Rachel's Stealing of the Terafim/2
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Rachel's Stealing of the Terafim
Exegetical Approaches
Survival
Rachel stole the terafim so that her father could not use them to divine where the family had fled.
What are terafim? According to these commentators the terafim were objects used for divination.1 As evidence, Rashbam points to Zekharyah 10:2 which mentions "terafim speaking" and to Hoshea 3:4, which pairs them with the "אֵפוֹד", another item associated with divination.2 Tanchuma asserts that they are called "תְּרָפִים" because they are a "מַעֲשֵׂה תֹרֶף", an object of impurity. Ramban, in contrast, suggests that the term comes from the fact that their words are like a weak prophecy (נבואה רפה) and not very reliable.
לָמָּה גָנַבְתָּ אֶת אֱלֹהָי – Ramban asserts that many people would make the terafim into gods,acting only upon their word and believing in them., much the way the Israelites strayed after the "אֵפוֹד" set up by Gideon. Thus, too, Lavan might have considered the terafim as gods, even if they were not intended as such.
Sitting on the terafim
Belief in magic and divination
Evaluation of Rachel's actions
Religiosity of the forefathers
Religious Motivations
Preventative
Rachel took the terafim so that her father would no longer worship them.
Personal Use
Rachel wanted the terafim for her own personal use.
Economic Advantage
The terafim testified to Yaakov's rights to Lavan's inheritance.
Sources:Modern scholars