Where was Besu'el?
Rashi: Besu'el wanted to hold her back, so an angel killed him. 1
Targum Yonasan: At night, Besu'el ate from the food [intended for Eliezer, in which they had placed poison 2 ], and they found Besu'el dead in the morning.
Ibn Ezra #1: He was quiet because he did not receive gifts or because Lavan was greater than him in Chochmah and Kavod. 3
What did they mean by "Yamim O Asor"?
Rashi: "Yamim" on its own means a year (as it generally does in the Chumash), and "ten", ten months, as if to say ?If not a year, at least give her ten months?.
What was the reason for the suggested delay?
Rashi: It was customary to give Besulos a year to prepare for the wedding.
Seforno: To give Rivkah a chance to get used to the idea of such a major change in her life - a new country and a new lifestyle.
Having declared the prevous day ?Kach va?Lech? ? in Pasuk 51 -why did they now ask to delay?
Chizkuni: Initially, they did not know that he was a Shali'ach to be Mekadesh. Therefore, they said, 'Take her to Yitzchak to be Mekadesh her.' After they saw that Eliezer was Mekadesh her, they requested the year given to a Besulah to prepare for the Chupah.
Malbim #1: They were upset that they did not receive gifts. Initially it was her father Besuel who said "Kach va'Lech", now her mother, who wanted to prepare her for the Chupah, asked that she delay.
Malbim #2: Initially they consented, for Eliezer said 'If you refuse, I will take a wife from the B?nos Cana'an'. Now that she was betrothed to Yitzchak, they tried to delay.
Why did they insert the superfluous words ?Achar Teilech??
See Torah Temimah, note 31.
Birkas Avraham, 37b: Why is this called Halachah le?Moshe mi?Sinai? It is part of the tradition of the text of the Torah! This requires investigation. Igros Moshe (OC 4:24), Sedei Tzufim 37b: Rivkah's mother and brother spoke Aramaic. The Torah added to the translation to beautify the expression. 'A tradition from Sinai' merely means that the Torah does so also in matters that are not translations.
The Gemara (Nedarim 37b) says that "Achar, Telech" is Itur Sofrim; it is a tradition from Sinai. What is this?
Ran (to Nedarim 37b) #1: They are extra words 1 to beautify the expression.
Ran (ibid.) #2: They are changes [from the simple way to write] to beautify the expression.
Ran (ibid.) #3: They are Ta'amim (notes) that interrupt in the verse. Me'iri (ibid.) - even though the Gemara mentioned also Pisuk Ta'amim, that refers to notes that separate matters, e.g. Esnachta and Zakef. Itur Sofrim are other notes.
Rosh (ibid.): They are letters that should have been written, but were removed. It should have said 'v'Achar.'
Birkas Avraham (37b): Why is this called tradition from Sinai? It is part of the tradition of the text of the Torah! This requires investigation. Igros Moshe (OC 4:24), Sedei Tzufim 37b - Rivkah's mother and brother spoke Aramaic. The Torah added to the translation to beautify the expression. 'A tradition from Sinai' merely means that the Torah does so also in matters that are not translations.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'Her brother and mother' - Where was Besu'el? He had wanted to prevent [the marriage]...." But Besu'el himself had already agreed to it - "HaSh-m has bought it about" (24:50)!
Gur Aryeh: Although he would not refuse her marriage outright, Besu'el wanted to keep her waiting twelve months (the time Besulah is given between Eirusin and Nisu'in to prepare her trousseau). 1
It seems that Eliezer would not have been able to evade Besu'el in this request (as he did to the same request by her brother and mother). (CS)
Rashi writes: "'Yamim' (lit. 'days') - [i.e.] one year... the time a Besulah is given to prepare.... 'Asor' (lit. 'a set of ten') - [i.e.] ten months." Why did they ask for ten months? If it was a generic request (and not based on any legal argument), then perhaps "Yamim" is a generic request as well?
Gur Aryeh #1: They thought that Eliezer might refuse to grant a full twelve months wait, in order to leave time for the journey itself, as well as preparations for the Chupah upon their arrival in Eretz Kena'an. Therefore, they asked for at least ten months.
Gur Aryeh #2: If a bride works hard and rushes, she could prepare her trousseau in less than a year, but she would take at least ten months. 1
Gur Aryeh: This approach explains the text in Bereishis Rabah, ''Asor' - These are the twelve months given to a Besulah' (i.e. for which ten months can suffice, if such is agreed upon).
Rashi writes: "'Yamim' (lit. 'days') - [i.e.] one year." But in other contexts, the minimum plural means 2 [unless specified otherwise], so perhaps it means two days?
Gur Aryeh: Rashi points out that one does not ask for a lesser amount and then for more; so in this case, it is obvious that "Yamim" does not mean the minimum of 2.
