Tanach · Acharonim on Tanach · Or HaChaim · Torah
Or HaChaim on Genesis 24:60/אור החיים על בראשית כ״ד:ס׳
אאַתְּ הֲיִי לְאַלְפֵי רְבָבָה וְגוֹ׳. טַעַם אָמְרוֹ אַתְּ, פֵּרוּשׁ: אַחַר שֶׁנִּתְבַּשֵּׂר אַבְרָהָם שֶׁאַלְפֵי רְבָבָה יֵצְאוּ מִיִּצְחָק, יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁיֵּצְאוּ מִמֵּךְ. וְיוֹתֵר הָיָה טוֹב לָהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה הַדָּבָר וְלֹא יָקוּם, וְהָבֵן כִּי כָל חֵלֶק הָרַע יִשְׂנָא חֵלֶק הַטּוֹב, וְלוּ יִהְיֶה בְּנוֹ וּבִתּוֹ.
1 את היי לאלפי רבבה. "May you become thousands and myriads." The reason Laban stressed the word "you" was that he was aware that Isaac would continue the Abrahamitic tradition and found great nations. Although this fact itself was anathema to wicked people such as Laban, they preferred that Rebeccah would be the founding mother than any other wife Isaac might marry. We must accept the psychological fact that the wicked hate the righteous even if the latter are their own flesh and blood.