וּבְהַעֲטִ֥יף הַצֹּ֖אן לֹ֣א יָשִׂ֑ים וְהָיָ֤ה הָעֲטֻפִים֙ לְלָבָ֔ן וְהַקְּשֻׁרִ֖ים לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃
Ngunit kapag nahuhuli ang kawan sa pag-iinit, hindi niya inilalagay ang mga ito; kaya't ang mga nahuling mag-anak ay napupunta kay Laban, at ang mga maagang nag-aanak ay kay Jacob.
Vayikra Rabbah
Another matter: “You shall take for you on the first day” – that is what is written: “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute; He did not despise their prayer” (Psalms 102:18), as Israel prevailed at trial, and their iniquities were atoned; and they say: Israel prevailed [natzeḥu], as it is stated: “Moreover, the Eternity [netzaḥ] of Israel will not lie and will not regret” (I Samuel 15:29). That is what David said to Israel: ‘If you have fulfilled the mitzva of the palm branch, which is called delightful [ne’ima],’ as it is stated: “Eternal pleasure [ne’imot] is by Your right hand,” ‘you will be informed that you have prevailed over the nations of the world,’ as it is stated: “Moreover, the Eternity [netzaḥ] of Israel.” Therefore, Moses exhorts Israel and says to them: “You shall take for you on the first day.”
Rabbi Avin said: “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute” (Psalms 102:18) – and Rabbi Avin said: We are unable to ascertain David’s nature; sometimes he calls himself poor, sometimes he calls himself king. How [is this to be understood]? When he would gaze and see that righteous individuals were destined to emerge from him, such as Asa, Yehoshafat, Hezekiah, and Yoshiya, he would call himself king, as it is stated: “Endow the king with Your justice, God” (Psalms 72:1). But when he would gaze [and see] wicked individuals emerging from him, such as Aḥaz, Menashe, and Amon, he would call himself poor, as it is stated: “The prayer of a poor man, when he feels overwhelmed” (Psalms 102:1).
Rabbi Alexandri interpreted the verse9Referring to Psalms 102:1. regarding this laborer, just as this laborer sits and waits for when he takes a short break from his labor and ultimately finishes it later,10He has to make up the lost work time at the end of the day. just as it says: “The atufim will be for Lavan” (Genesis 30:42). What are “the atufim”? Rabbi Yitzḥak ben Rabbi Ḥilkiya: The late ones.11Thus, when David says: “The prayer of the poor man when he feels overwhelmed [ki yaatof],” he is alluding to the fact that when he was engaged in some pressing activity he would pray later than others.
Another matter: “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute [haarar]; [He did not despise their prayer]” (Psalms 102:18) – it should have said: “He did not despise his prayer.” If it says: “He did not despise their prayer,” it should have said: “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute [haararim].”12It should have used the plural formulation of the Hebrew word for destitute. Rather, “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute” – this is the prayer of Menashe king of Judah, who was destitute of good deeds. “He did not despise their prayer” – this is his prayer and the prayer of his ancestors, as it is written: “He prayed to Him, and He acceded to his entreaty” (II Chronicles 33:13). What is “He acceded to his entreaty [vaye’ater lo]”? Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Shimon said: In Arabia, they call digging [ḥatirata] atirata.13God dug a tunnel under His Throne of Glory so that Menashe’s prayer could reach Him (see Devarim Rabba 2:20; Rut Rabba 5:6). He restored him to Jerusalem to his kingdom” (II Chronicles 33:13) – how did He restore him? He restored him with the wind, just as it is said: He causes the wind to blow. At that moment, “Menashe knew that the Lord, He is God” (II Chronicles 33:13). At that moment, Menashe said: There is justice, and there is a Judge.
Rabbi Yitzḥak interpreted the verse regarding these generations that have neither a king nor a prophet, neither a [High] Priest nor the Urim and the Tumim, and they have nothing other than prayer alone. David said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, do not despise their prayers. “Let this be written for the generation to come”’ (Psalms 102:19) – from here [it may be inferred] that the Holy One blessed be He accepts penitents. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord” (Psalms 102:19), [indicates] that the Holy One blessed be He creates them as a new creation.
