Commentaire sur La Genèse 30:42

ובהעטיף WHEN THE FLOCKS WERE FEEBLE — the word has the meaning of “being late”, as the Targum renders it בלקישות the late-bearing ones (cf. מלקוש the “latter” rain). Menachem classifies it under the same root as (Isaiah 3:22) “the aprons and the mantelets (המעטפות)”, so that it has the meaning of wrapping oneself in a garment, and the word denotes those animals that are well wrapped up in their skin and fur so that they do not desire to be warmed by the males.

ובהעטיף, during the interval between giving birth for the first time and the ability to conceive again had begun, Yaakov did not bother using the stratagem of the peeled sticks when the sheep would be watered.

ובהעטיף הצאן לא ישים, in order that Lavan should not think that the results which so clearly favoured Yaakov could have been achieved only through deceitful activities on his part.