CHAPTER XVI THE SERVICE OF LOVING-KINDNESS [17B. ii.] THE world rests upon three things: upon the Torah, upon Divine Worship, and upon the service of loving-kindness. [ See Aboth 1:2; Pesiḳta Rabbathi, 5 p. 15b; and cf. supra, p. 89, and infra, p. 122.]
"Upon the Torah," whence do we know (this)? Because it is written, "If my covenant [ God’s covenant is the Torah; see T.B. Sabbath, 33a; cf. T.B. Pesachim, 54a; and T.B. Nedarim, 32a. The argument by analogy afforded by comparing similar words in two different verses of Scripture is known as “Geẓerah Shavah,” and is employed here. For examples see Levy, N.H.W. i. 320 f.; and cf. Bacher’s Terminologie, i. s.v. pp. 13 ff.] of day and night stand not" (Jer. 33:25); and (another text) says, "This book of the Torah shall not depart out of thy mouth, [ The rest of the verse is omitted by our MS.; it occurs in the first editions. The MS. adds the paragraph following dealing with the service of loving-kindness.] but thou shalt meditate therein day and night" (Josh. 1:8). Whence do we know (that the world rests) upon the service of loving-kindness? Because it is said, "For I desired love, || and not sacrifice" (Hos. 6:6). Whence do we know (that the world rests) upon Divine Worship? Because it is written, "And the prayer of the upright is his delight" [ Luria thinks that the text should read: “(The world rests) upon Divine Worship. What is this (Worship)? Prayer.” The preceding part of the verse quoted reads: “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, and the prayer of the upright is his delight” (Prov. 15:8). In Mal. 2:13 “delight” is used instead of “offering.” On this theme see Aboth de R. Nathan (a) iv. p. 9b; T. J. Megillah 3:7. 74b; Num. Rab. 12:12. The ethical lesson here is noteworthy: knowledge of God’s Law must find expression, on the one hand, in Divine Worship, and, on the other, in the service of loving-kindness to humanity. Judaism claims to be the highest expression of religious truth, and stands or falls by the ethical teaching it enunciates.] (Prov. 15:8). [ The first editions add: “What is the Divine Worship? Prayer, for thus we find in Daniel, to whom Darius said: ‘Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee’ (Dan. 6:16). Was there any Divine Worship in Babylon? But this (refers to) Prayer.”]
Whence do we learn of the service of loving-kindness for bridegrooms? We learn (this) from the Holy One, blessed be He; for He Himself bestowed loving-kindness upon Adam and his help-mate. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the ministering angels: Come ye and let us show loving-kindness to Adam and his help-mate. The Holy One, blessed be He, descended with the ministering angels to show loving-kindness to Adam and his help-mate. [ In the Garden of Eden; see supra, pp. 88 ff.] The Holy One, blessed be He, said: More beloved unto Me is the service of loving-kindness than sacrifices and burnt-offering which Israel, in the future, will bring on the altar before Me, as it is said, "For I desired love, and not sacrifice" (Hos. 6:6). [ See supra, pp. 76, 84, 89, for the idea that the world rests on love. Here the stress is on “I desired,” since God’s desire or will is the cause of the world’s existence. The bridegroom is especially mentioned, because the study of the Torah is to be set aside in order to render the service of loving-kindness to the bride and bridegroom. The Jewish teachers did not encourage celibacy; neither was the cult of virginity considered a desirable element in religion, as was the case in the Christian Church. It is possible that the emphasis laid on the Divine participation in Adam’s nuptials was intended to counteract the attitude of the Church towards marriage; see I Cor. vii. 8; Matt. xix. 10, 12. This section in our book should be compared with the latter part of Chapter XII.; see also Pesiḳta de R. Kahana, p. 172b (end).]
Rabbi José said: From whom do we learn of the seven days of banquet? [ At a wedding. The marriage feast is mentioned in the parables of the N.T.; see Matt. xxii. 2 ff.] From our father Jacob. [ See Nachmanides on Gen. 29:27; and cf. T.J. Kethuboth 1:1, p. 25a, and Jalḳuṭ, Judges, § 70.] For when our father Jacob married Leah, he made a banquet with rejoicing for seven days, as it is said, "Fulfil the week [ See Pal. Targum, in loc.] of this one" (Gen. 29:27). [ The first editions add: “And all the men of the place were gathered together to render loving service to Jacob, as it is said: ‘ And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast’ (Gen. 29:22). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Ye have shown loving-kindness to Jacob, My servant. I will deal kindly and give you your reward in this world, because there is no reward for evil-doers in the world to come, as it is said, ‘Because by him the Lord had given victory unto Syria’ (2 Kings 5:1), and he received his reward.”]
