Seder Yomi

Chapter Previewהַקְדָּמָה

In this aliyah, we reach the beautiful and moving climax of Eliezer's mission to find a shidduch for Yitzchak. After Eliezer presents Rivkah and her family with precious gifts of silver, gold, and garments, he requests to leave immediately the next morning to return to his master, Avraham. Although Rivkah's mother and brother try to delay her departure, Rivkah herself declares her willingness to go right away, showing her incredible resolve and emunah.

All introductions, summaries, and contextual notes are the editor's commentary and are not part of the original text.אַלע הַקְדָּמוֹת, סִכּוּמִים, און הערות זענען דעם רעדאַקטאָר'ס באַמערקונגען און זענען נישט קיין טייל פונעם אָריגינעלן טעקסט.

פָּסוּק א

Pasuk 1

וַיּוֹצֵאAnd he brought outהָעֶבֶדthe servantכְּלֵיvessels ofכֶסֶףsilverוּכְלֵיand vessels ofזָהָבgoldוּבְגָדִיםand garmentsוַיִּתֵּןand he gaveלְרִבְקָהto Rivkahוּמִגְדָּנֹתand precious fruitsנָתַןhe gaveלְאָחִיהָto her brotherוּלְאִמָּהּ׃and to her mother

רַשִׁ״י

ומגדנות.And precious thingsלְשׁוֹןan expression ofמְגָדִים,precious fruitsשֶׁהֵבִיאfor he broughtעִמּוֹwith himמִינֵיkinds ofפֵּרוֹתfruitsשֶׁלofאֶרֶץthe Land ofיִשְׂרָאֵל:Yisrael

פָּסוּק ב

Pasuk 2

וַיֹּאכְלוּAnd they ateוַיִּשְׁתּוּand they drankהוּאheוְהָאֲנָשִׁיםand the menאֲשֶׁרwhoעִמּוֹwere with himוַיָּלִינוּand they spent-the-nightוַיָּקוּמוּand they aroseבַבֹּקֶרin the morningוַיֹּאמֶרand he saidשַׁלְּחֻנִיsend meלַאדֹנִי׃to my master

רַשִׁ״י

וילינו.And they lodgedכָּלeveryלִינָהlodgingשֶׁבַּמִּקְרָאthat is in Scriptureלִינַתis a lodging ofלַיְלָהnightאֶחָד:one

פָּסוּק ג

Pasuk 3

וַיֹּאמֶרAnd saidאָחִיהָher brotherוְאִמָּהּand her motherתֵּשֵׁבlet remainהַנַּעֲרָthe maidenאִתָּנוּwith usיָמִיםdaysאוֹorעָשׂוֹרtenאַחַרafterwardsתֵּלֵךְ׃she may go

רַשִׁ״י

ויאמרAnd saidאחיהher brotherואמה.and her motherוּבְתוּאֵלand Besuelהֵיכָןwhereהָיָה?was heהָיָהhe wasרוֹצֶהwantingלְעַכֵּבto delayוּבָאand cameמַלְאָךְan angelוֶהֱמִיתוֹ:and killed him

רַשִׁ״י

ימים.Daysשָׁנָה,a yearכְּמוֹjust asיָמִיםdaysתִּהְיֶהshall beגְאֻלָּתוֹhis redemptionויקראVayikraכ"ה25,שֶׁכָּךְfor soנוֹתְנִיןthey giveלִבְתוּלָהto a maidenזְמַןtimeי"בtwelveחֹדֶשmonthsלְפַרְנֵסto provide forעַצְמָהּherselfבְּתַכְשִׁיטִיםwith ornamentsכתובותKesubosנ"ז57:

רַשִׁ״י

אוorעשור.tenי'tenחֳדָשִׁים;monthsוְאִםand ifתֹּאמַרyou will sayיָמִיםdaysמַמָּשׁ,literallyאֵיןit is notדֶּרֶךthe way ofהַמְבַקְשִׁיםthose who requestלְבַקֵּשto requestדָּבָרa matterמֻעָט,smallוְאִםand ifלֹאnotתִּרְצֶהyou will wantתֵּןgiveלָנוּto usמְרֻבֶּהmoreמִזֶּה:than this

פָּסוּק ד

Pasuk 4

וַיֹּאמֶרAnd he saidאֲלֵהֶםto themאַלdo notתְּאַחֲרוּdelayאֹתִיmeוַיהוָהsince Hashemהִצְלִיחַhas made successfulדַּרְכִּיmy journeyשַׁלְּחוּנִיsend me awayוְאֵלְכָהthat I may goלַאדֹנִי׃to my master

