Commentaire sur La Genèse 29:3

ונאספו [AND THITHER WERE ALL THE DROVES] GATHERED — they regularly gathered there because the stone was a heavy one

ונאספו שמה...וגללו, the subject of the verse are the various shepherds who have as yet not been mentioned.

Because the stone was largeashi is explaining [how the phrases fit together, as logically they should be ordered differently.] When it said, “There were three flocks of sheep lying beside it,” it should have immediately explained why they were lying there, and say it was because “all the flocks would gather.” [And why would they gather? Because “there was a large stone.”] Therefore Rashi says on our verse, “Because...” He is explaining how, “There was a large stone over the mouth of the well,” [fits in with the other phrases].

וגללו AND THEY ROLLED THE STONE — it means and they used to roll. In the Targum it is therefore translated by ומגנדרין (a participle). The idea of frequentative action is expressed indifferently by the imperfect (future) or the perfect (past) because every action that occurs continually, has already happened and will again happen,

Every expression in the present tense... in the future tense as well as in the past ... Why did Rashi not explain this before, on ישקו העדרים — “The shepherds give (משקים) the flocks to drink”? Furthermore, why did Rashi not bring the Targum there? [The answer is:] Here it is written וגללו (past tense) and the Targum is מגנדרין, present tense—while in v. 8, again it is written וגללו, and the Targum there is ויגנדרון, future tense! The [varying] Targum clearly shows that the verses are speaking in present tense. But the Targum of ישקו does not show this, as the word is not repeated. Before, it is written ישקו, and here it is written והשקינו. And so too all the other words are all different, except for וגללו.

והשיבו AND RESTORED [THE STONE] — In the Targum it is translated by ומתיבין(a participle) — and they were always putting back.