מַלֵּא שְׁבוּעַ זֹאת דָּבֵק הוּא בַּחֲטָף, שָׁבוּעַ שֶׁל זֹאת, וְהֵן ז' יְמֵי הַמִּשְׁתֶּה, גַּם זֶה לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית כ"ט:כ"ז). וְאִם כֵּן לָמָּה לֹא פֵּרֵשׁ הָרַב מָלְאוּ יָמָי עַל שְׁנֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה וְהַתְּנַאי שֶׁשָּׁלְמוּ כְּדִבְרֵי אוּנְקְלוֹס (תרגום אונקלוס על בראשית כ"ט:כ"ז), וְהוּא מַשְׁמָעוּת הַכָּתוּב בֶּאֱמֶת, וּבִשְׁבִיל הַיָּמִים שֶׁאָמְרָה לוֹ אִמּוֹ גַּם מִפְּנֵי זִקְנָתוֹ לֹא יִתֵּן לוֹ לָבָן בִּתּוֹ קֹדֶם זְמַנּוֹ אֲשֶׁר הִתְנוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם, וְדַי שֶׁיְּקַיֵּם תְּנָאוֹ. וּכְדִבְרֵי אוּנְקְלוֹס הוּא שֶׁנִּצְטָרֵךְ לְפָרֵשׁ "מַלֵּא שְׁבוּעַ זֹאת" עַל יְמֵי הַמִּשְׁתֶּה, כִּי יְמֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה שְׁלֵמִים הָיוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ יַעֲקֹב, וְכֵן פֵּרֵשׁ רַבִּי אַבְרָהָם (אבן עזרא על בראשית כ"ט:כ"ז). וַאֲנִי לֹא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַמִּשְׁתֶּה תַּקָּנַת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל (ירושלמי כתובות פ"א ה"א). וְאוּלַי נֹאמַר שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ בָּהֶם מִתְּחִלָּה נִכְבְּדֵי הָאֻמּוֹת, כָּעִנְיָן בָּאֲבֵלוּת, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית נ':י') "וַיַּעַשׂ לְאָבִיו אֵבֶל שִׁבְעַת יָמִים". וּמָה שֶׁלָּמְדוּ כָּאן בַּיְּרוּשַׁלְמִי (מו"ק פ"א ה"ז) וּבִבְרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה (בראשית רבה ע':י"ט) שֶׁאֵין מְעָרְבִין שִׂמְחָה בְּשִׂמְחָה, סֶמֶךְ בְּעָלְמָא מִמִּנְהֲגֵי הַקַּדְמוֹנִים קֹדֶם הַתּוֹרָה. אֲבָל בַּגְּמָרָא שֶׁלָּנוּ (מו"ק ט) לֹא לְמָדוּהָ מִכָּאן, וּדְרָשׁוּהָ מִ"וַיַּעַשׂ שְׁלֹמֹה אֶת הֶחָג" (מלכים א ח סה). וְיִתָּכֵן לוֹמַר כִּי הָיָה זֶה מֵחִלּוּף מַשְׂכֻּרְתּוֹ עֲשֶׂרֶת מוֹנִים (בראשית ל"א:מ"א), כִּי יַעֲקֹב אָמַר לוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה כִּי מָלְאוּ הַיָּמִים, וְלָבָן שָׁתַק וְנָתַן לוֹ לֵאָה, וְאַחַר כֵּן אָמַר לוֹ לָבָן "מַלֵּא שְׁבוּעַ זֹאת" כִּי עֲדַיִן לֹא מָלְאוּ יְמֵי עֲבוֹדַת לֵאָה וְקֹדֶם זְמַנִּי נְתַתִּיהָ לְךָ, וְיַעֲקֹב שָׁמַע אֵלָיו וַיְמַלֵּא אוֹתָם כְּדִבְרֵי לָבָן, כִּי מָה יוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת וְהוּא בְּרָחֵל יַחְפֹּץ, וְלָכֵן לֹא אָמַר הַכָּתוּב בַּתְּחִלָּה "וַיְהִי בִּמְלֹאת הַיָּמִים וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ'". וְעוֹד יִתָּכֵן לוֹמַר כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיָה בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִית אָמַר יַעֲקֹב לְלָבָן "הָבָה אֶת אִשְׁתִּי כִּי מָלְאוּ יָמָי", שֶׁזּוֹ שְׁנַת מְלֹאת הַיָּמִים, וְכֵן "זָקֵן עִם מְלֵא יָמִים" (ירמיהו ו יא) הוּא אֲשֶׁר הִגִּיעַ לִשְׁנַת סוֹפוֹ, וְכֵן "עַד יוֹם מְלֹאת יְמֵי מִלֻּאֵיכֶם" (ויקרא ח לג), עַד יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שֶׁבּוֹ יִמְלְאוּ יְמֵי הַמִּלּוּאִים. אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר "מָלְאוּ" בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהָיוּ קְרוֹבִים לְהִמָּלֵא וַחֲשׁוּבִים כִּמְלֵאִים, וְכָמוֹהוּ רַבִּים, וְכֵן בַּסֵּדֶר הָאַחֵר (בראשית ל"ה:י"ח) "בְּצֵאת נַפְשָׁהּ כִּי מֵתָה", בִּהְיוֹתָהּ קְרוֹבָה לְכָךְ וַחֲשׁוּבָה כְּאִלּוּ מֵתָה. וְזֶה טַעַם "וְאָבוֹאָה אֵלֶיהָ", כְּלוֹמַר לֹא שֶׁתִּתֵּן אוֹתָהּ וְאֵלְכָה אֲבָל שֶׁאֶשָּׂאֶנָּה וְאַשְׁלִים מְעַט הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר עָלַי, כִּי מֵעַתָּה לֹא תִּירָא מִמֶּנִּי שֶׁאֶעֱזָבְךָ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ עָשׂוּ מִדְרָשׁ (ב"ר ע יח) בִּלְשׁוֹן "וְאָבוֹאָה אֵלֶיהָ", בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁאֵינֶנּוּ דֶּרֶךְ מוּסָר לְהַזְכִּיר כֵּן אַף כִּי בַּצַּדִּיקִים, אֲבָל הַכַּוָּנָה הִיא מַה שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי. וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן אָמַר לוֹ לָבָן מַלֵּא שְׁבוּעַ הַשָּׁנִים שֶׁל לֵאָה זֹאת, כִּי אוּלַי בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁעָבַרְתִּי עַל דַּעְתְּךָ לֹא תַּשְׁלִים אוֹתָן, אוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה יָדוּעַ מָתַי הִתְחִילוּ יְמֵי עֲבוֹדַת רָחֵל וְאָז אֶתֵּן לְךָ הָאַחֶרֶת בַּעֲבֹדָה אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲבֹד עִמָּדִי לְאַחַר הַנִּשּׂוּאִין: FULFILL ‘SHVUA’ (THE WEEK OF) THIS ONE. The word shvua is in the construct state for it is punctuated with a sheva. It thus means the seven days of this wife, referring to the seven days of the wedding feast. These too are the words of Rashi.
But if so, [i.e., if Rashi interprets shvua as referring to the seven days of the wedding feast rather than, more simply, the seven years of labor, thus implying that the seven years of work had been completed], why did not the Rabbi [Rashi] explain the verse above, my days are fulfilled, as referring to the years of work and the condition which were completed, as Onkelos has it,78The days of my work are fulfilled. (Onkelos, Verse 27.) and which is the true sense of the verse, [instead of explaining it as referring to the length of time his mother told him to remain there or to his advanced age]? For merely because the days his mother told him to remain with him were completed or because of his advanced age, Laban would not give him his daughter before the mutually agreed time, and it is enough to expect of Laban that he fulfill his condition. It is according to Onkelos, [who says that Jacob’s seven years of work had been completed], that we are bound to explain, fulfill ‘shvua’ this one, as referring to the seven days of the wedding feast for as Jacob had told him, the days of work had already been completed. So also did Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explain it. And I do not know [how the reference here could be to “the seven days of the marriage feast,” as Rashi claims], for “the seven days of the wedding feast” is an ordinance established for Israel by our teacher Moses.79Yerushalmi Kethuboth I, 1.
Perhaps we may say that the dignitaries of the nations had already practiced this custom of old, just as was the case with mourning, as it is written, And he made a mourning for his father seven days.80Further, 50:10. Thus the seven-day period of mourning was already an established practice in the days of the patriarchs. And that which the Rabbis have deduced from here in the Yerushalmi81Moed Katan I, 7. and in Bereshith Rabbah,8270:18. “One must not mix one rejoicing with another,” that is merely a Scriptural intimation based upon the customary practices of the ancient ones prior to the giving of the Torah. But in our Gemara,83Moed Katan 9a. the Rabbis did not derive it from here, [i.e., from Laban’s statement], but instead they deduced it from the verse, And Solomon held the feast etc.84I Kings 8:65. The verse reads: And Solomon held the feast at that time … seven days and seven days, even fourteen days. The Rabbis explain that the first seven days were a feast of dedication of the new Temple, and the second seven days were the feast of Tabernacles, and he did not combine the two festivities into one because “we must not mix one rejoicing with another.” — The explanation for this principle is stated by Tosafoth Moed Katan 8b. “For just as we must not perform religious duties bundle-wise, but pay exclusive attention to each singly, so must we turn our heart completely toward one rejoicing only, without interference from another.”