פָּסוּק ה

Pasuk 5

וַיֹּאמְרוּAnd they saidנִקְרָאlet us callלַנַּעֲרָto the girlוְנִשְׁאֲלָהand let us askאֶת—פִּיהָ׃her mouth

רַשִׁ״י

ונשאלהAnd we will askאת—פיה.her mouthמִכָּאןfrom hereשֶׁאֵיןthat we do notמַשִּׂיאִיןmarry offאֶת—הָאִשָּׁהthe womanאֶלָּאexceptמִדַּעְתָּהּwith her consentבראשיתBereishisרבהRabbah:

פָּסוּק ו

Pasuk 6

וַיִּקְרְאוּAnd they calledלְרִבְקָהto Rivkahוַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidאֵלֶיהָto herהֲתֵלְכִיWill you goעִםwithהָאִישׁthe manהַזֶּהthisוַתֹּאמֶרand she saidאֵלֵךְ׃I will go

רַשִׁ״י

ותאמרAnd she saidאלך.I will goמֵעַצְמִי,of my own accordוְאַףand evenאִםifאֵינְכֶםyou are notרוֹצִים:willing

פָּסוּק ז

Pasuk 7

וַיְשַׁלְּחוּAnd they sentאֶת—רִבְקָהRivkahאֲחֹתָםtheir sisterוְאֶתand —מֵנִקְתָּהּher nurseוְאֶתand —עֶבֶדthe servant ofאַבְרָהָםAvrahamוְאֶתand —אֲנָשָׁיו׃his men

פָּסוּק ח

Pasuk 8

וַיְבָרֲכוּAnd they blessedאֶת—רִבְקָהRivkahוַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidלָהּto herאֲחֹתֵנוּour sisterאַתְּyouהֲיִיbecomeלְאַלְפֵיthousands ofרְבָבָהmyriadsוְיִירַשׁand may inheritזַרְעֵךְyour offspringאֵת—שַׁעַרthe gate ofשֹׂנְאָיו׃his enemies

רַשִׁ״י

את—הייmayest thou becomeלאלפיthousands ofרבבה.myriadsאַתְּyouוְזַרְעֵךְand your seedתְּקַבְּלוּshall receiveאוֹתָהּthatבְּרָכָהblessingשֶׁנֶּאֱמַרwhich was saidלְאַבְרָהָםto Avrahamבְּהַרon the mountain ofהַמּוֹרִיָּהMoriahוְהַרְבָּהand greatly multiplyingאַרְבֶּהI will multiplyאֶת—זַרְעֲךָyour seedוגו',etcיְהִיmay it beרָצוֹןthe willשֶׁיְּהֵאthat should beאוֹתוֹthatהַזֶּרַעseedמִמֵּךְfrom youוְלֹאand notמֵאִשָּׁהfrom a womanאַחֶרֶת:another

פָּסוּק ט

Pasuk 9

וַתָּקָםAnd aroseרִבְקָהRivkahוְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָand her maidensוַתִּרְכַּבְנָהand they rodeעַלuponהַגְּמַלִּיםthe camelsוַתֵּלַכְנָהand they wentאַחֲרֵיafterהָאִישׁthe manוַיִּקַּחand tookהָעֶבֶדthe servantאֶת—רִבְקָהRivkahוַיֵּלַךְ׃and he went

פָּסוּק י

Pasuk 10

וְיִצְחָקAnd Yitzchakבָּאhad comeמִבּוֹאfrom comingבְּאֵרBeerלַחַיLachaiרֹאִיRoiוְהוּאand heיוֹשֵׁבwas dwellingבְּאֶרֶץin the land ofהַנֶּגֶב׃the Negev

רַשִׁ״י

מבואfrom comingבארthe well ofלחיLachaiרואי.Roiשֶׁהָלַךְfor he wentלְהָבִיאto bringהָגָרHagarלְאַבְרָהָםto Avrahamאָבִיוhis fatherשֶׁיִּשָּׂאֶנָּהthat he should marry herבראשיתBereishisרבהRabbah:

