וַֽיְשַׁלְּח֛וּ אֶת־רִבְקָ֥ה אֲחֹתָ֖ם וְאֶת־מֵנִקְתָּ֑הּ וְאֶת־עֶ֥בֶד אַבְרָהָ֖ם וְאֶת־אֲנָשָֽׁיו׃
האָבן זײ אַרױסבאַלײט זײער שװעסטער רבקהן, און איר אַם, און אבֿרהמס קנעכט, און זײַנע מענטשן.
Bereshit Rabbah
“They sent Rebecca their sister, and her nursemaid, and Abraham’s servant, and his men” (Genesis 24:59).
“They blessed Rebecca, and said to her: Our sister, may you become thousands and myriads, and let your descendants inherit the gate of their enemies” (Genesis 24:60).
“They sent Rebecca…they blessed Rebecca” – they were downcast and despondent [that she was going], and they blessing her only with their mouths.45Not with their hearts.
“Our sister, may you become thousands and myriads” – Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: Why was Rebecca granted [conception] only after Isaac prayed for her?46See Genesis 25:21. It was so that the idolaters [Laban and his mother] should not say: ‘Our prayer bore fruit.’ Instead, “Isaac entreated the Lord on behalf of his wife” (Genesis 25:21).
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “The blessing of the lost would come to me” (Job 29:13). “The blessing of the lost [oved]” – this refers to Laban the Aramean, as it is stated: “An Aramaean sought to destroy [oved] my father” (Deuteronomy 26:5). “Would come upon me” – this refers to Rebecca.
“Our sister, may you become thousands [alfei] and myriads [revava]” – chieftains [alufim] emerged from her through Esau, and myriads through Jacob. Chieftains from Esau – “the chieftain of Teiman, the chieftain of Kenaz” (Genesis 36:15); myriads [revava] from Jacob, as it is written: “I rendered you numerous [revava] like the plants of the field” (Ezekiel 16:7). Some say that both of these emerged through Israel, as it is written: “When it rested, he said: Repose Lord, among the myriad [rivevot] thousands of [alfei] Israel” (Numbers 10:36).
“They blessed Rebecca, and said to her: Our sister, may you become thousands and myriads, and let your descendants inherit the gate of their enemies” (Genesis 24:60).
“They sent Rebecca…they blessed Rebecca” – they were downcast and despondent [that she was going], and they blessing her only with their mouths.45Not with their hearts.
“Our sister, may you become thousands and myriads” – Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: Why was Rebecca granted [conception] only after Isaac prayed for her?46See Genesis 25:21. It was so that the idolaters [Laban and his mother] should not say: ‘Our prayer bore fruit.’ Instead, “Isaac entreated the Lord on behalf of his wife” (Genesis 25:21).
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “The blessing of the lost would come to me” (Job 29:13). “The blessing of the lost [oved]” – this refers to Laban the Aramean, as it is stated: “An Aramaean sought to destroy [oved] my father” (Deuteronomy 26:5). “Would come upon me” – this refers to Rebecca.
“Our sister, may you become thousands [alfei] and myriads [revava]” – chieftains [alufim] emerged from her through Esau, and myriads through Jacob. Chieftains from Esau – “the chieftain of Teiman, the chieftain of Kenaz” (Genesis 36:15); myriads [revava] from Jacob, as it is written: “I rendered you numerous [revava] like the plants of the field” (Ezekiel 16:7). Some say that both of these emerged through Israel, as it is written: “When it rested, he said: Repose Lord, among the myriad [rivevot] thousands of [alfei] Israel” (Numbers 10:36).