[Avodah] basic parsha question from Toldos -- Ulai

[Zev Sero via Avodah]

On 11/21/2015 07:40 PM, Sholom Simon via Avodah wrote:
>
> Much ado is made of the world "Ulai" that the servant {Eliezer] used
> (at 24:5) when he said "perhaps the woman" will not want to come back
> -- as though he wished that possibility would happen. As opposed to
> if he had used the word "pen".

Your premise is incorrect.   No ado at all is made of "ulai" in 24:5.
There is no other word that the servant could have used.  "Pen" means
"lest", not "maybe".   It would not have worked in that sentence at all.
The comment you refer to is on 24:39, where "ulai" is spelt without a vav.
27:12 is spelt correctly, with a vav, and thus there is no question.

-- 
Zev Sero               All around myself I will wave the green willow
zev at sero.name          The myrtle and the palm and the citron for a week
                And if anyone should ask me the reason why I'm doing that
                I'll say "It's a Jewish thing; if you have a few minutes
                I'll explain it to you".