1)

Why does the Torah add, "Eim Ya?akov ve'Eisav"?

1.

Ramban: Seeing as Lavan was Eisav's uncle as much as he was Ya?akov's, Yitzchak ought to have instructed him too, to go there to find a wife. And the reason that he did not is because it was Ya?akov on whom he wanted the B?rachah of Avraham to take effect. 1

2.

Rabeinu Bachye #1: The Torah writes this in praise of Rivkah, who ought to have loved Eisav at least as much as Ya?akov - if not more since he was the Bechor. Yet she loved Ya?akov due to his beautiful Midos.

3.

Rabeinu Bachye #2: It is the reason that Rivkah chose to send Ya?akov specifically to Lavan - since they were equally related to him, and he would not permit the one to kill the other in the event that Eisav would turn up there.

4.

Ohr ha'Chayim: Do not ask why Yitzchak told Ya?akov to marry a Rasha's daughter, for a chain of Kedushah cannot come from a Rasha (Lavan). Rivkah and Ya?akov came from Besu'el! Also "Achi Rivkah" hints that also Tzadikim can come from Resha'im!

5.

Ha'amek Davar: Since she was mother of both of them, Yitzchak and Eisav did not realize that Ya?akov went to Lavan to flee from Eisav.

6.

Gur Aryeh #1: Ya?akov and Eisav were brothers, yet they were diametrically opposed. 2 Yitzchak knew that the blessed nation could only stem from offspring that was fully worthy. Seeing as Rivkah had borne mixed offspring, this had not yet happened. Yitzchak sent Ya?akov to marry into the family of Lavan, Rivkah's brother, where he would father a unified, blessed family. 3

7.

Gur Aryeh #2: Rivkah was the mother of two children who were called "nations" (25:23) from the outset; and Yitzchak understood that this ability was inherent in Besuel's family. He sent Ya?akov to marry into the family, so he could father the blessed nation.


1

Refer to 28:4:1:2*.

2

One turned out righteous, and one wicked.

3

This approach is reminiscent of genetics, but in the spiritual sense. Rivkah was the parent of both a Tzadik and a Rasha (Tr), just as Lavan's children were mixed (Tr) (i.e. the daughters were righteous, but the sons later born were not. Or perhaps, Besu'el himself had fathered Rivkah but also Lavan (Tr)). The union of the Tzadik in each family had the likelihood to create pure Tzadikim (Tr x Tr = TT). (CS)

2)

Yitzchak told Yaakov to go "Beisah Besu'el" (28:2). Why did he go to Lavan?

1.

Malbim: Yitzchak thought that [Besu'el] 1 would guide him with his counsel. Yaakov feared Esav, and went to Lavan, who was powerful in the land, and would protect him.


1

Malbim implies that Besu'el was still alive. He must hold like Ibn Ezra (refer to 24:55:1:3), that Lavan and his mother married off Rivkah even though Besu'el was still alive

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