Chayei Sarah 24:21 · unit 1

Parashas Chayei Sarah · Passuk 24:21

The Complete Passuk

וְהָאִ֥ישׁ מִשְׁתָּאֵ֖ה לָ֑הּ מַחֲרִ֕ישׁ לָדַ֗עַת הַֽהִצְלִ֧יחַ יְהֹוָ֛ה דַּרְכּ֖וֹ אִם־לֹֽא׃

The man, meanwhile, stood gazing at her, silently wondering whether Hashem had made his errand successful or not.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sanhedrin / language of the Torah.

TT lemma: והאיש משתאה.

Sefaria — Sanhedrin 4b (related theme)

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, דִּבְּרָה תּוֹרָה בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהָאִישׁ מִשְׁתָּאֵה לָהּ.

English: Rabbi Yitzchak said: The Torah spoke in every language, as it is said “And the man was gazing at her.”

On the daf / in context: The rare verb “mishta’eh” is treated as an example of the Torah employing synonymous or less-common roots whose meaning is nonetheless clear from context; the principle is broader than this single verse.

Type of Learning

Custom (Bavli — Torah’s use of varied language)

What Is Learned

The Torah sometimes chooses less common vocabulary whose sense is still transparent; “mishta’eh” (gazing / astonished) is cited as an instance of that freedom of expression.