Chayei Sarah 24:31 · unit 1

Parashas Chayei Sarah · Passuk 24:31

The Complete Passuk

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בּ֖וֹא בְּר֣וּךְ יְהֹוָ֑ה לָ֤מָּה תַעֲמֹד֙ בַּח֔וּץ וְאָנֹכִי֙ פִּנִּ֣יתִי הַבַּ֔יִת וּמָק֖וֹם לַגְּמַלִּֽים׃

“Come in, O blessed of Hashem,” he said, “why do you remain outside, when I have made ready the house and a place for the camels?”

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Avot de-Rabbi Natan / related.

TT lemma: ומקום לגמלים.

Sefaria — Avot de-Rabbi Natan

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא נִכְנְסוּ הַגְּמַלִּים עַד שֶׁפִּנּוּ כָּל הָעֲבוֹדוֹת כּוֹכָבִים מִפְּנֵיהֶם.

English: This teaches that the camels did not enter until they had cleared away all the idols from before them.

On the daf / in context: The language “I have cleared the house and a place for the camels” is read as removing idolatrous objects so that the household of Avraham’s servant would not be contaminated.

Type of Learning

Custom (aggadah — clearing idols for the camels of Avraham)

What Is Learned

Even the animals associated with Avraham’s household were kept free of idolatry; Lavan’s house was cleared of idols before the camels entered.