16. Why are we told, "The daughter of Betu'el the Arammian of Paddan-aram, the sister to Laban the Arammian?" Why should we care to know all this? It had already been written, "And Betu'el sired Rivkah" (Beresheet 22:23), and now she is described as "of Paddan-aram, the sister to Laban the Arammian." HE ANSWERS THAT IT IS to teach us that ALTHOUGH she was born among the misled, she did not follow their ways. Therefore it is written that she was the daughter of Betu'el, of Paddan-aram, and the sister of Laban, who were all wicked and evil doers; but she did good deeds and did not behave as they did.

18. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Though she acted WISELY TOWARD THE SERVANT, I do not yet know if her behavior was right or not. Come and behold, it is written, "Like the roseֹamong thorns, so is my love among the daughters" (Shir Hashirim 2:2). The roseֹis the congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY, THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, which is among the legions as a roseֹamong the thorns. The hidden meaning is that Isaac came from the side of Abraham, supernal Chesed, who is kind to all creatures. And although he represented Severe Judgment, HE NEVERTHELESS DRAWS CHESED FROM ABRAHAM. Rivkah also came from the side of Harsh Judgment OF BETU'EL AND LABAN. Although she was herself of Weak Judgment, IN THE SECRET OF THE REDNESS OF THE ROSE, and a thread of Chesed was attached to her, IN THE SECRET OF THE WHITENESS OF THE ROSE, nevertheless she came from Severe Judgment. Thus, because Isaac was severe in his judgment and Rivkah was softer in her Judgment, she was as a roseֹamong the thorns. AND IF THE NUKVA were not of Weak Judgment, the world would not have been able to bear the Harsh Judgment of Isaac. In this manner, the Holy One, blessed be He, joins couples in the world - the severe with the weak. THUS ISAAC WAS OF SEVERE JUDGMENT AND RIVKAH OF SOFT JUDGMENT, to balance everything. THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, and the world would be sweetened.

50. "The daughter of Betu'el" means the daughter (Heb. bat) of El. Rav Huna disagreed with this. He said that BETU'EL is not ONE OF MALCHUT'S NAMES. I have been to distant lands, and heard there that this is the name of the bone of the spine. Of all the bones this one remains in the grave, AND DOES NOT ROT. It is called 'Betu'el the deceitful,' THAT IS, THE 'SCOUNDREL.' I asked about it, ABOUT ITS NATURE, and they said that its shape resembles a head of a serpent, which is deceitful. And that more than any other bone in the body, this bone is deceitful.

51. For we have learned that Rabbi Shimon asks, Why does this bone endure longer than the other bones? This is because it is deceitful and does not bear the taste of human food like the other bones. For that reason, it is stronger than all the other bones. And at the resurrection of the dead, the body will be built on this root. This is the meaning of the verse, "the daughter of Betu'el the Arammian."

52. We learned that Rabbi Shimon said, It, THE BONE OF THE SPINE, is deceitful, and IT CAME from a deceitful world, NAMELY, FROM PADDAN- ARAM. Also, deceitful is the Evil Inclination, WHICH IS THE HEAD OF THE SERPENT, WHICH IS THE EVIL INCLINATION, THE ANGEL OF DEATH. This is the meaning of the verse, "the daughter of Betu'el the Arammian," who is the deceitful bone of the spine. The words, "of Paddan-Aram," WHICH MEANS THAT HE CAME FROM A DECEITFUL (HEB. RAMAI) WORLD, represent two deceivers, as we have learned that Paddana means a 'couple.'The two deceivers are "the sister of Laban," NAMELY, the sister of the deceitful Evil Inclination. At first, when it was corrupted by sins in this world, it was called 'Lot.' In the future, when it will no longer be as corrupted, IT WILL BE as someone who has washed and was cleansed of his impurities, and it will be called 'Laban' (lit. 'white'). Nevertheless, the Evil Inclination is not eliminated from the world.

207. "...And a servant his master" refers to Eliezer, the servant of Abraham. This has been explained. The man came to Charan with great wealth and camels loaded with many gifts to lavish, yet he did not say to Betu'el and Laban, that he is Abraham's friend, or any other man, who came at Abraham's request, but when he started his speech, it is written, "And he said, I am Abraham's servant" (Beresheet 24:34). Later, he repeated SEVERAL TIMES, 'my master.' Because he respected Abraham with honor and kindness, they were patient with him for some time.