Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 29:15/רמב"ן על בראשית כ״ט:ט״ו

אהֲכִי אָחִי אַתָּה וַעֲבַדְתַּנִי חִנָּם לֹא סִפֵּר הַכָּתוּב שֶׁהָיָה יַעֲקֹב עוֹבֵד אוֹתוֹ. וְיִתָּכֵן כִּי מֵעֵת שֶׁאָמַר "וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת צֹאן לָבָן אֲחִי אִמּוֹ" לֹא יָצָא הַצֹּאן מִיָּדוֹ, כִּי בִּרְאוֹתוֹ אֶת רָחֵל כִּי רוֹעָה הִיא חָמַל עָלֶיהָ שֶׁלֹּא תָּשׁוּב לִרְעוֹת צֹאן עוֹד, וְהָיָה הוּא רוֹעֶה אוֹתָן בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ אוֹתָהּ. וְאֶפְשָׁר עוֹד לוֹמַר כִּי לָבָן דִּבֵּר בְּעָרְמָה, אָמַר לוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה כִּי עַצְמוֹ וּבְשָׂרוֹ הוּא, וְיַחְמֹל עָלָיו כַּאֲשֶׁר יַחְמֹל הָאָדָם עַל עַצְמוֹ וְעַל בְּשָׂרוֹ, וְכַאֲשֶׁר רָאָה שֶׁהָיָה יַעֲקֹב מִתְעַכֵּב שָׁם מִתְפַּרְנֵס מֵאֲשֶׁר לְלָבָן, אָמַר לוֹ, הֲכִי אָחִי אַתָּה וְתַעַבְדֵנִי חִנָּם, כִּי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי מֵעַתָּה תַּעֲבֹד אוֹתִי, כִּי אִישׁ מוּסָר אַתָּה וְלֹא תִּתְפַּרְנֵס מִשֶּׁל אֲחֵרִים, וְגַם אֲנִי אֵינִי רוֹצֶה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁתַּעַבְדֵנִי בְּחִנָּם בְּלֹא מַשְׂכֹּרֶת שְׁלֵמָה, וְהַגִּידָה לִי מָה תְּבַקֵּשׁ אַתָּה בְּמַשְׂכֻּרְתֶּךָ וְאֶתֵּן. אָז הִכִּיר יַעֲקֹב דַּעְתּוֹ, וְאָמַר לוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲבֹד אוֹתוֹ ז' שָׁנִים בְּרָחֵל. וְהָעֲבוֹדָה מִן הַסְּתָם הִיא מִרְעֶה הַצֹּאן, כִּי לָהּ הָיוּ צְרִיכִים וּבָהּ הָיוּ מְדַבְּרִים:

1IS IT BECAUSE THOU ART MY BROTHER, THAT THOU SHOULDEST SERVE ME FOR NOUGHT? Scripture did not relate that Jacob served Laban. It is possible that from the time Scripture stated, And he watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother,⁷⁶ the flock never left his care, for when he saw that Rachel was a shepherdess, Jacob had compassion for her and desired that she no longer tend the sheep. So, out of his love for her, he tended them.It is also possible to say that Laban spoke with cunning. First he said to him that he is his bone and his flesh,⁷⁷ and that he will have compassion for him as a man has compassion for his own bone and flesh, but when he saw that Jacob tarried there, supporting himself from Laban’s belongings, he said to him, “Is it because thou art my brother, that thou shouldest serve me for nought? For I know that you will henceforth serve me for you are an ethical man, and you will not support yourself from the property of others. Nor do I desire that the labor you perform for me be free without full compensation. Therefore tell me what you want for your hire, and I will give it.” Jacob then discerned Laban’s mind, and he told him that he would serve him for seven years for Rachel. Undefined, “serving” here means tending the sheep, for this is what was needed and this was the subject of their conversation.