Rabbi Simeon [ The first editions read: “Shemajah.”] said: Our father Abraham wrote (in his will and bequeathed) all that he had as an inheritance [ See infra, p. 215; and cf. T.B. Baba Bathra, 130a. Isaac was destined to be Abraham’s heir according to God’s promise; see Gen. 15:4. The first editions omit the quotation, Gen. 25:5.] to Isaac, as it is said, "And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac" (ibid. xxv. 5). He took the document and gave it into the hands of Eliezer, his servant, (who) said, Since the document is in my hand all his money is in my hand, [ The words of Eliezer are not in the first editions.] so that he might go and be recommended [ By the will of Abraham everything in his possession passed to Isaac. This circumstance would be appreciated by the family of Rebecca. See Gen. Rab. 59:10.] (thereby) in his [ Abraham’s.] father's house and with his family.
From Kirjath || Arba unto Haran was a journey of seventeen days; and in three hours [ The “shortening of the way” occurs also in the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew xxii. (A.N.C.L. xvi. p. 38), and see A.R.W. xvi. p. 169.] the servant came to Haran. He was astonished in his mind [ Lit. “heart.”] and he said: This day I went forth, and this day I arrived, as it is said, "And I came this day unto the fountain" (ibid. xxiv. 42).
Rabbi Abbahu said: The Holy One, blessed be He, wished to show loving-kindness to Isaac, and he sent an angel [ See Gen. 24:7, and cf. Gen. Rab. loc. cit.] before Eliezer; and the way was shortened for him, so that the servant came to Haran in three hours.
And everything [ Cf. Luria’s reading based on Jalḳuṭ Makhiri, Ps. 62:5.] is revealed before the Holy One, blessed be He. A daughter of kings, [ See Midrash Haggadol, Gen. c. 367. For Bethuel as king see Jalḳuṭ, Gen. § 109, and Sopherim 21 (ed. Müller) p. 304, n. 46.] who in all her life had never gone forth to draw water, went out to draw water in that hour. And the girl, who did not know who the man [ The reading in the Jalḳuṭ loc. cit., is: “And the girl knew not man.” This reading is probably due to Gen. 24:16. Clement of Alexandria gives a parallel Haggadic interpretation in his Strom. iv. 25.] was, accepted (the proposal) to be married to Isaac. Why? Because she had been destined [ See Targum Onḳelos to Gen. 24:14.] for him from his mother's womb, [ i.e. from his birth. The first editions read: “from her mother’s womb.”] as it is said, "In the balances they will go up, they are together lighter than vanity" [ Cf. Lev. Rab. 29:8, Gen. Rab. 59:9, T.J. Bezah v. 2, 63a.] (Ps. 62:9).
Laban and Bethuel answered: Since (this) word has come forth from the mouth of the Almighty, we cannot prevent it, as it is said, "Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord: [ The MS., the Midrash Haggadol, Gen. c. 368, and the first editions end the quotation here, and add: “etc.”] we cannot speak unto thee bad or good" (Gen. 24:50). "Behold, Rebecca is before thee; take her and go" (ibid. 51).
The servant arose early in the morning and saw the angel standing and waiting for him in the street. He said to them: [ Eliezer is speaking to Laban and his friends.] "Do not hinder me, [ The MS. ends the quotation here; the first editions continue the verse, and then the printed texts read: “Behold he is in the street, waiting for me. They ate and drank at Rebecca’s banquet, as it is said.”] for the Lord hath prospered my way" (ibid. 56). For behold, the man who came with me yesterday, he has prospered my way; behold, he is standing || and waiting for me in the street, [ The Midrash Haggadol, Gen. c. 370, refers here to the “angel” who accompanied Eliezer.] as it is said, "And he said to them, Do not hinder me, for the Lord hath prospered my way." They ate and drank at Rebecca's (bridal) banquet. [ The first editions add parts of verses 54 and 56 of Gen. 24] Like a precentor, who is standing and blessing the bride in her bridal canopy, [ See Midrash Haggadol, Gen. loc. cit.; and cf. supra, pp. 89 f., and see Kallah 1, and Tosaphoth, Kethuboth, 7b, s.v. שנאסר.] so they stood and blessed Rebecca their sister (wedded) to Isaac, as it is said, "And they blessed Rebecca, and said unto her, Our sister…" (ibid. 60). [ This was a marriage by proxy. The Rabbis differ as to whether the nuptial benedictions can be said only in the presence of the bride and bridegroom; see R. Nissim on T.B. Sukkah, 25b, and RIṬBA on Kethuboth, 8a.]
