וַֽיְשַׁלְּח֛וּ אֶת־רִבְקָ֥ה אֲחֹתָ֖ם וְאֶת־מֵנִקְתָּ֑הּ וְאֶת־עֶ֥בֶד אַבְרָהָ֖ם וְאֶת־אֲנָשָֽׁיו׃
Entonces dejaron ir á Rebeca su hermana, y á su nodriza, y al criado de Abraham y á sus hombres.
Bereshit Rabbah
“They sent Rebecca their sister, and her nursemaid, and Abraham’s servant, and his men” (Genesis 24:59).
“They blessed Rebecca, and said to her: Our sister, may you become thousands and myriads, and let your descendants inherit the gate of their enemies” (Genesis 24:60).
“They sent Rebecca…they blessed Rebecca” – they were downcast and despondent [that she was going], and they blessing her only with their mouths.45Not with their hearts.
“Our sister, may you become thousands and myriads” – Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: Why was Rebecca granted [conception] only after Isaac prayed for her?46See Genesis 25:21. It was so that the idolaters [Laban and his mother] should not say: ‘Our prayer bore fruit.’ Instead, “Isaac entreated the Lord on behalf of his wife” (Genesis 25:21).
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “The blessing of the lost would come to me” (Job 29:13). “The blessing of the lost [oved]” – this refers to Laban the Aramean, as it is stated: “An Aramaean sought to destroy [oved] my father” (Deuteronomy 26:5). “Would come upon me” – this refers to Rebecca.
“Our sister, may you become thousands [alfei] and myriads [revava]” – chieftains [alufim] emerged from her through Esau, and myriads through Jacob. Chieftains from Esau – “the chieftain of Teiman, the chieftain of Kenaz” (Genesis 36:15); myriads [revava] from Jacob, as it is written: “I rendered you numerous [revava] like the plants of the field” (Ezekiel 16:7). Some say that both of these emerged through Israel, as it is written: “When it rested, he said: Repose Lord, among the myriad [rivevot] thousands of [alfei] Israel” (Numbers 10:36).
“They blessed Rebecca, and said to her: Our sister, may you become thousands and myriads, and let your descendants inherit the gate of their enemies” (Genesis 24:60).
“They sent Rebecca…they blessed Rebecca” – they were downcast and despondent [that she was going], and they blessing her only with their mouths.45Not with their hearts.
“Our sister, may you become thousands and myriads” – Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: Why was Rebecca granted [conception] only after Isaac prayed for her?46See Genesis 25:21. It was so that the idolaters [Laban and his mother] should not say: ‘Our prayer bore fruit.’ Instead, “Isaac entreated the Lord on behalf of his wife” (Genesis 25:21).
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “The blessing of the lost would come to me” (Job 29:13). “The blessing of the lost [oved]” – this refers to Laban the Aramean, as it is stated: “An Aramaean sought to destroy [oved] my father” (Deuteronomy 26:5). “Would come upon me” – this refers to Rebecca.
“Our sister, may you become thousands [alfei] and myriads [revava]” – chieftains [alufim] emerged from her through Esau, and myriads through Jacob. Chieftains from Esau – “the chieftain of Teiman, the chieftain of Kenaz” (Genesis 36:15); myriads [revava] from Jacob, as it is written: “I rendered you numerous [revava] like the plants of the field” (Ezekiel 16:7). Some say that both of these emerged through Israel, as it is written: “When it rested, he said: Repose Lord, among the myriad [rivevot] thousands of [alfei] Israel” (Numbers 10:36).