Now it is possible to say that this was part of “the changing of the hire ten times”85Further, 31:41. of which Jacob accused Laban. For Jacob told Laban originally that the days were fulfilled, and Laban kept quiet and gave him Leah. Later, Laban told him, “Fulfill ‘shvua’ this one, for the work period for Leah has not been fulfilled, and I gave her to you before the time I had agreed upon.” And Jacob listened to Laban and completed the days as defined by Laban, for he desired Rachel, and what could he do? Therefore, Scripture does not say at first, “And it came to pass when the days were fulfilled, and Jacob said, etc.,” [for this would have indicated mutual agreement concerning the completion of the work period, whereas Laban, as explained, claimed that that time had not yet arrived].
It is also possible to say that when the seventh year arrived, Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, meaning that this is the year in which the days will be fulfilled. Similarly, The aged with him that is full of days,86Jeremiah 6:11. which means, “he who is attaining his final year.” Similarly, Until the day of your consecration be fulfilled,87Leviticus 8:33. which means, “until the seventh day in which the days of your consecration will be fulfilled.” It is possible that Jacob said, My days are fulfilled, because they were about to be fulfilled and are considered as if fulfilled. There are many similar examples in Scripture. Likewise, in the next Seder (portion of the Torah), As her soul was departing, for she died,88Further, 35:18. which means, “when she was near death, and was considered as if she had already died.” And this is the meaning of the expression, that I may come unto her,89Verse 21 here. that is to say, Jacob said, “My request is not that you give her to me and I will then leave, but rather that I marry her and complete the few days which are still obligatory upon me for now that the period is almost over, you will not be afraid that I might leave you.” Our Rabbis have given a Midrashic interpretation to the words, that I may come unto her,90Bereshith Rabbah 70:17; also mentioned in Rashi, Verse 21: his mind was intent upon having children and rearing them in the religious traditions of his fathers. because it is not the ethical way to mention it in this manner, the more so with righteous people, but the intent is as I have said.
Laban then told Jacob, “Fulfill the seven years of this one, Leah, for perhaps since I transgressed your will by giving you Leah instead of Rachel you will not fulfill them.” Perhaps he mentioned it in order that it be known when the days of work for Rachel begin, and then he told him, “I will give you the other daughter, Rachel, for the service which thou shalt serve with me after the wedding.”
וְנִתְּנָה לְךָ לְשׁוֹן רַבִּים, "נֵרְדָה וְנָבְלָה שָׁם" (בראשית י"א:ז'), "וְנִשְׂרְפָה" (שם פסוק ג), אַף זֶה לְשׁוֹן וְנִתֵּן, זֶה פירש"י (רש"י על בראשית כ"ט:כ"ז). וְלֹא אָמַר לָמָּה יִתְפֹּס הַיָּחִיד לְשׁוֹן הָרַבִּים, אוּלַי יַחְשֹׁב שֶׁהוּא דֶּרֶךְ הַנִּכְבָּדִים בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ, כְּמַאֲמַר אֲחֵרִים (ראה ראב"ע לעיל א כו). וְרַבִּי אַבְרָהָם אָמַר בְּכָאן (שם) שֶׁהוּא בִּנְיַן נִפְעַל, וְהַוָּ"ו הֱשִׁיבוֹ לְעָתִיד, וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ וְתִנָּתֵן לְךָ. וְהַנָּכוֹן בְּעֵינַי כִּי דִּבְרֵי לָבָן בְּעָרְמָה, אָמַר לְיַעֲקֹב לֹא יֵעָשֶׂה כֵן בִּמְקוֹמֵנוּ, כִּי לֹא יַנִּיחוּנִי אַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקוֹם לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן כִּי נְבֵלָה הוּא אֶצְלָם, אֲבָל תְּמַלֵּא שְׁבוּעַ זֹאת וְנִתֵּן לְךָ אֲנִי וְכָל אַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקוֹם גַּם אֶת זֹאת, שֶׁכֻּלָּנוּ נַסְכִּים בַּדָּבָר, וְנַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ כָּבוֹד וּמִשְׁתֶּה כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂינוּ בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה: ‘VENITNAH’ (AND WE WILL GIVE) THEE. The verb is plural, as in, Let us go down, and let us confound there;91Above, 11:7. And let us burn.92Ibid., Verse 3. Here too it is a form of venitein (and we will give). This is Rashi’s comment, but he did not say why an individual person [Laban] would use the plural form. Perhaps Rashi thought that this is the manner in which dignitaries speak in the Sacred Language, i.e., as if others are speaking. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said here that nitnah is in the (niphal) passive tense and the prefix vav converts it from the past to the future, thus meaning, “and it shall be given to you.”
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that Laban’s words were spoken with cunning. He said to Jacob, “It is not so done in our place,93Verse 26 here. for the people of the place will not let me do so, [i.e., to marry off the younger before the firstborn], for this would be a shameful act in their eyes. But you fulfill the week of this one, and we — I and all the people of the place — will give you also this one, for we will all consent to the matter, and we will give you honor and a feast as we have done with the first one.”