At six hours of the day [ i.e. at noon, twelve o’clock. See Midrash Haggadol, Gen. c. 371, for a parallel text.] the servant went forth from Haran, and he took Rebecca and Deborah her nurse and made them ride upon the camels. So that the servant should not be alone with the maiden (Rebecca) by night, the earth was contracted [ The Pal. Targum on Gen. 24:61 states: “And as the way was shortened for him in his journey to Paddan-Aram, so was it shortened for him on his return, so that in one day he went and in one day he returned.”] before him, and in three hours the servant came to Hebron at the time of the prayer of the afternoon-evening. [ i.e. at 3 p.m. The MS. reads: “the afternoon of the evening.” The first editions read “afternoon.” Midrash Haggadol, loc. cit., has “evening.” The word “Minchah” is used to designate the “afternoon prayer” or the “afternoon offering”; see Jastrow, T.D. 779a.] And Isaac had gone forth to say the afternoon-evening prayer, as it is said, "And Isaac went forth to meditate in the field towards even" (ibid. 63). [ The first editions add: “Meditation (Sichah) is nought else save prayer, as it is said, ‘A prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint (Siach) before the Lord’” (Ps. 102:1). See Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, p. 84. Gen. Rab. 68:9 quotes here Ps. 142:2, instead of Ps. 102:1 as above.]
Rabbi Simeon [ The first editions read: “Ishmael.”] said: Abraham spake to Isaac his son (saying), This servant [ The Prague edition reads: “O my son! this servant,” etc.] is suspected of all the transgressions of the Torah, and deceit is in this servant, [ The first editions read: “This servant is suspected of transgressions, and deceit is in his hand.” עבירה (transgression) often means “immorality.”] as it is said, "He is a Canaanite, [ Servants or slaves were called “Canaanites” in consequence of Noah’s curse upon his son Ham, whose son was Canaan; cf. T.B. Baba Bathra, 92b.] the balances of deceit are in his hand; he loveth to defraud" (Hos. 12:7). See, lest he has defiled her, [ “Zinôr,” euphem. for vagina; see 2 Sam. 5:8.] therefore bring the girl into the tent and examine her tactually; [ For a parallel see the legends of the Virgin Mary and Salome in “Ante-Nicene Christian Library,” xvi. p. 12 (The Protevangelium of James); and cf. same story in same volume, p. 32, The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, and see Hennecke, A pokryphen d. N.T., p. 61; see also Tertullian, “On the Veiling of Virgins,” xi. R. Simeon’s inference is based on the view that obtained in ancient times that slaves could be reasonably suspected of loose conduct; see T.B. Berakhoth, 45b; T.B. Pesachim, 91a and 113b. Clement of Alexandria, to quote but one of the Church Fathers, held a similar opinion of the slaves of his day; see The Instructor, iii. 4. The Midrash in our text also occurs in Jalḳuṭ on Gen., § 109, Midrash Abkhir, and in the Midrash Agadah, Gen. p. 60. See also Roḳeach, pp. 54a, b (1st ed.). According to the Book of Jashar (xxiv. 40) Rebecca was ten years old when wedded to Isaac. Another opinion is to be found in Sopherim 21:9, and in Seder ‘Olam Rab. 1 p. 4a.] || and if she be undefiled, behold, she is destined for thee from her mother's womb. [ The first editions read: “She is thine by the word of the Almighty.” See Midrash Haggadol, c. 373.] He brought her into the tent and examined her tactually, and he showed the result to Abraham his father, and afterwards he took her to be his wife, as it is said, "And Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother… And Isaac was comforted after his mother's death" (Gen. 24:67); [ The last clause of the quotation is not in the first editions.] for the deeds of Rebecca were like unto those of Sarah. [ The first editions add: “she was found to be as perfect as Sarah his mother. ‘The king’s daughter within is all glorious’ (Ps. 45:13); ‘And Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death’” (Gen. 24:67).] Hence the Israelites have the custom of producing the tokens of the damsel's virginity, [ The first editions read: “custom of tactual examination so that they should not be in doubt, as it is said, ‘Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take’” (Deut. 22:15). On the custom see Müller’s Chiluf Minhagim, p. 37, where it is pointed out that it is a Palestinian custom. This might point to a Palestinian as the author of P.R.E., or to Palestine as its home.] as it is said, "Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel's virginity" (Deut. 22:15). [ See the rest of the verse.]
