Tafsiran Kejadian 29:3: Rashi, Radak, Rabbeinu Bahya & Siftei Chakhamim

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.

ונאספו שמה כל העדרים, “all the flocks would be assembled there (next to that well);” this is an allusion to all the tribes of Israel from the extreme north to the extreme south who would assemble at the Holy Temple. The word וגללו in the sequence וגללו משם את האבן may be understood as similar in meaning to Berachot 7 ויגולו רחמיך על מדותיך, “they will roll over Your attribute of mercy to ‘exile’ Your other attribute.” The Talmud there discusses the effectiveness of prayer. The words והשקו את הצאן, “they watered the flock,” describe how the Holy Spirit was drawn down in order to provide the Israelites with blessing emanating from the Inner Sanctuary (in the Celestial Temple). The words והשיבו את האבן על פי הבאר למקומה, “and they would replace the stone to its place,” mean that seeing that they had previously elevated the stone (figure of speech) to lofty spiritual regions, once they had absorbed the proper spiritual input from that region they descended from such a spiritual “high.” We find a parallel comment in Sefer Yetzirah 1,4 העמד דבר על בוריו והשב יוצר על מכונו, “leave a matter in its proper state and restore the Creator to His realm.”

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,

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