Another matter: “Let this be written for the generation to come” (Psalms 102:19) – this is the generation of Hezekiah, which was on the verge of death. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord” (Psalms 102:19), [indicates] that the Holy One blessed be He created them as a new creation. Alternatively, “let this be written for the generation to come” – this is the generation of Mordekhai, which was on the verge of death. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord,” [indicates] that He created them as a new creation. Alternatively, “let this be written for the generation to come,” refers to these generations, which are on the verge of death. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord,” [indicates] that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to create them as a new creation. What is incumbent upon us to do? To take a palm branch and a citron and laud the Holy One blessed be He. Therefore, Moses exhorts Israel and says to them: “You shall take for you on the first day.”
Rabbi Avin said: “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute” (Psalms 102:18) – and Rabbi Avin said: We are unable to ascertain David’s nature; sometimes he calls himself poor, sometimes he calls himself king. How [is this to be understood]? When he would gaze and see that righteous individuals were destined to emerge from him, such as Asa, Yehoshafat, Hezekiah, and Yoshiya, he would call himself king, as it is stated: “Endow the king with Your justice, God” (Psalms 72:1). But when he would gaze [and see] wicked individuals emerging from him, such as Aḥaz, Menashe, and Amon, he would call himself poor, as it is stated: “The prayer of a poor man, when he feels overwhelmed” (Psalms 102:1).
Rabbi Alexandri interpreted the verse9Referring to Psalms 102:1. regarding this laborer, just as this laborer sits and waits for when he takes a short break from his labor and ultimately finishes it later,10He has to make up the lost work time at the end of the day. just as it says: “The atufim will be for Lavan” (Genesis 30:42). What are “the atufim”? Rabbi Yitzḥak ben Rabbi Ḥilkiya: The late ones.11Thus, when David says: “The prayer of the poor man when he feels overwhelmed [ki yaatof],” he is alluding to the fact that when he was engaged in some pressing activity he would pray later than others.
Another matter: “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute [haarar]; [He did not despise their prayer]” (Psalms 102:18) – it should have said: “He did not despise his prayer.” If it says: “He did not despise their prayer,” it should have said: “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute [haararim].”12It should have used the plural formulation of the Hebrew word for destitute. Rather, “He has heeded the prayer of the destitute” – this is the prayer of Menashe king of Judah, who was destitute of good deeds. “He did not despise their prayer” – this is his prayer and the prayer of his ancestors, as it is written: “He prayed to Him, and He acceded to his entreaty” (II Chronicles 33:13). What is “He acceded to his entreaty [vaye’ater lo]”? Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Shimon said: In Arabia, they call digging [ḥatirata] atirata.13God dug a tunnel under His Throne of Glory so that Menashe’s prayer could reach Him (see Devarim Rabba 2:20; Rut Rabba 5:6). He restored him to Jerusalem to his kingdom” (II Chronicles 33:13) – how did He restore him? He restored him with the wind, just as it is said: He causes the wind to blow. At that moment, “Menashe knew that the Lord, He is God” (II Chronicles 33:13). At that moment, Menashe said: There is justice, and there is a Judge.
Rabbi Yitzḥak interpreted the verse regarding these generations that have neither a king nor a prophet, neither a [High] Priest nor the Urim and the Tumim, and they have nothing other than prayer alone. David said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, do not despise their prayers. “Let this be written for the generation to come”’ (Psalms 102:19) – from here [it may be inferred] that the Holy One blessed be He accepts penitents. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord” (Psalms 102:19), [indicates] that the Holy One blessed be He creates them as a new creation.
Another matter: “Let this be written for the generation to come” (Psalms 102:19) – this is the generation of Hezekiah, which was on the verge of death. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord” (Psalms 102:19), [indicates] that the Holy One blessed be He created them as a new creation. Alternatively, “let this be written for the generation to come” – this is the generation of Mordekhai, which was on the verge of death. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord,” [indicates] that He created them as a new creation. Alternatively, “let this be written for the generation to come,” refers to these generations, which are on the verge of death. “And a people which shall be created shall praise the Lord,” [indicates] that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to create them as a new creation. What is incumbent upon us to do? To take a palm branch and a citron and laud the Holy One blessed be He. Therefore, Moses exhorts Israel and says to them: “You shall take for you on the first day.”
