Midrasch zu Bereschit 25:20
וַיְהִ֤י יִצְחָק֙ בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּקַחְתּ֣וֹ אֶת־רִבְקָ֗ה בַּת־בְּתוּאֵל֙ הָֽאֲרַמִּ֔י מִפַּדַּ֖ן אֲרָ֑ם אֲח֛וֹת לָבָ֥ן הָאֲרַמִּ֖י ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃
Isaak aber war vierzig Jahre alt, als er Rebekka, die Tochter des Aramäers Bethuêl, aus Paddan-Aram, die Schwester des Aramäers Laban, zur Frau nahm.
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
“Like a lily among the thorns, so is my love among the girls” (Song of Songs 2:2).
“Like a lily among the thorns,” Rabbi Yitzḥak interpreted the verse regarding Rebecca, as it is stated: “Isaac was forty years old, and he took Rebecca, daughter of Betuel the Aramaean of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Aramaean, [to be his wife]” (Genesis 25:20). If it is to teach that she was from Padan Aram, why does the verse state: “Sister of Laban the Aramean”?14Why does the verse emphasize that her father was an Aramean and her brother was an Aramean and that she was from Padan Aram? Rather, her father was a swindler [ramai], her brother was a swindler, and the people of her area were swindlers, and this righteous woman emerged from their midst. To what is she comparable? It is to a “lily among the thorns.”
Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Simon: It is written: “Isaac sent Jacob and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban son of Betuel the Aramean,” thereby including all of them in swindling.15By mentioning “Aramean” at the end of the verse, it implies that all those mentioned in the verse were swindlers. Yet Jacob did not learn from their corrupt ways (Etz Yosef).
“Like a lily among the thorns,” Rabbi Yitzḥak interpreted the verse regarding Rebecca, as it is stated: “Isaac was forty years old, and he took Rebecca, daughter of Betuel the Aramaean of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Aramaean, [to be his wife]” (Genesis 25:20). If it is to teach that she was from Padan Aram, why does the verse state: “Sister of Laban the Aramean”?14Why does the verse emphasize that her father was an Aramean and her brother was an Aramean and that she was from Padan Aram? Rather, her father was a swindler [ramai], her brother was a swindler, and the people of her area were swindlers, and this righteous woman emerged from their midst. To what is she comparable? It is to a “lily among the thorns.”
Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Simon: It is written: “Isaac sent Jacob and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban son of Betuel the Aramean,” thereby including all of them in swindling.15By mentioning “Aramean” at the end of the verse, it implies that all those mentioned in the verse were swindlers. Yet Jacob did not learn from their corrupt ways (Etz Yosef).
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