The steward of Abraham's household [ Lit. “The steward of his house (was) the servant of Abraham, for Eliezer was his servant.” Our translation agrees with the text of the first two editions.] was his servant Eliezer, and whence was his servant? When (Abraham) went forth from Ur of the Chaldees all the magnates of the kingdom [ The first editions read: “All the magnates of the generation arose and gave him gifts.”] came to give him gifts; and Nimrod [ On Nimrod see Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, pp. 44 f. and 51; J.E. ix. 309; Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, i. pp. 177; cf. Augustine, de Civ. Dei, xvi. 11, 3. See also Jeraḥmeel, s.v. in Index, for references. The first editions add: “arose and wrote a document transferring his servant Eliezer to Abraham.”] took his first-born (son) [ The rest of the sentence is wanting in the first editions.] Eliezer and gave him to (Abraham) as a perpetual slave.
When (Eliezer had thus) dealt kindly with Isaac, he set him free, and the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him his reward in this world, so that there should not be a reward for the wicked in the world to come; [ Eliezer, however, inherited the future world according to the tradition of some Rabbis; see Derekh Erez Ẓuṭṭa, i. (end), and Midrash Agadah, Gen. 24 p. 60.] and He raised him to kingship, and he is Og, king of Bashan. [ See J.E. v. 112, Pal. Targum on Gen. 14:13, infra, p. 167; and cf. Jalḳuṭ on Num. § 765, Gen. Rab. 60:2, Deut. Rab. i. 25, T.B. Baba Bathra, 58a, T.B. Joma, 28b, and Sopherim 24:9.]
Rabbi José [ The first editions read: “Rabbi”; i.e. Jehudah 1 (c. 200 C.E.); see, however, supra in this chapter, p. 107, for a similar text. The whole of this section till “Syria (2 Kings 5:1)” is wanting in the first two editions. See supra, p. 107, note 6.] said: From whom do we learn (that there should be) seven days of (the wedding) banquet? [ The custom is clearly indicated in the text Judg. 14:10 and 12; cf. Matt. ix. 15, and supra, p. 107.] From our father Jacob, who || made a banquet with rejoicing for seven days, and he took Leah (as his wife). Again he kept another seven days of banquet and rejoicing, and took Rachel (as his wife), as it is said, "And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast" (Gen. 29:22). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Ye have shown loving-kindness to Jacob, My servant. I will give a reward to your children, so that there be no reward for the wicked in the world to come: "Because by him the Lord had given victory unto Syria" (2 Kings 5:1). From whom do we learn (that there should be) seven days of banquet? From Samson the Nazirite of God, for when he went down to the land of the Philistines, he took a wife and kept seven days of banquet and rejoicing, as it is said, "And it came to pass, when they saw him, [ The first editions end the quotation here.] that they brought thirty companions to be with him" (Judg. 14:11). What were they doing with him? They were eating and drinking and rejoicing, [ The first editions read differently: “What is the meaning of (‘when they saw) him’? They were eating and drinking with him, as it is said,” etc.] as it is said, "And Samson said unto them, Let me now put forth a riddle unto you" (ibid. 12); and another text says, "They could not declare the riddle in three days" (ibid. 14). [ See Jalḳuṭ, in loc., and Menorath Ha-Maor, § 173.]
The bridegroom is like a king. Just as a king is praised by everybody, [ See T.B. Kethuboth, 17a; and cf. Singer, p. 299: “The jubilant voice of bridegrooms from their canopies.” and Jer. 33:11.] so is the bridegroom praised by everybody (during) the seven days of the feast. Just as a king is dressed in garments of glory, [ Cf. Isa. 61:10.] so the bridegroom is dressed in garments of glory. [ The first editions add: “all the seven days of the banquet.”] Just as a king is rejoicing, with feasts in his presence, all his days, so || the bridegroom is rejoicing and has feasts before him all the seven days of the banquet. Just as the king does not go into the market-place alone, likewise the bridegroom does not go into the market-place alone. [ See Rashi on T.B. Menachoth, 98a, catchword וירץ. The mourners likewise are not permitted to go out alone. The order of the narrative here is different in the printed texts.] Just as the face of a king is shining like the light of a sun, [ Cf. Prov. 16:15.] so the face of the bridegroom is shining like the light of a sun, as it is said, "And he [ i.e. the sun.] is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, [ The MS. ends the quotation here; the first editions add “etc.”] and rejoicing to run his course" (Ps. 19:5).