Torah Thoughts

In Parsha Vayetzei we read that Yaakov worked for Rochel 7 years, but it seemed to him like a few short days because he loved her. וַיַּעֲבֹ֧ד יַעֲקֹ֛ב בְּרָחֵ֖ל שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיִּהְי֤וּ בְעֵינָיו֙ כְּיָמִ֣ים אֲחָדִ֔ים בְּאַהֲבָת֖וֹ אֹתָֽהּ׃ So Yaakov worked seven years for Rochel, but in his eyes they seemed like few days because of his love for her. ( Genesis 29:20 )   We see from this, that because Yaakov's labor of 7 years was a labor of love, they seemed to him as only a few days. It is interesting to note that the translation "a few days" is not quite precise, because the translated expression "like a few days", in the original Hebrew, literally means "like single days" because  k' yamim echadim כְּיָמִ֣ים אֲחָדִ֔ים literally means  like  single days .    What could that mean?   Interestingly, we find this term in the very beginning of Torah, in parsha Bereishis, where it says: וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים  ׀ ...

 In Parsha Vayetzei we learn that when Yaakov met Rochel for the first time, he kissed her, raised his voice, and cried. וַיִּשַּׁ֥ק יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְרָחֵ֑ל וַיִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־קֹל֖וֹ וַיֵּֽבְךְּ׃ Then Yaakov kissed Rochel, raised his voice and cried ( Genesis 29:11 )   Which Rashi explains   ויבך  AND HE WEPT - He wept because he came with empty hands. He thought: Eliezer, my grandfather’s servant, brought with him rings, bracelets and all good things, but I have nothing with me (Genesis Rabbah 70:12).   Rashi explains why Yaakov wept, but he does not explain why he kissed her. It seems that kissing a girl in public by a tzaddik, for whom modesty is paramount, raises a bigger question about propriety than merely weeping. Rashi says that he cried because he was robbed by Esau's son Eliphas along the way and did not bring any engagement gifts for his future bride Rochel. This is our clue: just as his weeping was for the lack of a gift for Rochel, s...