Dedicated in Honor of Shani Schwartz

When you put together a contract, don’t leave any stone unturned.

In Breisheet 19:18 we read: “And Yaakov loved Rachel; and said (to Lavan her father): I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter”.

We know that the Torah does not waste words so Rashi asks why this pasuk is so descriptive, why does Yaakov have to say Rachel, your younger daughter? Why isn’t just saying the name Rachel enough?

The answer is that Yaakov knew that Lavan was a rogue. If Yaakov didn’t say Rachel, your daughter, then Lavan could later say “I thought that you were talking about a different Rachel from the marketplace”. Therefore Yaakov had to clearly state: “your daughter”.

Why did Yaakov have to say “your younger daughter”? Yaakov had to be clear because he didn’t want to take a chance of Lavan switching Leah’s name to Rachel and saying: “Here is my daughter Rachel”.

Nechama Leibowitz points out that Lavan’s language was ambiguous in 29:19: “Better that I give her to you than give her to another man. Stay with me”. There was no commitment or promise from Lavan’s side.

Even though Yaakov took all of these precautions, it still didn’t help him, Lavan cheated him just the same and gave him Leah instead of Rachel.

What Yaakov needed was a good lawyer and a formal contract. It also wouldn’t have hurt to check under the veil before the wedding ceremony.