רַשִׁ״י

יושבdwellingבארץin the land ofהנגב.the Southקָרוֹבcloseלְאוֹתוֹto thatבְּאֵר,wellשֶׁנֶּאֱמַרas it is saidוַיִּסַּעand he journeyedמִשָּׁםfrom thereאַבְרָהָםAvrahamאַרְצָהtowards the land ofהַנֶּגֶבthe Southוַיֵּשֶׁבand he dweltבֵּיןbetweenקָדֵשׁKadeshוּבֵיןand betweenשׁוּרShurבראשיתBereishisכ'20וְשָׁםand thereהָיָהwasהַבְּאֵר,the wellשֶׁנֶּאֱמַרas it is saidהִנֵּהbeholdבֵיןbetweenקָדֵשׁKadeshוּבֵיןand betweenבָּרֶדBeredשםthereט"ז16:

פָּסוּק יא

Pasuk 11

וַיֵּצֵאAnd he went outיִצְחָקYitzchakלָשׂוּחַto prayבַּשָּׂדֶהin the fieldלִפְנוֹתtowards the turning ofעָרֶבeveningוַיִּשָּׂאand he liftedעֵינָיוhis eyesוַיַּרְאand he sawוְהִנֵּהand beholdגְמַלִּיםcamelsבָּאִים׃were coming

רַשִׁ״י

לשוח.to meditateלְשׁוֹןan expression ofתְּפִלָּהprayerבראשיתBereishisרבהRabbah,כְּמוֹas inיִשְׁפֹּךְhe pours outשִׂיחוֹhis plaintתהיליםTehillimק"ב102:

פָּסוּק יב

Pasuk 12

וַתִּשָּׂאAnd she raisedרִבְקָהRivkahאֶת—עֵינֶיהָher eyesוַתֵּרֶאand she sawאֶת—יִצְחָקYitzchakוַתִּפֹּלand she alightedמֵעַלfrom uponהַגָּמָל׃the camel

רַשִׁ״י

ותראAnd she sawאת—יצחק.YitzchakרָאֲתָהShe sawאוֹתוֹhimהָדוּרmajesticוְתוֹהָאand wonderedמִפָּנָיוat his presenceבראשיתBereishisרבהRabbah:

רַשִׁ״י

ותפל.And she fellהִשְׁמִיטָהshe let slideעַצְמָהּherselfלָאָרֶץ,to the groundכְּתַרְגּוּמוֹas its translationוְאִתְרְכִינַת,and she inclinedהִטְּתָהshe bentעַצְמָהּherselfלָאָרֶץto the groundוְלֹאand notהִגִּיעָהdid she reachעַדuntilהַקַּרְקַע,the groundכְּמוֹlikeהַטִּיinclineנָאpleaseכַדֵּךְ,your pitcherאַרְכִינִי,inclineוַיֵּטand He bentשָׁמַיִםheavensתהיליםTehillimי"ח18,וְאַרְכִּין,and He bentלְשׁוֹןan expression ofמֻטֶּהbentלָאָרֶץ,to the groundוְדוֹמֶהand similarלוֹto itכִּיthoughיִפֹּלhe fallsלֹאnotיוּטָלwill he be castתהיליםTehillimל"ז37,כְּלוֹמַרmeaning to sayאִםifיִטֶּהhe bendsלָאָרֶץto the groundלֹאnotיַגִּיעַwill he reachעַדuntilהַקַּרְקַע:the ground

פָּסוּק יג

Pasuk 13

וַתֹּאמֶרAnd she saidאֶלtoהָעֶבֶדthe servantמִיWhoהָאִישׁis the manהַלָּזֶהthisהַהֹלֵךְwho is walkingבַּשָּׂדֶהin the fieldלִקְרָאתֵנוּtoward usוַיֹּאמֶרAnd saidהָעֶבֶדthe servantהוּאHeאֲדֹנִיis my masterוַתִּקַּחand she tookהַצָּעִיףthe veilוַתִּתְכָּס׃and she covered herself

רַשִׁ״י

ותתכס.and she covered herselfלְשׁוֹןan expression ofוַתִּתְפַּעֵל,and she was coveredכְּמוֹlikeוַתִּקָּבֵרand she was buriedוַתִּשָּׁבֵר:and it was broken

פָּסוּק יד

Pasuk 14

וַיְסַפֵּרAnd he toldהָעֶבֶדthe servantלְיִצְחָקto Yitzchakאֵת—כָּלall ofהַדְּבָרִיםthe thingsאֲשֶׁרthatעָשָׂה׃he had done

רַשִׁ״י

ויספרAnd he relatedהעבד.the servantגִּלָּהhe revealedלוֹto himנִסִּיםmiraclesשֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּthat were doneלוֹ,for himשֶׁקָּפְצָהthat leapedלוֹfor himהָאָרֶץthe earthוְשֶׁנִּזְדַּמְּנָהand that was designatedלוֹfor himרִבְקָהRivkahבִּתְּפִלָּתוֹthrough his prayerבראשיתBereishisרבהRabbah:

