה לעמוד לפניו והשאתי ערמה זאת אותך, ואם בא לקלל יקללני.
עלי קללתך בני, “neither you nor I need worry as I am certain that what G-d has told me before the two of you have been born will come true. So I can safely say that I will absorb any curse you might be cursed with.”A different exegesis: Rivkah meant that even if Yitzchok would subject Yaakov to a “touchtest” in order to assure himself that he was Esau, he would never curse him, as he would realise that you would never have tried to deceive him if I had not put you up to this charade. If he would curse anyone, he would curse me.”
וַיֻּגַּ֣ד לְרִבְקָ֔ה אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י עֵשָׂ֖ו בְּנָ֣הּ הַגָּדֹ֑ל וַתִּשְׁלַ֞ח וַתִּקְרָ֤א לְיַעֲקֹב֙ בְּנָ֣הּ הַקָּטָ֔ן וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו הִנֵּה֙ עֵשָׂ֣ו אָחִ֔יךָ מִתְנַחֵ֥ם לְךָ֖ לְהׇרְגֶֽךָ׃ וְעַתָּ֥ה בְנִ֖י שְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹלִ֑י וְק֧וּם בְּרַח־לְךָ֛ אֶל־לָבָ֥ן אָחִ֖י חָרָֽנָה׃ וְיָשַׁבְתָּ֥ עִמּ֖וֹ יָמִ֣ים אֲחָדִ֑ים עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־תָּשׁ֖וּב חֲמַ֥ת אָחִֽיךָ׃
Rivka was told of the words of Esav, her elder son.
So she sent and called for Yaakov, her younger son,
and said to him:
Here, Esav your brother is consoling himself about you, with [the thought of] killing you. So now, my son, listen to my voice:
arise and flee to Lavan my brother in Harran, and stay with him for some days, until your brother’s fury has turned away,
I loathe my life because of those Hittite women;
if Yaakov should take a wife from the Hittite women—like these, from the women of the land,
why should I have life?
Rabbi Moshe Alshich was a prominent 16th-century rabbi, in Safed, Ottoman Palestine. The Alshich was a popular preacher who gave lengthy lectures on the weekly Torah reading. These lectures were later published as a commentary, under the name Torat Moshe, c.1540 - c.1590 CE. His style in Torat Moshe is to raise a number of questions and difficulties on a verse and then answer them all together by offering a new insight into the subject matter of the verse. His foremost aim in his commentary is to find fundamental moral and ethical lessons in the verses, or point out good qualities of character, such as faith, patience, humility, and so on.
ותאמר כו'. הנה רבקה היתה נכוית בשתי אשות אם אומר ליצחק שעשו בקש להרוג את יעקב ידאג ודי לו צער היותו סומא חשוב כמת ואוי לי אם לא או' כי ישאל על יעקב ואיך או' כי בורח ממות הוא. עוד אמרה בלבה הלא יתבטל יעקב מכבוד אב ואיך יצליח דרכו. וגם שעושה מצות אמו הלא הוא בלי רשות אביו שלא כרצונו. לכן התחכמה ותעש עצמה כמצטערה על נישואי יעקב פן יקח מבנות הארץ... ובכל זה אין יצחק יודע מדנים שבין אחים.
I am disgusted. Rebekah had been hobbled by two wives. "If I tell Isaac that Esau sought to kill Jacob, he will worry, and he is not young and the grief is enough to kill him. And woe betide me if he doesn't, because he will ask about Jacob, and how, because he is running away from death." She also said in her heart, "Will Jacob be deprived of the honor of a father and how will he succeed without it? Also because he does his mother's command without his father's permission, and against his will." That's why she got smart and made herself sorry for Jacob's marriage, lest he take one of the daughters of the land... And still Yitzchak doesn't know about the disputes between the brothers.
Rashbam, Rabbi Shmuel ben Meir, was a grandson of Rashi who lived in France, c.1080 - c.1160. As part of the Tosafist school, Rashbam’s commentary stays very loyal to the pshat (contextual meaning) of the text.
She was buried below Bet-El, beneath the oak,
so they called its name: Allon Bakhut/Oak of Weeping.
Daat Zekenim is a Torah commentary compiled by later generations of scholars from the writings of the Franco-German school in the 12th-13th century (Ba’alei Tosafot).
Judges (“Shoftim”) is the second book of the Prophets, describing the period after Joshua’s leadership and before the advent of monarchy, when Israel lacked long-term centralized leadership. The book details cycles of sin, foreign oppression, repentance, and redemption through leaders appointed by God, like Deborah, Gideon, and Samson. It was composed in Canaan c.1300 - c.500 BCE.