[Avodah] Re A few notes on Parshas Vayetzei

[SBA Gmail]

From: "Gershon Dubin" < >

"SBA Gmail" <sbasba at gmail.com>

<<A few points to ponder and questions on the parsha.>>

Yasher koach.

-



You're welcome..



SBA: The Midrash 69:8 says that the Malach Hamoves had no power in the city
of Luz. So what happened to the senior citizens who were well past their
use-by dates?

Simple.  They were placed outside the walls of the city – where they died.

(Sounds a bit like the Eskimo solution..)Would this be the first published
example of institutionalized euthanasia?>>



RGD: I'm not sure if it's this or another midrash, but the way I remember it
is when they get tired of living (this is common among very old people



From: Zev Sero SBA Gmail wrote:

They did no such thing.  Old people lived until they were tired of it, and
when they were ready to die *they* went outside the city.  They were not
"placed" outside by ungrateful children who didn't want to go on feeding
them!  No comparison to "euthanasia" at all.



SBA: They sure did - according to the Midrash 69:8 (which I was quoting):

Vezeh leshonoy: "Hee Luz - shelo sholat bo malach hamoves meolom.

Hazekenim sheba ma osim lohem? Kivun shehem zekenim harbeh - motziim osom
chutz lachomah vehem mesim.."



The version in the gemara Sotah 46B- however says that they walked out on
their own.



<<31:34 - Am I understanding it correctly that Rochel was sitting on her
camel INSIDE the tent? And if so, was/is this the done thing - having camels
in the tent that you live?>>



RGD: In my chumash it says she was sitting on the camel PILLOW;  presumably
when they brought that inside they left the camel outside (except maybe for
his nose <g>)



RZS: No, she was sitting on the *saddle*.  Which was indeed kept indoors, as
one would expect.



SBA: See the Ibn Ezra 31:34 that Rochel was sitting on the saddle - outside
of her tent.

-------



Another response - which I haven't yet seen on list (so I'll delete the
identity of the poster):



From: J

To: sbasba at gmail.com



I always enjoy your list of parsha questions.  [Thanks]

To my recollection, the source says that they would leave of their own

volition when they became tired of life [See above.]



.. but similar question vis-a-vis suicide, anyway.

Lich'orah it would only be a grama, similar to stopping anti-cancer

medication, as they would not necessarily die as soon as they left the

city.



> 29:11 - Vayishak Yaakov leRochel.  2 pesukim later re Lavan kissing Yaakov

> "Veynashek Lo".

> Is there any difference between 'vayishak' and 'vaynashek'?



What immediately stands out to me is that neshek is Modern Hebrew for

weapon, although not sure if the word has any basis in lashon

ha-kodesh.  Not sure what the effect of the grammatical difference

would be, though.





> 29:32 - Rashi dh Vatikra shemo Reuven - 'Omro re'u ma bein beni leben

> chami...'>

> The first obvious question is, the Torah gives a clear reason why Leah

> called him Reuven - 'ki ro'o Hashem be'onyi', so why is Rashi giving a

> different reason - which is also difficult to understand as Yosef, who is
a main feature of this - was yet to be born...



I recall hearing that Rashi is answering the question regarding why he

was named "Reuven", instead of, i.e., "Rayon".  The fact that Yosef

wasn't born yet fits in well, in that Leah possibly didn't herself

realize the significance of her choice of the name "Reuven" over

"Rayon", so therefore did not say the reason of Rashi explicitly in

the pesukim.



[If you look at the sources in the Ein Yaakov, that I mentioned, there is
something like that suggested.]



> But we see that his father Besuel who did have a son - Lavan - still sent

> his sister Rivka to do the same thing...?



Rivka went out to draw water, presumably for human use, which is a

much less labor-intensive job than watching sheep

[I got that one wrong. I confused her and Rochel..]



> 31:34 - Am I understanding it correctly that Rochel was sitting on her

> camel INSIDE the tent? And if so, was/is this the done thing - having

> camels in the tent that you live?



Also, if her only ailment was "derech nashim" why should she be

precluded from standing up or doing any type of physical activity?



SBA: Actually the Ramban (31:35) asks exactly that question.

He replies with a comprehensive description of how Niddos were considered in
those days - pretty strong stuff, which I suggest that the more feral
feminists do not look up...



SBA
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