Comentario citado sobre Génesis 30:40

That I will set. We need not ask: The same word, שת , is written in Parshas Vayeitzei: “ וישת his own flocks. . .” (Bereishis 30:40), and in Parshas Va’eira: “Pharaoh . . . did not שת even to this” (Shemos 7:23). Why did Rashi not comment there? The answer is: Here [the shin of] שתי is vocalized with a chirik and no yud, so I might think it does not mean שימי but is a different word, such as, “For they destroyed the שתות (foundation)” (Tehillim 11:3). Or, “ שות שתו (they did battle) at the gates” (Yeshayah 22:7). That is why Rashi needs to explain it here as שימי , although generally, the meaning is obvious. Even after explaining that שתי means שימי , Rashi explains further and says, “that I will set,” because שתי still has two possible meanings. This is similar to תִּתִּי , which has two possible meanings. One is written regarding Lavan, in Parshas Vayetzei (Bereishis 29:19): “Better תִּתִּי (I shall give) her to you.” The other [possible] meaning is written in Parshas Balak (Bamidbar 22:13): “For Hashem has refused לְתִתִּי (to give to me) permission to go with you.” Thus Rashi explains that here, שתי means “I will set” [and not “set for me”]. (Re”m) Alternatively: Rashi explains further and says, “that I will set,” because שתי could mean the past tense, “I already set.” Thus Rashi explains “I will set,” is in the future tense.

אם כבש הוא מקריב, “if he offers a male sheep, etc.” The term כשב always refers to a fully grown sheep, as we know from Genesis 30,40 והכשבים הפריד יעקב, “and Yaakov set aside the fully grown sheep, etc.” the term כבש by contrast, refers to immature sheep. The word עגל refers to a fully grown calf, whereas the term בן בקר refers to a bull not yet fully grown. The latter is so named, as it is still dependent on its mother. The term פר בן בקר refers to an animal that is more than 12 months old. The parallel term בן כבש does not occur anywhere as sheep do not become pregnant during the first year of their lives.

פרים בני בקר שנים ואיל אחד כבשים בני שנה שבעה תמימים, “two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs in their first year, unblemished.” Our sages in Bamidbar Rabbah 13,13 explain that the bulls symbolize the patriarch Avraham of whom the Torah wrote: “he ran to the cattle” (Genesis 18,7); the ram symbolizes Yitzchak, as it was offered in his place by Avraham (Genesis 22,13). The seven sheep symbolize Yaakov of whom it is written that “he separated the sheep” (Genesis 30,40). The male goat mentioned at the end of the paragraph symbolizes the goat the brothers killed and dipped Joseph’s blood therein.

כבשים LAMBS — in allusion to Jacob, as it is said, (Genesis 30:40) “And the lambs did Jacob set aside”. I saw this in the work of R. Moses the Preacher (see Rashi on Numbers 7:21).

כבש אחד ONE LAMB — in allusion to Jacob of whom Scripture states, (Genesis 30:40) “and Jacob did separate the lambs” (Numbers Rabbah 13:14).