יֵצֵ֣א אָדָ֣ם לְפָעֳל֑וֹ וְֽלַעֲבֹ֖דָת֣וֹ עֲדֵי־עָֽרֶב׃
l’homme se rend à son labeur, accomplit sa besogne jusqu’au soir.
Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael
And thus do you find with the forefathers, that they deported themselves with circumspection (in this regard), viz.: (Genesis 22:3) "And Abraham arose early in the morning," (Ibid. 28:18) "And Jacob arose early in the morning," (Exodus 34:4) "And Moses arose early in the morning," (I Samuel 15:12) "And Samuel arose early in the morning to meet Saul." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If the fathers and the prophets, who were on the way to do the will of Him who spoke and brought the world into being, conducted themselves with such circumspection, how much more so (should) others (do so)! And thus is it written (of this natural order) ((Psalms 104:20-21) "You bring on darkness and it becomes night. In it stir all the beasts of the forest. The lions roar for prey, etc." (28) "You give it (food) to them and they gather it in, etc." — (22) "When the sun rises, they return" (to their lairs) — after which (23) "Man goes out to his work, to his labor, until the evening."
Bereshit Rabbah
“Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him and said: You will consort with me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes. He lay with her that night” (Genesis 30:16).
“God listened to Leah and she became pregnant and gave birth to Jacob, a fifth son” (Genesis 30:17).
“Jacob came from the field in the evening” – there we learned: One who hires laborers and stipulates with them to rise early and to continue late, in a place where they are accustomed not to rise early or to continue late, he is not permitted to compel them. Rabbi Muna said: In a place where there is no custom, it is a stipulation of the High Court that going out will be at the expense of the employer,5The laborer is not required to go to work until sunrise. and coming in will be at the expense of the laborer.6The laborer is required to work until dark.
Going out is at the expense of the employer, from where is it derived? “When the sun rises, they will gather” (Psalms 104:22). From then on: “A person goes out to his work” (Psalms 104:23). Coming in will be at the expense of the laborer, from where is it derived? “And to his labor until evening [adei erev]” (Psalms 104:23) – “ad erev” is not stated, but rather, “adei erev,” meaning until dark, just as it says: “until complete darkness [adei neshef]” (Job 7:4).7Erev can mean until sunset, and it can mean until it is dark. Neshef means when it is dark. A verbal analogy is being used to teach that the worker returns home when it is dark, and does not return home by sunset. Rabbi Ami said in the name of Reish Lakish: They imposed upon the employer that if it was the day before Shabbat, the coming in would be at his expense. To what extent? It is so each and every one would fill a barrel of water for himself and roast a fish for himself while it is still day, in deference to Shabbat, and to kindle a lamp, as it is stated: “Jacob came from the field in the evening.” That is what is written: “And to his labor until evening.”
“God listened to Leah and she became pregnant and gave birth to Jacob, a fifth son” (Genesis 30:17).
“Jacob came from the field in the evening” – there we learned: One who hires laborers and stipulates with them to rise early and to continue late, in a place where they are accustomed not to rise early or to continue late, he is not permitted to compel them. Rabbi Muna said: In a place where there is no custom, it is a stipulation of the High Court that going out will be at the expense of the employer,5The laborer is not required to go to work until sunrise. and coming in will be at the expense of the laborer.6The laborer is required to work until dark.
Going out is at the expense of the employer, from where is it derived? “When the sun rises, they will gather” (Psalms 104:22). From then on: “A person goes out to his work” (Psalms 104:23). Coming in will be at the expense of the laborer, from where is it derived? “And to his labor until evening [adei erev]” (Psalms 104:23) – “ad erev” is not stated, but rather, “adei erev,” meaning until dark, just as it says: “until complete darkness [adei neshef]” (Job 7:4).7Erev can mean until sunset, and it can mean until it is dark. Neshef means when it is dark. A verbal analogy is being used to teach that the worker returns home when it is dark, and does not return home by sunset. Rabbi Ami said in the name of Reish Lakish: They imposed upon the employer that if it was the day before Shabbat, the coming in would be at his expense. To what extent? It is so each and every one would fill a barrel of water for himself and roast a fish for himself while it is still day, in deference to Shabbat, and to kindle a lamp, as it is stated: “Jacob came from the field in the evening.” That is what is written: “And to his labor until evening.”