Commentaire sur La Genèse 29:7

הן עוד היום גדול LO, IT IS YET HIGH DAY — Because he saw them lying down he thought that they wished to take the cattle home, and that they should not graze any longer. He, therefore, said to them, “Lo, it is yet high day” — meaning, if you are hired men you have not yet finished your day’s task, and if these are your own cattle, nevertheless — 'לא עת האסף המקנה וגו IT IS NOT YET TIME FOR THE CATTLET TO BE GATHERED TOGETHER TO TAKE THEM HOME (Genesis Rabbah 70:11).

The day is yet long. He thought they were shirking their duties. The righteous are disturbed by injustice even when they are not the victims.

ויאמר הן עוד היום גדול, He said: "The day is still long, etc." The reason that Jacob presumed to judge their actions was that he was concerned with unnecessary suffering of the animals (compare Baba Metzia 32). He also wanted to find out if the reason they delayed watering the flocks was because this was not the proper time and that the town was far off and these animals were used to be kept in the town overnight. This interested him because it would help him determine the distance he had travelled. He learned from the shepherds' answer that what they did was not related to the distance from Charan.

ויאמר, ויאמרו, it is clear who the subjects are without their names or vocations having to be restated.

Nevertheless, it is not yet time for the sheep to be gathered. Rashi is answering the question: Is not this point expressed backwards? Once Yaakov said, “The day is yet long,” Scripture does not need to write, “It is not yet time for the sheep to be gathered,” as it is obvious! Thus Rashi explains that Yaakov is making two points.

האסף המקנה, nicht הצאן, er bezeichnete die Herden als מקנה und erinnert sie damit an ihre Pflicht gegen den Eigentümer des Viehs, das Vieh nicht müßig herumlagern, sondern auf die Weide gehen zu lassen.

לא עת האסף המקנה, “it is not yet time to bring the cattle home.” The use of the word: האסף in this context also occurs in Judges 19,18: ואין איש מאסף אותי הביתה, “and no one is willing to give me shelter in his house.”

השקו הצאן ולכו ורעו, “water the flock and proceed to let them graze.” Why would a stranger like Yaakov dare to order these shepherds around as if they were his employees? He was afraid that Rachel would join the shepherds, whereas he was interested in having a private conversation with her.