פָּסוּק טו

Pasuk 15

וַיְבִאֶהָAnd he brought herיִצְחָקYitzchakהָאֹהֱלָהinto the tent ofשָׂרָהSarahאִמּוֹhis motherוַיִּקַּחand he tookאֶת—רִבְקָהRivkahוַתְּהִיand she becameלוֹto himלְאִשָּׁהfor a wifeוַיֶּאֱהָבֶהָand he loved herוַיִּנָּחֵםand was comfortedיִצְחָקYitzchakאַחֲרֵיafterאִמּוֹ׃his mother

רַשִׁ״י

האהלהInto the tent ofשרהSarahאמו.his motherוַיְבִיאֶהָAnd he brought herהָאֹהֱלָהinto the tentוְנַעֲשֵׂיתand she becameדֻּגְמַתthe likeness ofשָׂרָהSarahאִמּוֹ,his motherכְּלוֹמַרmeaning to sayוַהֲרֵיand beholdהִיאshe wasשָׂרָהSarahאִמּוֹ,his motherשֶׁכָּלfor allזְמַןthe timeשֶׁשָּׂרָהthat Sarahקַיֶּמֶתwas aliveהָיָהthere wasנֵרa candleדָּלוּקburningמֵעֶרֶבfrom the eve ofשַׁבָּתShabbosלְעֶרֶבto the eve ofשַׁבָּתShabbosוּבְרָכָהand a blessingמְצוּיָהwas foundבָּעִסָּהin the doughוְעָנָןand a cloudקָשׁוּרwas attachedעַלoverהָאֹהֶל,the tentוּמִשֶּׁמֵּתָהand since she diedפָּסְקוּ,they ceasedוּכְשֶׁבָּאתand when cameרִבְקָהRivkahחָזְרוּthey returnedבראשיתBereishisרבהRabbah:

רַשִׁ״י

אחריAfterאמו.his motherדֶּרֶךְthe way ofאֶרֶץthe earthכָּלallזְמַןthe timeשֶׁאִמּוֹthat the motherשֶׁלofאָדָםa manקַיֶּמֶת,is livingכָּרוּךְboundהוּאhe isאֶצְלָהּ;with herוּמִשֶּׁמֵּתָה,and once she diesהוּאheמִתְנַחֵםfinds comfortבְּאִשְׁתּוֹ:in his wife

Chapter Summaryסִכּוּם

The aliyah continues with Rivkah and her maids embarking on the journey back to Canaan with Eliezer. As they arrive, Yitzchak is returning from Beer-lahai-roi, having gone out to the field to daven Mincha. Rivkah sees Yitzchak, alights from her camel, and modestly veils herself upon learning his identity. Eliezer reports the success of his mission, and Yitzchak brings Rivkah into the tent of his mother Sarah, where he marries her, loves her, and finally finds comfort after his mother's passing.

לְמַעֲשֶׂהWhat To Take Home

The Torah is teaching us a tremendous yesod in how a person builds a true bayis ne'eman b'Yisrael. When Eliezer asks Rivka, "Will you go with this man?" her response is short and absolute: "I will go." Rashi is mechadesh on the spot that she meant, "I will go on my own, even if you do not want me to." She did not hesitate, she did not look back at the wealth of her father's house, and she did not let the doubts of her family hold her back. She recognized where her true avodah lay, and she ran toward it with complete emunah.

This is the secret of building a life of Torah and kedushah. Sometimes, when we want to make a spiritual move, to upgrade our learning, or to bring more yiras Shamayim into our homes, the world around us tries to hold us back. People might say, "Wait a bit, why rush? Take ten days, take a year." But the true ratzon of a Yid must be like Rivka's: "I will go." When you see an opportunity to connect to Hashem, you do not wait for permission from the street or even from your own comfort zone. You move forward with absolute clarity.

And look at the reward for this swiftness. The moment she arrived, Yitzchak brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother, and the cloud of the Shechinah returned. Because she was willing to leave everything behind to go toward her destiny, she became the mother of Klal Yisrael. When we make that firm, unwavering decision to do what is right in the eyes of Hashem, we bring the Shechinah straight into our own homes.

Today, when you feel a push to do a mitzvah, to learn a shiur, or to make a spiritual change, do not hesitate or wait for a better time. Say "I will go" and take the first step immediately.