Chasidut su Genesi 28:5
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יִצְחָק֙ אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹ֔ב וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ פַּדֶּ֣נָֽה אֲרָ֑ם אֶל־לָבָ֤ן בֶּן־בְּתוּאֵל֙ הָֽאֲרַמִּ֔י אֲחִ֣י רִבְקָ֔ה אֵ֥ם יַעֲקֹ֖ב וְעֵשָֽׂו׃
Giacobbe, mandato da Isacco, andò in Paddan-Aràm presso l’arameo Lavàn figlio di Bethuèl, fratello di Rebecca, madre di Giacobbe e d’Esaù.
Kedushat Levi
Genesis 29,5., “He said: ‘do you know Lavan son of Nachor, etc.?’” If we wish to read an allegorical meaning into Yaakov’s question to the shepherds: “where are you from, my brothers,” and their reply: “we are from Charan,” we must refer to the Zohar I 147, as well as the last Rashi on Parshat Noach where Rashi refers to an inverted letter נ at the end of the word חרן, [something that at the time of Minchas Shay, (Rabbi Yedidyah Shlomoh Rafael Minortzi of Mantua) was apparently still found in the Torah scrolls, Ed.] [The common denominator of both commentaries appears to be that the word חרן is an allusion to the attribute of Justice, suggesting that in that place such concepts as רחמים, mercy, something beyond strict justice was unheard of. Ed.]
Rashi there quotes an opinion according to which G’d related to mankind primarily with the attribute of Justice until the time of Avraham and his benevolent activities on earth. Yaakov enquired from the shepherds (who had demonstrated strict Justice by not trusting anyone not to take more than his fair share of water from the well unless he had been watched over by his colleagues) if they had not heard that there are also other yardsticks by which mankind could be judged, i.e. the attribute of Mercy. The reply of the shepherds appeared to have been in the negative when they emphasized that their home was חרן. Yaakov persisted in asking how it could be possible to live like that. The word (name) לבן, is perceived as the opposite of חרן, so that Yaakov’s question השלום לו, “is he well?” had a double entendre, referring also to his spiritual well being. According to this the shepherds replied: שלום לו, “he is physically and spiritually well.” The shepherds used the reference to his daughter Rachel as proof or rather as the cause that he was spiritually at peace, i.e. that his daughter Rachel was a major factor in this. They may have hinted without being aware of this, at Rachel’s future role near the throne of G’d as an advocate on behalf of her people in exile. (According to the Sefer Chassidim, Rachel’s spirit intervenes with G’d whenever the Jewish people face special problems. She possessed this power thanks to her good deeds while alive on earth).
Rashi there quotes an opinion according to which G’d related to mankind primarily with the attribute of Justice until the time of Avraham and his benevolent activities on earth. Yaakov enquired from the shepherds (who had demonstrated strict Justice by not trusting anyone not to take more than his fair share of water from the well unless he had been watched over by his colleagues) if they had not heard that there are also other yardsticks by which mankind could be judged, i.e. the attribute of Mercy. The reply of the shepherds appeared to have been in the negative when they emphasized that their home was חרן. Yaakov persisted in asking how it could be possible to live like that. The word (name) לבן, is perceived as the opposite of חרן, so that Yaakov’s question השלום לו, “is he well?” had a double entendre, referring also to his spiritual well being. According to this the shepherds replied: שלום לו, “he is physically and spiritually well.” The shepherds used the reference to his daughter Rachel as proof or rather as the cause that he was spiritually at peace, i.e. that his daughter Rachel was a major factor in this. They may have hinted without being aware of this, at Rachel’s future role near the throne of G’d as an advocate on behalf of her people in exile. (According to the Sefer Chassidim, Rachel’s spirit intervenes with G’d whenever the Jewish people face special problems. She possessed this power thanks to her good deeds while alive on earth).
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