Comentário sobre Gênesis 29:27

מלא שבע זאת FULFIL THE WEEK OF THIS ONE — The word is in the construct state for it is punctuated with Sheva, so that the meaning is “the seven days of this woman”, referring to the seven days of the marriage feast. Such is the statement in the Talmud Yerushalmi Moed Katan 1:7. It is impossible to say that it means an actual week, (i. e. a calendar week), so that it would mean “finish this week” in the sense “wait until this week be ended”) — for, if so, the ש should be punctuated with Patach (Rashi terms our Kametz a Patach) for the noun must be in the absolute state. Then, again, the word שָׁבֻעַ is masculine — as it is written (Deuteronomy 16:9) “Seven (שבעה) weeks shalt thou number unto thyself” (and here we should have had שָׁבֻעַ זֶה). Consequently the word שבוע can only mean “a period of seven days” old French septaine (cf. Rashi on Exodus 10:22).

FULFILL ‘SHVUA’ (THE WEEK OF) THIS ONE. The word shvua is in the construct state for it is punctuated with a sheva. It thus means the seven days of this wife, referring to the seven days of the wedding feast. These too are the words of Rashi.
But if so, [i.e., if Rashi interprets shvua as referring to the seven days of the wedding feast rather than, more simply, the seven years of labor, thus implying that the seven years of work had been completed], why did not the Rabbi [Rashi] explain the verse above, my days are fulfilled, as referring to the years of work and the condition which were completed, as Onkelos has it,⁷⁸The days of my work are fulfilled. (Onkelos, Verse 27.) and which is the true sense of the verse, [instead of explaining it as referring to the length of time his mother told him to remain there or to his advanced age]? For merely because the days his mother told him to remain with him were completed or because of his advanced age, Laban would not give him his daughter before the mutually agreed time, and it is enough to expect of Laban that he fulfill his condition. It is according to Onkelos, [who says that Jacob’s seven years of work had been completed], that we are bound to explain, fulfill ‘shvua’ this one, as referring to the seven days of the wedding feast for as Jacob had told him, the days of work had already been completed. So also did Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explain it. And I do not know [how the reference here could be to “the seven days of the marriage feast,” as Rashi claims], for “the seven days of the wedding feast” is an ordinance established for Israel by our teacher Moses.⁷⁹Yerushalmi Kethuboth I, 1.
Perhaps we may say that the dignitaries of the nations had already practiced this custom of old, just as was the case with mourning, as it is written, And he made a mourning for his father seven days.⁸⁰Further, 50:10. Thus the seven-day period of mourning was already an established practice in the days of the patriarchs. And that which the Rabbis have deduced from here in the Yerushalmi⁸¹Moed Katan I, 7. and in Bereshith Rabbah,⁸²70:18. “One must not mix one rejoicing with another,” that is merely a Scriptural intimation based upon the customary practices of the ancient ones prior to the giving of the Torah. But in our Gemara,⁸³Moed Katan 9a. the Rabbis did not derive it from here, [i.e., from Laban’s statement], but instead they deduced it from the verse, And Solomon held the feast etc.⁸⁴I Kings 8:65. The verse reads: And Solomon held the feast at that time … seven days and seven days, even fourteen days. The Rabbis explain that the first seven days were a feast of dedication of the new Temple, and the second seven days were the feast of Tabernacles, and he did not combine the two festivities into one because “we must not mix one rejoicing with another.” — The explanation for this principle is stated by Tosafoth Moed Katan 8b. “For just as we must not perform religious duties bundle-wise, but pay exclusive attention to each singly, so must we turn our heart completely toward one rejoicing only, without interference from another.”
Now it is possible to say that this was part of “the changing of the hire ten times”⁸⁵Further, 31:41. of which Jacob accused Laban. For Jacob told Laban originally that the days were fulfilled, and Laban kept quiet and gave him Leah. Later, Laban told him, “Fulfill ‘shvua’ this one, for the work period for Leah has not been fulfilled, and I gave her to you before the time I had agreed upon.” And Jacob listened to Laban and completed the days as defined by Laban, for he desired Rachel, and what could he do? Therefore, Scripture does not say at first, “And it came to pass when the days were fulfilled, and Jacob said, etc.,” [for this would have indicated mutual agreement concerning the completion of the work period, whereas Laban, as explained, claimed that that time had not yet arrived].
It is also possible to say that when the seventh year arrived, Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, meaning that this is the year in which the days will be fulfilled. Similarly, The aged with him that is full of days,⁸⁶Jeremiah 6:11. which means, “he who is attaining his final year.” Similarly, Until the day of your consecration be fulfilled,⁸⁷Leviticus 8:33. which means, “until the seventh day in which the days of your consecration will be fulfilled.” It is possible that Jacob said, My days are fulfilled, because they were about to be fulfilled and are considered as if fulfilled. There are many similar examples in Scripture. Likewise, in the next Seder (portion of the Torah), As her soul was departing, for she died,⁸⁸Further, 35:18. which means, “when she was near death, and was considered as if she had already died.” And this is the meaning of the expression, that I may come unto her,⁸⁹Verse 21 here. that is to say, Jacob said, “My request is not that you give her to me and I will then leave, but rather that I marry her and complete the few days which are still obligatory upon me for now that the period is almost over, you will not be afraid that I might leave you.” Our Rabbis have given a Midrashic interpretation to the words, that I may come unto her,⁹⁰Bereshith Rabbah 70:17; also mentioned in Rashi, Verse 21: his mind was intent upon having children and rearing them in the religious traditions of his fathers. because it is not the ethical way to mention it in this manner, the more so with righteous people, but the intent is as I have said.
Laban then told Jacob, “Fulfill the seven years of this one, Leah, for perhaps since I transgressed your will by giving you Leah instead of Rachel you will not fulfill them.” Perhaps he mentioned it in order that it be known when the days of work for Rachel begin, and then he told him, “I will give you the other daughter, Rachel, for the service which thou shalt serve with me after the wedding.”

