וַיִּקְרְא֤וּ לְרִבְקָה֙ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יהָ הֲתֵלְכִ֖י עִם־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וַתֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלֵֽךְ׃
Lalu mereka memanggil Ribka dan berkata kepadanya, “Maukah engkau pergi bersama orang ini?” Jawabnya, “Aku mau pergi.”
Bereshit Rabbah
“Her brother and her mother said: Let the girl remain with us for some days, or ten months; afterward she shall go” (Genesis 24:55).
“Her brother and her mother said: Let the girl remain with us” – where was [her father] Betuel? He wanted to impede [the betrothal of Rebecca] and was stricken down overnight. That is what is written: “The righteousness of the honest will straighten his way” (Proverbs 11:5). “The righteousness of the honest” – this is Isaac; “will straighten his way” – the way of Eliezer. “In his evil, the wicked one is rejected” (Proverbs 11:5) – this is Betuel, who was stricken down overnight.
“Let the girl remain with us some days” – this refers to the seven days of mourning for him [Betuel]. “Or ten months [asor]” – this refers to the twelve months that a virgin is given to secure her needs for herself.43After betrothal, a fiancée is entitled to take twelve months before the wedding to prepare herself (Mishna Ketubot 5:2). Laban and his mother were willing to speed up the process, so they requested only ten months.
“They said: We will call the girl, and ask her response” (Genesis 24:57).
“They said: We will call the girl [and ask her response]” – from here we learn that one may marry off an orphan girl only with her consent.
“They called Rebecca and said to her: Will you go with this man? She said: I will go” (Genesis 24:58).
“They called Rebecca and said to her: [Will you go with this man?]” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: They were hinting to her: ‘Will you [really] go? Will you [really] go?’44They did not want her to go. It was as though they were asking: Are you even considering going with him? “She said: I will go” – I am going against your will, even if you disapprove.
“Her brother and her mother said: Let the girl remain with us” – where was [her father] Betuel? He wanted to impede [the betrothal of Rebecca] and was stricken down overnight. That is what is written: “The righteousness of the honest will straighten his way” (Proverbs 11:5). “The righteousness of the honest” – this is Isaac; “will straighten his way” – the way of Eliezer. “In his evil, the wicked one is rejected” (Proverbs 11:5) – this is Betuel, who was stricken down overnight.
“Let the girl remain with us some days” – this refers to the seven days of mourning for him [Betuel]. “Or ten months [asor]” – this refers to the twelve months that a virgin is given to secure her needs for herself.43After betrothal, a fiancée is entitled to take twelve months before the wedding to prepare herself (Mishna Ketubot 5:2). Laban and his mother were willing to speed up the process, so they requested only ten months.
“They said: We will call the girl, and ask her response” (Genesis 24:57).
“They said: We will call the girl [and ask her response]” – from here we learn that one may marry off an orphan girl only with her consent.
“They called Rebecca and said to her: Will you go with this man? She said: I will go” (Genesis 24:58).
“They called Rebecca and said to her: [Will you go with this man?]” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: They were hinting to her: ‘Will you [really] go? Will you [really] go?’44They did not want her to go. It was as though they were asking: Are you even considering going with him? “She said: I will go” – I am going against your will, even if you disapprove.