וְהַֽנַּעֲרָ֗ טֹבַ֤ת מַרְאֶה֙ מְאֹ֔ד בְּתוּלָ֕ה וְאִ֖ישׁ לֹ֣א יְדָעָ֑הּ וַתֵּ֣רֶד הָעַ֔יְנָה וַתְּמַלֵּ֥א כַדָּ֖הּ וַתָּֽעַל׃
Y la moza era de muy hermoso aspecto, virgen, á la que varón no había conocido; la cual descendió á la fuente, y llenó su cántaro, y se volvía.
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer
And everything is revealed before the Holy One, blessed be He. A daughter of kings, who in all her life had never gone forth to draw water, went out to draw water in that hour. And the girl, who did not know who the man was, accepted (the proposal) to be married to Isaac. Why? Because she had been destined for him from his mother's womb, as it is said, "In the balances they will go up, they are together lighter than vanity" (Ps. 62:10).
Bereshit Rabbah
“The girl was of very fair appearance, a virgin, and a man had not been intimate with her; she went down to the spring, she filled her jug, and came up” (Genesis 24:16).
“The girl was of very fair appearance, a virgin” – we learn in a mishna:14Ketubot 1:3. The marriage contract of a woman whose hymen was ruptured by wood is two hundred [zuz], these are the words of Rabbi Meir.15Her legal status is that of a virgin, whose marriage contract must be two hundred zuz at a minimum. The Rabbis say: The marriage contract of a woman whose hymen was ruptured by wood is one hundred.16Her legal status is that of a non-virgin, whose marriage contract is only one hundred zuz. Rabbi Ḥanina in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: The source for Rabbi Meir is: “[A virgin,] and a man had not been intimate with her” – implying that if a girl’s hymen had been ruptured by wood, she is [still considered] a virgin.17According to Rabbi Meir, the words “a man had not been intimate with her” is intended to be the definition of the previous statement, “a virgin.” The source for the Rabbis is: “A virgin” – implying that if her hymen had been ruptured by wood, she is not a virgin.18According to the Rabbis, “a virgin” and “a man had not been intimate with her” are intended to be two separate statements.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: No one other than Rebecca was the first woman to consort with someone who was circumcised at eight days.19Of all those who were circumcised by Abraham (see Genesis 17:26–27), only Isaac was circumcised at the prescribed age of eight days (see Genesis 21:4).
Reish Lakish said: Because the daughters of idolaters preserve themselves in the place of their virginity but are lax regarding their other orifices, [the Torah tells us that] this one was “a virgin” from the place of the hymen, “and a man had not been intimate with her” from other orifices.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From the fact that it states: “Virgin,” do we not know that “a man had not been intimate with her”?20The literal translation of the phrase is: “no man had known her.” The explanation is that she was not even propositioned by any man, in accordance with the verse: “Indeed, the rod of wickedness [will not rest upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous set their hands to wrongdoing]” (Psalms 125:3).
“She went down to the spring, she filled her jug, and came up” – all the women were going down and drawing water from the spring, but this one, when the water saw her it immediately rose up [towards her].21The verse does not say that Rebecca drew the water from the well, but rather that she merely “filled her jug,” implying that she did not have to lower it down into the well. The Holy One blessed be He said to her: ‘You are a precursor for your descendants; just as you, when the water saw you it immediately rose up, so, too, your descendants, when the well will see them, it will immediately rise up.’ That is what is written: “Then Israel sang this song: Rise up, well; give voice for it” (Numbers 21:17).