מלא שבוע זאת, a reference to the seven days of the wedding festivities for Leah.

ונתנה לך, then they will agree for the younger one to be given to you also.

מלא שבוע זאת, conclude the days of the wedding celebration with this one as your exclusive wife,

מלא שבוע זאת, “let this week pass.” According to Rashi the week in question were the seven days of celebration following the nuptials. Nachmanides writes that he has found no record of such a practice prior to Moses having instituted it for the Israelites. Perhaps in earlier times only the elite of the people observed 7 days of festivities after the wedding, just as they observed seven days of mourning after the death of prominent personages. (Compare Genesis 50,10 when Joseph decreed seven days of mourning for Yaakov) It is also possible to explain that when Yaakov entered the seventh and final year of his service, the year known as שנת מלואים, the final year, he asked Lavan to give him Rachel, arguing that now Lavan did not worry about Yaakov leaving his employ as he had so much more to gain by staying for a relatively short period. At that time Lavan refused. Now that he was about to assuage Yaakov’s feelings of bitterness of Lavan’s deception, he told him that Rachel would be given to him at the end of seven more years of service to make plain that he would have to wait until then, as if he were to give him now, on account as it were, Yaakov might not honour the terms of the contract and would abscond with both women before carrying out his duties. [the anomaly causing the commentators difficulty is that on the one hand Yaakov refers to מלאו ימי, “my days are complete,” whereas twice the Torah refers to שבוע instead of either ימים or שנים, “days, or years.” In verse 28 it is difficult to explain the word שבוע as meaning “week,” as Rashi does in verse verse 26. Ed.]

Immediately after the seven days of the marriage feast. For it is written, “And he completed the week for this one, and he gave him...”

ונתנה לך גם את זאת, “we will give you this one also;” the plural mode used here shows that Yaakov had not believed that Lavan would not try to trick him and had confirmed his betrothal already then in the presence of and with the consent of the local population. The entire population of Padan Arom had been a party to this deception from the start.

ונתנה לך AND WE WILL GIVE THEE — The verb is plural 1st pers. like (נרדה) (Genesis 11:7) “let us go down”, ונבלה “and let us confuse and (Genesis 11:3) ונשרפה “and let us burn": so, also here, it is a form of וְנִתֵּן “and we will give”.

‘VENITNAH’ (AND WE WILL GIVE) THEE. The verb is plural, as in, Let us go down, and let us confound there;⁹¹Above, 11:7. And let us burn.⁹²Ibid., Verse 3. Here too it is a form of venitein (and we will give). This is Rashi’s comment, but he did not say why an individual person [Laban] would use the plural form. Perhaps Rashi thought that this is the manner in which dignitaries speak in the Sacred Language, i.e., as if others are speaking. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said here that nitnah is in the (niphal) passive tense and the prefix vav converts it from the past to the future, thus meaning, “and it shall be given to you.”
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that Laban’s words were spoken with cunning. He said to Jacob, “It is not so done in our place,⁹³Verse 26 here. for the people of the place will not let me do so, [i.e., to marry off the younger before the firstborn], for this would be a shameful act in their eyes. But you fulfill the week of this one, and we — I and all the people of the place — will give you also this one, for we will all consent to the matter, and we will give you honor and a feast as we have done with the first one.”

ונתנה, she will be given to you;

ונתנה לך, it is possible to understand the word ונתנה as a passive construction in the feminine mode, or it could be understood as an active mode of the kal conjugation first person plural, meaning “we will give to you,” i.e. with the consent of the local inhabitants. Or, the letter נ represents what we know as the pluralis majestatis, the arrogant, pompous “we” employed by kings etc., people who consider their individual opinions as equivalent or superior to the collective wisdom of their subjects. In Scripture we find an example of this mode of speech in Song of Songs 1,4 משכני אחריך נרוצה, נגילה ונשמחה בך, “draw me after you! Let us run! Let us delight in your love.” There are a number of parallel examples in Scripture. After you will complete enjoying Leah for one week I will also give you Rachel and you may immediately celebrate another seven days of your nuptials with her. It is not proper to allow one celebration to interfere with another celebration at the same time.

ונתנה לך גם את זאת, “and we will give you also this one.” Rashi explains the word ונתנה as an active form of the word נתן in the first person plural of the future conjugation. As in Genesis 11,7 הבה נרדה ונבלה [as opposed to the third person singular passive mode with the prefix ו changing the meaning to the future tense of the same root, meaning “it will be given.” Ed.] Nachmanides writes that everything Lavan said was deceptive in nature, and when he said that it was not the custom in his town to give the younger daughter’s hand in marriage to anyone until the older daughter had been married, and that the people of the town would not let him get away with making such a precedent, as it would offend their sense of propriety, he added that if Yaakov would agree to these terms, i.e. to complete another term of service,מלא שבוע זאת, they would then honour him greatly by their making a feast for him when he would wed Rachel.

גם את זאת THIS ONE ALSO we shall give to you immediately after the seven days of the marriage-feast and you may serve for her after marriage with her.

(3) THIS ONE TOO. Immediately.

בעבודה אשר תעבוד עמדי , after having wed Rachel. We can confirm this seeing that when Joseph was born, at the end of these seven years, Yaakov wanted to take his leave and to return to his parents.(compare 30,25 “for I have served you for your two daughters”).

(5) ANOTHER SEVEN YEARS. As it is written (Gen. 30:25), "After Rahel had borne Yosef, Ya'akov said to Lavan, 'Give me leave etc.,'" for it was at that point that he had completed the 14 years for his [Lavan's] two daughters.