Midrash Tehillim
"In human toil, they are not. And so Job said (Job 21:9), "Their homes are safe and free from fear; the rod of God is not on them." None of their desires are satisfied, neither in their eyes nor in their hearts. But the Holy One, blessed be He, prepares their paths before them, as it is said (Psalm 10:5), "His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies." The afflictions that He brings upon Israel do not touch them, as it is said (Psalm 10:5), "His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies." And furthermore, they exult over their enemies, as it is said (Psalm 10:5), "His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies." In human toil, they are not. And because they are not afflicted, they become strong and produce Chaldeans, as it is said (Habakkuk 1:7), "Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their cavalry gallops headlong; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like an eagle swooping to devour." Their eyes come out of the fat that they eat, and they sit under their eyelids, which bulge out from their faces. For you have learned that the oil of humility and tears deepens a person's eyes. Thus the sons of Korah say (Psalm 69:4), "Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without reason, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal." And David says (Psalm 6:8), "Away from me, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping." They have gone beyond the limits of their hearts. You have given them much more than what they asked for. There are those who agreed to be a musician, but you made them a duke. And whoever agreed to be a ruler, you made him a general over all that they agreed upon. Therefore, they have gone beyond the limits of their hearts, and so they speak ancient things."...
Bereshit Rabbah
“Jacob took for himself rods of fresh poplar, and almond, and plane; he peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white that was in the rods” (Genesis 30:37).
“Jacob took for himself rods of fresh poplar [livne], and almond, and plane” – a white [lavan] rod of almond and plane.
This is what our patriarch Jacob would do: He would place the rods in the water troughs and an animal would come to drink. It would see the rods and recoil backward. The male would copulate with it and it would bear an offspring like that.18Like the rod. Rabbi Hoshaya said: The water was transformed into semen in their innards, and all that was lacking was only the form of the offspring. There was an incident involving an Ethiopian man who married an Ethiopian woman and fathered a white son from her. The father seized the child and came to the rabbi, he said to him: ‘Is he, perhaps, not my child?’ He said to him: ‘Did you have any portraits in your house?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said to him: ‘Black or white?’ He said to him: ‘White.’ He said to him: ‘It is from there that you had a white son.’
Rabbi Huna of Beit Ḥoron said: The ministering angels were carrying from Laban’s flock and coming and placing in the midst of Jacob’s flock. That is what is written: “He said: Please lift your eyes, and see, all the males that mount [haolim] the flock” (Genesis 31:12) – “olim on the flock” is not written here, but rather, “haolim” – they mounted involuntarily.19The angel did not merely show him that males were mounting the flock, but rather he was shown that the angels were ensuring that it happened. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Torrential rain.20Torrential rain transported the males from Laban’s flock. The Rabbis say: Clouds of glory.
“When the flocks were feeble, he would not place them; the feeble were for Laban and the strong for Jacob” (Genesis 30:42).
“When the flocks were feeble, he would not place them [the rods]; the feeble were for Laban” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Those born earlier were Laban’s. Reish Lakish said: Those born later were Laban’s.
“Jacob took for himself rods of fresh poplar [livne], and almond, and plane” – a white [lavan] rod of almond and plane.
This is what our patriarch Jacob would do: He would place the rods in the water troughs and an animal would come to drink. It would see the rods and recoil backward. The male would copulate with it and it would bear an offspring like that.18Like the rod. Rabbi Hoshaya said: The water was transformed into semen in their innards, and all that was lacking was only the form of the offspring. There was an incident involving an Ethiopian man who married an Ethiopian woman and fathered a white son from her. The father seized the child and came to the rabbi, he said to him: ‘Is he, perhaps, not my child?’ He said to him: ‘Did you have any portraits in your house?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said to him: ‘Black or white?’ He said to him: ‘White.’ He said to him: ‘It is from there that you had a white son.’
Rabbi Huna of Beit Ḥoron said: The ministering angels were carrying from Laban’s flock and coming and placing in the midst of Jacob’s flock. That is what is written: “He said: Please lift your eyes, and see, all the males that mount [haolim] the flock” (Genesis 31:12) – “olim on the flock” is not written here, but rather, “haolim” – they mounted involuntarily.19The angel did not merely show him that males were mounting the flock, but rather he was shown that the angels were ensuring that it happened. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Torrential rain.20Torrential rain transported the males from Laban’s flock. The Rabbis say: Clouds of glory.
“When the flocks were feeble, he would not place them; the feeble were for Laban and the strong for Jacob” (Genesis 30:42).
“When the flocks were feeble, he would not place them [the rods]; the feeble were for Laban” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Those born earlier were Laban’s. Reish Lakish said: Those born later were Laban’s.