“The girl was of very fair appearance, a virgin” – we learn in a mishna:14Ketubot 1:3. The marriage contract of a woman whose hymen was ruptured by wood is two hundred [zuz], these are the words of Rabbi Meir.15Her legal status is that of a virgin, whose marriage contract must be two hundred zuz at a minimum. The Rabbis say: The marriage contract of a woman whose hymen was ruptured by wood is one hundred.16Her legal status is that of a non-virgin, whose marriage contract is only one hundred zuz. Rabbi Ḥanina in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: The source for Rabbi Meir is: “[A virgin,] and a man had not been intimate with her” – implying that if a girl’s hymen had been ruptured by wood, she is [still considered] a virgin.17According to Rabbi Meir, the words “a man had not been intimate with her” is intended to be the definition of the previous statement, “a virgin.” The source for the Rabbis is: “A virgin” – implying that if her hymen had been ruptured by wood, she is not a virgin.18According to the Rabbis, “a virgin” and “a man had not been intimate with her” are intended to be two separate statements.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: No one other than Rebecca was the first woman to consort with someone who was circumcised at eight days.19Of all those who were circumcised by Abraham (see Genesis 17:26–27), only Isaac was circumcised at the prescribed age of eight days (see Genesis 21:4).
Reish Lakish said: Because the daughters of idolaters preserve themselves in the place of their virginity but are lax regarding their other orifices, [the Torah tells us that] this one was “a virgin” from the place of the hymen, “and a man had not been intimate with her” from other orifices.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From the fact that it states: “Virgin,” do we not know that “a man had not been intimate with her”?20The literal translation of the phrase is: “no man had known her.” The explanation is that she was not even propositioned by any man, in accordance with the verse: “Indeed, the rod of wickedness [will not rest upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous set their hands to wrongdoing]” (Psalms 125:3).
“She went down to the spring, she filled her jug, and came up” – all the women were going down and drawing water from the spring, but this one, when the water saw her it immediately rose up [towards her].21The verse does not say that Rebecca drew the water from the well, but rather that she merely “filled her jug,” implying that she did not have to lower it down into the well. The Holy One blessed be He said to her: ‘You are a precursor for your descendants; just as you, when the water saw you it immediately rose up, so, too, your descendants, when the well will see them, it will immediately rise up.’ That is what is written: “Then Israel sang this song: Rise up, well; give voice for it” (Numbers 21:17).
Midrash Tehillim
A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. Rav said: "From the day the Temple was destroyed, a decree was issued against the homes of the righteous to be destroyed, as it is said, 'In the ears of the Lord of hosts, if not many houses shall become desolate'" (Isaiah 5:9). Rabbi Yochanan said: "The Holy One, blessed be He, will restore them to their settlements, as it is said, 'A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever'" (Psalm 125:1). Just as God will restore Mount Zion, so too He will restore the homes of the righteous. For the rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous. Reish Lakish expounded: "A man is not matched with a woman except in accordance with his deeds, as it is said, 'For the rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous'" (Psalm 125:3). Rabbi Yochanan said: "From what is said about Rebecca, 'Behold, she is a virgin' (Genesis 24:16), I do not know that no one knew her, but rather that even though a man did not marry her for her own sake, because the rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous," (Psalm 125:3). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: "He has no rest in the company of a group of righteous people, but in the company of a group of wicked people. Why does the rod of the wicked not rest on the lot of the righteous? This refers to Potiphar's wife, who was wicked, and to the fate of Joseph, who was righteous." "The Lord is good to the good. Good will come and receive good from good for the good. The good that will come is Moses, as it is said, "And she saw him, that he was good" (Exodus 2:2). The good from which this comes is the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "The Lord is good to all" (Psalm 145:9). And the good that will receive is the Torah, as it is said, "For I give you good doctrine" (Proverbs 4:2). These good ones are the Israelites, as it is said, "The Lord is good to the good and to the upright in heart" (Psalm 125:4). The Lord is good to the good, and anyone who engages in the study of the Torah can say, "and to the upright in heart." But those who cause trouble will be led away by the Lord. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "Anyone who speaks ill of the disciples of the wise will fall into Gehenna, as it is said, 'And the perverseness of their transgressions will lead them away' (Proverbs 5:22). Peace be upon Israel, even when the Lord leads away the workers of iniquity." Rabbi Yishmael taught, "If you see a disciple of the wise committing a transgression at night, do not think badly of him during the day, for perhaps he has repented. Shouldn't it be obvious that he has repented?" Speak about the person's physical body, but in matters of money, how long should you wait for the lender to return?"