Chayei Sarah 24:32 · unit 1

Parashas Chayei Sarah · Passuk 24:32

The Complete Passuk

וַיָּבֹ֤א הָאִישׁ֙ הַבַּ֔יְתָה וַיְפַתַּ֖ח הַגְּמַלִּ֑ים וַיִּתֵּ֨ן תֶּ֤בֶן וּמִסְפּוֹא֙ לַגְּמַלִּ֔ים וּמַ֙יִם֙ לִרְחֹ֣ץ רַגְלָ֔יו וְרַגְלֵ֥י הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃

So the man entered the house, and the camels were unloaded. The camels were given straw and feed, and water was brought to bathe his feet and those of the men who were with him.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Yerushalmi / Rishonim on the muzzles.

TT lemma: ויפתח הגמלים.

Sefaria — Chullin 7b (related)

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וַיְפַתַּח הַגְּמַלִּים – הִתִּיר זַמְּמֵיהֶם.

English: “And he unloaded the camels” — he loosened their muzzles.

On the daf / in context: The camels had been muzzled on the journey so they would not graze in others’ fields. The Yerushalmi raises the comparison with the donkey of R’ Pinchas ben Yair, whose piety exceeded even this precaution.

Type of Learning

Custom (Yerushalmi — muzzling to avoid theft of pasture)

What Is Learned

Avraham’s camels traveled muzzled so they would not feed from others’ property; only upon arrival were the muzzles removed.