“And Yaakov worked seven years for Rachel, and they were in his eyes like but a few days (yamim achadim) because of his love for her” (Bereishit 29:20).
The description of these seven years of labor as “in his eyes like but a few days because of his love for her” is one of the most romantic reflections in the Torah, showing how time flies when you are in love. However, it does not seem to make sense.
Surely, if Yaakov really loved Rachel, then seven years of waiting would not have flown by at all! Each day of waiting would have been like a week to him, each week like a month, each month like a year and each year like a decade. So how can the verse state that these seven years “were like but a few days”?
Numerous commentators explain that Yaakov did not choose Rachel to be his life partner because he loved himself or wanted to gratify himself. It was “because of his love for her” — because he saw in her somebody very precious, somebody of great value and somebody of tremendous caliber. For somebody like Rachel, he would have been willing to wait 20 years or 30 years or more. A wait of seven years for such a unique and beautiful treasure was, therefore, “like but a few days” in his eyes.
The Sefat Emet suggests an alternative explanation, based on the only other time the term “yamim achadim” (a few days) is used in the Torah. In last week’s parsha, Rivka commanded Yaakov to flee to her brother Lavan:
“And you shall dwell with him yamim achadim (for a few days) until your brother’s wrath will abate” (Bereishit 27:22).
Rivka’s instruction is baffling. Did she really expect Eisav to calm down after a mere few days? In next week’s parsha we will see how Eisav’s wrath and hatred for Yaakov remained just as strong, even though 22 years had passed. How should we understand Rivka’s instruction to go “yamim achadim” —- for a few days?
The Sefat Emet explains that Rivka was not referring to “yamim achadim” as meaning “a few days,” but rather days of the achdut (unity) of Hashem. Originating from Charan herself, Rivka was fully aware of the spiritual challenges lying ahead for Yaakov in her brother’s household. To ensure that Yaakov’s faith would not slip away from home, in an alien, idolatrous environment, she instructed him to be in touch with Hashem every single day.
We can now explain the term “yamim achadim” in this week’s parsha as well. After seven years in the home of Lavan, Yaakov reflected with deep fulfilment on his spiritual attainment. His relationship with Rachel enhanced his connection with Hashem and he had lived up to his mother’s request admirably. For Yaakov and Rachel to be deeply in love and in regular contact for seven years without letting their spiritual standards drop is no simple feat. These were days dominated by the unity of Hashem.
Our relationships should be filled with “yamim achadim” in both meanings of the term. We should ensure that our relationships are not based on self-gratification but on unconditional love. We must also ensure that our relationships with fellow human beings only increase and enhance our relationship with Hashem.
Rabbi Danny Mirvis is CEO of World Mizrachi, and Rabbi of Ohel Moshe Synagogue in Herzliya Pituach. He is a member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau (www.mizrachi.org/speakers). The RZA-Mizrachi is a broad Religious Zionist organization without a particular political affiliation.
